Trouble Starting New System (Asus K8V) ?????

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carl
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C

Carl

Hi,

I have just completed building my new system with a AMD 3200+/Asus K8V
Deluxe and fired it up for the first time. This is what I get:

No beeps
No Video
Error message from speaker: System failed due to CPU over-clocking.

Components are:

Aspire X-Superalien case with 500 Watt PS
2x Corsair CMX512-3200LLPRO in slot 1 and 2
ATI Radeon 9800Pro 128M 8X
AF Neovo 19" LCD E-191A (Works on my other system) Hooked up analog

When starting, the screen stays black but I do notice the RAM PRO lights
blinking as if the system was checking the RAM. When they stop blinking,
the top two green LED stay lit and the speaker gives the message: System
failed due to CPU over-clocking. I cannot hear anything in the case, and it
doesn't test for floppy. Although the DVD drawer works. I can't tell if
the HD is spinning.

I haven't done anything to the BIOS and it really never finished posting.

I don't know where to go from here. The ATI fan is spinning as is the CPU
hs. This old guy can sure use some help.

Thanks,

Carl
O'Fallon, MO
 
Carl said:
Hi,

I have just completed building my new system with a AMD 3200+/Asus K8V
Deluxe and fired it up for the first time. This is what I get:

No beeps
No Video
Error message from speaker: System failed due to CPU over-clocking.

Components are:

Aspire X-Superalien case with 500 Watt PS
2x Corsair CMX512-3200LLPRO in slot 1 and 2
ATI Radeon 9800Pro 128M 8X
AF Neovo 19" LCD E-191A (Works on my other system) Hooked up analog

When starting, the screen stays black but I do notice the RAM PRO lights
blinking as if the system was checking the RAM. When they stop blinking,
the top two green LED stay lit and the speaker gives the message: System
failed due to CPU over-clocking. I cannot hear anything in the case, and it
doesn't test for floppy. Although the DVD drawer works. I can't tell if
the HD is spinning.

I haven't done anything to the BIOS and it really never finished posting.

I don't know where to go from here. The ATI fan is spinning as is the CPU
hs. This old guy can sure use some help.

Thanks,

Carl
O'Fallon, MO
Click to expand...

0) Don't forget to power down and unplug the computer before changing
memory. Or, at least verify each time you are working on the
computer, that the green LED, which is powered by +5VSB, is off.
Memory can still be powered if the green LED on the mobo is still
on, and can be damaged if added/removed that way. I like to unplug
to be sure it doesn't happen.

1) Try just one stick of memory. Place it furthest from the processor.
(This is to avoid stubs after the last load on the bus.) If you get
into the BIOS, go into the memory configuration and set the memory
to manual. Try slowing down the memory settings to 3,4,4,8 or
whatever the slowest settings happen to be. Shut down, pull the
power plug, and put in the second stick (into the slot nearest
the processor). This time it should work.

My reason for suggesting this, is sometimes the contents of the
SPD on the DIMM are just too aggressive for every motherboard type.
Your manual has a table detailing some of the restrictions on
your board, which are due to the processor driving the memory
directly, rather than the Northbridge. This innovation improves
latency, but leaves you at the mercy of the processor designer.

2) If this doesn't get you going, find a cheap DIMM, and use it
by itself in the computer. Assuming you can get into the BIOS
this time, set the memory to manual and choose slow timings.
(Actually, if you buy a slow enough memory, even the auto
setup by the BIOS is not going to surpass the limits caused
by the slow memory.) Now, add a stick of the good stuff.
See if you can keep it running. If it works, remove the lame
stick and add the second good one. Tune the memory and
test with memtest86+ from memtest86.org (I hear this version
should work with K8V).

Start with cheap ram in Slot 1 (at low speed, signal integrity
is a non-issue). Add good ram to Slot 3. Remove cheap ram
from Slot 1 and install second good one in Slot 1. If this
works, keep the cheap ram for another time when this algorithm
or part of it, needs to be repeated.

Here are examples of cheap slow ram:
http://www.pricewatch.com/1/33/2792-1.htm

Do not connect the hard drive or try installing any software
until the memory testing and tuning phase is complete. You'll
need a floppy drive (or make an ISO CD) to do the memtest
testing. Memtest is a self booting program, so you won't need to
find any DOS files to make this work.

If you rush to install the OS while the memory is still flaky,
you'll only regret it later.

HTH,
Paul
 
Carl said:
Hi,

I have just completed building my new system with a AMD 3200+/Asus K8V
Deluxe and fired it up for the first time. This is what I get:

No beeps
No Video
Error message from speaker: System failed due to CPU over-clocking.

Components are:

Aspire X-Superalien case with 500 Watt PS
2x Corsair CMX512-3200LLPRO in slot 1 and 2
ATI Radeon 9800Pro 128M 8X
AF Neovo 19" LCD E-191A (Works on my other system) Hooked up analog

When starting, the screen stays black but I do notice the RAM PRO lights
blinking as if the system was checking the RAM. When they stop blinking,
the top two green LED stay lit and the speaker gives the message: System
failed due to CPU over-clocking. I cannot hear anything in the case, and it
doesn't test for floppy. Although the DVD drawer works. I can't tell if
the HD is spinning.

