# A8N SLI DELUXE - NO POST (Blank screen)



## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi there people. Thanks TSF, you guys have helped me alot. A friend gave me a mobo, A8N SLI Deluxe, with just the CPU and heat sink installed. He also gave me lots of other computer parts too. like PCI-E graphics cards, and lots of RAM. He said when he last used it, it worked. But it's not working for me. I stripped the mobo down from the case, with just the mobo, cpu, a PCI-E, and RAM. The PCI-E and RAM both work. Ive tested all RAM sticks he gave me. Around 15 of them lol. The mobo just wont boot. I plugged the 24 pin P1 connector, 12v cpu power connector, and a molex connector for the PCI-E to power up. The PSU is most probably good because ive tested it with a multimeter and the power is within tolerance. 

Any ideas how to get this A8N SLI deluxe working?

Thanks

Let me know if you want more info or pictures of the mobo


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## [email protected] (Nov 16, 2004)

Check that your CMOS battery is installed correctly and has the correct voltage. Make sure that all your front panel connections are correct.

What this sounds like to me is a mechanical short somewhere that the PSU senses and shuts itself off before booting. I'd look for a mis-aligned mounting screw, a metal standoff in the wrong place, a front panel connector installed on the wrong pins, etc.

Maybe set it up following our bench test guide. Here: http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f15/how-to-bench-test-troubleshoot-your-system-262998.html


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## DBCooper (Jun 11, 2010)

Hi al-qarni,

May I ask, do you hear any beeps at all when you turn on the computer?


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

I replaced the CMOS battery aswell. The original one was about 1v, the other one was around 2.5v Checked with a multimeter. How many volts does the motherboard need to keep CMOS data alive? BTW the mobo is being tested out of the case on top of a mobo box. So there shouldnt be any shorts. Also the PC does not turn off itself. It stays on with all FANs running. I turn the pc on and off shorting the two pins.

Any ideas?

Oh yeah, actually i dont have any internal speaker for it to connect with. Can I use a multi meter to determine the voltage (beeps) coming from the speaker pins? I'll see if I can get hold of any pc cases with internal speaker.


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## [email protected] (Nov 16, 2004)

Battery circuits are designed to work down to 1/2 voltage. CMOS batts are 3.0V, so it should be OK down to 1.5V. All a weak battery will do is reset your BIOS settings to defaults. A batt installed upside down would cause your symptoms but not damage anything - generally.

Nearly all mobos come with a tiny speaker built in. Look for a 1/2" diameter, 1/2" tall black object with a hole in the top. On your mobo, I think it's in the lower right corner, diagonal to the output connectors. If you're not hearing any beeps, that means you're not getting past POST and is helpful info for us here. If you don't have that little spkr, maybe remove one from your case and plug it in. Or do your multi-meter measurement.

What is the brand/make, age of the PSU?


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

what are you running
video card
cpu
m/board
ram
power supply
brand
model
wattage

check the listings in the bios for voltages and temperatures and post them

check for bad caps on the m/board

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...msn_Dg&usg=AFQjCNG9TELNv2BhG8zvvzV2WpTArNyC9A


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

Oh sorry.

Emm.....

Asus A8n SLI Deluxe
AMD something (Not sure really, but my friend said, its a quad core AMD cpu)
256 MB DDR RAM (Samsung, actually theres lots of RAM's i've tested but using the samsung at the moment
Radeon R300 PCI-E 

PSU - PowerCool PC 650AUBA 
Wattage - 650watts

The Pc does not post at all so i cant get into bios and all capacitors are fine. They dont look like homer.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

psu is junk

it does not have enough amps on the 12v line you would find more on a quality 400w unit

for pcie the min we recommend is 80+ 550w

ram for win 7 is 2g min

for xp 550min prefer 1g or more

Power Supply Information and Selection - Tech Support Forum


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

Yeah but i cant even get it to post at least. Is there an explanation for that? I'll try two other PSU's I have. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know what happens


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Do you get any beeps with no ram installed?


