# Asus P4P800-E, no POST beep, but powers up...



## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

Alrighty, I'm at my wit's end. Here's what I'm working with, *new components marked with a **, prior to replacing them it would POST/run no problems other than my Promise RAID fouled up (both disks are still good though):

Asus P4P800-E Deluxe mobo, BIOS 1004
P4 2.8E
*2x512 Corsair PC3200, matched revision 1.2 (recently RMA'd for matched revs)
*Ultra X-Connect 500w PSU
*Asus 6800GT 256 video (on it's own power line, dual connector)
Soundblaster Audigy Z2S
2x Seagate 80-gig 7200rpm S-ATA HDD
NEC DVD
Sony 3.5" Floppy 

My problem is, I get no POST beep, video, keyboard or mouse; but the fans start, the LEDs come on on the fans and vid card, and it sounds as though the hard drives spin up. 

I've checked all connections from the PSU (yes, it's set to 115) and they are correct. Power is routed thusly:

Both S-ATA drives on one line
Vid card on its own line (dual connector)
DVD, floppy and front two case fans on one line
Four case fans on one line
Mobo 20-pin and P4 4-pin connected

I have reseated the processor, reseated the video card, doublechecked all power connections, even tried resetting the CMOS to no avail. I switched the SATA drives from the Promise (their original location) to the Intel SATA controller (I was gonna reinstall the OS fresh on the Intel RAID anyway), back to the Promise, back to the Intel. Later tonight I will try swapping the 6800GT for my old GeForce 2 (I have no on-board video).

All these (_*edit_: *subsequent*) tests were performed without monitor/key/mouse attatched, I was just listening for the beep. And yes, all the case connections to the mobo are good, so the speaker IS hooked up. I've seen this problem listed on multiple support forums, but haven't found any solid resolution. BTW, the only applicable components I have for swap-tests are my old PSU and video card. Any thoughts/suggestions/comments would be GREATLY appreciated.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

try it with just
video
ram
cpu
speaker
if no good try the same config out of the case


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## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

Well, it's been a while since I responded, but here's the story so far...

I broke down and took it to a local shop, very highly recommended by some geek friends (I was told "a wizard lives in the back" :smile: ). He called me Monday and told me he had gotten it to post (after doing no more than reseating the CPU, vid, RAM and reconnecting the HD's). By the time I got there to pick it up, he had gotten it to POST another half-dozen consecutive times. I gladly paid the $40 (hey, it may have been something stupid but at least it was working and I didn't have to put up with the hassle). I got it home, hooked it up, hit the power and...

Same problem. No video, no POST. It appears the keyboard is being detected (it may have been initially as well, I didn't stop to think that after the NUM/CAP/SCROLL lights up, they default to off), and the mouse is drawing power from the PS/2 port (the light on that is on). If I disconnect the monitor, I get the "CHECK SIGNAL CABLE" message; when I reconnect it it goes back to suspended mode. No beep signal from the 'puter at all.

I really don't think I got rolled, as I said these guys are very well respected (though the Wizard doesn't work there anymore, apparently). I still can't imagine WHY it would work consistently for him, and NOT work so consistently for ME. I tried another keyboard, another mouse (in PS/2 and USB), plugged the monitor into the DVI adapter, plugged the computer into an outlet all by itself, tried another power cord from the PSU to outlet... same problem. I know all my peripherals are good, I'm using them to post this message. I'm taking it back that place to see if it boots when plugged into their stuff. If it does, I will gladly pay the man for his time and then eat my computer.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

reseat evrything,it does not take much to dislodge something when you move the computer


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## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

Well, that I certainly did. I just stripped the whole thing down, removed the motherboard from the tray, examined it closely (looked okay), checked all the standoffs, replaced everything and no go. Like the last time I stripped all the cards, RAM, etc. I get no POST beeps at all. Not even for missing memory. That's exactly how it happened before I took it to the shop. I'm really frustrated, especially since my $400 video card I groveled to the wife for- er, scrimped and saved for, has yet to play even Pong :upset: 

Dude, I shoulda gotten a Dell 

*edit: One last thing, it's to the point now that unless its something catastrophic that needs to be replaced, even if I get it running I don't know that I can trust it. Holding your breath and saying a prayer every time you boot is no way to go through life.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

check out the p/s it may have developed a fault,did they show you it working beore you picked it up


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## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

OOOOOOOOkay.....

I took the whole thing back to the shop. They pulled out everything- vid, sound, RAM, HDDs... no POST. Hooked the 20-pin and 4-pin from another PSU up, powered on, and...

beeped like crazy. No RAM, no vid... all the codes I hoped for. Hooked up my X-Connect and... silence. So, bad PSU, right? RMA'd it that day. Got my new one today, hooked up the 20 and 4, and nothing. Hooked up the rest of the hardware for giggles and same symptoms as the original problem- light, fans, HDD's okay... no video to monitor, no beep. No good.

I called Ultra tech support and they said "try updating the BIOS" (I believe it was reset when I pulled the CMOS and rejumpered during the original fiasco). That, and they tried to suggest I RMA it back to Tiger for one of their "premium" brand Ultras. (no thanks)

My question: could updating the BIOS really work in this case? Asus' BIOS documentation doesn't mention PSUs anywhere, and I know some of the test rigs I've seen in reviews used Asus boards. BIOS just doesn't seem right (especially since it WAS updated to 1004 (latest) when I tried with the original Ultra and now I have the same problems)). 