I haven't done anything to the BIOS and it really never finished posting.

I don't know where to go from here. The ATI fan is spinning as is the CPU
hs. This old guy can sure use some help.

Thanks,

Carl
O'Fallon, MO
Click to expand...


Since the error msg said "cpu" then I wouldnt worry about your video or ram
so much..
You dont mention what processor you have.

You should be able to reset the bios and it should be fine (shrug)
 
rstlne said:
and


Since the error msg said "cpu" then I wouldnt worry about your video or ram
so much..
You dont mention what processor you have.

You should be able to reset the bios and it should be fine (shrug)
Click to expand...
Reset the CMOS and make sure the jumper is set over the correct pins. They
are sometimes set the wrong way on shipping.

The Gnome
 
if the jumper had been set to the wrong pins (CLR_CMOS) the system would
have started at all.

if he pops out the battery for a few minutes (with power cable unplugged)
the CMOS will clear ... although i suspect there will be other problems
somewhere, as the BIOS should by default auto-detect the CPU parameters.
 
atwifa said:
if the jumper had been set to the wrong pins (CLR_CMOS) the system would
have started at all.

if he pops out the battery for a few minutes (with power cable unplugged)
the CMOS will clear ... although i suspect there will be other problems
somewhere, as the BIOS should by default auto-detect the CPU parameters.
Click to expand...

Yea.. it sounds like he mighta been mucking in the bios.. If you set it to
"user defined" settings then the bios doesnt allways revert back to
defaults.
 
Carl said:
Hi,

I have just completed building my new system with a AMD 3200+/Asus K8V
Deluxe and fired it up for the first time. This is what I get:

No beeps
No Video
Error message from speaker: System failed due to CPU over-clocking.

Components are:

Aspire X-Superalien case with 500 Watt PS
2x Corsair CMX512-3200LLPRO in slot 1 and 2
ATI Radeon 9800Pro 128M 8X
AF Neovo 19" LCD E-191A (Works on my other system) Hooked up analog

When starting, the screen stays black but I do notice the RAM PRO lights
blinking as if the system was checking the RAM. When they stop blinking,
the top two green LED stay lit and the speaker gives the message: System
failed due to CPU over-clocking. I cannot hear anything in the case, and it
doesn't test for floppy. Although the DVD drawer works. I can't tell if
the HD is spinning.

I haven't done anything to the BIOS and it really never finished posting.

I don't know where to go from here. The ATI fan is spinning as is the CPU
hs. This old guy can sure use some help.

Thanks,

Carl
O'Fallon, MO
Click to expand...

Thanks to all that responded. I took Paul's advise and put only one stick
of my Corsair RAM in slot 3. It worked and boot up until the HD's. I was
able to get into the BIOS for the first time. Not wanting to screw them up,
this is what I found.
Type: Processor 64 3200+
Speed: 2000MHZ

HyperTransport
HT Tristate - Enabled
CRC Flood - Disabled
HT Freq - 800 MHZ
HT Data upstream - 16 Bit
HT Data Downstream - 16 Bit

I wanted to slow down the RAM as Paul suggested, but I don't know what to
change.

The Memory section is all set to Auto. To slow down timing to 3-4-4-8,
which should I change?
Memlock
Bank Interleaving
CAS Latency (CL)
TRC
TRFC
TRCD
TWR
TRWT
TRAS
TRP
DDR Clock Delay

Several other questions. To run my 74Gig Raptor as primary SATA drive "C"
and my WD 120Gig SATA as drive "D", which SATA connectors should I use. I
don't want RAID. (Of course, these are also not matching drives.)

And Lastly, Memtest86+ V1.11 Can I run that at boot without an OS
installed? Which one should I dl?

Thanks again, slowly but surely
 
"Carl" said:
Thanks to all that responded. I took Paul's advise and put only one stick
of my Corsair RAM in slot 3. It worked and boot up until the HD's. I was
able to get into the BIOS for the first time. Not wanting to screw them up,
this is what I found.
Type: Processor 64 3200+
Speed: 2000MHZ

HyperTransport
HT Tristate - Enabled
CRC Flood - Disabled
HT Freq - 800 MHZ
HT Data upstream - 16 Bit
HT Data Downstream - 16 Bit

I wanted to slow down the RAM as Paul suggested, but I don't know what to
change.

The Memory section is all set to Auto. To slow down timing to 3-4-4-8,
which should I change?
Memlock
Bank Interleaving
CAS Latency (CL)
TRC
TRFC
TRCD
TWR
TRWT
TRAS
TRP
DDR Clock Delay

Several other questions. To run my 74Gig Raptor as primary SATA drive "C"
and my WD 120Gig SATA as drive "D", which SATA connectors should I use. I
don't want RAID. (Of course, these are also not matching drives.)

