New X38 won't post!

[paprocto]

Hey guys I could really use some help with this one.

I just finished hooking up a completely new build, and when I tried to power up for the first time the fans, HDD, DVD drive, video card and sounds card all started working, but nothing comes up on the monitor. No beeps either. I'm stuck. Here's my setup:

CM Cosmos
ASUS P5E mobo
E8400
2x2 Gb GSkill DDR2-1000
8800GTS 512MB
PC P&C Silencer 750
WD 7500AAKS HDD

I've tried unhooking most components, but same result. Tried resetting CMOS...no good.

Any help at all would be appreciated.

 

[notherdude]

BIOS update! You will need to put in another CPU to do it.

I had to do this very thing today, but on an Asus Maximus Formula, also which supposedly supports 45nm Penryn. I got exactly what you got, lights and fans but nothing on monitor. As soon as I flashed newest BIOS it worked perfectly.

You did plug in the 12 v cpu aux power cable?

The good news is I was stable at 4.1 ghz at stock vcore, no tweaks at all. Tomorrow comes the real OC effort.

 

[paprocto]

Yep, both mobo power cables are plugged in.

Too bad I don't have another cpu sitting around...

I suppose there's no other way to update the BIOS?

 

[notherdude]

Yep, both mobo power cables are plugged in.

Too bad I don't have another cpu sitting around...

I suppose there's no other way to update the BIOS?

Nothing very practical that I know of. You could always take it too a PC shop and get them to put an older chip in just for the flash.

You may need a USB flash drive to do it. The Maximus bios was too big for a floppy. 2 meg once the 875K file was unzipped. Your BIOS may be smaller though. I also had to format the flash drive FAT 32 instead of NTFS, for the flash util to read it. After that if your mobo has the flash utility built into bios you just press alt f2 at boot and it searches flash drive automatically. Or you can find the utility in the CMOS menu. Assuming your x38 was like ours, of course.

This list from Anandtech seems to indicate your board should support Penryn with 'currently released' BIOS, same thing it says about my board. http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3138&p=2
Anyway, I'm betting it's BIOS you need.

 

[badge]

Just perusing here. CPU support for Maximus formula lists BIOS version 907 supports E8400. I found 907 to work far best of the many BIOS releases for the Formula board, so I just dropped my E8400 in. Just finished assembly an entire gaming computer with my 'old' Q6600 for my son. Damn back is sore. He will be happy. Loading it with 'WOW' now. LOL.

 

[paprocto]

Thanks guys I think you're both right. I just went to the ASUS site and 45nm support is listed as "starting with BIOS 502."

I very much doubt my board shipped with 502, so now I'm looking for a computer store where I can use another CPU for the flash. Got 502 on flash drive, so hopefully it won't take long to get things up and running.

 

[notherdude]

Let us know. Also let us know how she runs. You gonna overclock?

To Badge: So you have the Maximus and the e8400 too? Cool. How's it running? You gonna oc?

 

[badge]

Yeah, I figure the E8400 wipes the floor with the E6850 and the E6850 beats the Q6600 at a lot of tasks, and have been planning on Penryn for ages, so I went for it. I will eventually overclock. Looks like 4 GHZ systems are here! Yeah, I like it so far. The new calculating (computing) feature SSE4.1 takes this processor to a new level over Conroe. Even if the new technology is not put to full use yet. How is yours?

 

[notherdude]

Yeah, I figure the E8400 wipes the floor with the E6850 and the E6850 beats the Q6600 at a lot of tasks, and have been planning on Penryn for ages, so I went for it. I will eventually overclock. Looks like 4 GHZ systems are here! Yeah, I like it so far. The new calculating (computing) feature SSE4.1 takes this processor to a new level over Conroe. Even if the new technology is not put to full use yet. How is yours?

Unfortunately it's not mine exactly, it's a very good friend's and I helped him build it.

He's got a nice water cooler with it, the Zalman Reservator, we put it all together yesterday but got derailed by the BIOS adventure, we didn't have another CPU on hand either! Looking forward to more OC fun soon though. I did manage to get memtest stable at 4.1 or 4.2 without any adjustments at all. Once we tweak the voltages and the RAM timings I hope to get significantly higher.

I bet Vista 64 will really scream on this. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[badge]

The chip runs extreme cool and the voltage requirements are unreal. Be real interesting to see what you get out of it watercooled. I think benches with average aftermarket fan like my Zakman 9500 are getting 4.0 Ghz. with slight increase in voltage. 3.6Ghz. without touching the voltage.