3 Y/O Gigabyte GA-M57 SLI S4 Not POST'ing

[loosebruce]

Motherboard Details here

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_Model.aspx?ProductID=2287#anchor_os

(No overclocking, Case Temp always around 30-40, No Tampering, No Shorting)


Hello all,

I have been having strange problems in since week with my Computer in which it will not load/boot up the first time and it would take about 3 or 4 times (holding in power button) and eventually it would load up and then start Windows 7 without any problems.

When I power it on there is just a black screen (monitor goes into power save mode) all my case/heatsink/gpu fans and LED's are on and DVD drives are on. The reset button doesn't work though (or I cant tell if its working).

Here is my specs:

AMD Athlon X2 6000+ (no overclock, 3 months old replaced a 4600+ for upgrade)
Gigabyte GA-M57SLI S4 (latest Bios update, had this mobo for 3 years)
6 Gb PNY 880mhz DDR 2 (2gb-2gb-1gb-1gb)
2 x 1GB Gainward Bliss Golden Sample 8800GTS (year old)
900w Coolermaster PSU (year old)
Antec 1200 Case (year old)
2 x 500 Seagate Sata2 HDDs (one is 2 years old another is 1 year old)

------Timeline of events-------

>>December 19th 2009 - Upgraded my CPU to 6000+ for better performance.
>>December 20th 2009 - Updated BIOS so it could recognize the new CPU model using @BIOS.
>>January 3rd - Cleaned out computer with airduster and reconnected everything.
>>Middle of January - Installed Windows 7 Ultimate x64

>>February 27th turn on Computer in the morning and get no loading screen just black. CPU/Case/GPU/Power fan is running at high speed and case lights are on.

--------------------------------------…
Detailed problem:
+++++Please note my Motherboard has never did any POST beeps that I am aware off when it was working normally++++

-Power on
-No boot display (black screen/ monitor goes into power save)
-HDD light blinks once!!! and nothing more
-Press reset button (doesnt seem to do anything)
-Case fans and other fans all on.
-DVDs LEDs are showing busy as normal when power on.
-Left computer like this for 20 minutes to see if it would do anything but nothing happened.
-++Held in power button for 3 secs for manual shutdown then power on and still black screen.
-++Tried cutting power after turning on and then restoring AC mains and turning back on.
-++Cut power then held in power on button for 10 seconds to remove any charge in capacitors.
-Then powered back on still same problem.
-++Powered down then held Reset button in for five seconds
-Power on then message comes up on screen.

''CMOS Checksum Error''
''Please Re-setting CPU frequency in CMOS''

''Please select BIOS profile''
-Default -Safe Mode
or Profile1''

-When I select either or these two profiles then it I get the BIOS screen.
Then Windows 7 loads up ok and everything is fine until I do a shutdown but if I do a restart in windows it will boot up but a shutdown will bring me back to the same problem.

---------------Things I have done----------------

-Reflashed BIOS - no effect!
-Taken out memory and reseated it -no effect!
-Disconnected all Harddrives -no effect
-Taken out SLI'd graphics cards. - no effect!
-Checked PSU - voltage is normal
-Checked all connections and motherboard , no scarring or anything that shows a short.
-Air dusted the PC.
-When I manage to get into BIOS I tried Fail Safe defaults and Optimized Settings - no effect!
-Replacement CMOS battery
-Reset CMOS/ Take out battery
-Checked for melted capacitors - no melting or bubbling.

-----------------Things I havent done--------------

-Tested components on another motherboard (dont have one).

-------

However now trying the technique I have done doesnt seem to work anymore so now I have a bricked PC at the moment.

I think it might have just been my motherboard on its last legs and now it has died after 3 years?

Thankyou for your time!

 

[bilbat]

+++++Please note my Motherboard has never did any POST beeps that I am aware off when it was working normally++++

My guess is that you don't have a case speaker installed; many people are under the misapprehension that their fancy Altec-Lansing 5.1 speakers should deliver the 'diagnostic' beeps - doesn't work that way!

You need a case speaker:
http://store.cwc-group.com/casp.html
connected here:

on your front panel header; it's the best two bucks you'll ever spend on your system
At this point, it's pretty much the only diagnostic info you have access to... At a 'no-info' guess, my first suspicion when an older machine goes bye-bye, is the power supply - they run hot, and the capacitors 'age' over time; electrolytes 'dry out', values shift - but, first, you really want that speaker info!

