Re: P5N-E board doesn't load.

reed.emmons@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
I just installed a P5N-E SLI ASUS board with a Intel C2D 2.66. Upon
connecting everything together I get the following issue:

Pressing the power button turns on the power (fans run, HDs run) but
the system does not boot or show video. Also the Power/HD LEDs do not
come on.

Just so you know, my 4 pin connector is in place.

Do you think it could be a faulty Motherboard or CPU?

Simplify your hardware setup.

On my last two systems, I built the entire system up, while it
was sitting on my table. I installed Windows and tested, all
while the stuff was sitting there. Then, I installed it in
the case, knowing all was well.

Since you report the fans are running, the following is the simplest
test case that I can come up with.

1) Use motherboard + CPU + CPU_heatsink_fan. Plug in fan cable.
2) Connect power supply (main 24 pin + 4 pin ATX12V)
3) Connect computer case speaker to PANEL header
4) Connect power switch to PANEL header.
5) No RAM present. No video card inserted. No hard drive or DVD connected.

Push the power button. Listen for a beep pattern on the computer case speaker.
Does the beep pattern match "missing RAM" ? One beep is "all's well". A
repetitive single beep, can be "missing RAM". (Some motherboard manuals
don't list the beep patterns any more.)

If you get a beep pattern, that tells you:

1) The CPU executed some BIOS code.
2) The CPU was able to make the beep pattern via the SuperI/O chip
feeding the case speaker.

So, by executing some BIOS code, you know that a good deal of the
motherboard is capable of doing something, the low voltage rails
feeding the chipset are OK, lots of infrastructure has to work,
to get that far.

If you cannot get beeps, then you're left with CPU, motherboard,
and power supply. CPU can be verified by testing in another
motherboard. CPUs generally don't go bad - they're well tested
at the factory (exception being something you got from Ebay
that could be damaged). Check for bent pins or contacts etc.

The power supply can be verified with a multimeter. You can
probe the backside of the two main connectors, while the
motherboard is powered and the connectors are connected.

If the BIOS release is not correct for the CPU being used
(a really new CPU, and old motherboard stock from the
computer store), then sometimes that can result in
a complete refusal to POST or respond.

Sometimes, a bad stick of RAM can prevent the motherboard
from making a noise. Which is why I want you to strip down
the thing a bit, and test and add back stuff, a bit at a
time.

Always turn off and unplug the computer, before adding or
removing components. The purpose of that, is to prevent
the +5VSB rail on the power supply, from being present
while you work. The RAM slot can still be powered,
even when the fans are not running. Unplugging ensures
no accidents.

If you pass the above test (get repetitive beeps), the
components can be added back. Add them one at a time,
and you can check that the BIOS responds appropriately.
(For example, with video card present, but keyboard missing,
it'll probably complain there is no keyboard and stop in
the BIOS.)

1) Add RAM
2) Add video card + monitor
3) Add keyboard/mouse
4) Add CDROM. (Boot Knoppix or Ubuntu Linux if you want)
5) Add hard drive.
6) Add floppy (if needed for F6 driver install in Windows)

Modern boards can be picky about RAM, and some high
performance RAM needs a bit more than the default
1.8V used for DDR2. Sometimes, a balky motherboard,
needs a piece of cheap, low speed DDR2 plugged in,
just so you can get into the BIOS and bump up Vdimm.

Before installing Windows, run memtest86+ from a floppy
or CD, to check that the memory works OK.

HTH,
Paul
.