brandnew K8N fails to start

  • Thread starter Thread starter Huub
  • Start date Start date
H

Huub

Hi,

I just inserted my brandnew K8N moatherboard with AMD Sempron, but apart
from a short spinning by the CPU fan (the CPU-fan powercord is seated)
and the constant burning of the m/b powerled, nothing happens. The PSU
is 350W. Any idea?

Thanks

Huub
 
Mercury said:
if the graphics card is a high performance one and you have all power
connected as per the manual then you know what the problem is right?


Hint:
The PSU
Click to expand...
Why? It is a new one and on another pc it runs great.
 
if the graphics card is a high performance one and you have all power
connected as per the manual then you know what the problem is right?


Hint:
The PSU
 
Does the other pc have the same config? If thats the case then you have a
good 350w PSU - many are mediocre. The point I was making is that more
powerful systems require appropriately rated PSU's. A K8N will consume about
as much as any other motherboard - perhaps a little more, but the CPU and
graphics wiill have potntially higher power requirements and how many disc
drives and other CD's / DVD's also need power? Modern high spec graphics
cards consume a lot of power and often by themselves can push a system well
over the top in terms of PSU requirements.

You could try disconnecting extra devices EG extra DVD, CD, HDD devices, but
they run off 12v and may not help at all.

Often people forget to plug in extra power connectors (I can't connect to
Asus at the moment to check), so i suggest checking to see if there are any
extra power connectors on the motherboard.
 
Mercury said:
Does the other pc have the same config? If thats the case then you have a
good 350w PSU - many are mediocre. The point I was making is that more
powerful systems require appropriately rated PSU's. A K8N will consume about
as much as any other motherboard - perhaps a little more, but the CPU and
graphics wiill have potntially higher power requirements and how many disc
drives and other CD's / DVD's also need power? Modern high spec graphics
cards consume a lot of power and often by themselves can push a system well
over the top in terms of PSU requirements.
Click to expand...
Ok, it's not the same pc at all. I already disconnected all peripherals,
which didn't solve the problem. This would indicate buying a stronger
PSU of at least 400W..?
 
Mercury said:
Does the other pc have the same config? If thats the case then you have a
good 350w PSU - many are mediocre. The point I was making is that more
powerful systems require appropriately rated PSU's. A K8N will consume about
as much as any other motherboard - perhaps a little more, but the CPU and
graphics wiill have potntially higher power requirements and how many disc
drives and other CD's / DVD's also need power? Modern high spec graphics
cards consume a lot of power and often by themselves can push a system well
over the top in terms of PSU requirements.

You could try disconnecting extra devices EG extra DVD, CD, HDD devices, but
they run off 12v and may not help at all.

Often people forget to plug in extra power connectors (I can't connect to
Asus at the moment to check), so i suggest checking to see if there are any
extra power connectors on the motherboard.
Click to expand...

I think that Mercury answered your question. I have a K8N mobo and when
I first tried to turn it on I got the same "Nothing Happened" response
as you did. Finally, I went to the manual and learned about the
"second" power connector on the board. My power supply, although
adequate, did not have this kind of a connector and I had to go to a
computer store and buy an adaptor from the 4-pin molex disk drive
connector to the on-board connector. Once I plugged it in, the board
powered-up just fine.

Arnie
 
Huub said:
Ok, it's not the same pc at all. I already disconnected all peripherals,
which didn't solve the problem. This would indicate buying a stronger
PSU of at least 400W..?
Click to expand...

Connectors to check:

You have plugged in:

1) Main 20 pin ATX connector
2) 2x2 pin ATX 12V power connector - used to power the processor.
3) CPU_FAN header. The RPM signal from the fan is checked by
the BIOS - no fan signal might cause the BIOS to shut the
computer down. A two wire fan has no RPM signal to offer.

Also, if the heatsink is not sitting flat on the processor, maybe
the processor is overheating. Asus motherboards usually have some
mechanism to turn off the board in the event of overheat. You can
check the heatsink and make sure the thermal interface material
is making good contact possible between the processor and
the heatsink.

In terms of current, your power supply should offer a minimum of
12V @ 15A, to power a basic system configuration. If the power
supply you are using is only 12V @ 10A, that could result in
the power supply shutting off if it detects an overload condition.
(When the BIOS code is running, processor power dissipation will
be about 50% of maximum.)

HTH,
Paul
 
Paul said:
Connectors to check:

You have plugged in:

1) Main 20 pin ATX connector
2) 2x2 pin ATX 12V power connector - used to power the processor.
3) CPU_FAN header. The RPM signal from the fan is checked by
the BIOS - no fan signal might cause the BIOS to shut the
computer down. A two wire fan has no RPM signal to offer.

