Louisisstuck

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Hello there,
I have just acquired a new Asus P4S8X MB with a P4 2.4Ghz 533FSB and 512MB of PC2700Mem. I also have 2 brand new 80GB Maxtor Drives on my primary IDE controller and a Sony DVD player and HP CDWriter 8100 on the secondary IDE. Video card is a basic 64MB MX400 g-force2.
I have had nothing but trouble so far. I had to get the MB replaced because the IDE ports where DOA. After I got the new MB, I couldn't install Windows because of faulty memory. After replacing the memory, I was able to install windows. I then replaced an old CD crive by the new Sony DVD...same jumpers and all (slave) and bang ! No more CD or DVD drive visible. Shutdown...go into CMOS...change a couple of parameters relating to boot device order...verify the jumpers again...back out and bang...system freezes after detecting the CPU as a 1800Mhz ! (it's a 2.4 and was working fine before) Power down...try several time...same results...Clear the RTC ram twice and still stuck at the same place. What the hell is going on ? How can I make the MB see the CPU at 2400 and boot normally ? I am going nuts! I can't even access the MB setup screen.
 

Scout

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So you can't even get into BIOS now? The 1800 CPU speed is a fall-back mode that the BIOS does when it has problems... it sounds like it's lowered your FSB speed to 100 MHz.

I'd unplug those CD drives and see if you can get into BIOS and select "setup defaults". That should allow it to detect the CPU as a 2.4 and get you running again. You can go in and "tweak" the settings later if you want to, but let the machine get running stable first.

As for the CD problem, I donno what might have happened. If it all gets working again, try hooking up just the DVD, then add the CD and see if the problem recurs. You also might try a new IDE cable... It may not be visible, but they get damaged pretty easily and cause all sorts of strange behavior.

Good luck!

Scout
700 Mflops in SETI!
 

Louisisstuck

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Thank you Scout...
I unplugged the CD and DVD drives (and also removed my SCSI and modem in case) and was able to boot back.
SO what I did is tried the CD-Writer alone as master on the secondary...no success.
I tried the DVD as master on secondary...no success.
I tried the DVD as master on the primary and voila ! It was detected properly.
I hooked up my drives on the secondary and they were not detected. So it looks like I've got a second ASUS P4S8X Mobo with dead IDE controller (in this case the secondary again). This is twice ! I can't believe it.
I noticed a new BIOS (1004) on ASUS so I updated just in case but to no avail.
I think I am going to switch to another mobo. Too bad caused I liked the features of this one (IEEE1394, LAN and sound + AGP 8X). Is it worth it to buy an external (PCI) IDE controller ? Anything to suggest ?

Oh...just tought about something...you mentionned that cable could be problematic...if there is a short in the cable, could it cause the IDE controller to blow ?

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Louisisstuck on 11/03/02 04:22 PM.</EM></FONT></P>
 

FUGGER

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My first P4S8X had screwed up IDE ports too. the second one worked but was a poor overclocker. It worked fine at default speed.

Other than my IDE problems this is the second report of such problems with the P4S8X.

You are limited to what your mind can perceive.
 

Scout

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Did you try a different cable on the secondary? I don't know about it blowing a controller... but my "gut" tells me it probably wouldn't hurt anything. Try replacing the cable before you take the board back.

Scout
700 Mflops in SETI!
 

johnbruns

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When I first got my P4S8X, I couldn't see anything on the secondary channel - very similar - put it on the priomary and it was ok, but secondary failed. Turned out it was 2 seperate problems. First was a bad cable - just plain bad. Used the extra cable - but still didn't work. The other problem turned out to be wiring for the front USB ports. When I disconnected them - everything started working again. Seems there is nine pins and the case had 9 wires - but connecting the last pin was the culprit. ASUS support said that some cases have a polarity problem that causes the same symptom.

Suggest you do the following for DIAGNOSTIC purposes. Disconnect every wire you don't absolutely need and remove all extraneous IDE cards - modem, sound etc. Start from scratch - CPU mem and graphics card. Add the hard disk and then a single drive on the secondary. Try changing the cable if you can find another. Slowly add things back if it works until you find the culprit.

While I am thinking of it - be sure that the Mobo is mounted correctly - and none of the standoffs is shorting out - that could also cause the problem.

Hope this helps.

PS. In spite of scary moments - once the problems were corrected, everything works fine. Running DDR333 at 2,2,2,5,1T with a slight overclock (144 FSB). Radeon 9700 Pro is running ar 8x AGP - (though the ATI drivers aren't smart enough to figure it out). A DVD and LiteOn 48 on the secondary channel and the front USB works fine. Good speed too as long as I stay with the 1004.002 beta. What seems like a rare P4S8X success.