Dead A7N8X-E Deluxe

[TomC]

My new A7N8X-E Deluxe was apparently DOA. The CPU and power supply fans run,
and the light on the motherboard comes on green, but that is all that ever
happens, no video and no POST beeps or messages. I removed the board from
the case, removed the battery, shorted the CMOS jumper, replaced the
battery, removed all cards but the video card, and replaced all components
with known good components -- CPU, memory, video card, power supply, even
used another monitor. Nothing on boot. Checked all jumpers, reseated memory,
video card, and CPU.

I tried removing the memory stick to get POST beeps/messages from the
speaker. Silence. Tried another computer speaker.

This is a brand new unit from NewEgg, but the PCB revision is 1.1 -- I
thought they were all 2.0 by now.

I'm almost certain to return the board, but if anyone has any better
ideas...

Assuming that I haven't missed something here, this makes two of my last
five new motherboards that have been defective. The other defective board
was an Epox. If I count another Epox board that died for no apparent reason
after seven months, it's three of my last six motherboards. (Yes, I am
careful about static.) I shifted to Asus hoping to avoid this sort of thing.

TomC

 

[Blaedmon]

Simply sounds like corrupt bios chip. www.badflash.com or use the hotflash
method to eliminate this possibility. Evenso.. if I was you and it WAS the
bios, I'd just return it as 'defective' and make sure you get the 2.0
replacement

 

[Outback Jon]

This is a brand new unit from NewEgg, but the PCB revision is 1.1 -- I
thought they were all 2.0 by now.

I think the -E model is only available in the 1.01 revision so far.

Although even Asus' website states that "Starting from PCB version 2.0, The
A7N8X-E Deluxe motherboard supports Front Side Bus (FSB) 400"

But they also have the -E model listed as "NEW" in their motherboard
directory.

--
"Outback" Jon Gould | Let those who RIDE,
2003 Kawasaki Concours (wreck)|
1976 Honda CB750F (needs work)| DECIDE.
1972 Yamaha DS7 (project) |
(e-mail address removed) | HELMET LAWS SUCK
CQ CQ CQ de KC2BNE |
______________________________|____________________________
AMD XP 2400+ @ 2180 MHz 768M PC2100 DDR @ 290 MHz
Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe 120GB and 40GB Maxtor HD
Asus GeForceFX 5600 (330/650) Cornerstone 21" Monitor
Sony 52x40x52 CDRW NEC MultiSync 17" Monitor
Sony 8X DVD+-RW Nostromo n50 Speedpad
http://folding.stanford.edu - got folding? Team 33432

 

[Paul]

My new A7N8X-E Deluxe was apparently DOA. The CPU and power supply fans run,
and the light on the motherboard comes on green, but that is all that ever
happens, no video and no POST beeps or messages. I removed the board from
the case, removed the battery, shorted the CMOS jumper, replaced the
battery, removed all cards but the video card, and replaced all components
with known good components -- CPU, memory, video card, power supply, even
used another monitor. Nothing on boot. Checked all jumpers, reseated memory,
video card, and CPU.

I tried removing the memory stick to get POST beeps/messages from the
speaker. Silence. Tried another computer speaker.

This is a brand new unit from NewEgg, but the PCB revision is 1.1 -- I
thought they were all 2.0 by now.

I'm almost certain to return the board, but if anyone has any better
ideas...

Assuming that I haven't missed something here, this makes two of my last
five new motherboards that have been defective. The other defective board
was an Epox. If I count another Epox board that died for no apparent reason
after seven months, it's three of my last six motherboards. (Yes, I am
careful about static.) I shifted to Asus hoping to avoid this sort of thing.

TomC

Does the Voice POST work at all ? I think all it needs to work
is +5VSB (and the green LED proves you've got that) and a good
reset signal. Make sure the two jumpers are still on the FP_AUDIO
header, and plug your amplified speakers into the lime colored,
lineout jack on the back of the computer.

If your reset switch was stuck shorted, that might reproduce your
symptoms. If a power conversion circuit on the motherboard isn't
making it to full voltage, that also might cause the reset signal
to not be turned off (when reset is turned off, the Voice POST
analysis starts). But it is a little much to expect end users to
go around measuring voltages, especially as many of the key ones,
aren't labelled on the board. A motherboard can be operated without
any connections to the PANEL header - all you need to do is touch
(an ESD drained) screwdriver tip to the two pins where normally the
power switch goes. All that is needed is a momentary contact, and
the board latches the "pulse" from the screwdriver tip.

HTH,
Paul

 

[TomC]

Does the Voice POST work at all ?
It did not work through the speaker pins in the "control panel," but it does
work through the sound output jack -- good suggestion. If I remove the
memory module I get a voice "memory error" message, and if I insert memory I
get nothing at all.

If your reset switch was stuck shorted, that might reproduce your
symptoms.

Yes, I checked that.

all you need to do is touch

(an ESD drained) screwdriver tip to the two pins where normally the
power switch goes. All that is needed is a momentary contact, and
the board latches the "pulse" from the screwdriver tip.

That's what I was doing.

Another A7N8X-E Deluxe should be here tomorrow, so I'll see how that goes.

Thanks very much for your response.

Tom

 

[TomC]

I ordered another A7N8X-E Deluxe from another vendor as it was going to take
up to two weeks for NewEgg to replace this mobo with their "repair" option.
So, I'm out the 15% restocking fee and one-way postage. You are probably
right about the BIOS, but it could be something else, and it is easier just
to replace the whole thing.

Thanks.

Tom

 

[TomC]

I just ordered another from Provantage without specifying the PCB revision,
I'll see what shows up.

Thanks for the info.

Tom

 

[Paul]

It did not work through the speaker pins in the "control panel," but it does
work through the sound output jack -- good suggestion. If I remove the
memory module I get a voice "memory error" message, and if I insert memory I
get nothing at all.


Yes, I checked that.

all you need to do is touch

That's what I was doing.

Another A7N8X-E Deluxe should be here tomorrow, so I'll see how that goes.

Thanks very much for your response.

Tom

There was an earlier post by Ken Maltby, where he couldn't
get memory slots A1 and A2 to work. He fixed it by flashing
the BIOS to 1011 (could be in the beta section of the
download page).

Msg_id = <[email protected]>
"The 1011 BIOS fixed my Memory Slot prob - A7N8X-E Dlx"

If you have trouble with the next board you get, start
with ram in the B slot. If that works but A1 or A2 don't,
then flash the board up to 1011.

HTH,
Paul

 

[TomC]

Thanks again.

Tried slot B with the "old" board, still no go. Looks like the new board
won't be here until Monday.

Tom

It did not work through the speaker pins in the "control panel," but it does
work through the sound output jack -- good suggestion. If I remove the
memory module I get a voice "memory error" message, and if I insert memory I
get nothing at all.


Yes, I checked that.

all you need to do is touch

That's what I was doing.

Another A7N8X-E Deluxe should be here tomorrow, so I'll see how that goes.

Thanks very much for your response.

Tom

There was an earlier post by Ken Maltby, where he couldn't
get memory slots A1 and A2 to work. He fixed it by flashing
the BIOS to 1011 (could be in the beta section of the
download page).

Msg_id = <[email protected]>
"The 1011 BIOS fixed my Memory Slot prob - A7N8X-E Dlx"

If you have trouble with the next board you get, start
with ram in the B slot. If that works but A1 or A2 don't,
then flash the board up to 1011.

HTH,
Paul