 

[loosebruce]

lol you must have been psychic or something because I am just back from Maplins electronic store and I got this Motherboard Diagnostic Kit which lets your plug in a speaker , leds and switch direct onto motherboard.

Anyway I am getting two short "click click" sounds from the speaker, not beeps. maybe a cheapo speaker.

 

[loosebruce]

Also my computer is a mix of stuff old but mostly new

Mobo is around 3 years old (from an older system but was future proofed_
Memory is 1-2 years
Case/GPUs and Power supply were bought together and are all a year old
Upgraded to new CPU last December so thats only 3 months old.

 

[bilbat]

Diagnostic is saying CMOS error; my guess - time for the 'srtip-down'!

Mind you, there are two ways to do this: you can do it either in or out of the case. The advantages and drawbacks:in the case is easier and faster, but will not find case-related problems, like shorts from extra, mispositioned standoffs, or ground plane problems; out of the case takes longer, and you may run into 'reach' problems - power supply cables and front panel power switch headers may not be long enough; for the power supply, it's usually just a matter of removing four screws to temorarily relocate it; for the power switch, you can just do this (carefully):

You only need to short the pins momentarily - that's all the power switch does...Out of the case also affords you an easy opportunity to 'flip' the board to check your heatsink/fan attachment setup, to be sure all the pins are fully seated, locked, and not cracked... If you do the out of the case, you need to lay the board on a non-conductive surface: the box the MOBO came in is ideal; but - the foam pad it came with, and the bag it was in are not - being 'antistat', they are somewhat conductive, and may induce problems...

Another item worth mention at this point is case speakers: if you haven't got one - get one!
http://www.cwc-group.com/casp.html
A lot of people operate under the misaprehension that the 'diagnostic beeps' should come through the speakers attached to their sound-card/chip - not so! Your three hundred dollar Altec-Lansings won't do you any good here - you have to have a case speaker attached to the front panel header, and, often by this point, it's the only diagnostic info you'll have to go on...

The standard 'strip-down':

Power down at PSU switch
remove everything except
CPU and heatsink/fan (check carefully that the fan retaining pins are fully inserted, completely locked, and not cracked)
one stick of RAM, in slot closest to CPU
video card and monitor connector (if more than one PCIe slot, again, in slot closest to CPU)
all power plugs - 20+4 or 24, 2x2 or 2x4 ATX power, graphics card power
case speaker and power switch connectors
keyboard (don't need a mouse at this point)
place jumper on RST_CMOS pins
remove jumper from RST_CMOS pins
power up at PSU switch
power up by depressing case power switch (or shorting the 'power' pins...)
If you get video, enter BIOS with <DEL> (may need a <TAB> to get to POST screen, if 'splash' screen is enabled)
Select and execute "Load Optimized Defaults" - save and exit, reboot
power down
reinsert other components, one at a time, testing each time after addition...

 

[loosebruce]

Ok I have the following now

CPU
Motherboard
PSU
PS2 Keyboard

but I am still getting 2 clicks from the speakers.

If it is a CMOS error should I try the long reset as well and leave it for 24 hours? I got some jumpers today as well.

 

[bilbat]

If it is a CMOS error should I try the long reset as well and leave it for 24 hours?

Nah - 24Hr thing = internet "old wives' tale"; power down at the PSU switch - if no switch, pull plug; jumper CMOS_RST pins momentarily; all the 'reset' you're ever gonna get!

 

[loosebruce]

Ok I cleared CMOS both ways (battery and jumper) but still two click sounds from speaker.

I am gonna take the mobo out of the case and see what happens but I think the CMOS is fried.

My only problem is I cant seem to find in this day and age a Motherboard made for AM2 socket with SLI and DDR2. I think I will need to try and find the same mobo from somewhere.

 

[bilbat]

eBay often has older MOBOs for sale - it may take a week or three of patient browsing; the main trick to eBay is really patience - I've been looking for six months for an old NLS portable oscilloscope that isn't 'bid up' way past what it's worth, likely take another six months, but one will turn up eventually! [:bilbat:1]

 

[loosebruce]

Is buying a motherboard that is second hand a safe thing to do.

Assuming the ebayer is good rating, looked after the item etc.?

