Here are more details on the computer:
Motherboard is an ASUS P4S8X built from components
Intel Pentium P4 chip 2.4 GHz
1 GB RAM
4 hard drives
ATI video card Radion 9600
ASUS Prob v2.4 says everything is ok but the Bios under vcore to left
indicates 3.3 but actual between 2.96 and 3.05 and flashes red.
Do you need any other data to be of assistance?
Thanks
Someone had a problem like that here.
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...312954&board_id=1&model=P4S8X&page=2&count=15
First thing to note, is that motherboard has an issue
with higher speed processors. It cannot take a 3.06GHz
processor, because the Vcore circuit isn't good enough
for it. Your 2.4GHz processor suggests to me that it
won't necessarily be a Vcore problem. If you had a 3.06GHz
I'd be more concerned. (The way Asus handled problems with
that board is probably one of the worst episodes in their
motherboard making history.)
Your first step might be, to enter the BIOS and check the
hardware monitor page. It lists measured values for the
voltage. You may see the offending voltage listed in there.
If the 3.3V is on the low side (more than 5% on the low side
of the normal value), maybe that is what the BIOS is complaining
about.
The voltages can also be measured while the computer is running.
You can use Asus Probe (may have a copy on the motherboard CD),
or you can try Speedfan from almico.com.
Note that, the hardware used to measure the voltages is not
infallible, and because software converts the values measured
into final numbers, there is room for any software (BIOS
included), to do the scaling equation wrong, and worry the
user needlessly. I have one computer here, that says the
12V is out of spec, when a multimeter says it is exactly
correct. So that kind of thing does happen.
If it is your 3.3V, and it reads low, the first thing to
check is that the main connector is fully seated. There is
a latch on the connector for a reason, and the latch is
meant to prevent thermal expansion from causing the
connector to "walk out" of its motherboard mate.
If the connector is ever loose, the pins make poor contact,
the resistance goes up, the pin gets hot, and the metal on
the outside of the pin can oxidize. This leaves the pin
in a permanently damaged condition, such that even if
the connector is reseated, the problem won't go away.
If both the motherboard and power supply connectors have been
damaged, they should both be replaced. Replacing just one
of them, doesn't guarantee the thing is fixed forever.
It could develop the same problem later. But few repairers
are going to do both ends. Pulling out the motherboard main
power connector is not going to be easy (without damaging
something).
Purchasing another power supply may give relief, but unless
you've looked over the situation carefully, you may not
really know what the root cause was. It could be a bad
power supply. It could be a bad connector or connectors
causing the symptoms. It could be that the motherboard
measurement circuit is out of whack.
The multimeter is handy, as a means of doing double
checks. Someone in a repair shop might use one. I have
to mention it, because if I don't, there'll always be
a poster who'll pop in and correct me.
HTH,
Paul
