Problems w/my EPoX 8RDA+ board

  • Thread starter Thread starter Christoph
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C

Christoph

I've had my EPoX 8RDA+ board running fine for about a year
now. The CPU is an Athlon 2100+ and I've got 512mb of RAM.
Anyway, I get home and turn on my monitor to nothing; there
is no signal coming from the PC. I look down, see that it's on
and I can hear the fans going. Everything seems alright. So I
turn it off then after a few seconds, turn it back on.
The LED on the board is POSTing FF as it normally does to
show everything is alright. The heat sink fan, the 2 cooling fans
and the fan on the power supply all start running. However,
nothing beyond that happens. No signal is getting to the monitor,
I don't hear the floppy drive as the PC seeks for a boot disk nor
do I hear the hard drives start to power up. It seems like it's
not getting to the BIOS check at all.
I normally leave the PC on 24/7 and rarely need to reboot it
(though I am running XP). And as I said, everything's been
fine for the last year. I've not installed any new hardware nor
have I installed any software (at least, not in the last month).
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Do you know
what I might need to check to discover what's going on?

Thanks for your help!

Christoph
 
I've had my EPoX 8RDA+ board running fine for about a year
now. The CPU is an Athlon 2100+ and I've got 512mb of RAM.
Anyway, I get home and turn on my monitor to nothing; there
is no signal coming from the PC. I look down, see that it's on
and I can hear the fans going. Everything seems alright. So I
turn it off then after a few seconds, turn it back on.
The LED on the board is POSTing FF as it normally does to
show everything is alright. The heat sink fan, the 2 cooling fans
and the fan on the power supply all start running. However,
nothing beyond that happens. No signal is getting to the monitor,
I don't hear the floppy drive as the PC seeks for a boot disk nor
do I hear the hard drives start to power up. It seems like it's
not getting to the BIOS check at all.
I normally leave the PC on 24/7 and rarely need to reboot it
(though I am running XP). And as I said, everything's been
fine for the last year. I've not installed any new hardware nor
have I installed any software (at least, not in the last month).
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Do you know
what I might need to check to discover what's going on?
Click to expand...

Follow up on this:

I removed the RAM and I get no alarm from the MB. Also, the
beep for the POST isn't occuring, either. I've got a 400W PSU
so I don't think it's an issue with the power. And again, I've put
in no new hardware or made any changes to the PC. It was fine
when I left for work this morning but not fine when I got home. It
is plugged into a surge-protected plug on a pretty hefty UPS, so
I don't think that's what caused it.

Any ideas?

thnx,
Christoph
 
Christoph said:
I've had my EPoX 8RDA+ board running fine for about a year
now. The CPU is an Athlon 2100+ and I've got 512mb of RAM.
Anyway, I get home and turn on my monitor to nothing; there
is no signal coming from the PC. I look down, see that it's on
and I can hear the fans going. Everything seems alright. So I
turn it off then after a few seconds, turn it back on.
The LED on the board is POSTing FF as it normally does to
show everything is alright.
Click to expand...

Do you see the 'FF' after it runs up through the smaller codes or
does it show 'FF' straight away? This latter is a fault condition.
The heat sink fan, the 2 cooling fans
and the fan on the power supply all start running. However,
nothing beyond that happens. No signal is getting to the monitor,
I don't hear the floppy drive as the PC seeks for a boot disk nor
do I hear the hard drives start to power up. It seems like it's
not getting to the BIOS check at all.
I normally leave the PC on 24/7 and rarely need to reboot it
(though I am running XP). And as I said, everything's been
fine for the last year. I've not installed any new hardware nor
have I installed any software (at least, not in the last month).
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Do you know
what I might need to check to discover what's going on?
Click to expand...

Can you reseat all the parts that plug-in like the power plug, memory,
video card (pull any other PCI cards)?
 
Hi, try resetting the CMOS jumper or removing battery after disconnecting
power cord. Then try reseating the memory and cpu, try 1 memory dimm at a
time, also try removing all boards except video, and all drives and see if
it posts. If still no post, its probably power supply, motherboard or cpu if
you have more than 1 memory dimm. Try replace power supply, cpu and
motherboard one at a time, something has failed.

Doug
www.lynncomp.com
 
I've had my EPoX 8RDA+ board running fine for about a year
now. The CPU is an Athlon 2100+ and I've got 512mb of RAM.
Anyway, I get home and turn on my monitor to nothing; there
is no signal coming from the PC. I look down, see that it's on
and I can hear the fans going. Everything seems alright. So I
turn it off then after a few seconds, turn it back on.
The LED on the board is POSTing FF as it normally does to
show everything is alright.
Click to expand...

What does that mean?
The heat sink fan, the 2 cooling fans
and the fan on the power supply all start running. However,
nothing beyond that happens. No signal is getting to the monitor,
Click to expand...

Try the monitor on another system.
I don't hear the floppy drive as the PC seeks for a boot disk nor
do I hear the hard drives start to power up. It seems like it's
not getting to the BIOS check at all.
Click to expand...

