MotherBoard Fails to boot.

[pdcjlw1]

I've got an Intel D945GNT motherboard and a Pentium D 2.8 Ghz
processor. I've also got two sticks of DDR2 memory at 533 MHZ. I am
not able to get any video or even any post beeps out of the
motherboard. I've even bought a motherboard diagnositc board to try and
read any post codes, however I don't get any. I do see the cpu fan
twitch when I turn on the power and the 3.3v light blinks, but that's
it. I don't have any drives attached to the motherboard. I've replaced
the motherboard, cpu and memory. I've even tried to boot without memory
just to see if I could get any type of post code.

I've tired it with the motherboard mounted in the case and out of the
case. I've even tried different cases.

Anybody got any ideas?

 

[Paul]

I've got an Intel D945GNT motherboard and a Pentium D 2.8 Ghz
processor. I've also got two sticks of DDR2 memory at 533 MHZ. I am
not able to get any video or even any post beeps out of the
motherboard. I've even bought a motherboard diagnositc board to try and
read any post codes, however I don't get any. I do see the cpu fan
twitch when I turn on the power and the 3.3v light blinks, but that's
it. I don't have any drives attached to the motherboard. I've replaced
the motherboard, cpu and memory. I've even tried to boot without memory
just to see if I could get any type of post code.

I've tired it with the motherboard mounted in the case and out of the
case. I've even tried different cases.

Anybody got any ideas?

The +5 V standby power indicator LED (CR3J1) should remain
lit steady. It should not blink. If it blinks or goes off,
it means +5VSB is overloaded on the PSU, or the PSU has
protected itself by switching off everything. Remove the
motherboard from the computer case and assemble a minimum
system on your tabletop (with a cardboard covered phone
book underneath the motherboard for support). Removing
the motherboard from the case, ensures that no standoffs
are touching the motherboard, where they are not supposed
to.

Using CPU+heatsink+fan, motherboard, PSU, computer case
speaker plugged to the PANEL header, computer case power
switch plugged to the PANEL header, while it all is
sitting on a piece of cardboard, you should be able to
get whatever error beep pattern an Intel board uses.
Your port 80 POST diagnostic card should display
codes other than 0x00 or 0xFF hex, if all is well.
If the POST card is showing some activity, or you
get some beep codes, you can switch off and add
more hardware to the system, until you get really bad
symptoms again. Add RAM, video card, keyboard+mouse,
and finally a boot drive, in that order, and observe
the symptoms after each test case.

HTH,
Paul

 

[jaster]

I've got an Intel D945GNT motherboard and a Pentium D 2.8 Ghz processor.
I've also got two sticks of DDR2 memory at 533 MHZ. I am not able to
get any video or even any post beeps out of the motherboard. I've even
bought a motherboard diagnositc board to try and read any post codes,
however I don't get any. I do see the cpu fan twitch when I turn on the
power and the 3.3v light blinks, but that's it. I don't have any drives
attached to the motherboard. I've replaced the motherboard, cpu and
memory. I've even tried to boot without memory just to see if I could
get any type of post code.

I've tired it with the motherboard mounted in the case and out of the
case. I've even tried different cases.

Anybody got any ideas?

As the other responder said.

OTH, if you've tried 2 motherboards and with not luck then you have to
look at your PSU and connections. Sometimes there's no boot if memory,
video card or wiring isn't properly connected. I take schematics on the
m/b over the scematics in the manual if the 2 differ. Also, make sure the
proper voltage is switched on the psu.

Just do a bare minimum, video, 1 stick memory, power, power on connector
and motherboard speaker. I think it's rare a cpu is the cause of such
failures.

 

[pdcjlw1]

As the other responder said.

OTH, if you've tried 2 motherboards and with not luck then you have to
look at your PSU and connections. Sometimes there's no boot if memory,
video card or wiring isn't properly connected. I take schematics on the
m/b over the scematics in the manual if the 2 differ. Also, make sure the
proper voltage is switched on the psu.

