Reset Loop

[weebs11]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and was told this was a great place for computer help. I apologize for how long this will probably be (that's what she said):

The other day, I was playing Far Cry 2 and my computer blue screened. I started it back up, wound up flashing the BIOS, restarted the computer, and it worked fine again. I played Far Cry 2 for about 45 minutes, it blue screened again, but this time I couldn't start the computer back up. I'd hit the power button, it would boot up like normal, but nothing was displayed on the monitor. There was no signal coming from my video card. I tried a new vid card, tried the individual sticks of RAM, tried about everything before I decided it seemed like the mobo just went bad.

So, I just bought a new mobo. It's a Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev. 1.0. I put the CPU and heatsink back on, connected everything properly, and when I try to boot it up, everything powers on for about a second, shuts down, and then attempts to power back on again. It just stays in that loop, never getting to POST or anything like that. I've tried the individual sticks of RAM again, tried just connecting the CPU and vid card, the bare essentials. I cannot get it out of the stupid loop. Nothing seems to be grounded, so I don't think that's it.

On top of the mobo, I've got an Intel Core 2 Duo (it's a Wolfdale, but I can't remember the exact chip anymore), eVGA GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB, and one 500 MB 7200 rpm SATA drive. Also, I believe my PSU is 1000W.

If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it. I'm having no luck and I'm about ready to just throw this damn thing out the window.

 

[Quiksilver]

Detailed System Specs? (Ram, PSU Brand, OS, Sound card [if one], etc.)
Were you OC'd?
Clear CMOS?
Memtest86 with ram?
Manually set all voltage/vcore/memory timings?
Using up to date drivers?

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Clear CMOS?

It is a new motherboard. But, it does not hurt to remove the battery and move the jumper to clear just in case.

Memtest86 with ram?

Does not post.

Manually set all voltage/vcore/memory timings?

Does not post.

Using up to date drivers?

Does not post.



weebs11,

Do you have another power supply to try?

Is the default RAM voltage of the motherboard lower than the voltage required by your RAM by any chance? You can find those figures from the motherboard manual and RAM web site.

You said that you tried individual sticks of RAM on the old motherboard. Did you try it in different slots or always in the same slot?

You are trying to post now. So, disconnect the hard drive and any card like sound card, etc.
Only connect the CPU, one stick of RAM and graphics card and nothing else.

Edit:
Double check your wiring of the power and reset switch and LESDs to the motherboard.

 

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by: Navid

Memtest86 with ram?

Does not post.

Manually set all voltage/vcore/memory timings?

Does not post.

Using up to date drivers?

Does not post.

Well he was able to post at one point, so it couldn't hurt to know these things.... I mean he motherboarc could have over-voltage his ram/cpu or maybe he neglected to say he ran memtest or maybe he didn't clear the cmos and after doing so he can post again

 

[weebs11]

Originally posted by: Navid

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Clear CMOS?

It is a new motherboard. But, it does not hurt to remove the battery and move the jumper to clear just in case.

Memtest86 with ram?

Does not post.

Manually set all voltage/vcore/memory timings?

Does not post.

Using up to date drivers?

Does not post.



weebs11,

Do you have another power supply to try?

Is the default RAM voltage of the motherboard lower than the voltage required by your RAM by any chance? You can find those figures from the motherboard manual and RAM web site.

You said that you tried individual sticks of RAM on the old motherboard. Did you try it in different slots or always in the same slot?

You are trying to post now. So, disconnect the hard drive and any card like sound card, etc.
Only connect the CPU, one stick of RAM and graphics card and nothing else.

Edit:
Double check your wiring of the power and reset switch and LESDs to the motherboard.

I just bought a new PSU, thinking that was the problem (my cousin had me do a test with a paper clip, and apparently it failed). I've got everything hooked up correctly, running just the CPU, a stick of RAM and the video card, but again it shuts down and resets after maybe one second.

