I7 Computer won't start

[eric_s]

"GA-EX58-UD5","i7 (SLBEJ)",OCZ StealthXStream 700w PSU. Brand new, just out of the box. When I press the start button, the CPS and graphics card fans start, 88 appears on the numerical display. A couple of seconds later, all fans stop. The cycle then repeats. The power supply wires (dc clamp ammeter) only show currents of a couple of amps at most, so it doesn't look like the power supply is overloading. Any thoughts greatfully received - unfortunately I don't have any suitable bits to do fault finding by substitution.

 

[r_manic]

Have you read through this? New build won't boot checklist

 

[eric_s]

Hi, yep, sorry, was taken thant as read. This is my first i7 but I've put together dozens of systems before, but I have always had substitute bits to help pin down any fault. It is on the work-bench, prior to installation in the case, so no possibility of case shorts/etc. The mains power drawn rises from 4W to >120W once the start button is pressed - but I can't get an exact reading as my wattmeter samples every second and the computer doesn't stay powered up long enough to measure. There is a very brief flash from a red LED near the battery, plus a whole row of LEDs light up near the start switch. But I don't know whether that is normal, or not.

I've tried with each of the three memory sticks in the first white slot nearest the processor, plus trying with all three in place. I've tried zeroing the CMOS, using a link, the rear pushbutton and leaving the battery out for 10 mins. No beep codes, it just gives a click when the start button is pressed. No, the CMOS clear link was only used whilst the power was off. I've tried removing and reinserting the processor. Looking at the nice even distribution of paste transferred to the heatsink, the heatsink is making good contact. No, no paste is anywhere other than on the heatsink and processor faces.

Normally, I would just try the memory, processor, graphics card in another system - but I don't have any other system that would take them. I similarly don't have another system that would load up the power supply to anything like the power that the i7 and this graphics card would use - my next least old machine is based on an Intel Atom...

I can't see how to pin down the fault at the moment - as I don't know what this board should do normally as it boots, let alone with a fault.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

The D0 stepping SLBEJ i7 920 isn't supported until BIOS version F5 which was released on 02/26/09:

http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=2961#anchor_os

http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_Model.aspx?ProductID=2961#anchor_os

It's possible that the board was manufactured before February and doesn't have at least the F5 BIOS. Who knows how long the board sat on the shelf before purchase.

What RAM do you have? The RAM instructions are on pages 16 & 17 in the motherboard owners manual.

http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/Motherboard/Manual_DownloadFile.aspx?FileType=Manual&FileID=18994

I'm not sure what you were trying to say when you posted "Hi, yep, sorry, was taken thant as read", but you should perform every step in the checklist posted above.

 

[eric_s]

Firstly, thank you so much for the time and effort that you have obviously put into such a well constructed reply. It really was and is much appreciated.

"As read" equates to, "as far as is possible under the circumstances". I couldn't check the BIOS revision, as you no doubt suspected. The BIOS revision doesn't appear to be in writing anywhere on the board or packaging and I can't follow the manufacturer's instructions on finding it via the boot monitor display, as it never gets that far. I did email gigabyte with the serial number of the board and asked if it were possible for them to tell me what version BIOS this particular board would have shipped with. I'm still waiting for their reply.

I'm just about to put the power supply on 350W of distributed dummy load. I've found the necessary resistors and a fairly massive lump of aluminium to bolt them to. If that works, I'll add the equivalent of another 300W that switches out after 10 seconds, to simulate start up load.

The RAM is Patriot Viper 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800 (1600MHz) Low Latency Tri-Channel (PVT36G1600LLK). Not having built an i7 machine before, I chose the same processor, motherboard, memory, graphics card and power supply as an article that I read written about someone else's system. Of course, as you say, just because it is the "same motherboard" doesn't mean that it has the same BIOS revision level.

Again, thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[eric_s]

Just to let you know the final outcome of this:

I eventually decided, from the symptoms, that the motherboard must be faulty. Sent it back and the replacement (F3 BIOS) worked, out of the box, with the same components.

Whilst there are alternate explanations for the digital display reading 88, especially if the system has other boards plugged in than just a graphics card, a defective motherboard is a real possibility

Thanks again, everyone