Computer not booting, cannot access BIOS

[sanjiwatsuki]

Motherboard: Gigabyte P965 DS3, Rev 3.3
Processor: Xeon 3060
RAM: 2GB (2X1GB) WINTEC AMPX DDR2-800 (1.8V)
PSU: Antec PowerTrio 650W

My computer was working as of Friday night, when I took it home from a LAN party. When I returned home and hooked everything back up, the computer refused to boot. I couldn't even access the BIOS, as there was no graphical output. The computer began a restart cycle, ad infinitum.

I have not been overclocking. I have not flashed the BIOS.

Restart Cycle (Occurs in a regular pattern. Timing is always exactly the same.)
1. Fans turn on, LEDs turn on. (GPU fan only spins around twice, if plugged in.)
2. Power continues for a second or two.
3. The power shuts off, LEDs turn off, fans slow to a halt.
4. Repeat until power is pulled.
5. If the PSU is switched off, there is a slight flicker when it tries to loop. The flicker is only enough to spin the fan once.

There is no beep error or anything during this.

I've tried the following.
1. Tried with only CPU and RAM.
2. Tried with only CPU. (This resulting in a beep error for no RAM, but the reboot cycle still occurred.)
3. Reseating the CPU and heatsink.
4. Tried with each stick of RAM individually.
5. Just for grins, tried with everything in.


Is this related the cold boot problems associated with the P965 DS3s?
I'm just trying to get an idea of what could be wrong. Power supply? The CPU? The RAM? The motherboard itself (Heaven forbid)? Could something have jostled in transport and I'm shorting it somewhere?

 

[bozac]

Have you tried to reset the bios by moveing the jumper ?
..........................................................................................

 

[lcaley]

Do you have another PSU you could try? It almost sounds like it doesn't know what to do... wrong voltages would make it not boot, but it should shut off, not restart. At your LAN party, did you have it plugged into a surge protector? Is it possible a surge hit between the time you turned it off and the time you unplugged it?

Thats where I'd start. Good luck, mate.

 

[pastit]

It sounds almost as if your CPU is overheating.
If you get desparate, you could try removing the cooler, cleaning, and re-seating with new thermal paste.
JB

 

[bullseye69]

As stated above resetting the bios also remove the battery leave it out for about 30 min or so. sometimes it takes a while for it to discharge. Yes i would also try another psu or try the cpu/ram in another mobo if possible. Just make sure every thing is fully connected on the motherboard also IE the 24 pin power and the cpu power connectors. they may have got loose in transit.

 

[jsc]

It's a fair amount of work, but you could try completely disassembing, then reassembling everything. Something (including your heatsink) could have come loose or became shorted in transit.

 

[sanjiwatsuki]

Alright, I'll try clearing the CMOS.
I've already removed the cooler, reseated the CPU, cleaned them, and reapplied the thermal paste, in case something there got bumped in transit.
Tried the wiring already, could try again.
I'll see if I can scrounge up another PSU.

 

[Kaon]

Did you ever find a solution to this issue? I'm experiencing a similar problem right now.

 

[thecamel]

Me too same problem...it began after my hdrive crashed ...can't access bios or boot...comp boots only the the mb screen where it asks to hit DEL key to enter bios but i cant. i've tried all of the following without success:

1. cleared & reset cmos jumper numerous times
2. removed mb battery
3. removed hard drive and rom drive
4. tried booting with xp cd
5. installed new hard drive and rom drive
6. disconnected and reconnected hard drive power cables
7. switched keyboard thinking maybe the keys were locking
8. prayers

If you or anyone has found a solution PLEASE share with me as well.

 

[jsc]

Our standard checklist and troubleshooting thread:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-read-posting-boot-problems

thecamel, this is an old thread. You should have started your own thread for your own problem.

Unofficial moto here - "One thread, one problem".

 

[thecamel]

jsc take a chill pill....who made you the owner of tom's hardware...all i'm trying to do is get some help with others facing the same prob.

 

[westom]

Alright, I'll try clearing the CMOS.
I've already removed the cooler, reseated the CPU, cleaned them, and reapplied the thermal paste, in case something there got bumped in transit.

Those with minimal electrical and computer knowledge know that thermal paste, et al was nothing but wasted labor. Obviously.

A power system has many components. Only one is the supply. Your computer has the classic symptoms of a manufacturing defect and almost zero indication of a surge.

Power supply controller is telling the power supply to turn on. It does. After a few seconds, the power supply controller sees something wrong. Orders the power supply to power off. It does.

Why this is happening could have been identified with a multimeter and one minute of labor. For example, a power supply could have always been defective. Normal is for a defective supply to still boot a computer. Meter could have identified this defective supply in a minute and maybe months ago. So now the supply (assuming the supply is one of many parts that failed) has become worse as to not boot.

Without meter numbers, then just keep buying new parts until something works. And remember. A new supply that boots a computer can still be defective.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

jsc take a chill pill....who made you the owner of tom's hardware...all i'm trying to do is get some help with others facing the same prob.

jsc is right.

thecamel - Maybe you should take a "chill pill" and a deep breath. Digging up a two-year-old thread is not the way to ask for help with your problem. This type of problem is very common. That's why jsc linked to the PERFORM THESE STEPS before posting about boot/no video problems! sticky. The sticky will nearly always solve this type of problem without the need for digging up an out of date thread.