MSI K9MM-V Issues - No POST/Locks Up In Memory Test

[Crey]

I posted this in the MSI section, but the general motherboard section seems to have a bit more activity, so I thought I'd post here as well.

Wanting to get some opinions on this. I recently replaced the AGP video card on my wife's computer. However, the motherboard went a couple months later. I couldn't find a suitable replacement for her old cpu's socket, so I decided to do a partial rebuild that would allow me to continue using the new AGP video card. I wanted to reuse the video card if possible, upgrade her CPU, and get her up to 2 Gigs of memory. I decided to go with the MSI K9MM-V Socket AM2 VIA K8M800 Micro ATX motherboard, an AMD 64 x2 3800, and 2 Gigs of Gskill DDR2 800 memory (see links below). Took out the old motherboard. Got the new one in. Everything hooked up. Hit the power button. Fans start up. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP over and over. No POST at all. Nothing on the monitor. Well, the beeps mean a RAM problem, so I pull both sticks. Take a good, hard look at everything, and put a single stick in. More beeping. Moved the stick to a different slot. More beeping. Put the other stick in. More beeping. Put the other stick in the other slot. Post! However, it locks up during the memory test. Power off. Power on. Beeping. Anyway, needless to say, I did manage to get it to post a couple more times, but it would always lock up during the memory test. So, I figure it just doesn't like Gskill memory. After checking their website, I see Gskill isn't listed in their QVL. (I think QVL's are crap by the way…if the motherboard takes DDR2 800 memory, it should take anyone's DDR2 800 memory…and if a company makes DDR2 800 memory, it should work in any DDR2 800 motherboard, but maybe this is just me). However, Corsair is listed, and I have a friend who has 2 Gigs of Corsair DDR2 800 memory. He let me barrow 1 of his sticks. I put it in. Beep. Put it in the other memory slot. Beep. I never even managed to get the Corsair memory to post.

So, I contacted newegg, and I am RMAing both the motherboard and the CPU. Since it's an AMD with the memory controller built in, I can't eliminate it as the problem since I don't know anyone else with an AM2 socket motherboard. I suspect the problem is with the motherboard, but have no way of proving it for the same reason I have no way of proving that it's the CPU (don't know anyone with an AM2 socket CPU). I will be packing up the motherboard and CPU tonight to deliver them to my local UPS station tomorrow. Before I do that, anyone have any other ideas? I did try removing every external device, because I had seen a post were someone claimed having a USB device plugged in caused the motherboard to fail to POST. So I removed them all for good measure. Not good. Anyone out there have any experience with this motherboard?

Thanks,
Crey

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130064
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103733
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231098

 

[Crey]

I just figured out the problem a few minutes ago. The problem was two fold.

First, the memory slots on this thing just aren't right. You REALLY have to press down on the memory to get it seated all the way. Even if the clips are up and in place, that doesn't mean much. You gotta press down more. I was afraid I might even break the board. But that was the only way I could get the memory seated in there enough to be detected. One bad to MSI. You shouldn't have to do that.

Second, the BIOS defaults to a setting that causes the start up to freeze on the memory check if you have a USB device plugged in. Go into the BOIS, and go to the peripheral config. In there, you'll find a USB Emulation setting turned on. Turn this OFF. Any other setting caused the computer to freeze at the very beginning on the memory test. Second bad to MSI. That's just poor testing on their part, and I've got the newest BIOS.

So, anyway, if anyone else is pulling their hair out over this motherboard with what appear to be memory issues, check these two things out.

Crey