[Scar42399]

OK here goes ... im not an expert but I have taken my computer apart enough to think I could put one together. Guess not. I bought all the parts through various resources (mostly Newegg) and planned on putting it together for Christmas. Fat chance cause It wont boot at all.

Parts:
Aspire X-Infinity case with 420w psu
Asus K8N-E motherboard
Athlon 64 3200+ socket 754 processor
Arctic-Cooling Silencer 64 cpu fan

now heres the problem when I turn the system on it brings up the motherboard view for a few secs then the system just turns itself off. I have gotten a cpu fan error twice .. if the cpu lets it get that far, so ive checked the fan a couple of time and it seems to be seated well, and lights up and spins for the couple of secs. that the comp is on for. Ive had a friend check all the conections and everything appears to be connected properly but the system still turns off after a few secs mostly with no error messages. Im going to try and replace the fan tomarrow and see if its a strange compatability issue. If anyone has anyother ideas id love to hear them. Thanks

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Does your power supply fan shut off also? Or is only the CPU fan shutting off? Is the CPU fan connected to the correct motherboard fan header?

I have to ask the following question... silly as it seems... Did you intall the motherboard spacers that prevents the motherboard from shorting to the case?

Edited by makai, 26 December 2005 - 04:26 AM.

[makai]

Does your power supply fan shut off also? Or is only the CPU fan shutting off? Is the CPU fan connected to the correct motherboard fan header?

I have to ask the following question... silly as it seems... Did you intall the motherboard spacers that prevents the motherboard from shorting to the case?

Edited by makai, 26 December 2005 - 04:26 AM.

[Doby]

Does your power supply fan shut off also? Or is only the CPU fan shutting off? Is the CPU fan connected to the correct motherboard fan header?

I have to ask the following question... silly as it seems... Did you intall the motherboard spacers that prevents the motherboard from shorting to the case?

Not silly at all, I was thinking of asking the same questions before I read your post makia

[Scar42399]

Well im Back and thought that I would just add to the topic I started earlier because It is pretty much the same problem. I replaced the fan and the computer was able to stay on now but I still can not get past POST. I adjust the BIOS to the settings I want and the PC freezes during POST just after it detects what ever is plugged in. I sent the board back to ASUS after they couldn't figure the problem out and they sent me a new one. The same problem persisted. I had 3 of my friends and co-workers who also build computers as side buisnesses and one of them was able to figure a way around the problem. If I flash the BIOS and 'load default values and continue" I was able to load windows XP and work on the machine. BUT I HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY TIME I POWER UP THE MACHINE (sorry getting frustrated) and runs with less than half of the processing power. I have tried pretty close to 100 different things to fix this problem, different RAM, HDDs, opical drives, and power sources, Ive cleared CMOS, and im becoming enraged. If you have any suggestions I would appreciate it, because ASUS has been less then helpful (besides the RMA, which only ended with the same problem and $15 less shipping costs).

[makai]

Have you tried powering up outside the case? Perhaps the case mounts have some metal protruding somewhere and is shorting somewhere to the motherboard. When you build outside the case, be careful not to allow any shorts to occur as a lot of "hot" wires will be lying around.

Edited by makai, 08 March 2006 - 04:39 PM.

[Scar42399]

OK I powered up my system outside of the case with the same result. It still froze just after POST. I also noticed that occasionally the screen gets a little weird when it freezes, I don't know if it means anything. If I still have the ASUS logo up half of it disappears and if I turn it off half of the POST stuff jumps into the middle of the page.

[makai]

If you shut down the machine (turn it off), then power it up again, do you hear a single beep just before it starts loading the OS?

The bios is supposed to do a bunch of checks on the motherboard, to include the processor, ram, and any periperal cards you installed. If all checks are good, the bios will put out a single beep. The beep only happens after a shutdown, and not after a restart.

Do you get any beeping at all?

[Scar42399]

Yes there is a single beep when you turn the machine on. It happens just as the ASUS screen comes up. I can hear the internal systems running after that but after a few secs. the system freezes and I can not do anything (flash bios or ctrl/alt/del to restart). I have to catch it within the first few secs. in order to flash the BIOS and "load default values and continue" to get the system to turn on (at a reduced speed).

[makai]

This really sounds like a board problem... or a dead bios battery. Since you replaced the board (and I assume a new battery), this is all too strange!

When you say you have to "flash the bios" are you really reflashing it with a floppy drive and disc each time? Or are you simply entering the bios and setting to default values? Sorry to ask, but it seems unreal that you have to reflash the bios everytime you start up.

Edited by makai, 11 March 2006 - 08:30 PM.

[Scar42399]

Yeah I figured I had to replace the board (even though ASUS already replaced this board once). Kinda weird too because Ive always been told of ASUS's good reputaion but they refuse to answer me now (think I mighta been a lil harsh by insinuating that they sent me the same board back). Thanks for tring to find an answer for me though.

And to answer your question ... yes I have to reflash with a zCD (this system doesn't have a floppy drive) the BIOS EVERY TIME i restart the computer and "load default values and continue" to get it to start up. If after flashing the BIOS, I press f1 and enter the BIOS and don't even adjust anything and try to restart, the system will freeze again.

[makai]

Sheesh! So much hassle!

I have not had any bad luck with ASUS, but, I tend to stick to ABIT boards. Don't get me wrong, support given by ABIT sometimes bites too! Seems that all the manufactures don't care much once the product leaves their door.

Before you RMA, take a good look over the board for a serial number or something to identify it. That way the next one you get, you can check that to make sure they sent you a different board.

Good luck! Sorry we couldn't solve the problem. If you do, be sure to come back and let me know!

Take care,
makai

[macten]

I would take a real close look at every capacitor on that board. Look for any bulging or odd shapes. Awhile back 1000's of boards were shipped with defective capacitors.....