Just do a bare minimum, video, 1 stick memory, power, power on connector
and motherboard speaker. I think it's rare a cpu is the cause of such
failures.

I have perfomed futher tests. I cannot take out the video or sound
since it is on the motherboard. I have tested with just one memory
module with no difference. I have no drives hooked up and I have tried
each memory stick and even tried it with no memory. I have checked the
cpu and re-seated it. I still get no boot. I do get the led to light on
the motherboard that shows it has power, but that is it. I have also
taken the motherboard out of the case and put it on a cardboard to make
sure I was not shorting out in the case. Still no boot. No beep codes.
No post codes on my post diag board.

Any other ideas?

 

[Rod Speed]

I have perfomed futher tests. I cannot take out the video or sound
since it is on the motherboard. I have tested with just one memory
module with no difference. I have no drives hooked up and I have tried
each memory stick and even tried it with no memory. I have checked the
cpu and re-seated it. I still get no boot. I do get the led to light
on the motherboard that shows it has power, but that is it. I have
also taken the motherboard out of the case and put it on a cardboard
to make sure I was not shorting out in the case. Still no boot. No
beep codes. No post codes on my post diag board.

Any other ideas?

Try a different power supply and make sure you have all the
power plugs connected, particularly the 4 pin square 12V plug.

 

[jaster]

I have perfomed futher tests. I cannot take out the video or sound since
it is on the motherboard. I have tested with just one memory module with
no difference. I have no drives hooked up and I have tried each memory
stick and even tried it with no memory. I have checked the cpu and
re-seated it. I still get no boot. I do get the led to light on the
motherboard that shows it has power, but that is it. I have also taken
the motherboard out of the case and put it on a cardboard to make sure I
was not shorting out in the case. Still no boot. No beep codes. No post
codes on my post diag board.

Any other ideas?

Well that eliminates sound and video issues. You only have the power-on
button connected, no usb, etc?

All power cables are connected to the motherboard? 2x12 and 2x2
connectors?

Is there a cmos jumper on the motherboard maybe it's set to factory ship
vs. normal?

What about your psu? Can you try the motherboard with a different psu?
LEDs require very, very little voltage to light. You need fans spining or
something to make sure everything is working.

Hard to image something wrong with motherboard when you have an Intel cpu
and 2 Intel motherboards. Intel makes some tough boards and cpus. No
offense but I have to go with a problem in your assembly skill, your
psu or memory first.

Try again then trying talking to Intel Help link. IIRC, they're pretty
good or send an email through their website. The website will probably
send stock email reply but replying to that email might get you more help.
And Intel honors it's guarantee, unless someone has clearly mangled the
cpu or motherboard.

 

[jaster]

Well that eliminates sound and video issues. You only have the power-on
button connected, no usb, etc?

All power cables are connected to the motherboard? 2x12 and 2x2
connectors?

Is there a cmos jumper on the motherboard maybe it's set to factory ship
vs. normal?

What about your psu? Can you try the motherboard with a different psu?
LEDs require very, very little voltage to light. You need fans spining or
something to make sure everything is working.

Hard to image something wrong with motherboard when you have an Intel cpu
and 2 Intel motherboards. Intel makes some tough boards and cpus. No
offense but I have to go with a problem in your assembly skill, your psu
or memory first.

Try again then trying talking to Intel Help link. IIRC, they're pretty
good or send an email through their website. The website will probably
send stock email reply but replying to that email might get you more help.
And Intel honors it's guarantee, unless someone has clearly mangled the
cpu or motherboard.

Forgot website
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-020836.htm

 

[pdcjlw1]

The +5 V standby power indicator LED (CR3J1) should remain
lit steady. It should not blink. If it blinks or goes off,
it means +5VSB is overloaded on the PSU, or the PSU has
protected itself by switching off everything. Remove the
motherboard from the computer case and assemble a minimum
system on your tabletop (with a cardboard covered phone
book underneath the motherboard for support). Removing
the motherboard from the case, ensures that no standoffs
are touching the motherboard, where they are not supposed
to.

