Troubleshooting newly built GA-M57SLI-S4

[xtrasico]

SOLVED!

Thanks for any help you can provide to me. I really appreciate it.

In article <xtrasico.35wpxr@no.email.invalid>,
xtrasico.35wpxr@no.email.invalid says...
>
> Hi people. I am new. My first language is spanish, so I apologize for
> any error.
>
> First about me: I am an auditor / fraud investigator. I have been
> working / playing / building / fixing PC's since 1988, but I am not a
> certified tech nor a programmer. I just do what is needed to be done. I
> have fixed a lot of PC's, from software to hardware problems. I use the
> www for almost every troubleshooting diagnostic I have to perform, so
> you know I am not an excellent technician.
>
> For the past 6 months I have been buying parts for my new PC. I just
> built it last night and I have a "little" problem. It boots/POSTs and
> sends the video signal which turns on the monitor, identifies video card
> bios, identifies the mobo, id's the CPU, id's correct RAM amount and
> type, and detects drives. Right after this fast detection process it
> just turns off, about ten seconds after I turn it on. If I turn it on
> immediately it wont send the video signal and the monitor wont turn on.
> It just stays there with all fans working, power led on, and the LAN
> card leds working (yellow and green leds blinking). I have to disconnect
> the power and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Then it can be
> rebooted, but the same error occurs again in the same 10 seconds. If I
> press DELETE I can get into the BIOS and I can see the hardware monitor
> section and it reads 24-25 degrees, so it is not overheating. Anyway, it
> is not going to develop a lot of heat in ten seconds so I think we can
> rule that one out. Since it stays on when I reboot I think we can rule
> out power supply issues. (This happens when I use video cards in SLI
> with both PSU's and with a PCI cheappo card with a single PSU.)
>
> Right now it has only the minimum hardware required to boot (mobo/cpu,
> main PSU, one stick of ram, cheappo pci video card) because I am trying
> to find the problem. Still the same problem. I don't have a spare
> motherboard and CPU to test them.
>
> Here is my PC configuration:
> mobo: Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4
> CPU: AMD X2 5600+
> RAM: Two sticks of 1GB of G-skill DDRII PC2-6400 CL 4-4-3-5 2.0v-2.1v
> (2gb)
> Video: Two nVidia 8800GTS 320MB PCI-e in SLI
> Add Video: nVidia FX5200 128MB PCI for testing purposes.
> Drives: Two Hitachi 250GB SATA 7200rpms non-raid setup
> DVD: LG DVDRW-DL
> PSU: Logisys 575w
> Video cards PSU Thermaltake W0099 Power Express 250w
>
> I can't get to the memory timing menu on the BIOS because it turns off
> very fast. I have cleared the BIOS settings with the mobo jumper. I have
> loaded optimum settings and failsafe settings from the BIOS because
> that is easy and I can do it in under ten seconds. It just does the
> same.
>
> Thanks for any help you can provide to me. I really appreciate it.
>
>
>
> Only white collar criminals don't like *Fraud Auditors.*
> I wonder why...
>

My guess. The motherboard is sensing something getting hot and
shutting down. Check to make sure the processor fan is plugged
into the correct header on the motherboard.

Check to see that the heatsink grease was properly applied and
any heatsink plastic coverings were removed.

Try another heatsink fan. Maybe the one you are using doesn't
provide enough of or the proper signal for the motherboard.

Remove the side cover and use a desk fan to blow air at the
motherboard. If it's an overheating problem it may allow your PC
to run cool enough for long enough to get into the Bios and check
your settings.

