System energizes, fans spin, no display

[ramseyrt]

Hello,

I have an e-machine T2984 that died recently. I simply turned the system off three weeks ago and it never turned on again. Looking inside the case, the motherboard shows a lit green led but the system doesn’t energize. Looking on the web, this is a popular problem with this model of system. Other owners attributed this problem to a bad motherboard. I tested by power supply by shorting the green power connector wire to ground and the power supply fan spins and the CDROM and HD energize. I suspect that I have a good power supply. So, I replaced my mobo with a Biostar P4M80-M4. This board should be a drop-in replacement for my previous board.

After replacing the mobo and energizing the system the CPU and case fan come on but I get no display. I have to hold the power button in for several seconds to get the system to power back down. I replaced the CPU (3Ghz Celeron) with another CPU (3Ghz P4) with the same results. I also tried a different stick of RAM ( I have 2 sticks of 512Mb DDR PC-2700) and installed a 3rd party video card (PCI GeForce 6200). All tests result in spinning fans and no display.

So, I replaced the Biostar mobo with another of the same model. This mobo is having the exact same problem. Again, I performed all of the same testing; replacing the CPU, swapping memory, and using a 3rd party video card.

I've been double checking that the 20-Pin and 4-Pin cables are connected to the motherboard and that the CPU and case fans are plugged in. When swapping out the CPUs I make extra sure that the CPU is seated correctly and that there's a proper amount of thermal paste between the CPU and heat sync.

What am I missing? I find it highly unlikely that both CPUs are bad, both motherboards are bad, both DIMMs are bad, or that I have a bad power supply. I've tried resetting the BIOS jumper on both boards and I've re-installed both boards in the case to make sure I didn't short them out.

--------------(Posts from two separate days on another support forum)------------

So, I bought a new power supply today. I installed it in the case with the Biostar mobo, and I'm having the same issue. So, I took everything out of the case and started my testing on a piece of particle board. I know I don’t have the ideal ESD environment but I’m really trying to touch the power supply frequently and wood doesn’t conduct. I don’t have the luxury of having a full ESD bench at home : )

The only components I’m working with now are the mobo, CPU, one stick of RAM, and the new power supply. I tried both CPUs in the newest Biostar mobo with the new power supply and I also tried both pieces of RAM. Every test results in the same spinning fan condition without a BIOS screen.

Out of curiosity, I tried these same tests with my original E-Machine mobo. It never energizes in any way other then the green led on the mobo. It must be toast.

So, I've tried two of everything; two CPUs, two motherboards, two pieces of RAM, and two power supplies. So two of something I’m using must be bad. What kind of hardware failure would cause my symptom? I'm going to try and get another CPU and piece of RAM to test with but it might take me a day or two.

I have two CRTs and two LCDs that I’ve been switching back and forth with. All four displays work on the other two working computers I have. I’m using a CRT for most of my testing if that’s of any consequence.

My tests have followed this pattern:

Two Weeks ago…
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI

Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #1 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI

I sent the Biostar mobo back to the vendor as DOA after all of the tests above failed.

Two Days ago I got another mobo from eBay…
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI

Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMMs #1&#2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- Original PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2 - Original PSU - GeForce 6200 PCI

Yesterday’s testing with a new power supply…
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - New PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- New PSU

Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - New PSU
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- New PSU

I’m being as thorough as I can possibly be. Unfortunately the Biostar motherboard doesn’t have any LED indictors. It also doesn’t have an onboard pezo speaker, and I don’t have a PC speaker, so I can’t get the beep codes if it's giving any. I’m probably going to pick up a PC speaker today for this purpose.

I performed the following tests this morning using another 3rd party video card, as a suggestion from another forum:

Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - New PSU – ATI Rage 128 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - Celeron 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- New PSU – ATI Rage 128 PCI

Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #1 - New PSU – ATI Rage 128 PCI
Biostar MOBO #2 - P4 3Ghz CPU - DIMM #2- New PSU – ATI Rage 128 PCI

I also tried resetting the BIOS jumper again. All tests end with the same result. Spinning fan with no display.

I am trying people suggestions to if you have one please post!

Thanks!

Rob

 

[sdrac]

Well, you've certainly been through many iterations of tests.
From what I read, it seems the one constant is the ram - yes, I know you have two sticks, but by chance did they both come from the original machine that died?

I know you said you were going to try yet another stick - I think thats a worthwhile test. That would be my top suspect at this point (of course I didn't check your mobo - you verfied that it supports the cpus and you have the right version of BIOS for them, correct? Also verify you RAM is certified for the boards).
And get that speaker - the beep codes are there to help with issues like this!!

Sdrac

 

[jerreece]

Frustrating. If both memory sticks came from the same system I'd suggest replacing them for troubleshooting purposes. Could be that both of them died due to the same failure. For instance, if the motherboard itself shorted out, it could have also shorted the memory sticks.

The other end of all this, is trying each part in a system that you KNOW does work. So, try your CPU in another complete system that runs. Try the memory sticks there, etc.