Had an electrical storm lately?

Open the box...and disconnect all drives. Then boot...see what
happens.
I normally leave the PC on 24/7 and rarely need to reboot it
(though I am running XP). And as I said, everything's been
fine for the last year. I've not installed any new hardware nor
have I installed any software (at least, not in the last month).
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Do you know
what I might need to check to discover what's going on?
Click to expand...

You need to somehow check the basic components...mainboard, CPU, RAM,
video and monitor.

Good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
 
Do you see the 'FF' after it runs up through the smaller codes or
does it show 'FF' straight away? This latter is a fault condition.
Click to expand...

Right away.
Can you reseat all the parts that plug-in like the power plug, memory,
video card (pull any other PCI cards)?
Click to expand...

I just did that. I unplugged everything (from the drives to the RAM to
the CPU). After I got to the CPU and the RAM, when starting up, the
board still didn't beep due to vital components being unplugged. So is
that an indication that there is something wrong with the board itself?

thnx,
Christoph
 
Hi, try resetting the CMOS jumper or removing battery after disconnecting
power cord.
Click to expand...

Did both - no change.
Then try reseating the memory and cpu, try 1 memory dimm at a
time, also try removing all boards except video, and all drives and see if
it posts.
Click to expand...

Nope. It turns on with a FF.
If still no post, its probably power supply,
Click to expand...

If it were the power supply, wouldn't it start working as the load was reduced?
So after I unplugged all my drives, the board should have at least done some-
thing? I mean, power is getting to the board and the fans...
motherboard or cpu if you have more than 1 memory dimm. Try replace
power supply, cpu and motherboard one at a time, something has failed.
Click to expand...

If the board isn't POSTing and isn't beeping when vital components are
removed (RAM, CPU, etc), is that an indication that the board is the problem?
Or could it still be one of the others? I don't think it would be because I had
the RAM and the CPU out individually then together and still no POST and
no beeps...

thnx,
Christoph
 
I don't hear the floppy drive as the PC seeks for a boot disk nor
Had an electrical storm lately?
Click to expand...

Yes. But as I said, my PC (and my monitors) are plugged into a UPS
that has surge protection.
Open the box...and disconnect all drives. Then boot...see what
happens.
Click to expand...

Same - nothing.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Have you tried switching out yuour video card? If not, give it a try BEFORE
you buy anything...
PeAcE,
/\/\UF/-\S/-\
 
Have you tried switching out yuour video card? If not, give it a try BEFORE
you buy anything...
Click to expand...

How could it be the video card if there is no change even with the
video card removed from the board. I can remove everything -
the CPU, RAM, all the cards, the HDs and still there is no warning
beep (that the CPU, RAM, etc is not in place) and the LED im-
mediately displays FF.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Did both - no change.


Nope. It turns on with a FF.


If it were the power supply, wouldn't it start working as the load was reduced?
So after I unplugged all my drives, the board should have at least done some-
thing? I mean, power is getting to the board and the fans...
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, a failure to POST but then being able to POST after
removing hardware is more typical of a power supply with too little
capacity, not one that has failed... though with a failure-in-progress it
can seem the same for a short while, or just do as you describe, not post.

If the board isn't POSTing and isn't beeping when vital components are
removed (RAM, CPU, etc), is that an indication that the board is the problem?
Or could it still be one of the others? I don't think it would be because I had
the RAM and the CPU out individually then together and still no POST and
no beeps...
Click to expand...

Lets be clear about the process. You MUST have CPU and memory in the
board for it to POST. On "most" boards you also need a video card,
without further evidence that you didn't need a card it can be assumed you
do. Beyond the CPU, memory, CPU heasinkfan and video card, disconnect
EVERYTHING else... that includes all drives, keyboard, mouse, USB devices,
front panel LED/Switch leads, etc. THEN try powering on the system (short
the two power-switch pins on the board together).

You might also take voltage readings at the power supply ATX connector
with a multimeter while system is in it's on-but-no-post state, and
examine motherboard for signs of failed capacitors. You might consider
removing power supply, leaving it sit for a few minutes disconnected from
AC, then open it and inspect it as well, particularly capacitors which
might be partially hidden beneath the wiring harness exiting right above
them. Check for free rotation of fans.
 
I'll try all of your other suggestions made in this message. I just have
one
further question:
Lets be clear about the process. You MUST have CPU and memory in the
board for it to POST. On "most" boards you also need a video card,
without further evidence that you didn't need a card it can be assumed you
do.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. However, even though the MB doesn't/won't POST without
the CPU/RAM/Video Card, wouldn't it still give warning beeps indicating
that any or all of the above wasn't present?

thnx,
Christoph
 
Yes. But as I said, my PC (and my monitors) are plugged into a UPS
that has surge protection.
Click to expand...

Yer not still running thru that UPS, are you? If so, by-pass it until
you find out what the problem is.