 

[bilbat]

Well, I'd certainly look for a seller who has some sort of immediate return policy; if he claims 'was working when removed', he certainly needs to stand behind it at least to that extent. I never buy anything electronic sold "as is"; pretty much says "you can use it for (some?) parts, but don't expect it to work!"

For my time and effort (neglecting investing in an already obsolete piece), I'd get a new MOBO, something like a G31:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
or 41:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128388
so you don't need a video card right off the bat, but can add a nice one as finances permit...

I recently built this:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=16141968
for someone, came in at about $400, installed three OSs, OC'd it about 30%, and he was pleased as could be...

Again, patience is a virtue; if you 'hang around a bit' and watch, you'll likely see one of those two boards (or any other one that appeals to you) in a 'combo deal', with either a CPU or a case (or both) included at quite a price break...

 

[loosebruce]

Well, I'd certainly look for a seller who has some sort of immediate return policy; if he claims 'was working when removed', he certainly needs to stand behind it at least to that extent. I never buy anything electronic sold "as is"; pretty much says "you can use it for (some?) parts, but don't expect it to work!"

For my time and effort (neglecting investing in an already obsolete piece), I'd get a new MOBO, something like a G31:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
or 41:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128388
so you don't need a video card right off the bat, but can add a nice one as finances permit...

I recently built this:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=16141968
for someone, came in at about $400, installed three OSs, OC'd it about 30%, and he was pleased as could be...

Again, patience is a virtue; if you 'hang around a bit' and watch, you'll likely see one of those two boards (or any other one that appeals to you) in a 'combo deal', with either a CPU or a case (or both) included at quite a price break...

Dude I hope you just got confused but I already have an awesome PC

Just my motherboard has seemed to have died after 3 years, the rest of my kit is practically brand new lol!

 

[loosebruce]

 

[bilbat]

Sorry - looked at the manual, & mistook the 'rev 1002' on the cover for the 'published' date (2006); just assumed it was an eight year old MOBO, when it's only four! [:bilbat:3]

 

[loosebruce]

Hey bilbat something interesting I found and I am gonna try'

http://yorickdowne.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/recovering-from-bios-failure-on-gigabyte-ga-ep45-ud3p/

 

[bilbat]

Worth a try; I've added it to my 'click list' of pointers to post for 'oopses'...

Not real sure about all of it:

A - the 'DualBIOS' is not just 'virtual', there IS a second BIOS, and the board WILL 'recover' to it - IF the BIOS' boot block has not been 'damaged' by @BIOS - I've actually done it several times, and I know mine was not a 'virtual' recovery, as I am RAIDed, and XpressRecover doesn't 'like' (or work with) RAIDs...

B - XpressRecover will only work if you've actually done the first half of the procedure, and to do so, at least for the selection of boards I've tried it on, requires an OS to be installed first, and not much of one! I usually install an Xp (as well as an Ubuntu) on the systems I build for others, as a 'fall back' position, no matter what they're intended to boot as the main OS, and do the Xpress 'save' using that 'bare' Xp - the size of the OS is limited (can't remember, offhand, to what), so once you've installed a bunch of programs - won't work! I use a boot manager to partition and 'fiddle'; what I do is leave a large unpartitioned block before running Xpress; let it 'use up' whatever it wants to 'hide'; then 'expand' the last partition (data partition) on the drive to 'fit' up against it...

C - the 'blind flash' capability (boot floppy that 'autoruns' the flasher), at least in the majority of the boards - can work - but will not always work; again, particulars are vague - won't work once @BIOS has damaged the boot block; other than that, hard to say why it won't work, when it won't work...

D - the listed procedure interests me greatly, as the 1156/1366 boards cannot 'blind flash', as the BIOS won't fit on a floppy - they're two meg BIOS! (As an 'aside', also has broken all my 'BIOS patching' tools - but that's a different rant ) I always set up machines with a floppy, and with the floppy set as first in the boot order, for that possible 'blind flash' recovery; once your BIOS has been 'trashed', you won't be able to enter the BIOS (duh!), to change that boot order! Be nice to have a (semi-)reliable procedure to recover the new systems... [:bilbat:5]

 

[loosebruce]

I am gonna try hacking and stripping down a bios file from gigabyte to fit on a floppy

Have you anymore material about blind flashing from floppies?

(just dug out an old floppy drive, now looking desperately for a FDD cable :S )

 

[bilbat]

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html 'blind' flash
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/how-fix-dead-dual-bios-motherboard-if-flashing-failed-33904/