Three month old build no longer starts up!

[Blackcoffeestudios]

Hello all,
Been having some trouble and am hoping that you'll be able to help me out. In September, I upgraded my three year old system. Here is what I currently have.

MB: ASUS M4A79XTD EVO
CPU: AMD Phenom II X3 720
MEM: 2Gx2|OCZ OCZ3SOE1600LV4GK R
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5770
PSU: Antec Truepower 550
HD: WD WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA
AUDIO: Creative X-Fi Titanium PCI-E
OS: Win 7 64
CASE: Cooler Master Stacker 832

So when I built the system back in September, I had an issue with the computer rebooting for no reason, and the pros here at Tom's tracked it down to a faulty Cool n' Quiet driver. Once updated, everything ran just fine.

However, in the last two weeks, I've found that plugging in anything to the front USB ports (read: iPhone) caused the system to abruptly reboot. Once I even saw a little flash from the USB port. I solved the problem by not using the ports.

Yesterday, I pressed the power button, which flashed, the fans started, then died, all within about .5 second. Reading the forums, I checked my connections and the system rebooted.

This morning the system failed to boot again. I've tested components, I've cleared CMOS (both with battery installed and removed) and no luck.

CPU and system fans start to turn before dying. I'm thinking it's either the motherboard quitting, or the PSU just can't keep up anymore. Mind you, for the last three months I've been running iTunes, Firefox, Photoshop CS4, and City of Heroes (Ultra mode) all at the same time with no problem. I'm honestly lost here, and any/all help would be hugely, greatly, embarrassingly appreciated.

 

[satelliteone]

very simular system to me with the same sort of fault too. mobo power system failure. good luck if u RMA the board. Your going to need it, if they treat you like that have me.

 

[Blackcoffeestudios]

very simular system to me with the same sort of fault too. mobo power system failure. good luck if u RMA the board. Your going to need it, if they treat you like that have me.

Yes, I'm past the RMA date for Newegg, though ASUS supposedly honors parts/labor warranty for three years. Of course, the ASUS webpage tell me to contact my vendor (Newegg), so I can only imagine hours of talking in circles.

 

[Blackcoffeestudios]

If I might ask, what ended up happening on your end with RMA?

 

[satelliteone]

I am still waiting, since Nov 2010, for the mobo to be returned. Pretty open ended communications with them with no deff date. I got a feeling i will never see that mobo ever again, plus i have given up on ASUS and about to buy another board to replace.

 

[rmmil978]

I am still waiting, since Nov 2010, for the mobo to be returned. Pretty open ended communications with them with no deff date. I got a feeling i will never see that mobo ever again, plus i have given up on ASUS and about to buy another board to replace.

That's the thing I've learned about ASUS. Usually wonderful products, absolutely horrible RMA / Tech support help. Just atrocious. EVGA has its own set of issues with its products, but the customer service is astoundingly wonderful, prompt, and available 24/7 (AND ENGLISH SPEAKING!). That's why I'll only buy EVGA products.
Now, of course, that does you no good considering you have an AMD board, and EVGA doesn't do AMD. Actually, I'm not sure which AMD MB makers ARE good with CS. But, from personal experience, I know ASUS is about the worst.

 

[Snet]

I have never had problems with ASUS, might be your case, check that all connections are secure , the diagram is as follows for front USB :

USB 1 VCC+ VCC- (USBPower) Ground Pin 1-6 Pin 7 open
USB2 VCC+ VCC- (USBPower) Ground Pin1-6 Pin 7 no pin