Using CPU+heatsink+fan, motherboard, PSU, computer case
speaker plugged to the PANEL header, computer case power
switch plugged to the PANEL header, while it all is
sitting on a piece of cardboard, you should be able to
get whatever error beep pattern an Intel board uses.
Your port 80 POST diagnostic card should display
codes other than 0x00 or 0xFF hex, if all is well.
If the POST card is showing some activity, or you
get some beep codes, you can switch off and add
more hardware to the system, until you get really bad
symptoms again. Add RAM, video card, keyboard+mouse,
and finally a boot drive, in that order, and observe
the symptoms after each test case.

HTH,
Paul

I've found the light on the motherboard you were talking about. It does
stay on. there is a different light on the POST diag board that blinks
on for a second. I've tried several different power supplies and none
make any difference. I've tried it with just one stick of ram and
swithed which ram stick that's in. I've got no drives plugged in and
the sound and video are on the motherboard. I've even cleard the CMOS
and tried to reboot then. I still get nothing.

Any other ideas?

 

[Paul]

I've found the light on the motherboard you were talking about. It does
stay on. there is a different light on the POST diag board that blinks
on for a second. I've tried several different power supplies and none
make any difference. I've tried it with just one stick of ram and
swithed which ram stick that's in. I've got no drives plugged in and
the sound and video are on the motherboard. I've even cleard the CMOS
and tried to reboot then. I still get nothing.

Any other ideas?

At this point, the odds are it is a bad motherboard.
You've tried several power supplies, and all you can
manage is a twitch. I'd try another motherboard.

Paul

 

[Joel]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

I've found the light on the motherboard you were talking about. It does
stay on. there is a different light on the POST diag board that blinks
on for a second. I've tried several different power supplies and none
make any difference. I've tried it with just one stick of ram and
swithed which ram stick that's in. I've got no drives plugged in and
the sound and video are on the motherboard. I've even cleard the CMOS
and tried to reboot then. I still get nothing.

Any other ideas?

*If* the power supply work with other system but not with the problem one,
then I guess either the motherboard or CPU went south. And I dunno, the new
mboard and CPU are much cheaper than bottle of aspirin and headache <g>, so
I would say shoot for a trouble-free faster system.

Hmmm... but if you don't have much trouble-shooting experience then you
may be looking for another and bigger headache (?).

 

[Rod Speed]

(e-mail address removed) wrote

At this point, the odds are it is a bad motherboard.
You've tried several power supplies, and all you can
manage is a twitch. I'd try another motherboard.

Cant be that, he's already tried another motherboard.

Gotta be that it doesnt like that ram since he's swapped
everything else or the bios doesnt support that cpu, unlikely.

 

[Rod Speed]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

*If* the power supply work with other system but not with the problem
one, then I guess either the motherboard or CPU went south.

He's already swapped both.

And I dunno, the new mboard and CPU are much cheaper than bottle of aspirin
and headache <g>, so I would say shoot for a trouble-free faster system.

Hmmm... but if you don't have much trouble-shooting experience
then you may be looking for another and bigger headache (?).

Its gotta be some fundamental problem like that motherboard
doesnt like that ram, or less likely the bios doesnt support that cpu.

 

[Paul]

Cant be that, he's already tried another motherboard.

Gotta be that it doesnt like that ram since he's swapped
everything else or the bios doesnt support that cpu, unlikely.

I'm curious at this point, as to whether the power is staying on
during all these tests. If the power is staying on, then I like
your theory. If the power won't stay on, then something else
is wrong.

Paul

 

[Rod Speed]

I'm curious at this point, as to whether the power is staying on
during all these tests. If the power is staying on, then I like your
theory. If the power won't stay on, then something else is wrong.

Not necessarily. Someone else got precisely that effect with
the bios not likely the ram and shutting down quite quickly.

That was fixed either by using ram it liked or by and
updated bios which worked fine with the original ram.

Posted in one of these groups in the last month or so.
Cant find it in groups.google for some reason, sure to be a brain fart on my part.