Bill

On Mar 6, 9:09 pm, xtrasico <xtrasico.35w...@no.email.invalid> wrote:
> Hi people. I am new. My first language is spanish, so I apologize for
> any error.
>
> First about me: I am an auditor / fraud investigator. I have been
> working / playing / building / fixing PC's since 1988, but I am not a
> certified tech nor a programmer. I just do what is needed to be done. I
> have fixed a lot of PC's, from software to hardware problems. I use the
> www for almost every troubleshooting diagnostic I have to perform, so
> you know I am not an excellent technician.
>
> For the past 6 months I have been buying parts for my new PC. I just
> built it last night and I have a "little" problem. It boots/POSTs and
> sends the video signal which turns on the monitor, identifies video card
> bios, identifies the mobo, id's the CPU, id's correct RAM amount and
> type, and detects drives. Right after this fast detection process it
> just turns off, about ten seconds after I turn it on. If I turn it on
> immediately it wont send the video signal and the monitor wont turn on.
> It just stays there with all fans working, power led on, and the LAN
> card leds working (yellow and green leds blinking). I have to disconnect
> the power and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Then it can be
> rebooted, but the same error occurs again in the same 10 seconds. If I
> press DELETE I can get into the BIOS and I can see the hardware monitor
> section and it reads 24-25 degrees, so it is not overheating. Anyway, it
> is not going to develop a lot of heat in ten seconds so I think we can
> rule that one out. Since it stays on when I reboot I think we can rule
> out power supply issues. (This happens when I use video cards in SLI
> with both PSU's and with a PCI cheappo card with a single PSU.)
>
> Right now it has only the minimum hardware required to boot (mobo/cpu,
> main PSU, one stick of ram, cheappo pci video card) because I am trying
> to find the problem. Still the same problem. I don't have a spare
> motherboard and CPU to test them.
>
> Here is my PC configuration:
> mobo: Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4
> CPU: AMD X2 5600+
> RAM: Two sticks of 1GB of G-skill DDRII PC2-6400 CL 4-4-3-5 2.0v-2.1v
> (2gb)
> Video: Two nVidia 8800GTS 320MB PCI-e in SLI
> Add Video: nVidia FX5200 128MB PCI for testing purposes.
> Drives: Two Hitachi 250GB SATA 7200rpms non-raid setup
> DVD: LG DVDRW-DL
> PSU: Logisys 575w
> Video cards PSU Thermaltake W0099 Power Express 250w
>
> I can't get to the memory timing menu on the BIOS because it turns off
> very fast. I have cleared the BIOS settings with the mobo jumper. I have
> loaded optimum settings and failsafe settings from the BIOS because
> that is easy and I can do it in under ten seconds. It just does the
> same.
>
> Thanks for any help you can provide to me. I really appreciate it.
>
> Only white collar criminals don't like *Fraud Auditors.*
> I wonder why...

I always take them down to a bare minimum to modularly troubleshoot
from hopefully whatever other computer(s) is built, working and
available. PS/MB/CPU, 1 stick of mem, and something to boot. Last
one like that, which still wouldn't power up gave me a shock. Ah-
hah! I'd assumed a PS prior to having a look at the problem, they're
likely culprits in generic brands, and already had ordered an
inexpensive but good 350W Fortron replacement. Took out the MB, looked
it over, and put back in the MB extra carefully. Surefire grounding
problem, as it powered up and haven't heard about it since. Charged
$50 to cover a better PS, and let it go at that, telling him "we got
lucky."

"Flasherly" <gjerrell@ij.net> wrote in message
news:7ba12610-21c5-4dad-a980-5c98e1bb3f5e@q78g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Mar 6, 9:09 pm, xtrasico <xtrasico.35w...@no.email.invalid> wrote:
>> I can't get to the memory timing menu on the BIOS because it turns off
>> very fast. I have cleared the BIOS settings with the mobo jumper. I have
>> loaded optimum settings and failsafe settings from the BIOS because
>> that is easy and I can do it in under ten seconds. It just does the
>> same.
>>
>> Thanks for any help you can provide to me. I really appreciate it.
>>
>> Only white collar criminals don't like *Fraud Auditors.*
>> I wonder why...
>
> I always take them down to a bare minimum to modularly troubleshoot
> from hopefully whatever other computer(s) is built, working and
> available. PS/MB/CPU, 1 stick of mem, and something to boot. Last
> one like that, which still wouldn't power up gave me a shock. Ah-
> hah! I'd assumed a PS prior to having a look at the problem, they're
> likely culprits in generic brands, and already had ordered an
> inexpensive but good 350W Fortron replacement. Took out the MB, looked
> it over, and put back in the MB extra carefully. Surefire grounding
> problem, as it powered up and haven't heard about it since. Charged
> $50 to cover a better PS, and let it go at that, telling him "we got
> lucky."

My "bare minimum" includes pulling the MB and connecting
PS/MB/CPU/keyboard/mouse, a stick of memory and usually the hard drive. I
leave the PS in the case and place the MB outside on a piece of cardboard or
the like.

[xtrasico]

Hi people. Thanks for your help. I just found out what happened to my PC. The power supply is damaged. It gives me only 11.90v on the 12v rail. I tried the PSU on 2 other PC's that were fine and it gave me the same error. Thanks again. Francisco

xtrasico wrote:
> Hi people. Thanks for your help. I just found out what happened to my
> PC. The power supply is damaged. It gives me only 11.90v on the 12v
> rail. I tried the PSU on 2 other PC's that were fine and it gave me
> the same error. Thanks again. Francisco


11.90V is well within the tolerance for the +12V output. At +-5%
tolerance (fairly standard for the +12V rail), that's 11.4V to 12.6V
being acceptable. 11.90V is within 1% of +12V, -1% would be 11.88V, so
that's not a defective PSU at all.

