Does this sound like a motherboard problem?

Computer Forum CPU, Motherboards and Memory
1

I recently put together a machine with an MSI K9 Neo F motherboard and an Athlon X2 4200+. Let me know what other specs you need.

A few months ago, I started a tv viewing program. The machine froze and when I reset it - no POST. I RMA’d the motherboard a few weeks later (very busy at college) and upon installing it, things sort of worked again.

The thing still didn’t really boot correctly. I had to change my sata hard drive jumpers to 150. If I didn’t, the machine would hang while detecting the drives, but sometimes detect them. Eventually, it booted and since I was so busy with school, I just let it be for the time being.

A few days ago, I was listening to some music, when I realized that my front and rear speaker connections were backwards. I checked in the back and I actually did have the cables switched. When I switched them, the machine froze again. I reset it and sometimes it would start to POST, but most times it would not. The floppy activity light remains on, throughout. When it does make it through post, the display freezes at a random point during the boot process(different each time).

The time that it did make it through POST, the computer seemed to boot somewhat normally, although the display is still frozen with boot messages. I was able to ssh into it from another machine, however.

Note that it did this twice and it now does not POST at all. The hard drive indicator goes on for a moment and then turns off, the floppy light goes on, the CPU fan is spinning, etc etc. I can no longer ssh into it from other machines.

I really don’t have any idea what the problem could be at this point. Is it possible that I got another bad board? Could it be a power supply issue? I have some other machines, but I can’t really take them offline to swap parts at the moment. Any advice would be very welcome, and as I said, let me know what more information you need.

Thanks,
Matt

2

Well, it might be a power supply issue. While multiple motherboard failures can happen, I’d look elsewhere. The two issues I can see here are either heat related or the power supply.

The CPU can be checked pretty easily. Remove the CPU heatsink and clean off the thermal goop with some isopropyl alcohol and do the same to the heatspreader of the CPU. Just leave it in the socket…it’ll be easier to clean it that way. Now, apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the CPU heat spreader…and by thin, I mean paper thin. (Too much paste will act as a heat insulator, defeating the entire purpose of thermal paste application). Now, install the CPU heatsink and make sure it’s seated flat against the CPU and the unit is fully clipped on the heatsink retention bracket. Plug the fan back in.

If it powers on with out issue, it was just a heat issue.

If not, I’d suspect the power supply. Make sure that all power connectors on the motherboard are plugged in. There will be at least 2: the main ATX 24-pin connector and a 4- (or :sunglasses: pin auxillary one located around the CPU. If there are additional plugs, they will likely be around the PCIe and/or PCI expansion slots.

And on that note: what power supply are you using?

3

Big B, I redid the thermal compound application and had the exact same results. I used arctic silver as per the instructions on their website to place a small bit in the center. Also, I finally got around to installing the case speaker and noticed that there is a very short high pitched when the computer first powers on.

4

Sounds like it’s doing the POST just fine. When the BIOS successfully completes POST, it will typically deliver a single, short beep. Most motherboards do not have a speaker on them and will use the case speaker to that extent.

Besides the power supply, you might have some bad RAM too. Download Memtest86 for CD or floppy, boot off the media, and let it run 3-8 hours. If you get any errors you may have a bad RAM stick.

And back to the power supply: What model do you have? If you got it with your case, I can tell you right now, you’ll want to look at purchasing a new unit, as the PSU’s bundled in cases are garbage, the sole exception being if you have an Antec.

5

Big B, this beep is distinctively different from the normal POST beep. It is much shorter and much higher pitched. Also, the floppy light still remains on and no monitor display.

The PSU is an Enermax Noisetaker: Newegg.com - ENERMAX Noisetaker EG495P-VE SFMA ATX 12V Ver2.0 485W Power Supply 115/230 V UL (Level 3), cUL (Level 3), VDE, CB, NEMKO, SEMKO, DEMKO, FIMKO - Retail

In fact, I don’t remember for sure but you may have even suggested it for me a while back. :slight_smile:

I’ll boot it with memtest, but I really don’t think that it will even get as far as booting from the drive. It really doesn’t seem to be getting that far in the boot process.

6

[QUOTE=Big B]
Memtest86
[/QUOTE]
did you mean Memtest86+[ot]or am i wrong, again[/ot]

7

So nobody has any ideas?

8

Did you try memtest?

9

The machine never gets to the point in the boot process of booting off the cd. Is it possible this is a fried processor? Is it possible that I just screwed up the thermal compound?

10

Could be. Now that I think about it, high-frequency beeps—usually in succession—do tend to indicate CPU overheating.

Best thing to do is uninstall the CPU heatsink and clean both it’s CPU surface side and the CPU’s heatspreader off with isopropyl alcohol (90%+). After that, apply a paper-thin layer of thermal paste and reattach the heatsink.