A8N-SLi FAILED VGA TEST

[robfogg]

I've built a new system around the Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe motherboard but
can't get it to work.
When first turned on it I got the post screen but no sound then I got a
CMOS checksum error (loading default settings) then it went dead after a
minute. I tried to reboot but got the failled VGA test voice message every
time and nothing else.
I tried again 2 days later and got to the load system disk prompt but it
went dead again after a minute. Again it wouldn't reboot and just gave the
failed VGA message.

I have the 24 pin power plug connected with the 2x2 CPU power and the 1x4
graphics card power.

Any Ideas?

Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe
AMD Athlon 64 3200 32/64Bit CPU S939 Winchester 90nm Retail
GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC3200 Value Dual Channel Kit CAS2.5 (GE1GB3200BHDC)
(MY-005-GL)
128Mb Aeolus 6200 DV128 PCI-E
200Gb Seagate Barracuda (7200.7rpm, 8Mb) - SATA NCQ
Sony DWD 22 16x DVD±RW Black Dual Layer DVD +- Writer
480W 3XS XClio

 

[40 PC SOCKET SET]

I've built a new system around the Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe motherboard but
can't get it to work.
When first turned on it I got the post screen but no sound then I got a
CMOS checksum error (loading default settings) then it went dead after a
minute. I tried to reboot but got the failled VGA test voice message every
time and nothing else.
I tried again 2 days later and got to the load system disk prompt but it
went dead again after a minute. Again it wouldn't reboot and just gave the
failed VGA message.

I have the 24 pin power plug connected with the 2x2 CPU power and the 1x4
graphics card power.

Any Ideas?

Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe
AMD Athlon 64 3200 32/64Bit CPU S939 Winchester 90nm Retail
GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC3200 Value Dual Channel Kit CAS2.5 (GE1GB3200BHDC)
(MY-005-GL)
128Mb Aeolus 6200 DV128 PCI-E
200Gb Seagate Barracuda (7200.7rpm, 8Mb) - SATA NCQ
Sony DWD 22 16x DVD±RW Black Dual Layer DVD +- Writer
480W 3XS XClio

Apart from making sure the SLi selector card is in the correct position I am
at a loss.

 

[DarkElldar]

Apart from making sure the SLi selector card is in the correct position I
am
at a loss.

That could be it mine came set to SLI and the manual states that it is set
to Single VGA card by default. I bet they test the board in SLI mode and
forget to set it back to single before they box it up.

 

[robfogg]

The SLi selector card is set in the correct position, i.e. the side saying
single VGA is inserted into the clip.

I've had 3 of these boards now, the first came with the card set to 2 VGA
cards and the next 2 came set to single VGA.

All 3 boards have acted in the same way as I've described above.
I had this last board set up in the shop with my VGA card, CPU and memory
inserted and it booted up and requested a system disk a few times.
As soon as I tried it at home I got the CMOS checksum error and the system
died after a minute then the VGA failure message every time I tried to
reboot.
Once I get the VGA failure messages I don't seem to be able to get
anywhere - it still gives them with the board outside the case with only
the CPU, one stick of memory the VGA and a speaker connected.
Leaving the board for a couple of days seems to do something as it then
progresses to the post screen and asks for the system disk but it all goes
dead within a minute of that and I'm back to the start.

Should I change the BIOS if I get the chance?

Should I try booting up with a disk inserted?

Any Ideas?

 

[Paul]

The SLi selector card is set in the correct position, i.e. the side saying
single VGA is inserted into the clip.

I've had 3 of these boards now, the first came with the card set to 2 VGA
cards and the next 2 came set to single VGA.

All 3 boards have acted in the same way as I've described above.
I had this last board set up in the shop with my VGA card, CPU and memory
inserted and it booted up and requested a system disk a few times.
As soon as I tried it at home I got the CMOS checksum error and the system
died after a minute then the VGA failure message every time I tried to
reboot.
Once I get the VGA failure messages I don't seem to be able to get
anywhere - it still gives them with the board outside the case with only
the CPU, one stick of memory the VGA and a speaker connected.
Leaving the board for a couple of days seems to do something as it then
progresses to the post screen and asks for the system disk but it all goes
dead within a minute of that and I'm back to the start.