On Mar 7, 10:34 pm, "DonC" <coon...@NOSPAM.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> My "bare minimum" includes pulling the MB and connecting
> PS/MB/CPU/keyboard/mouse, a stick of memory and usually the hard drive. I
> leave the PS in the case and place the MB outside on a piece of cardboard or
> the like.

I don't do the HD until it boots off a DVD/1.44

[xtrasico]

Originally Posted by RobV

xtrasico wrote:[color=blue]
11.90V is well within the tolerance for the +12V output. At +-5%
tolerance (fairly standard for the +12V rail), that's 11.4V to 12.6V
being acceptable. 11.90V is within 1% of +12V, -1% would be 11.88V, so
that's not a defective PSU at all.

I already said it is solved. Thanks all of you guys. You are great!
About the voltage: OK if it is acceptable, I don't know much about voltages... All of my PSU's are over 12v, none under. That's why I assumed it was important.

This is important: I tried the PSU in three (that's 3) different computers and it gives me the same error. The other 3 PC are working great. So conclusion: PSU is damaged. Anyway I got an RMA from the company. That IS great. Thanks again guys.

xtrasico wrote:[color=blue]
> RobV;569368 Wrote:
>> xtrasico wrote:
>> 11.90V is well within the tolerance for the +12V output. At +-5%
>> tolerance (fairly standard for the +12V rail), that's 11.4V to 12.6V
>> being acceptable. 11.90V is within 1% of +12V, -1% would be 11.88V,
>> so
>>
>> that's not a defective PSU at all.
>
> I already said it is solved. Thanks all of you guys. You are great!
> About the voltage: OK if it is acceptable, I don't know much about
> voltages... All of my PSU's are over 12v, none under. That's why I
> assumed it was important.

Never assume. No PSU is perfect and will have varying amounts of output
for each rail. As long as the voltage output is within the tolerance
stated on the PSU, the voltage is good (within spec). I am happy for
you that all of your PSUs measure over +12V on that rail, but just
because one is less than 1% lower, is not an indication of defect.

> This is important: I tried the PSU in three (that's 3) different
> computers and it gives me the same error. The other 3 PC are working
> great. So conclusion: PSU is damaged. Anyway I got an RMA from the
> company. That IS great. Thanks again guys.

I am not implying that the PSU is not defective, or "damaged", but the
defect, or "damage" is not because of, or confirmed by a voltage you
don't like, but is well within spec.

I'm happy that you found the problem by substitution (usually the best
method when dealing with otherwise apparently good devices, especially
PSUs), but unless you wish to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a
PSU with less than 1% output variance, you should get used to the fact
that not all voltages will always measure as you like. The replacement
you get may have a +12V rail reading of lower than +11.90V, yet still be
well within spec. and function as it should.

[snip]

[xtrasico]

Hi again guys. Did I write somewhere on this thread that I already solved the problems with the PC? Uh hum...

A new problem appeared today. Now to the details:

I record all "sermons" (predicaciones = preaches? preaching? Don't know the word in English) from my Church and I burn CD's for people that want to listen to them again. I also take video of some activities, and mix audio songs to sing them. This morning I was getting ready to go to Church when I heard a voice telling me to turn on the PC and make a backup of all Church's stuff: audio, video, text... everything. I thought, well, I am going to miss Sunday School... but when God says something, you got to do it, or deal with the consequences.

I did a full backup of the Church's partition. Six DVD's single layer. I was late today... of course. When I finally got to Church, in one of the prayers, God told me to go buy the hard drive today because it was going to fail. I went and bought two.

When I got home my wife turned the PC on and she got so scared from the noises it was making that she disconnected it and call me almost screaming. She was worried because it was my PC and I told her not to use it because I needed to check it first. Can you guess what happened? Yup! Hard drive failure. That old "Clink, Clink, Clink". Well, no problem at all.

Thank God I went to Sam's and got two 320MB HD for $70 each. In Puerto Rico THAT's a great deal because they cost around $100. Also, they were the last two and they were not in display. How did I got them? Care to guess?

Anyway, thanks to all of you that helped me and taught me things I didn't know or understand. I really appreciate it.