And Lastly, Memtest86+ V1.11 Can I run that at boot without an OS
installed? Which one should I dl?

Thanks again, slowly but surely
Click to expand...

The reason I focused on the RAM, was your observation that the BIOS
had tried to use the RAM. That suggested that the memory might be
at fault. (So those LEDs are useful :-)

I would think setting "Memclock Mode" to manual would be
a start. According to the processor datasheet, the processor has
four options for memory clock speed, and the Asus manual is unclear
whether an onscreen option appears on the Memory Configuration
screen, or you have to go back to the display of Memory Clock
and change it there.

I find the Memory Configuration page to be unnecessarily complicated,
and it would take me a while to look up all those timing parameters,
to figure out which ones are important. (I think normally you would
be playing with CAS,TRCD,TRAS, and TRP). Bumping the CAS number up is
easy, but a few of the other options, I've never seen before. Perhaps
Rojakpot has some of them documented:

http://www.rojakpot.com/freeBOG.aspx

In any case, you don't have to bump down anything but memory clock
to get started. If the clock reads "200MHz" (DDR400) currently, you
could try "166MHz" (DDR333) for now, and then insert your second
stick of RAM.

I don't know whether the best place to read up on these memory
settings, would be amdforums.com or abxzone.com. The search engine
on amdforums is set up to work for registered users only, whereas
the one on abxzone can be used by anyone.

Anyway, amdforums has a meandering thread on the K8V here. Actually
the thread is in five parts, so have fun finding the start of this:

http://amdforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=298566

As for Memtest86+, it is a program which will prepare a boot disk
for you, using a blank floppy. Don't leave any files on the floppy,
as they will be effectively erased after the memtest installer is
finished. The installer will put a single file on the disk, and
that file will boot the computer and test the memory. There will
be no file system on the disk, so you cannot read the disk in
Windows. After memtest has prepared the floppy, just use the floppy
at boot time, ensuring that the floppy is configured as a boot choice
in the BIOS.

Maybe someone else can help you with the disks. (I think the disk
letters are wired to a roulette wheel or something :-)

HTH,
Paul
 
<snip>

Just set the 74Gig Raptor onto the sata1 connector and the 120Gig drive onto
the sata2 connector. It should detect the drives and give you the option to
setup as raid through some kind of key combo (since you don't want raid, you
don't need to worry about it)

HTH
 
"Carl" said:
Thanks to all that responded. I took Paul's advise and put only one stick
of my Corsair RAM in slot 3. It worked and boot up until the HD's. I was
able to get into the BIOS for the first time. Not wanting to screw them up,
this is what I found.
Type: Processor 64 3200+
Speed: 2000MHZ

HyperTransport
HT Tristate - Enabled
CRC Flood - Disabled
HT Freq - 800 MHZ
HT Data upstream - 16 Bit
HT Data Downstream - 16 Bit

I wanted to slow down the RAM as Paul suggested, but I don't know what to
change.

The Memory section is all set to Auto. To slow down timing to 3-4-4-8,
which should I change?
Memlock
Bank Interleaving
CAS Latency (CL)
TRC
TRFC
TRCD
TWR
TRWT
TRAS
TRP
DDR Clock Delay

Several other questions. To run my 74Gig Raptor as primary SATA drive "C"
and my WD 120Gig SATA as drive "D", which SATA connectors should I use. I
don't want RAID. (Of course, these are also not matching drives.)

And Lastly, Memtest86+ V1.11 Can I run that at boot without an OS
installed? Which one should I dl?

Thanks again, slowly but surely
Click to expand...

It would appear that Asus has just "exposed" every setting in the DRAM
control register. The second link is to the "BIOS Writers Guide", and
DRAM Timing is on page 81.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_739_7203,00.html

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/26094.PDF

You can see an example of a DRAM datasheet here. Page 60 has the timing
parameter names and figures in nanoseconds. The nanosecond numbers
have to be divided by the clock period and rounded up, to make cycle
counts to program the BIOS screen.

http://download.micron.com/pdf/datasheets/dram/ddr/256Mx4x8x16DDR.pdf

Setting up those memory timings manually looks like a major challenge.

Paul
 
Hi,

Still at it. Thanks to everyone for hanging in there with me. Coming along
well. I managed to get the memory timed good and loaded XP. The only
problem left is my 2nd HD.

I have both HD's connected to VIA SATA 1 and SATA 2. XP found SATA 1 and
formated it. Never noted the other drive. When I look in my computer, it
shows Drive C (SATA1) but no other HD'S. Drive D is the DVD. When I boot
up I see both HD'S on the screen and they are also in the BIOS. But I can't
get to the SATA2. I tried add hardward and it didn't identify anything to
install.

I hope it didn't format both drives into one. But that can't be because the
SATA 1 is reported as 74Gig which is correct.

Where do I go from here?

Paul thanks for all the links. I have been using them like crazy. Very
helpful and stops a lot of questions.

Carl
O'Fallon, MO
 
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