Will a motherboard power up without a cpu?

[James]

Or if the cpu is shot? I'm trying to diagnose whether its the board or the
cpu that's the problem here.

It's an Asus A7N8X-X. First it died and I sent it back to newegg and they
sent me another one. Then that one died after several months of no problems
whatsoever. Now the one that I just got back yesterday from newegg appears
to be DOA. Everythings connected correctly and I power up but the fan
doesn't come on nor does the little green light and I smell something
burning.

So if you had to guess is the motherboard DOA or is the cpu dead and the
motherboard is trying to get it to function and because the cpu is dead the
motherboard isn't letting the fan come on nor the green light?

This is an AMD cpu btw and I never overclock

Thanks

 

[Noozer]

Or if the cpu is shot? I'm trying to diagnose whether its the board or the
cpu that's the problem here.

It's an Asus A7N8X-X. First it died and I sent it back to newegg and they
sent me another one. Then that one died after several months of no problems
whatsoever. Now the one that I just got back yesterday from newegg appears
to be DOA. Everythings connected correctly and I power up but the fan
doesn't come on nor does the little green light and I smell something
burning.

No green light? Probably a bad PSU... Unfortunately smelling something
burning is BAD.

 

[James]

No green light? Probably a bad PSU... Unfortunately smelling something
burning is BAD.

PSU as in Power supply unit? When the last one died I smelled it too so
perhaps that is it. Cool, that gives me some hope.

Thanks alot, you just made my Friday.

 

[yak]

PSU as in Power supply unit? When the last one died I smelled it too so
perhaps that is it. Cool, that gives me some hope.

Thanks alot, you just made my Friday.

How so? You've just learned that your power supply has been frying
motherboards for months.

This is why I will only buy MSI boards. That diagnostic LED display is
worth it's weight in iridium.

 

[James]

How so? You've just learned that your power supply has been frying
motherboards for months.

This is why I will only buy MSI boards. That diagnostic LED display is
worth it's weight in iridium.

I don't think it fried the motherboard, I just think that the power supply
itself is fried. What does the diagnostic led display tell you? Are they
quality boards ? I typically go with ASUS but am considering other brands.

 

[yak]

I don't think it fried the motherboard, I just think that the power supply
itself is fried. What does the diagnostic led display tell you? Are they
quality boards ? I typically go with ASUS but am considering other brands.

It has 4 leds that make a pattern that you look up in the manual. top
left red others green = bad cpu, etc.

Yea, I think they are good boards, I'd rank them up there with abit and
asus.

 

[James]

It has 4 leds that make a pattern that you look up in the manual. top
left red others green = bad cpu, etc.

Yea, I think they are good boards, I'd rank them up there with abit and
asus.

ok I got a new power supply and she shows signs of life but no booting. I've
already returned this thing twice, I'm not sure I can do it again especially
since I know it's not the boards fault. I wonder if the CPU survived too?

In years of system building this is the first PS that I've ever had go, now
I know what to look for but that was a hard lesson to learn.

This is my cpu CPU AMD|3000/333 ATHLON XP BARTON can you reccommend a good
board for it?

Thanks for your time, I appreciate it.

 

[kony]

ok I got a new power supply and she shows signs of life but no booting. I've
already returned this thing twice, I'm not sure I can do it again especially
since I know it's not the boards fault. I wonder if the CPU survived too?

The CPU is likey fine, unless you didn't install heatsink
properly.

Did you buy a decent power supply this time or is it a
generic? If not a quality name-brand, take PSU back and get
something else.

In years of system building this is the first PS that I've ever had go, now
I know what to look for but that was a hard lesson to learn.

It's not always PSU that produces that no-POST problem, but
the burning smell was a pretty good hint. Systems today use
more power than in the past, marginal power supplies that
would've worked in older sysetems, now show their
weaknesses.

This is my cpu CPU AMD|3000/333 ATHLON XP BARTON can you reccommend a good
board for it?

Nothing wrong with the board you have, at least that
make/model. Top picks for socket A include Asus A7N8X-Dlx
(or your lower-featured version of it), Abit A7N or NF7.
Next shelf down, Gigabyte and MSI. Often the cheaper boards
are pickier about memory, one of the reasons a CMOS clear
can help is that it reverts to defaults of 100MHz FSB/Mem
which lowers demand on memory. Also some nForce2 boards
have odd bios bug that requires that, when making bios
changes, you save bios but NOT save-and-exit... exit as a
2nd step after saving but not exiting. Later nForce2 boards
and bioses overcome this by restarting system another time
with previous values before changing them, but this is
probalby more info than you need to know.


If you have good name-brand PSU, double check everything
else including clearing CMOS and trying minimal build with
only 1 memory module, video card, CPU, heatsink/fan. Check
that no unused standoffs are installed under the board,
usually easiest to check by counting them with right-side
panel off case and comparing to screw count on top of
board., from left side. If in doubt about case, remove
board and try running on a tabletop, but not on an
anti-static bag.

 

[yak]

ok I got a new power supply and she shows signs of life but no booting. I've
already returned this thing twice, I'm not sure I can do it again especially
since I know it's not the boards fault. I wonder if the CPU survived too?

