I have an HTPC which has recently started giving me serious problems at boot time and I need some expert help to sort it out.
The PC runs an AMD64 3200+ on a vanilla Abit AN8 with 2x512MB Corsair ValueSelect PC3200, an Abit RX600 HDTV-Pro, a Fusion HDTV card, 1x200GB SATA2 and 1x300GB SATA2 drives and an NEC dual layer burner. The BIOS is Phoenix Award v6.00PG.
A few weeks ago I took out one of the 512MB memory sticks to test in another PC and since I put it back in the HTPC I've had nothing but trouble booting. Basically it will only allow me to boot the PC if I shut it down, clear the CMOS and restart it. I then get the BIOS diagnostics bootscreen which reports the 1GB RAM and drives are OK and says "CMOS Checksum error - defaults loaded". Obviously this is expected and the two options are F1 to continue booting into XP or DEL to get into the BIOS setup. If I hit F1 XP boots fine but if I hit DEL I get a totally blank screen and the postcode on the MB shows "2.9" (which is not in the AN8 manual) and the only thing I can do is power it down or hit the reset button. So that's problem #1 and probably the most serious as I think the BIOS settings are not correct.
Assuming I have gone into XP (which, as I said above, it does fine) then do a shutdown or restart from the start menu, on the restart I get an "F5" postcode (also not in the bl**dy AN8 manual!). At this point nothing at all happens (ie: nothing on screen, no BIOS messages or anything) and if I then do another reboot using the reset button I then get an "F0" postcode (guess what - not in the f***ing manual either!!!). So that's problem #2 and #3.
Usually on successive boots (unless I've cleared the CMOS) the POST report "C1" then "04" and swaps back and forward a few times then stops on "04" - anyone know *categorically* what this error means as it's also not in the AN8 manual (surprise, surprise!).
I've tried without the RAM stick I had temporarily removed and also swapping DIMMs and slots etc and it makes no difference - I think the RAM is OK as when I *can* boot the PC it checks the RAM and says that all 1024MB are ok.
So I'm pretty darned confused about what is going on... anyone got any ideas?
Also does anyone know how/where to get a *complete* list of postcodes for an AN8 - I can't believe Abit leave most of them out of the manual... doesn't make it easy to troubleshoot that's for sure!!
TIA for any help... I know my way around PC's but I'm pretty stumped on this one.
Mike
PS: If it helps my CPU-Z report is here: 41south.homeip.net/cpu-z/cpuz.htm (NB: it only reports 512MB as I ran it when I had one of the sticks out)
The PC runs an AMD64 3200+ on a vanilla Abit AN8 with 2x512MB Corsair ValueSelect PC3200, an Abit RX600 HDTV-Pro, a Fusion HDTV card, 1x200GB SATA2 and 1x300GB SATA2 drives and an NEC dual layer burner. The BIOS is Phoenix Award v6.00PG.
A few weeks ago I took out one of the 512MB memory sticks to test in another PC and since I put it back in the HTPC I've had nothing but trouble booting. Basically it will only allow me to boot the PC if I shut it down, clear the CMOS and restart it. I then get the BIOS diagnostics bootscreen which reports the 1GB RAM and drives are OK and says "CMOS Checksum error - defaults loaded". Obviously this is expected and the two options are F1 to continue booting into XP or DEL to get into the BIOS setup. If I hit F1 XP boots fine but if I hit DEL I get a totally blank screen and the postcode on the MB shows "2.9" (which is not in the AN8 manual) and the only thing I can do is power it down or hit the reset button. So that's problem #1 and probably the most serious as I think the BIOS settings are not correct.
Assuming I have gone into XP (which, as I said above, it does fine) then do a shutdown or restart from the start menu, on the restart I get an "F5" postcode (also not in the bl**dy AN8 manual!). At this point nothing at all happens (ie: nothing on screen, no BIOS messages or anything) and if I then do another reboot using the reset button I then get an "F0" postcode (guess what - not in the f***ing manual either!!!). So that's problem #2 and #3.
Usually on successive boots (unless I've cleared the CMOS) the POST report "C1" then "04" and swaps back and forward a few times then stops on "04" - anyone know *categorically* what this error means as it's also not in the AN8 manual (surprise, surprise!).
I've tried without the RAM stick I had temporarily removed and also swapping DIMMs and slots etc and it makes no difference - I think the RAM is OK as when I *can* boot the PC it checks the RAM and says that all 1024MB are ok.
So I'm pretty darned confused about what is going on... anyone got any ideas?
Also does anyone know how/where to get a *complete* list of postcodes for an AN8 - I can't believe Abit leave most of them out of the manual... doesn't make it easy to troubleshoot that's for sure!!
TIA for any help... I know my way around PC's but I'm pretty stumped on this one.
Mike
PS: If it helps my CPU-Z report is here: 41south.homeip.net/cpu-z/cpuz.htm (NB: it only reports 512MB as I ran it when I had one of the sticks out)
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