Failing that, IF I can POST with the 20 and 4 from my old OEM PSU, could it run the whole setup (listed above)? It's a 420 watt "Turbolink switching power supply" that gives 18 on the +12v rail. This previously ran the whole system with a Ti4200 instead of the powerhog 6800GT .


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## TakumiKai (Mar 4, 2005)

Is your moniter setting on the right input (usu. input 1)? Is your moniter on and plugged in? Is your speakers on and pluged in? Are all conections firmly in place and strong? Are all connections made in the right place? Are your ribbon cables put in the correct way *(REMEMBER RIBON CABLES CAN BE PUT IN ANY WAY AND IT WILL STILL FIT!!! THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TELL IS THE MISSING PIN AND COMPUTER OR EXTERNAL DRIVE NOT WORKING!!!)*((sorry for the caps but it's very important!))? Is there any sort of media in your external drive? Is your CMOS Battery dead? Processor fitted in a correct manner? Motherboard requriments fufilled? Correct RAM (there is a difference between DDR MOBOs and DDR2 MOBOs!) and proccesors (also won't work plus special processors are small and so are their sockets)? Correct CPU? Remeber Centrinos are for laptops, Xeons for servers and P4, etc. for regular desktops. Not so familiar with AMD so don't ask please... Check to make sure your computer means all these requirements. If you do choose to eat your computer, tell us how it tastes! :grin:


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## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

@TakumiKai

I can ssure you ALL connections are solid and correctly oriented. This configuration HAS worked before, save for a different vid card and PSU. It WILL post with my old PSU; unfortunately my old PSU doesn't have quite enough connections or possibly juice to power my 6800GT to test fully with THAT. Currently I am running an old 32MB GeForce 2 on it and it is working fine. It still won't POST with my Ultra though. I find it hard to believe I have had TWO defective Ultra PSUs in a row, I will try to update the BIOS and re-try the Ultra, but that may have to wait for tomorrow...


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## TakumiKai (Mar 4, 2005)

OMGN00b!!1! said:


> @TakumiKai
> 
> I can ssure you ALL connections are solid and correctly oriented. This configuration HAS worked before, save for a different vid card and PSU. It WILL post with my old PSU; unfortunately my old PSU doesn't have quite enough connections or possibly juice to power my 6800GT to test fully with THAT. Currently I am running an old 32MB GeForce 2 on it and it is working fine. It still won't POST with my Ultra though. I find it hard to believe I have had TWO defective Ultra PSUs in a row, I will try to update the BIOS and re-try the Ultra, but that may have to wait for tomorrow...


That's funny... I'm running a GeForce 6800 128MB and it's working solid for me. I also have the same exact MOBO as you do... Check the fan settings (I have a Coolmax 115V 450Watt PS and it supplies) and check to see it's the correct voltage in your country (U.S. is 115V). Maybe your graphics card is dead or has problems... Try ask for a refund or get another one... Wasting $400 is not an option...


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## Fuzzy_Logic (Mar 3, 2005)

Just for grins, swap the keyboard and mouse cables, ie. put them in each other's ports.

I swear the mouse and keyboard ports are reversed on my P4P800-E. I just got it, and I use a KVM switch so I need to double check that I didn't mislabel that pair, but I really really doubt I did.

Anyway, I learned that if the mouse and keyboard cables are swapped I get power but no POST, no beeps, no boot. The optical mouse lights up of course, and the keyboard lights blink once though.


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## TwistedBard (Feb 25, 2005)

So to recap: 
At this point, you've removed your new PSU and video card and replaced them with your old PSU and video card and everything is working. This suggests to me that one of those two items is the problem. 

Try these two things: 
1) Put your new video card in with your old PSU and see if it will boot. The 6800 is a powerhog, so unplug any unecessary accessories you might have attached. 

2) Put your old video card in with your new PSU and see if it will boot. 

If one of those two setups works, you should have a pretty strong indication of the culprit and you can go from there. Based on what you've said to this point, I'm thinking it's the video card.

Good luck! And if you're feeling like you've not got enough silicon in your diet, I'd suggest asking your wife to consider...err... augmentation of certain anatomical features, rather than eating your computer.


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## Fuzzy_Logic (Mar 3, 2005)

Sorry - missed the part that it would boot up with the other eqpt. My bad.


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## OMGN00b!!1! (Feb 12, 2005)

Shame on me for not replying sooner but, well... I've been playing with my new video card 

The culprit, it seems, is still the replacement Ultra PSU. I popped in my old 420w Aspire PSU, hooked everything up, and have been running fine for a couple days now. Despite my concerns about the 6800's appetite for electricity, my voltages have been within acceptable range. I've made it through format, Windows install, several boot cycles and several hours of HL2 with the settings cranked and no problems (/me knocks on wood).

Still, it seems odd to me that I'd get TWO defective PSUs in a row, there may still be some inherent conflict in the hardware I don't know about. BTW, it most definitely was NOT the BIOS; once I managed to boot and SEE what was going on it turns out I didn't successfully clear the CMOS. I was still running the latest BIOS.

Thanks for all your help, but I think I'm gonna run with this PSU a while. Maybe I'll spend the money on a solid UPS to go with it ( I hear Ultra makes a good one :normal: )


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## TwistedBard (Feb 25, 2005)

Glad to hear you're up and running! I'm surprised that it was the power supply (like you, I find it hard to believe you got two bad ones in a row). Too bad, too, cuz those Ultra ones seem pretty cool. I was considering that one myself because of the modular thing. I like the idea of being able to remove unecessary wires and have only the ones I need. Perhaps I will consider alternatives. LOL. OCZ has one that has the modular wiring setup, too. Wonder if that one's any good? :4-dontkno


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