A8N-SLI Start-up Problems

[beachnut]

Hi, all.

I've just installed a new A8N-SLI, and I'm having problems.
When I power up, fans spin, but I get no beeps or video out.
I have an Athlon 3500+, 1GB of PC3200 RAM, and a 6800GT
graphics card. I've only connected the CPU fan, power switch,
and the speaker to the mobo. I added a new 420W PS to the
case and ran power to the PCIe area of the mobo and to the
back of the graphics card.

I was careful about grounding myself and made sure the heatsink
was properly seated before powering up. One possible hint: I
recently had the same problem with another new mobo and [P4]
processor; I am using the same RAM and case for both tests.

Thanks for any help!

beachnut

 

[KC Computers]

I've just installed a new A8N-SLI, and I'm having problems.

When I power up, fans spin, but I get no beeps or video out.
I have an Athlon 3500+, 1GB of PC3200 RAM, and a 6800GT
graphics card. I've only connected the CPU fan, power switch,
and the speaker to the mobo. I added a new 420W PS to the
case and ran power to the PCIe area of the mobo and to the
back of the graphics card.
I was careful about grounding myself and made sure the heatsink
was properly seated before powering up. One possible hint: I
recently had the same problem with another new mobo and [P4]
processor; I am using the same RAM and case for both tests.

Did you make sure to plug in the small 4-pin power supply connector
to the motherboard as well as the larger 20-pin/24-pin one?

 

[beachnut]

If you mean the ATX12V, I did not have that connected, and just did.
Thanks! Still no audio from the rear panel and no beeps or video. I
now have power-off capability at the power switch by holding it down
for a few seconds. Is that done by the BIOS, CPU, or mobo firmware?

I'm gonna try floating the mobo later today.

Thanks again!

beachnut

 

[Paul]

If you mean the ATX12V, I did not have that connected, and just did.
Thanks! Still no audio from the rear panel and no beeps or video. I
now have power-off capability at the power switch by holding it down
for a few seconds. Is that done by the BIOS, CPU, or mobo firmware?

I'm gonna try floating the mobo later today.

Thanks again!

beachnut

The power off timer is inside the chipset. It isn't a function
of the processor, as such (the processor is not "counting to 4"
to do this).

For example, from the ICH5 Southbridge datasheet:

"Power Button: The Power Button will cause SMI# or SCI to
indicate a system request to go to a sleep state. If the system
is already in a sleep state, this signal will cause a wake event.
If PWRBTN# is pressed for more than 4 seconds, this will cause an
unconditional transition (power button override) to the S5 state.
Override will occur even if the system is in the S1-S4 states.
This signal has an internal pullup resistor."

When working on one of my motherboards, I've had both 4 second
shutoff and immediate shutoff. My guess would be, the immediate
shutoff case, is via the processor seeing the button press request.
The 4 second timer should work in any case, like if the processor
is hung.

A8N-SLI has "Vocal POST". If you plug amplified computer speakers
into the green connector on the back of the computer, you should
be hearing voice error messages. The Vocal POST function is
done by a dedicated chip that doesn't need the processor to
work. It can emit the "No processor" type message, based
on a pin in the socket not getting grounded by the inserted
processor. (That is how it knows there is no processor present.)
While the chip is autonomous, most of the time it is triggered
into action by a request from the processor, but certain events
early in the POST process, are done by the chip itself.

Look in your manual, for a table of error messages. The quality
of the voice message is so poor, you'll have to compare the
sounds to the text strings in the manual, to figure out what
it is saying

Paul

 

[Pascal Perrot]

I had the same problem with CORSAIR mem 2x512 XMS
I changed the memory with no-name mem, boot the machine and change the BIOS
to the last rev.
I am using the 1015.001 bios rev and the corsair mem is working now and the
system boots !

 

[Box134]

Just went through the same experience and it works! Funny, no mention in the
manual about plugging in the 4-pin power connector.

 

[Lon Leader]

A8N-SLI has "Vocal POST". If you plug amplified computer speakers
into the green connector on the back of the computer, you should
be hearing voice error messages. The Vocal POST function is
done by a dedicated chip that doesn't need the processor to
work. It can emit the "No processor" type message, based
on a pin in the socket not getting grounded by the inserted
processor. (That is how it knows there is no processor present.)
While the chip is autonomous, most of the time it is triggered
into action by a request from the processor, but certain events
early in the POST process, are done by the chip itself.