Also, if the heatsink is not sitting flat on the processor, maybe
the processor is overheating. Asus motherboards usually have some
mechanism to turn off the board in the event of overheat. You can
check the heatsink and make sure the thermal interface material
is making good contact possible between the processor and
the heatsink.

In terms of current, your power supply should offer a minimum of
12V @ 15A, to power a basic system configuration. If the power
supply you are using is only 12V @ 10A, that could result in
the power supply shutting off if it detects an overload condition.
(When the BIOS code is running, processor power dissipation will
be about 50% of maximum.)

HTH,
Paul
Click to expand...
This is what the PSU states:
+12V 17A
+5V 35A

+33V 28A
-5V 0.5A
-12V 0.5A

+5V/SB 2.0A

Looks like enough to me. All connectors (main+CPU+CPU-fan) connected.
 
Huub said:
This is what the PSU states:
+12V 17A
+5V 35A

+33V 28A
-5V 0.5A
-12V 0.5A

+5V/SB 2.0A

Looks like enough to me. All connectors (main+CPU+CPU-fan) connected.
Click to expand...

OK, I'm running out of good suggestions.

The cpusupport web page says BIOS 1004 is required.

http://www.asus.com/support/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx

CPU Since Since
PCB BIOS

Athlon 64 3200+ (Socket754) ALL ALL
Athlon 64 3000+ (Socket754) ALL ALL
Athlon 64 3400+ (Socket754) ALL ALL
Athlon 64 2800+ (Socket754) ALL ALL
Athlon 64 3700+ (Socket754) ALL ALL
Sempron 3100+ (CG version) (Socket754) ALL ALL
Sempron 3100+ (D0 version) (Socket754) ALL 1004
Sempron 3000+ (D0 version) (Socket754) ALL 1004
Sempron 2800+ (D0 version) (no CnQ) (Socket754) ALL 1004
Sempron 2600+ (D0 version) (no CnQ) (Socket754) ALL 1004
Sempron 3300+ (D0 version) (Socket754) ALL 1004

If there is a paper sticker on the BIOS flash chip (the
square PLCC chip that is in a socket), compare the release
number printed on the paper sticker, to the "Since BIOS"
listed above. If the sticker is less than 1004, that might
explain why it is not booting. (The 1004 BIOS was released Dec
of 2004, so that should be enough time for the necessary BIOS
to be placed on new motherboards.)

If the BIOS number is less than 1004, you might need to borrow
a S754 athlon64 and boot with that processor, long enough to
do a BIOS flash upgrade. Other alternatives include contacting
Asus or a BIOS chip flashing company, like badflash.com, and
getting the chip flashed that way (either a new chip, or send
the old chip in to be flashed).

If the BIOS release is 1004, your next test will be the cardboard
test. The purpose of this test, is to eliminate an electrical short
somewhere as the cause of the problem. Remove the motherboard from
the computer case, and start with just processor and memory. You do
not need to connect disk drives, video card, or any switches to the
PANEL header. You can touch a screwdriver tip, to the two pins
where the power switch is normally connected. Just a momentary contact
should cause the computer to start. Without a video card, the computer
should make a repeated beeping pattern (if the speaker is connected),
but it should stay powered up. Verify that the CPU fan cable is
connected to the CPU_FAN header. You will also have a chance to
check that the heatsink is sitting flat on top of the processor.

Your symptoms don't suggest a hardware fault - yet. It could still
be that the power supply is not sufficient to power the board,
but with 17 amps to offer on +12V, you should be able to get it
to turn on for longer than a few seconds. If the power supply is
defective, that might explain the symptoms.

Paul
 
The cpusupport web page says BIOS 1004 is required.
Click to expand...

1004 it is.
If the BIOS release is 1004, your next test will be the cardboard
test. The purpose of this test, is to eliminate an electrical short
somewhere as the cause of the problem. Remove the motherboard from
the computer case, and start with just processor and memory. You do
not need to connect disk drives, video card, or any switches to the
PANEL header. You can touch a screwdriver tip, to the two pins
where the power switch is normally connected. Just a momentary contact
should cause the computer to start. Without a video card, the computer
should make a repeated beeping pattern (if the speaker is connected),
but it should stay powered up. Verify that the CPU fan cable is
connected to the CPU_FAN header. You will also have a chance to
check that the heatsink is sitting flat on top of the processor.
Click to expand...

Checked..same problem.
Your symptoms don't suggest a hardware fault - yet. It could still
be that the power supply is not sufficient to power the board,
but with 17 amps to offer on +12V, you should be able to get it
to turn on for longer than a few seconds. If the power supply is
defective, that might explain the symptoms.
Click to expand...

I think I'll visit my computershop soon with the motherboard/CPU/memory,
since those are the only new parts. If they find them ok, it'll be the PSU.
 
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