No POST with new system

[Mourngrym]

Hi!

I'm asking for any advice here while I still have hair left. ;-(

Bought a new system this week, but after assembly it won't POST (can't get into BIOS, no video signal).


Specs:

E6750 L722A421
Gigabyte P35-DS3R v1.0
Tuniq Tower 120
1 GB Vdata DDR2 533 Mhz (only while waiting for Corsair memory, but 533 Mhz mem should be supported) - single module
PNY Geforce 8800 GTX
Corsair HX520W


The problem:

When powering up, there's three different scenarios:
1. Continuous long beeps, which according to the motherboard manual should indicate that "Graphics card not inserted properly"
2. Continuous long beeps, but the system powers off after a few beeps, and restarts
3. No beeps at all


What I have already done/checked:

- Used recommended method with Arctic Silver 5
- All fans start up nicely, except 8800 GTX fan which starts after a delay of a few seconds. Normal?
- Both power connectors connected to 8800 GTX
- Both ATX12V (2x2) and ATX (2x12) connected to motherboard
- Monitor is fine
- Removed 8800GTX
* Without gfx at all - same problem
* With an ancient PCI video card (VGA) - same problem
* With both PCI and PCI-E (8800GTX) installed - same problem
- Tried the memory module in all four slots - same problem
- Removed memory completely - same problem
- Removed everything except CPU, CPU cooler, power switch, power LED - same problem
- Reset CMOS, both by shorting the jumper and removing the battery for a few minutes - same problem


Where to go next, some thoughts and questions:

- Shipped motherboard BIOS version. I noticed that E6750 is only supported from BIOS version F4 and forward. Is it possible that the board I bought (july 26) has an older BIOS version? I read somewhere that F4 was now the shipping version, but I guess there's no telling how long the sample I got has been lying around...
- I wasn't sure how much to tighten the screws on the Tuniq Tower. Is it possible to overtighten them and damage the CPU? The springs seemed to work as intended..
- I have not tried running outside of the case, but I find it unlikely it would change anything since a motherboard short would behave differently.
- Memory broken or not compatible with motherboard... But then one would think that the error beeps would be different.
- Motherboard could be DOA.
- CPU could be DOA (but unlikely)
- Unfortunately I have limited possibility to borrow stuff, but PCI-E video card and a DDR2 module should be the things to test first.


All advice highly appreciated!

 

[Nocturnal]

Motherboard is probably bad.

 

[Cutthroat]

Looks like you covered your bases, RMA your motherboard before you go crazy.

 

[JustaGeek]

You need to get the CPU that will be recognized by the BIOS on the MB - a cheap celeron should do.

Flash the BIOS to the latest release supporting the new E6750.

Install the new CPU, and... return the celeron, even if you have to pay 15% restocking fee.

Good luck!

 

[Mourngrym]

After discussing with Gigabytes support and testing out of the case, I decided to RMA the motherboard. The support technician agreed that even if the shipping BIOS was earlier than version F4, and thus not supporting E6750, it should at least boot up at lower speed.

Asked for an Asus P5K-E as replacement since the gigabyte left a bad taste in my mouth. I also didn't like the PCB layout too much. For example, the clear CMOS jumper was completely inaccessible if using a double slot PCI-E gfx card (had to remove the gfx).

Wish me luck

 

[montag451]

it has been wished

 

[Mourngrym]

Originally posted by: montag451
it has been wished

Hehe, thanks

I've got the system up and running now with the Asus P5K-E, and also got my memory (Corsair 6400C4). So just to conclude, the DS3R was DOA.

Now for some overclocking