In years of system building this is the first PS that I've ever had go, now
I know what to look for but that was a hard lesson to learn.

This is my cpu CPU AMD|3000/333 ATHLON XP BARTON can you reccommend a good
board for it?

Thanks for your time, I appreciate it.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-419
&depa=1

that's the one I bought when lightning killed my old one.

 

[formerly known as 'cat arranger']

: In article <wfn0d.16998$MQ5.10774@attbi_s52>, (e-mail address removed) says...
: >
: > : > > In article <1Hk0d.148469$9d6.46977@attbi_s54>, (e-mail address removed) says...
: > > >
: > > > : > > > >
: > > > : > > > > > Or if the cpu is shot? I'm trying to diagnose whether its the
board
: > or
: > > > the
: > > > > > cpu that's the problem here.
: > > > > >
: > > > > > It's an Asus A7N8X-X. First it died and I sent it back to newegg
and
: > > > they
: > > > > > sent me another one. Then that one died after several months of
no
: > > > > problems
: > > > > > whatsoever. Now the one that I just got back yesterday from
newegg
: > > > appears
: > > > > > to be DOA. Everythings connected correctly and I power up but
the
: > fan
: > > > > > doesn't come on nor does the little green light and I smell
: > something
: > > > > > burning.
: > > > >
: > > > > No green light? Probably a bad PSU... Unfortunately smelling
something
: > > > > burning is BAD.
: > > > >
: > > > >
: > > >
: > > > PSU as in Power supply unit? When the last one died I smelled it too
so
: > > > perhaps that is it. Cool, that gives me some hope.
: > > >
: > > > Thanks alot, you just made my Friday.
: > > >
: > > >
: > > >
: > >
: > >
: > > How so? You've just learned that your power supply has been frying
: > > motherboards for months.
: > >
: > > This is why I will only buy MSI boards. That diagnostic LED display is
: > > worth it's weight in iridium.
: > >
: > >
: > >
: >
: > I don't think it fried the motherboard, I just think that the power
supply
: > itself is fried. What does the diagnostic led display tell you? Are they
: > quality boards ? I typically go with ASUS but am considering other
brands.
: >
: >
: >
:
:
: It has 4 leds that make a pattern that you look up in the manual. top
: left red others green = bad cpu, etc.
:
: Yea, I think they are good boards, I'd rank them up there with abit and
: asus.
:


Have you had an MSI onboard sound? I've had good luck
with two boards except for the sound. Oh yeah, and head
of the repair dept at Fry's Electronics told me I fried the
sound by flashing the bios. Oh well.

 

[Noozer]

Have you had an MSI onboard sound? I've had good luck

with two boards except for the sound. Oh yeah, and head
of the repair dept at Fry's Electronics told me I fried the
sound by flashing the bios. Oh well.

You can't fry the sound circuits by flashing the BIOS... Talk to that guys
manager.

Now it IS possible that flashing the BIOS would change the PnP parameters of
the sound. Deleting from Device Mangler and reinstalling the drivers would
take care of that.

I used to use MSI boards a lot, but got a batch with bad capacitors, and
they are really skimpy on extra features so I stopped using them. At the
moment it's Asus for good machines and ECS for low end machines.

 

[formerly known as 'cat arranger']

: > Have you had an MSI onboard sound? I've had good luck
: > with two boards except for the sound. Oh yeah, and head
: > of the repair dept at Fry's Electronics told me I fried the
: > sound by flashing the bios. Oh well.
:
: You can't fry the sound circuits by flashing the BIOS... Talk to that guys
: manager.
:
: Now it IS possible that flashing the BIOS would change the PnP parameters
of
: the sound. Deleting from Device Mangler and reinstalling the drivers would
: take care of that.
:
: I used to use MSI boards a lot, but got a batch with bad capacitors, and
: they are really skimpy on extra features so I stopped using them. At the
: moment it's Asus for good machines and ECS for low end machines.
:
:

I called MSI and they told me that there was no way
to fry the audio by flashing the bios. And besides the
motherboard flash worked fine after the flash. But the
manager was either ignorant of crooked. I couldn't
get a higher up to listen until the guy who sold me the
motherboard got promoted. We talked about when
I was coming in and what we were gonna do but he
got transferred to California to be a store manager for
Fry's. It was only $60 but I wonder if anyone would
care that I bought two televisions and a VCR/DVD
combo from Incredible Universe instead of Fry's
because I was pissed. Anyway.