 

[bf2142-rules-ok]

Hi, well you really have tried that's for sure. I found these comments from another forum from some months ago that make interesting reading and from them it would appear that it is the power supply that goes and some times takes out the motherboard at the same time.So if you used the original power supply on the second m/b ,that may have gone kaput as well as the first, and then putting in a new power supply wouldn't work cos the 2nd board was now duff. Anyway, something for you to think about.Here are the comments copied/pasted -
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: e-machine T2984 not powering on. #7
Nov 29th, 2007
Hey,
I've repaired several emachines that had the same problem. Let me guess you have had that machine 1 year and 9 months. LOL That always seems to be the failure time. Anyway usually what happens is that the power supply goes bad in emachines, I've heard that they don't always take out the motherboard as well, but I've had to replace both every time. I think that emachines use a proprietary power supply, I'm not positive. You could buy a new power supply and you can find a socket A motherbaord at ebay sometimes really cheaply (though not always guaranteed to work). You could also go and buy a new power supply and motherboard, but you will have to buy a new CPU and maybe memory. That will cost about 200 bucks. I wouldn't waste time trying to get the components to work, it's just a waste of time(I know I tried, my grandmother's emachine did this and I tried everything to save them some cash. Which I know, if I had really loved them I wouldn't have let them buy an emachine, but hey; they didn't ask before they bought one) Just bite the bullet and get some new ones.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[ramseyrt]

Hello All,

So, I'm at the office just now (regretably on the weekend but for selfish reasons) and I'm testing everything in a Dell Optiplex GX270 system. I've been able to verify the following items are good:

3x P4@ 3Ghz CPUs
1x Celeron @3 Ghz CPU
4x 256Mb DDR PC-2700 DIMMs
6x 512Mb DDR PC-2700 DIMMs
2x Power Supplys, One from the Dell and the new one I bought yesterday.

So, I now know that I've had good CPUs, Memory, and power supply from the get go.

I just tried using the CPU and memory from the Dell (Which has been my SUS server at the office for the last 6 months) and I'm still getting the same results. I can only conclude that I got another bad mobo unless anyone has any other ideas.

Thanks in advance,

Rob

 

[sdrac]

Well, assuming your seating the DIMMS properly in the mobo, I'd have to agree it seems like another bad mobo. Did you get the PC speaker to see what kind of beep codes you were getting?


-- oh, I found this on the net. Seems similar to your issue - two possible things to look at from this thread:
http://www.geek.com/forums/topic/biostar-p4m80-m4

 

[ramseyrt]

Hello, I haven't been able to get a speaker yet. The Dells at work all have onboard pizos. I probably won't be able to get my hands on a PC speaker until Monday or Tuesday.

 

[sdrac]

...And one more thread I found:

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7591_102-0.html?forumID=26&threadID=270422&messageID=2621306

Seems this mobo has some issues with compatibility with at least CPU's - and the documentation is hard to find on exactly what revision of the mobo supports what. You may be running into that here.

See what version of the board(s) you have and then do a search to see if you can find a definitive list of compatible cpus (and memory).

Or, if you try again, maybe go with a different mobo this time - this particular one looks problematic

 

[ramseyrt]

Thanks for the advice. I took a look at my mobo and it shows Version 7. In that link you sent one of the posters said the following were supported :

> Ver 7 of this MD board supports the following CPUs.
> Prescott 2.8 GHz w/ FBS of 533/800
> P4 3.4 GHz w/FBS of 800
> P4 3.06 Ghz w/FBS of 533

I also double checked the motherboard manual and it says it supports the following:

Intel P4 up to 3.4Ghz
Intel Celeron/Celeron D
Intel P4 Northwood/Prescott
Does NOT support Williamate CPU
FSB 400/533/800 Mhz

So, I cleaned off my CPUs and I have the following

Intel Celeron SL7Q9
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL7Q9
2.93Ghz / 533Mhz FSB

2x Intel Pentium 4 SL6WK (Northwood)
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL6WK
3Hhz / 800Mhz FSB

It looks like I should be good to go.

 

[sdrac]

Does appear that your ok on the cpu (though neither is called out in particular in the email thread I would think that a P4 @3.0Ghz/800 FSB will work if a 3.06/533 and 3.4/800 do).

Ruling that out, perhaps its the FSB freq issue alluded to in the first thread I found. That may be a trail to follow before you return the boards.

I'm off for the night - post back with any progress and I'll follow up tomorrow.

 

[ramseyrt]

Hello,

The board doesn't have any jumpers for frequency or multiplier. I don't think boards that require jumpered settings have been made since the Intel P3 days. The board should auto detect the CPU and memory. My test bed, a Dell Optiplex GX270, automatically detected all 10 DIMMs I put in it along with the 4 CPUs including the Celeron. No jumper adjustments required. This board should do the same. Just in case it had an old config stuck in the BIOS though, I have used the BIOS reset jumper about four times now.

Thanks for all your help so far!

Rob

 

[sdrac]

Rob -
Yes, I agree it would be odd to have jumpers for this - but apparently that poster seemed to find some information on something to that effect on this mobo. I looked for more on it but couldn't find anything - I did find yet another example of a problem exactly like yours:

http://directron.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&f=286097824&m=3761083551&s=476097824

At this point, given all your testing and given the track record of this mobo, I'd probably try to return them and see if I could get a different mobo that supports the same functionality.

sdrac

 

[Navigatn]

I registered just to comment on this. I recently bought the same mobo and it worked with my p4 2.8ghz cpu. But when I tried to swap it with a P4 3.0ghz Prescott SL7E4, it did not post at all. I confirmed the 3.0ghz chip is good by testing on another computer. Everything is fine when I put the 2.8ghz cpu back in. What gives??? Everything on google shows the 3.0ghz prescott is supported. Biostar has the worst tech support. I've emailed them 3 times with no response. Has the OP ever got this resolved?

 

[sdrac]

Never heard back from the OP.
You can see if he posts back here or send a msg directly. If you learn anything interesting, post it back!!