GA7N400 Pro (not Pro2) problem - advice requested

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.

The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu. It
has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash some
time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan (and
chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely won't
reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!

I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as its
cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works fine
in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot) behaviour with
a different card. I have put the hard drive into a different PC as a
"slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on it. The problem PC
won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present either. (i.e. I
think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of the problem. Am I
right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps the fans spinning
after a crash?

It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
hasn't cured the problem.

It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the obvious
solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.

TIA

Eddie

Complete spec:

GA7N400 Pro mainboard
Athlon XP2700 (333)
512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
fdd
hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
400W psu
Windows XP Pro
Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
Linksys 54g network card

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

"Eddie B." <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote in message
news:cr0pf4$89v$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>
> The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu.
> It has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
> displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash some
> time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
> strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan
> (and chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely
> won't reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>
> I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as its
> cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works
> fine in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot)
> behaviour with a different card. I have put the hard drive into a
> different PC as a "slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on
> it. The problem PC won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present
> either. (i.e. I think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of
> the problem. Am I right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps
> the fans spinning after a crash?
>
> It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
> Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
> hasn't cured the problem.
>
> It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
> cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
> that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
> dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the obvious
> solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
> with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>
> TIA
>
> Eddie
>
> Complete spec:
>
> GA7N400 Pro mainboard
> Athlon XP2700 (333)
> 512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
> fdd
> hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
> PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
> LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
> 400W psu
> Windows XP Pro
> Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
> Linksys 54g network card
>
Since the BIOS will generally peep at a bad AGP or memory, I wonder about
the main BIOS chip.

Can you boot from the other BIOS chip?

JPS

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

"jpsga" <knowone@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Gj1Bd.829162$8_6.627204@attbi_s04...
>
> "Eddie B." <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote in message
> news:cr0pf4$89v$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
>>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>>
>> The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu.
>> It has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
>> displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash
>> some time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting
>> key strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling
>> fan (and chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it
>> definitely won't reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>>
>> I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as
>> its cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card
>> works fine in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot)
>> behaviour with a different card. I have put the hard drive into a
>> different PC as a "slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on
>> it. The problem PC won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd
>> present either. (i.e. I think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the
>> root of the problem. Am I right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that
>> it keeps the fans spinning after a crash?
>>
>> It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
>> Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
>> hasn't cured the problem.
>>
>> It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
>> cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
>> that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
>> dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the
>> obvious solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different
>> mainboard with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Eddie
>>
>> Complete spec:
>>
>> GA7N400 Pro mainboard
>> Athlon XP2700 (333)
>> 512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
>> fdd
>> hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
>> PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
>> LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
>> 400W psu
>> Windows XP Pro
>> Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
>> Linksys 54g network card
>>
> Since the BIOS will generally peep at a bad AGP or memory, I wonder about
> the main BIOS chip.
>
> Can you boot from the other BIOS chip?
>
> JPS
>
Thanks for the advice. I'll have a go at that when I've finished backing up
the stuff from the hdd.

Eddie

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 11:40:20 +0000 (UTC), "Eddie B."
<Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote:

>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>
>The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu. It
>has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
>displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash some
>time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
>strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan (and
>chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely won't
>reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>
>I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as its
>cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works fine
>in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot) behaviour with
>a different card. I have put the hard drive into a different PC as a
>"slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on it. The problem PC
>won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present either. (i.e. I
>think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of the problem. Am I
>right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps the fans spinning
>after a crash?
>
>It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
>Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
>hasn't cured the problem.
>
>It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
>cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
>that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
>dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the obvious
>solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
>with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>
>TIA
>
>Eddie
>
>Complete spec:
>
>GA7N400 Pro mainboard
>Athlon XP2700 (333)
>512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
>fdd
>hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
>PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
>LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
>400W psu
>Windows XP Pro
>Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
>Linksys 54g network card
>
>
>
>
>

1. I don't think you can conclusively eliminate the Power Supply
simply because the fans keep running (different/different power
demands on PS from CPU and MB). Try another PS.

2. I doubt VERY much it's the CPU. They TEND to go 'all-or-nothing'..

3. Eliminate the PS, Video card and *Memory* by trying different parts
if possible. (At least TRY unseating and reseating the memory if you
don't have extra and/or try diff. DIMM slots.

4. Make sure you try safest BIOS settings.

5. Try getting to a DOS prompt with just the MEM, Video Card and
Floppy installed. NO HD.

6. If NONE of the above helps, then I suspect you have a MB that's
gone bad... Prob. capacitors drying out with age/falling out of spec.