Additionally, I swapped motherboards (got the GA-EP45-DS3R/DS3) since this one was only $10 more and I read the other has had issues. I'm looking at the supported list of memory on Gigabyte's website for this board, and either I'm reading it wrong, or the type of memory I have isn't supported. I'm looking at the specifications on Gigabyte's site and it says the RAM is set for 1.8V, but the sticks I have are 2.2V. Is there anything I can do (knowing that I can't get to POST) or do I have to buy new RAM?

 

[weebs11]

Oh, also just an fyi, I'm running an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz CPU and the RAM is Crucial Ballistix 1GB DDR2 sticks. I've also tried a brand new stick of Corsair XM2 (I think that's what it was) that I bought like 3 hours ago.

 

[weebs11]

Another update:

I finally thought the problem might be the CPU, so I went to the store, and thankfully they had a refurbished (the guy bought the wrong CPU) E8400 that has a full 7 day return policy. So I picked it up as a no-risk test to see if the CPU went bad somewhere between switching them out. Well, the thing boots up for like 3 seconds now, as opposed to 1. But it still shuts off before it gets anywhere. I've tried reapplying the thermal paste for the heatsink, as well as using Intel's factory fan that comes with the CPU. Same result for both of them. I'm really at a loss right now. The motherboard, CPU and PSU are all brand new. I've tested brand new RAM. The only thing I haven't tested is the GPU, but that shouldn't cause the computer to shut down immediately. In fact, the thing shouldn't just shut down right away if the card isn't in at all. And I've tried booting it up both with and without a video card in there. Nothing is working, and I have no idea what to do next. I really don't understand it.

 

[Navid]

1- Disconnect the reset wires from the motherboard.
Boot now.
What happens?



2- Do you have a multimeter?
If yes, do this:
Disconnect the reset and power-on wires from the motherboard.
Measure the resistance between the two reset wires going to the case. It should measure open (high resistance). While measuring press the reset switch. It should measure 0 or just a few Ohms.

Do the same with the power-on switch.

 

[weebs11]

Originally posted by: Navid
1- Disconnect the reset wires from the motherboard.
Boot now.
What happens?



2- Do you have a multimeter?
If yes, do this:
Disconnect the reset and power-on wires from the motherboard.
Measure the resistance between the two reset wires going to the case. It should measure open (high resistance). While measuring press the reset switch. It should measure 0 or just a few Ohms.

Do the same with the power-on switch.

You mean the switches from the case? I'm not even using the switches to power on. I'm just switching it on with a screwdriver. So it shouldn't be some problem just with the reset switch connections. Not to mention, it's done this on three different Gigabyte boards.

 

[Navid]

Yea, I meant the switches on the case.

Do you have a system speaker attached to the motherboard? Do you get any beeps from it?

 

[weebs11]

Originally posted by: Navid
Yea, I meant the switches on the case.

Do you have a system speaker attached to the motherboard? Do you get any beeps from it?

I don't have a speaker attached, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't start up long enough to really matter. It only boots for about 3 or 4 seconds, then shuts off.

 

[Navid]

I am out of ideas.

Be patient for others to make suggestions.

 

[weebs11]

Originally posted by: Navid
I am out of ideas.

Be patient for others to make suggestions.

You and me both. I've literally tried everything I could possibly think of. None of the RAM works, a new CPU won't work, a new PSU...the only thing I haven't done is bought a new video card, but it should still be able to start up without one. And I've actually tried another, older card. I mean it's possible that one didn't work either, but something should have worked by now.

 

[Quiksilver]

Have you tried booting with everything outside of the case?

 

[weebs11]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
Have you tried booting with everything outside of the case?

Yeah. That's mostly how I've been working with it. I'm not even exaggerating when I say I've tried just about everything possible. My friend's hopefully letting me borrow one of his 8800 GTX cards to test out today, and I might go buy another new stick of RAM to test that. But other than the RAM and video card, everything in there at this point is a new component, including the CPU, motherboard and PSU. It really makes no sense.

 

[Navid]

Does anyone have any suggestions/ideas?