 

[yak]

: In article <wfn0d.16998$MQ5.10774@attbi_s52>, (e-mail address removed) says...
: >
: > : > > In article <1Hk0d.148469$9d6.46977@attbi_s54>, (e-mail address removed) says...
: > > >
: > > > : > > > >
: > > > : > > > > > Or if the cpu is shot? I'm trying to diagnose whether its the
board
: > or
: > > > the
: > > > > > cpu that's the problem here.
: > > > > >
: > > > > > It's an Asus A7N8X-X. First it died and I sent it back to newegg
and
: > > > they
: > > > > > sent me another one. Then that one died after several months of
no
: > > > > problems
: > > > > > whatsoever. Now the one that I just got back yesterday from
newegg
: > > > appears
: > > > > > to be DOA. Everythings connected correctly and I power up but
the
: > fan
: > > > > > doesn't come on nor does the little green light and I smell
: > something
: > > > > > burning.
: > > > >
: > > > > No green light? Probably a bad PSU... Unfortunately smelling
something
: > > > > burning is BAD.
: > > > >
: > > > >
: > > >
: > > > PSU as in Power supply unit? When the last one died I smelled it too
so
: > > > perhaps that is it. Cool, that gives me some hope.
: > > >
: > > > Thanks alot, you just made my Friday.
: > > >
: > > >
: > > >
: > >
: > >
: > > How so? You've just learned that your power supply has been frying
: > > motherboards for months.
: > >
: > > This is why I will only buy MSI boards. That diagnostic LED display is
: > > worth it's weight in iridium.
: > >
: > >
: > >
: >
: > I don't think it fried the motherboard, I just think that the power
supply
: > itself is fried. What does the diagnostic led display tell you? Are they
: > quality boards ? I typically go with ASUS but am considering other
brands.
: >
: >
: >
:
:
: It has 4 leds that make a pattern that you look up in the manual. top
: left red others green = bad cpu, etc.
:
: Yea, I think they are good boards, I'd rank them up there with abit and
: asus.
:


Have you had an MSI onboard sound? I've had good luck
with two boards except for the sound. Oh yeah, and head
of the repair dept at Fry's Electronics told me I fried the
sound by flashing the bios. Oh well.

Fry's sucks ass. They always sell defective stuff.

The sound has been fine on all the msi boards I've had.

 

[James]

The CPU is likey fine, unless you didn't install heatsink
properly.

Did you buy a decent power supply this time or is it a
generic? If not a quality name-brand, take PSU back and get
something else.

I'm not sure of the name brand it is, but I'll check it out. I hear you on
the name brand stuff, I've learned that lesson the hard way. I just bought
this PSU for 35 dollars just to see if it would come to life. Whats a good
name brand PSU ?

 

[James]

The CPU is likey fine, unless you didn't install heatsink
properly.

Did you buy a decent power supply this time or is it a
generic? If not a quality name-brand, take PSU back and get
something else.

It is a Premiere Pro Performance. Not sure if that's good or not, it was 45
dollars and 450 watts. I hear you on quality name brand parts, I've learned
that lesson the hard way before. I just got this unit just to see if there's
any life left in the board.

It's not always PSU that produces that no-POST problem, but
the burning smell was a pretty good hint. Systems today use
more power than in the past, marginal power supplies that
would've worked in older sysetems, now show their
weaknesses.



Nothing wrong with the board you have, at least that
make/model. Top picks for socket A include Asus A7N8X-Dlx
(or your lower-featured version of it), Abit A7N or NF7.
Next shelf down, Gigabyte and MSI. Often the cheaper boards
are pickier about memory, one of the reasons a CMOS clear
can help is that it reverts to defaults of 100MHz FSB/Mem
which lowers demand on memory. Also some nForce2 boards
have odd bios bug that requires that, when making bios
changes, you save bios but NOT save-and-exit... exit as a
2nd step after saving but not exiting. Later nForce2 boards
and bioses overcome this by restarting system another time
with previous values before changing them, but this is
probalby more info than you need to know.


If you have good name-brand PSU, double check everything
else including clearing CMOS and trying minimal build with
only 1 memory module, video card, CPU, heatsink/fan. Check
that no unused standoffs are installed under the board,
usually easiest to check by counting them with right-side
panel off case and comparing to screw count on top of
board., from left side. If in doubt about case, remove
board and try running on a tabletop, but not on an
anti-static bag.

I'll give that a try, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[kony]

It is a Premiere Pro Performance. Not sure if that's good or not, it was 45
dollars and 450 watts. I hear you on quality name brand parts, I've learned
that lesson the hard way before. I just got this unit just to see if there's
any life left in the board.

Premiere Pro doesn't ring any bells, odds are it's not too
good, probably not worth the $45.

Better alternatives might include Sparkle/Fortron, Antec,
Delta, Thermaltake/Enlight, and a few others that may vary
by region. Ideally one of these brands in a >= 340W model,
and due to that motherboard using 5V for CPU power, the
power supply should have a combined 3V + 5V rating of at
least 200W, preferably >= 220W.

 

[James]

Premiere Pro doesn't ring any bells, odds are it's not too
good, probably not worth the $45.

Better alternatives might include Sparkle/Fortron, Antec,
Delta, Thermaltake/Enlight, and a few others that may vary
by region. Ideally one of these brands in a >= 340W model,
and due to that motherboard using 5V for CPU power, the
power supply should have a combined 3V + 5V rating of at
least 200W, preferably >= 220W.

The one that died was an Antec and is still under warrenty so I'll be
calling them up today.

Also a piece just fell out of it and it looks like part of a chip or
conductor, it's black with writing that reads

DOL220
MOROCCO
P7NB80

I wonder if they'll cover the cost of my motherboard?