MSI K8N Neo 4 Boot Problem

Yuggs

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2005
9
0
18,510
Hey folks, I'm having an issue with this motherboard and I have no idea why all of the sudden the thing doesn't want to work properly. It was working fine yesterday, I turn it off, come back this morning and it doesn't want to boot. I've never overclocked it or even tweaked it in any way, I've just been using it normally.

When I turn the computer on I see the standard boot screen which lets you access the BIOS. After that screen, the next screen that usually pops up fails to do so (the screen with all of the stats, right before the actual Windows XP loading screen). All I see is a black screen with a blue pixel in the upper left hand corner.

I have the MSI D-Bracket connected to the motherboard and it's LEDs are showing that the computer is hangning on the "Boot Attempt" sequence, which is described in the user's guide as "This will set low stack and boot via INT 19h".

I have no clue as to why this is happening all of the sudden, please let me know any ideas you have to fix this problem.

Thank you

PC info:

Windows XP Home Service Pack 3
MSI K8N Neo 4
AMD Athlon 3500+
2GB RAM
Nvidia 7950 GT




 
Could be any number of things. Two things I would do is to reset the CMOS jumper and default the BIOS. Unplug the PSU and remove the battery when you reset the jumper. If that dosn't work, it is possible your system corrupted your BOOT files. Google restore boot file in windows XP. Use the XP OS CD and restore the BOOT files from 'repair installation'. Other than this, you could try reseating your RAM and video card.
 

pont

Distinguished
Dec 10, 2004
105
0
18,690
i had a msi k7n2g with the 3500+ a while ago and would some times get that when over clocking

reset your bios per motherboard jumper than

boot to bios and load bios default

that should fix it for ya.....good luck
 

Yuggs

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2005
9
0
18,510
Thanks for the helpful replies, guys. When you guys are talking about resetting the BIOS by using the CMOS jumper you are talking about pressing that little "SW1" button, right? I assume that I need to do that when the computer is completely turned off, right?

Badge, you said to unplug the PSU and remove the battery. Is removing the battery safe? I've never done that before and I don't want to mess things up even more, you know?


 
Well, I had the MSI K8N Neo Platinum SLI NF4 board and yes I do remember there was a BIOS reset button. The little brown/orange button. Have you pressed that reset button? I always used a pencil tip to press it in firmly and reset the BIOS. Press it with the system turned off. Also, just try simply unplugging the system for a few minutes.

The other thing that would fit the description of the problem you are having is the system's BOOT files have been corrupted and your Windows OS can not boot from the HD.

 

Yuggs

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2005
9
0
18,510
I've had the computer completely unplugged all day, and just went back to plug it in and see what was up and something really odd happened.

I plugged it in, turned the PSU switch on, then pressed the power button on the PC and all that happened was a fan buzzed, and the computer shut off by itself before even beginning to boot. In response to that I unplugged it all again, let it sit for a few minutes, then plugged it back in, turned the PSU switch on and all of the sudden the computer starts up by itself without me even pressing the power button, so I pressed the power button to turn it off. I then pressed the power button again to turn it back on and it turned on, hung for few seconds, then began to boot up normally.

It's now running the operating system normally but I'm not really confident that everything is alright because of the strange issues it's been having.

Do you think it could be a PSU problem? Also, do you think I should still reset the CMOS/BIOS?
 
Have you ever gone in to BIOS and set up things manually? Like the boot order, RAM timings, voltage and transfer rate, etc.? If not, BIOS default ran the sytem before, so that setting should be good with the hardware you have been using.
 

Yuggs

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2005
9
0
18,510
Badge, I haven't pressed the BIOS reset button just yet. I'll definitely do that next. I was right about things not seeming to be right though, unfortunately.

After getting the operating system up and running I shut the computer down, let it sit for a while, then went back and pressed the power button and lo and behold it reverted back to not booting properly.

I have manually set the boot order in BIOS before, so that I could re-install Windows XP, so that may have something to do with it. Is pressing the BIOS reset button fairly safe for the system?
 
Yeah, I would default the BIOS by pressing the red reset button with the system powered down. If that didn't work, I would replace the battery, Beyond that you would have to try breaking the system down some. Like power it up with the minumum hardware required and even trying a different PSU. Check for loose connections. I would unplug the HD and see if the symptom continued with the HD unplugged. To troubleshoot much more than that you will need spare parts. It is possible your MB has a developed a problem with the BIOS chip. Just don't know for sure until you try a few more things and maybe do a little hardware troubleshooting. My K8N Neo Platinum had a problem running four DIMMs. I tried a half dozen processors and taht many different DIMMs and never could get the second channel to POST. The MB may have a problem.
 

Yuggs

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2005
9
0
18,510
I just recently tried resetting the CMOS and loading the BIOS with the optimized defaults and that seemed to get things up and running, but then after having the machine running for about 10 to 15 minutes it suddenly shut off by itself.

Is it common for problematic motherboards to start up, run for a while, then just shut off the entire system completely?
 

csuaso

Distinguished
Apr 9, 2009
1
0
18,510



Hello,
Try this: Unplug everything from the back plane...mouse...LAN...audio...anything in USB ports...leave keyboard...restart and see what happens...
 
G

Guest

Guest
Try to go on safe mode......

If system boots up and found no problems, maybe there is a problem on your video card

After safe mode, uninstall the display adapter and try rebooting the windows normally.


Maybe it can help
 
Try to go on safe mode......

If system boots up and found no problems, maybe there is a problem on your video card

After safe mode, uninstall the display adapter and try rebooting the windows normally.


Maybe it can help


The original post is from October 2008, one year ago. The OPyou replied directly to is no longer present and needs no further help a year later. Check the date on the thread before replyig and digging up old dead threads.