 

[Rod Speed]

Not necessarily. Someone else got precisely that effect with
the bios not likely the ram and shutting down quite quickly.

That was fixed either by using ram it liked or by and
updated bios which worked fine with the original ram.

Posted in one of these groups in the last month or so.
Cant find it in groups.google for some reason, sure to be a brain
fart on my part.

Here it is
http://groups.google.com/group/alt...._frm/thread/8c38bac1436889d2/0ac82dd5de888bcd

 

[Ken Maltby]

Replying pretty late to this thread but found it with a google search
and thought I'd add my experiences to the discussion for posterity
sake.

I've gotten the same system twice from a customer with a D945GNT
D945PSN (both numbers printed on board and I've just assumed the first
as the model number).

The first time I got it I removed/unplugged things, swapped power
supplies, tried resetting the BIOS, re-seating the CPU/RAM, all with no
success. I finally put the BIOS image file on a floppy, removed the CMOS
jumper, and powered it up to do an emergency BIOS flash recovery. It
worked. The BIOS flashed and the computer started working again.

A week later he had the same problem and brought it back to me. I
suspect the problem is a corrupted BIOS but even removing the CMOS
battery/shorting overnight hasn't helped. It refuses to run the
emergency BIOS recovery this time.

With the ability to easily flash the BIOS from within Windows I think
all BIOS's should have a write protect feature that defaults to on to
protect them from malicious software. I think virus/trojan/spyware could
easily overwrite a system BIOS or at least corrupt it. I've hot flashed
more than a few motherboard BIOS to revive them from the dead and often
wonder what caused the BIOS to become corrupt.

I thought I'd reply, so that you will get some comments,
Kony & Co. should appear soon to tell you how what
you describe in your post is impossible.

Luck;
Ken

 

[kony]

I thought I'd reply, so that you will get some comments,
Kony & Co. should appear soon to tell you how what
you describe in your post is impossible.

Luck;
Ken

Not impossible, just outside the bounds of reasonable.
There is no evidence of a virus/etc flashing the bios in the
account above, it was a guess or leap.

Show us this virus that is flashing boards, I mean a PROOF
instead of random speculation.

 

[Ken Maltby]

Not impossible, just outside the bounds of reasonable.
There is no evidence of a virus/etc flashing the bios in the
account above, it was a guess or leap.

Show us this virus that is flashing boards, I mean a PROOF
instead of random speculation.

As before, no one is saying that any virus is actually the
cause of the phenomenon that is being observed. It was
your contention that no software or drivers could be
effecting things at the BIOS level, and that any such
problems can ONLY be the result of hardware failure.

No one needs to show you anything, as if that would do
any good, in any case. Neither my posting nor any others,
are subject to what can be proven to you. While you may
feel that you can ignore, and discount, things that don't
match your expectations, or for which a cause may not be
immediately apparent, the rest of us live in the real world.

Luck;
Ken

 

[kony]

As before, no one is saying that any virus is actually the
cause of the phenomenon that is being observed. It was
your contention that no software or drivers could be
effecting things at the BIOS level, and that any such
problems can ONLY be the result of hardware failure.

Within the context of the thread in which I stated something
similar, it was true. Remember two things about that:

1) The board did POST. It was instable AFTER having read,
decompressed the bios.

2) It had no checksum error. If the bios was not intact,
had been written to, that would have been flagged
immediately with an error message. If it was a user setting
instead of the firmware itself, it would have been cleared
from CMOS.

The posts have to be in context, otherwise we'd be randomly
speculating about all kinds of things that are so unlikely
that it would take years to troubleshoot anything.

No one needs to show you anything, as if that would do
any good, in any case. Neither my posting nor any others,
are subject to what can be proven to you. While you may
feel that you can ignore, and discount, things that don't
match your expectations, or for which a cause may not be
immediately apparent, the rest of us live in the real world.

In the real world the above is true. Only in daydream mode
is anything made possible by ignoring the other evidence.