I'd still like to know what the hell a FF is! lol


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
 
I'll try all of your other suggestions made in this message. I just have
one
further question:


Fair enough. However, even though the MB doesn't/won't POST without
the CPU/RAM/Video Card, wouldn't it still give warning beeps indicating
that any or all of the above wasn't present?

thnx,
Christoph
Click to expand...

If everything were working properly, yes, but clearly everything isn't.
Removal of a part and then getting beeps won't isolate much, could still
be power supply, motherboard, or that part.
 
Sorrow said:
I'll try all of your other suggestions made in this message. I just
have one
further question:


Fair enough. However, even though the MB doesn't/won't POST without
the CPU/RAM/Video Card, wouldn't it still give warning beeps
indicating that any or all of the above wasn't present?
Click to expand...

AFAIK, you need to have CPU and RAM to get some form of intelligence
enabled on the m/board. Without a video card it should beep to tell you
so and similarly if the CPU can't find working RAM for its stack.

As Mufasa said, check the electrolytic caps' tops for stuff oozing out and
also look for any which are leaning over because the rubber bung, through
which the leads exit, is being pushed out of the can. This can also lead
to
caustic electrolyte oozing over the m/board.

Having said all this, it would be a very good test to try it on another
PSU.
 
Having said all this, it would be a very good test to try it on another
PSU.
Click to expand...

I went out and bought another PSU (Antec 400W, just like the one in
my PC right now) and tried it. When I booted the first time after putting
in the new PSU, it POSTed C1. So I checked what that meant in the
manual. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it was trying to tell me
but since it had something to do with the memory, I tried pulling out
each stick in turn then pulling them both out. Each time, the POST read
FF. I put both sticks back in and still it posted FF. So I guess now the
only problems would be the MB or CPU... :|

thnx,
Christoph
 
Yer not still running thru that UPS, are you?

Yes.
If so, by-pass it until you find out what the problem is.
Click to expand...

No change
I'd still like to know what the hell a FF is! lol
Click to expand...

It's the POST code for both "You're fcuked" and "You're all good",
depending on when it shows up in the boot sequence.

thnx,
Christoph
 
Christoph said:
I went out and bought another PSU (Antec 400W, just like the one in
my PC right now) and tried it. When I booted the first time after
putting in the new PSU, it POSTed C1. So I checked what that meant
in the manual. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it was
trying to tell me but since it had something to do with the memory, I
tried pulling out each stick in turn then pulling them both out.
Each time, the POST read FF. I put both sticks back in and still it
posted FF. So I guess now the only problems would be the MB or
CPU... :|
Click to expand...

Did you inspect the electrolytic caps around the CPU socket?
Try the RAM one stick at a time.
Starting to look like the board.
 
Did you inspect the electrolytic caps around the CPU socket?

Yes. I didn't see any obvious damage. Of course, I'm looking
with a very untrained eye so I could be missing something.
Try the RAM one stick at a time.
Click to expand...

Did that.
Starting to look like the board.
Click to expand...

That's what I was afraid of.

I will grant that you'll be guessing wildly without all the necessary
information, but what do you think happened to the board? It's
just over a year old (I built the PC in 03/2003) and I *barely*
overclocked it. I think I went one or 2 settings higher than the
base setting. IE, where the base was 1.7GHz, I OC'd it to 2.1GHz.
I could have gone a whole lot higher than that but decided against
it as I didn't *really* need all that power at the moment. As I said
previously, I kept the PC on 24/7 and had to reboot only rarely.
It was connected to a UPS and plugged into a surge protected
socket. As to the PSU, it wasn't a crap unit. Taking the advice of
many ppl last year, I picked up a 400W Antec. As far as I read,
it's one of the better brands. The video card is a Radeon 9600 Pro
and the RAM are Kingston DDR 333 512MB (x2). All good
brands.
So, can you speculate what might have happened?

thnx,
Christoph
 
I will grant that you'll be guessing wildly without all the necessary
information, but what do you think happened to the board? It's
just over a year old (I built the PC in 03/2003) and I *barely*
overclocked it. I think I went one or 2 settings higher than the
base setting. IE, where the base was 1.7GHz, I OC'd it to 2.1GHz.
I could have gone a whole lot higher than that but decided against
it as I didn't *really* need all that power at the moment. As I said
previously, I kept the PC on 24/7 and had to reboot only rarely.
It was connected to a UPS and plugged into a surge protected
socket. As to the PSU, it wasn't a crap unit. Taking the advice of
many ppl last year, I picked up a 400W Antec. As far as I read,
it's one of the better brands. The video card is a Radeon 9600 Pro
and the RAM are Kingston DDR 333 512MB (x2). All good
brands.
So, can you speculate what might have happened?

thnx,
Christoph
Click to expand...

Did anyone ask...?

Are you overclocking? If so, kick it down to default.

There's a known issue...a C1 error (yes, I found out what yer talkin'
about with the posting codes)..when overclocking.

There's a BIOS fix for this. It doesn't say if anything is
permanently hosed, however, by the overclocking.

Try a Google search for 8rda3129.zip.

Good luck.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
 
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