Good Luck. Please post your results.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

"HammerToe" <HammerToe@online.com> wrote in message
news:q6kdt0hvh333a5usk1imnsf539e8l38i0m@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 11:40:20 +0000 (UTC), "Eddie B."
> <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote:
>
>>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>>
>>The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu.
>>It
>>has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
>>displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash some
>>time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
>>strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan
>>(and
>>chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely won't
>>reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>>
>>I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as its
>>cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works
>>fine
>>in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot) behaviour
>>with
>>a different card. I have put the hard drive into a different PC as a
>>"slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on it. The problem PC
>>won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present either. (i.e. I
>>think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of the problem. Am
>>I
>>right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps the fans spinning
>>after a crash?
>>
>>It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
>>Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
>>hasn't cured the problem.
>>
>>It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
>>cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
>>that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
>>dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the obvious
>>solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
>>with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>Eddie
>>
>>Complete spec:
>>
>>GA7N400 Pro mainboard
>>Athlon XP2700 (333)
>>512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
>>fdd
>>hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
>>PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
>>LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
>>400W psu
>>Windows XP Pro
>>Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
>>Linksys 54g network card
>
> 1. I don't think you can conclusively eliminate the Power Supply
> simply because the fans keep running (different/different power
> demands on PS from CPU and MB). Try another PS.
>
> 2. I doubt VERY much it's the CPU. They TEND to go 'all-or-nothing'..
>
> 3. Eliminate the PS, Video card and *Memory* by trying different parts
> if possible. (At least TRY unseating and reseating the memory if you
> don't have extra and/or try diff. DIMM slots.
>
> 4. Make sure you try safest BIOS settings.
>
> 5. Try getting to a DOS prompt with just the MEM, Video Card and
> Floppy installed. NO HD.
>
> 6. If NONE of the above helps, then I suspect you have a MB that's
> gone bad... Prob. capacitors drying out with age/falling out of spec.
>
> Good Luck. Please post your results.

Initial results:

Well, it isn't the power supply. I bought another, and installed it. The
system won't power up, although the psu, cpu and case fans spin up. I was
seduced into believing it was a psu problem, because the previous psu was a
Q-TEC (!) - the gold 400W - and the consensus appears to be that Q-TEC psu's
are dud. I'm having a trawl round for another cpu to try, or another m/b.

Shall I go for an alternative m/b because cpus tend to go 'all-or-nothing',
and this went gradually? Or just because I can get a m/b cheaper than a cpu?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 19:45:14 +0000 (UTC), "Eddie B."
<Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote:

>
>"HammerToe" <HammerToe@online.com> wrote in message
>news:q6kdt0hvh333a5usk1imnsf539e8l38i0m@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 11:40:20 +0000 (UTC), "Eddie B."
>> <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>>>
>>>The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu.
>>>It
>>>has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
>>>displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash some
>>>time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
>>>strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan
>>>(and
>>>chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely won't
>>>reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>>>
>>>I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as its
>>>cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works
>>>fine
>>>in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot) behaviour
>>>with
>>>a different card. I have put the hard drive into a different PC as a
>>>"slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on it. The problem PC
>>>won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present either. (i.e. I
>>>think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of the problem. Am
>>>I
>>>right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps the fans spinning
>>>after a crash?
>>>
>>>It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
>>>Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
>>>hasn't cured the problem.
>>>
>>>It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
>>>cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
>>>that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
>>>dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the obvious
>>>solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
>>>with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>>>
>>>TIA
>>>
>>>Eddie
>>>
>>>Complete spec:
>>>
>>>GA7N400 Pro mainboard
>>>Athlon XP2700 (333)
>>>512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
>>>fdd
>>>hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
>>>PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
>>>LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
>>>400W psu
>>>Windows XP Pro
>>>Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
>>>Linksys 54g network card
>>
>> 1. I don't think you can conclusively eliminate the Power Supply
>> simply because the fans keep running (different/different power
>> demands on PS from CPU and MB). Try another PS.
>>
>> 2. I doubt VERY much it's the CPU. They TEND to go 'all-or-nothing'..
>>
>> 3. Eliminate the PS, Video card and *Memory* by trying different parts
>> if possible. (At least TRY unseating and reseating the memory if you
>> don't have extra and/or try diff. DIMM slots.
>>
>> 4. Make sure you try safest BIOS settings.
>>
>> 5. Try getting to a DOS prompt with just the MEM, Video Card and
>> Floppy installed. NO HD.
>>
>> 6. If NONE of the above helps, then I suspect you have a MB that's
>> gone bad... Prob. capacitors drying out with age/falling out of spec.
>>
>> Good Luck. Please post your results.
>
>Initial results:
>
>Well, it isn't the power supply. I bought another, and installed it. The
>system won't power up, although the psu, cpu and case fans spin up. I was
>seduced into believing it was a psu problem, because the previous psu was a
>Q-TEC (!) - the gold 400W - and the consensus appears to be that Q-TEC psu's
>are dud. I'm having a trawl round for another cpu to try, or another m/b.
>
>Shall I go for an alternative m/b because cpus tend to go 'all-or-nothing',
>and this went gradually? Or just because I can get a m/b cheaper than a cpu?
>
>
>
>

Here's a possible suggestion:

Why don't you consider taking the MB, CPU,Memory and Video Card OUT of
your PC and taking it down to some shop/store that SPECIALIZES in
selling/installing parts/catering to real 'enthusists'.

You can them explain your problem to them and advise that that you
will be interested in buying whatever replacement parts you might need
to get things up and running again and (maybe) that you suspect the MB
(if you do/that's your best guess).