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

I don't understand, i found an internal speaker from a case, took that out, and plugged it in the mobo. No beeps. Took out the RAM as well, but no beeps. let me check the mobo manual for the correct pinouts for the internal speaker, maybe i'm doing something wrong.

BTW i'll take a pic showing what i'm doing later


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

No fix yet. Here are some pictures that might be useful to you guys. I have all power connectors connected, yet nothing the mobo does not post. 

Does anything look wrong here?


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## [email protected] (Nov 16, 2004)

Let's try to shake thinks up a bit but installing two memory sticks, 2X 256MB or 2X 512MB. Make sure they're recommended for your mobo.

Also, do you have another video card to try?

(While testing, try to dress the power cable bundle so it's not draped over the board. You can cut the zip ties if they're a bother).

In the 3rd picture, I see what looks like _bulged top_ capacitors (the caps with the brownish plastic sleeve) between the output connectors and a silver heat sink. Do they look like that to you too? If they are bulged, or show signs of leaking, I'd just swap them out for new right at this point. Is that something you can do?


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

A little puzzled here you picture an Enermax 650 watt psu but list a Powercool? Which is it as Enermax is not bad though this feels like Psu not working properly frankly. Also if the cpu was already mounted I would remove it, clean it with isopropyl alcohol, grease it with Arctic silver and try again. If not any of that I have to tell you that board was absolute crap and was what sent me packing from Asus as I returned one 5 times and finally found a website devoted to issues with it and threw out the 5th board returned to me after it failed as well.


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

This is the second PSU i was trying out. They both failed me. The cap's are fine, the picture is making it look bulged. Even though I have lots of RAM sticks non of them match ASUS recommended RAM. Ihave Samsung, kingston, infineon, and hynix, but the model numbers dont match with any of them. Its ridiculous, Asus relies on certain RAM models. Any DDR1 400,333,266 should work. I've done a little research that these mobo bios support certain RAM, but you need to update bios in order to get all Ram models to work.


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## [email protected] (Nov 16, 2004)

Even without RAM installed, you should get beeps at turn on. So try Rich-m's suggestion of removing, cleaning, re-compounding, reinserting the CPU. Visually inspect all the pin's and sockets while doing so. And try a different video card if you can.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

I've used a ton of Asus Mobo's with no problems so I wouldn't let that be a concern yet.
Do you have a Mobo speaker?
With no RAM installed you should get a repeated single beep from the Mobo speaker.
That Mobo uses Nvidia chips so an Nvidia GPU might prove beneficial.
Are you doing a bench test properly?
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

The mobo does not have internal speakers but i found an internal speaker on an old pc case, plugged it in, but still no beeps. (If only i had a POST CARD-PCI). 

Regarding taking out the CPU and reassembling it again with new thermal compound; i dont have any money to buy thermal compound. The CPU looks like its seated properly, so i was hoping that was not a problem. Because this mobo has the dual video card feature, i was thinking maybe my mobo setting is wrong, such as jumpers, power connectors etc.

I even tried using an eraser on the RAM connectors, but still no POST no beeps. 

Everything you said TYREE, I have already done.

Is there any other configurations I can look at?

I just love the look of this mobo, and want to make sure it stays alive. Sorry for disturbing you guys alot. 

Thanks


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

When no joy from a bench test refer to the last paragraph: If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## al-qarni (Sep 22, 2009)

I tried 2 different working graphics card, not working. I tried loads of RAM, not working. I'll just take the CPU out and re seat it. I'll see what happens. BTW the RAMS i'm testing are all 256 MB RAM. 

The other odd thing is that the internal speaker does not beep at all? Odd.


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## [email protected] (Nov 16, 2004)

OK, well try this...either refer to your mobo manual and find the CMOS/BIOS reset jumper and follow the instructions for *Reset* OR remove the power cord, then the CMOS battery, short the power on pins with a small screw driver (or if you have the power switch installed press that for a few seconds). Wait 15 minutes or so. This will reset your BIOS setup. (If you've already tried this, sorry for the duplication).


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