Should I change the BIOS if I get the chance?

Should I try booting up with a disk inserted?

Any Ideas?

If you scroll back through the posts about this board,
a couple of people had better luck with more powerful
power supplies. And another person got an RMA and the
new board worked for him. So, try another power supply,
and if that doesn't give better results, it could be
your three boards are part of a bad batch.

If you have a multimeter, you could plug into a drive
connector, and monitor +12V. See if the voltage starts
to drop, over the 30 seconds the motherboard stays running.
That could be evidence of an underpowered ATX power
supply. (Be careful not to short the leads together.
It may be safer to use two drive connectors, pick up a
ground from one, and a +12V signal from another.)
If the reading is more than 5% on the low side
(i.e. <11.4V), then you need a bigger power supply.

I doubt the SLI selector card would prevent POSTing.
The SLI selector rewires the PCI Express lanes, either
sending all 16 lanes to one slot, or 8 lanes to each of
two slots. A x16 PCI Express card can run with only x8 lanes,
so running a single PCI Express video card, it really doesn't
matter which way the selector is rotated. (x8 PCI Express
has the same performance as x16.)

Check the manual and see if the board support Vocal POST.
If it does, plug amplified speakers into the Lineout
connector on the back of the board, and see if any error
message is waiting for you. A power problem will not give
an error message, but some other kinds of problems will
give messages.

Paul

 

[Ben Pope]

The SLi selector card is set in the correct position, i.e. the side
saying single VGA is inserted into the clip.

I've had 3 of these boards now, the first came with the card set to 2
VGA cards and the next 2 came set to single VGA.

All 3 boards have acted in the same way as I've described above.
I had this last board set up in the shop with my VGA card, CPU and
memory inserted and it booted up and requested a system disk a few
times.
As soon as I tried it at home I got the CMOS checksum error and the
system died after a minute then the VGA failure message every time I
tried to reboot.

My first thought was power supply. Having read this, I'm definately going
for PSU.

Ben

 

[LostSoul]

I also lean toward power supply being culprit. I just built my nephew 1 of
these with a 580 watt power supply new 1 too. It would get as far as 1st or
second xp boot disc an shut off . Tryed this several times each time
thinking it was a bios setting wrong we changed some 1 at a time system
still shut down. Upon the sixth try i said it has to be a power supply issue
but my nephew said its 550 watts an new. I said lets try youre old one an
bingo has not retarted or shutdown ever again since. GOOD LUCK HOPE THIS
HELPS

 

[Ben Pope]

I also lean toward power supply being culprit. I just built my nephew
1 of these with a 580 watt power supply new 1 too. It would get as
far as 1st or second xp boot disc an shut off . Tryed this several
times each time thinking it was a bios setting wrong we changed some
1 at a time system still shut down. Upon the sixth try i said it has
to be a power supply issue but my nephew said its 550 watts an new. I
said lets try youre old one an bingo has not retarted or shutdown
ever again since. GOOD LUCK HOPE THIS HELPS

PSU ratings are going the way of PMPO ratings on speakers.

Dunno how they manage to get a quoted 600W from speakers that only draw 3W
(if that) from the supply.

These are clearly some very distorted sine waves that are being measured.

Ben

 

[RJT]

PSU ratings are going the way of PMPO ratings on speakers.

You need a lot of horsepower for this board, and you will get the
performance to match. This is a top mobo, so you need to pair it with an
top psu, and not some cheap-*** heater that gives just enough juice to
light the green power led.

I went with an Enermax Noisetaker EG701AX. 600 Watts, for real. All the
power I could ever need for this system, and it's so quiet, it's almost
inaudible. Not bad, considering it's only two feet away.