I'm pretty sure that 'they' might/probably WOULD be happy to diagnose
the problem for you, especiallly if ALL the parts are out as they are
generally set up to EASILY TEST YOUR COMPONENTS in a 'breadboard'
fashion, and they gerenally/often have extra parts (CPUs, Memory,
etc.) right on hand for such swaps, ESPECIALLY if they know/you
promise that you're going to buy whatever youn need to get running
again...

Anyway, THAT's what I would do, unless I happened to have extra MBs,
etc. around for testing/to find the problem bt 'process of
elimination'. You can spend a lot of TIME AND MONEY and wind up buying
parts you don't NEED (if you guess wrong) otherwise and wind up
spending MORE in the end.

Good Luck.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)

"Eddie B." <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote in message
news:crmosa$ff8$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
>
> "HammerToe" <HammerToe@online.com> wrote in message
> news:q6kdt0hvh333a5usk1imnsf539e8l38i0m@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 11:40:20 +0000 (UTC), "Eddie B."
>> <Edward.Bromhead@spamfreespamBTIntenet.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I would appreciate suggestions about a problem I am having.
>>>
>>>The PC is based around a GA7N400 Pro mainboard with an Athlon XP2700 cpu.
>>>It
>>>has been used for about 2 years. Now, it sometimes won't boot (not
>>>displaying anything on the screen at all), or when booted, will crash
>>>some
>>>time later, usually when simply idling (i.e. not actually accepting key
>>>strokes or mouse input). When it crashes, it keeps the cpu cooling fan
>>>(and
>>>chipset fan, and case fans) running. After a crash, it definitely won't
>>>reboot, but "sulks" for a few hours or a day or so!
>>>
>>>I suspected originally that it was a video card problem, especially as
>>>its
>>>cooler was choked with dust, but the cleaned-up Ti4600 (4X) card works
>>>fine
>>>in another PC, and the problem PC exhibits the same (no boot) behaviour
>>>with
>>>a different card. I have put the hard drive into a different PC as a
>>>"slave", and run a virus check and other diagnostics on it. The problem
>>>PC
>>>won't display the pre-boot screen without a hdd present either. (i.e. I
>>>think I have eliminated hdd and video card as the root of the problem. Am
>>>I
>>>right to eliminate the psu, on the grounds that it keeps the fans
>>>spinning
>>>after a crash?
>>>
>>>It may be my imagination, but the problem seems to have occurred after a
>>>Linksys 54g wireless network card was installed - although taking it out
>>>hasn't cured the problem.
>>>
>>>It seems to me that the problem must lie either with the mainboard or the
>>>cpu. Can anyone suggest how I might resolve which it is, please (and why
>>>that would give rise to the symptoms experienced)? I'm reluctant to
>>>dismantle a working PC to provide a spare cpu or mainboard, so the
>>>obvious
>>>solution (try the cpu on a different mainboard, try a different mainboard
>>>with the XP2700) has to be a last resort.
>>>
>>>TIA
>>>
>>>Eddie
>>>
>>>Complete spec:
>>>
>>>GA7N400 Pro mainboard
>>>Athlon XP2700 (333)
>>>512Mb generic RAM (1 stick)
>>>fdd
>>>hdd IBM/Hitachi 120 Gb
>>>PNY GF Ti4600 (4X)
>>>LiteOn DVD CDRW combo
>>>400W psu
>>>Windows XP Pro
>>>Creative SB Live Platinum (with the front panel etc)
>>>Linksys 54g network card
>>
>> 1. I don't think you can conclusively eliminate the Power Supply
>> simply because the fans keep running (different/different power
>> demands on PS from CPU and MB). Try another PS.
>>
>> 2. I doubt VERY much it's the CPU. They TEND to go 'all-or-nothing'..
>>
>> 3. Eliminate the PS, Video card and *Memory* by trying different parts
>> if possible. (At least TRY unseating and reseating the memory if you
>> don't have extra and/or try diff. DIMM slots.
>>
>> 4. Make sure you try safest BIOS settings.
>>
>> 5. Try getting to a DOS prompt with just the MEM, Video Card and
>> Floppy installed. NO HD.
>>
>> 6. If NONE of the above helps, then I suspect you have a MB that's
>> gone bad... Prob. capacitors drying out with age/falling out of spec.
>>
>> Good Luck. Please post your results.
>
> Initial results:
>
> Well, it isn't the power supply. I bought another, and installed it. The
> system won't power up, although the psu, cpu and case fans spin up. I was
> seduced into believing it was a psu problem, because the previous psu was
> a Q-TEC (!) - the gold 400W - and the consensus appears to be that Q-TEC
> psu's are dud. I'm having a trawl round for another cpu to try, or
> another m/b.
>
> Shall I go for an alternative m/b because cpus tend to go
> 'all-or-nothing', and this went gradually? Or just because I can get a m/b
> cheaper than a cpu?

Final results:

The machine has gone into a terminal sulk, and nothing will restart it.

I eventually weakened, and swapped a cpu from another computer. The
motherboard (the only remaining part) is dead. Then I swapped the cpu from
the dead computer into the transplant donor. Aha! the cpu is dead also! My
mainboard and cpu had a suicide pact.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Eddie B.