Look in your manual, for a table of error messages. The quality
of the voice message is so poor, you'll have to compare the
sounds to the text strings in the manual, to figure out what
it is saying

Paul

Where can I find more info on this "Vocal POST". The manual that came
with my recently purchased A8N-SLi (E1815) does not mention it. I
downloaded the latest version of the manual, E2068, and it doesn't
mention it either(unless I'm having a senior's moment - a distinct
possibility). Sounds interesting (no pun intended)!

 

[VictorDog]

Just went through the same experience and it works! Funny, no mention
in the manual about plugging in the 4-pin power connector.

Read page 1-25 of your manual.

Vern

 

[Paul]

Where can I find more info on this "Vocal POST". The manual that came
with my recently purchased A8N-SLi (E1815) does not mention it. I
downloaded the latest version of the manual, E2068, and it doesn't
mention it either(unless I'm having a senior's moment - a distinct
possibility). Sounds interesting (no pun intended)!

Section 3.3 is MIA in the E1815 manual.

In E1889 it is section 3.3.1 .

All available manuals can be seen here, without going through the
stinking support page search engine:

ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket939/A8N-SLI%20Deluxe/

Here is a copy/paste of the message list:

No CPU installed
System failed CPU test
System failed memory test
System failed VGA test
System failed due to CPU
No keyboard detected
No IDE hard disk detected
CPU temperature too high
CPU fan failed
CPU voltage out of range
Computer now booting from operating system

HTH,
Paul

 

[Lon Leader]

Section 3.3 is MIA in the E1815 manual.

In E1889 it is section 3.3.1 .

All available manuals can be seen here, without going through the
stinking support page search engine:

ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket939/A8N-SLI%20Deluxe/

Here is a copy/paste of the message list:

No CPU installed
System failed CPU test
System failed memory test
System failed VGA test
System failed due to CPU
No keyboard detected
No IDE hard disk detected
CPU temperature too high
CPU fan failed
CPU voltage out of range
Computer now booting from operating system

HTH,
Paul

Thanks, Paul.
I suspect the problem is I have a plain-jane A8N-Sli (non-deluxe,
non-premium). I downloaded the deluxe manual and read the pertinent
areas anyway, and this pointed out a couple of things I don't have - I
don't have a 'speech configuration' section in my bios where one turns
this off and on, and my CD doesn't have the 'Winbond Voice Editor'
software on it for customizing the voice prompts. I don't know for
sure I don't have the Winbond chip anyway because I have my speakers
plugged into a Soundblaster Live instead of the motherboard sound.
Oh well, I can probably live without it...

-=( Lon )=-

 

[Paul]

.

Thanks, Paul.
I suspect the problem is I have a plain-jane A8N-Sli (non-deluxe,
non-premium). I downloaded the deluxe manual and read the pertinent
areas anyway, and this pointed out a couple of things I don't have - I
don't have a 'speech configuration' section in my bios where one turns
this off and on, and my CD doesn't have the 'Winbond Voice Editor'
software on it for customizing the voice prompts. I don't know for
sure I don't have the Winbond chip anyway because I have my speakers
plugged into a Soundblaster Live instead of the motherboard sound.
Oh well, I can probably live without it...

-=( Lon )=-

OK, I see my mistake now. Deluxe has Vocal POST, the non-deluxe
doesn't. In my haste, I thought it was just a typo in the manual.

That leaves two other options for debugging. System beeps (which
are pretty useless, as there aren't generally many codes offered).
And the Port 80 debug codes, which are accessable by purchasing
a third party PCI debugger card. While the BIOS is executing POST,
it writes a two digit code to the PCI slot 1. The code represents
the name of the current BIOS routine being executed. Bioscentral.com
has some some lists of the mapping from two digit "POST code", to
the routine being executed. This method isn't foolproof either,
as being stuck in a routine, doesn't tell you what hardware is
busted.

Paul

 

[Tracy Liggett]

I have the same board, the A8N-SLI (non deluxe) and I had the same problem
as you at first......no video, no POST, No codes....nothing.........found
out it was my video card (which was an ASUS EN6600TOP)....I got a
replacement video card and it has worked flawlessly since.

PS....and by the way, you do not need to plug the 4-pin MOLEX connector into
the mainboard unless you are running in SLI mode.

Tracy