"BIOS Not installed" and shutting off

[Pringleprime]

Well, hello HardOCP! I've recently built a new, and my first, computer build, and aside from acouple of things, everything went fine. Until I had to actually turn it on, that is. To start off, here are the specs..

A8V Deluxe Rev2.0
A64 3200+
XFX 6800
512 Mushkin PC3200 RAM x2
Lite-On CD-RW/DVD-R Combo Drive
Sony 1.44 Floppy
Samsung 160GB IDE ATA133 HD
CoolMax Taurus 400W PSU(Yes, yes, I know, a Max PSU that isn't EnerMax, I should be ashamed)

Well, to start, it says my Hard Drive isn't installed, yet it comes up on the F8 BIOS list, so something's wrong there. But anyway, on with it.

Built the computer fine, so what left to do but turn it on to POST. So, power on, fans spin, HDD is vibrating a tiny bit, CPU fan spinning, etc etc. The first screen after the ASUS loading screen is one with "Serial_CH0Master: No device found!", with the same thing under it, but 1 instead of 0. Next screen, "Looking for IDE devices........ No device found!". Thought it was odd because it shows up in the boot list. But anyway, I figure, meh, i'll figure that out in a minute. But then, it says "The FastTrak Controller found no IDE Device, The BIOS is not installed." Crap, hmm. Then it goes to a screen with "Insert proper boot media and select the correct boot format" or whatever, blah blah blah.

Then, after about 10 seconds, the computer shuts off. Tried it again with the keyboard this time, it POSTed, then "Hit F1 to resume", so I did, and the same thing, shut off. Tried it yet again, but tried to get into my BIOS this time, and it did after it scanned for IDE drives(and found none, I might add), but then shut off shortly after I got into it. So last try, a friend tells me, try installing Windows, maybe that'll help. Put in the CD, it starts loading(I didn't even set it to boot from CD, it just did) and starts setuping to install Windows, when, yet again, it shuts off.

Sounds like PSU to me, but of course, that doesn't answer the BIOS not installed/HD not found part. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm a real newb when it comes to this, and pretty scared when it comes to trying random stuff, so i'm pretty stuck. Probably going to send the PSU back and pick up an Antec or a Fortron, but I don't think that would solve my BIOS/HD problems.

Any and all help would be much, much appreciated. I'm wanting to get rid of this one in a.. let's just say, think about the printer from Office Space, i'm going to try to recreate that.


Semi edit: Oh, a side note. I bought a Zalman for my HSF, and when I went to put the back plate on, I noticed the board already had one, and I couldn't get it off, so I used that one. Screwed in the screws, then put the Thermal Paste and HSF on and screwed it in, but it's alittle wobbley. That wouldn't have anything to do with this by chance, would it?

 

[Elledan]

Sounds like PSU to me, but of course, that doesn't answer the BIOS not installed/HD not found part

This board does have an onboard RAID controller, doesn't it? In that case the "BIOS not installed" message is normal, as you've not yet configured the RAID controller.

I would recommend resetting the CMOS and checking that the battery is still good. Replace the battery in case of doubt.

Semi edit: Oh, a side note. I bought a Zalman for my HSF, and when I went to put the back plate on, I noticed the board already had one, and I couldn't get it off, so I used that one. Screwed in the screws, then put the Thermal Paste and HSF on and screwed it in, but it's alittle wobbley. That wouldn't have anything to do with this by chance, would it?

The HSF should be pressing firmly against the CPU's IHS, with no space between it whatsoever.

The way you describe it, it could very well be that the CPU is overheating, and the mainboard turns the system off at the temperature set in the BIOS.

 

[Pringleprime]

Well, good and bad news I guess! Backplate from the board came fine, put in the Zalman plate and screws fine, that's working good. Turn the computer on(with all the extra's plugged in, and the Zalman was plugged into a different 3 pin connector than normal) and after the normal stuff, I get "CPU Overclock error!" "CPU Fan error!" "NO Keyboard detected!". Goes to the "Insert proper boot media" blah blah screen and stays there for 10 seconds, the monitor flashes white, then I leave it for about another minute, and shut it off.

It didn't turn off, yay. But now, my monitor(Samsung 19" 977DF Perfect-Flat CRT) stays in sleep mode when I turn it off. So now, it seems either my video card, the VGA adapter, or my monitor, are dead. Ugh, what luck I have..


edit: The monitor will turn on fine when it's not plugged into the graphics card, but stays in sleep when it is. Someone mentioned try resetting the BIOS, so I guess i'll try that. Here's to hoping.

 

[Requiem]

I have the EXACT same problem with the K8V deluxe. My HDD isn't found either and I get CMOS Checksum Bad. I cleared the CMOS and I still get the same error. I loaded defaults this time and then I get to a screen with a blinking _ and after it drops down to the second line it stays there. However, my computer does not shut off after 10 seconds...

 

[Elledan]

"CPU Overclock error!"

Did you configure the CPU-speed correctly?

the Zalman was plugged into a different 3 pin connector than normal

[quote "CPU Fan error!"[/quote]
Use the standard CPU fan header, or turn off this warning in the BIOS.

"NO Keyboard detected!". Goes to the "Insert proper boot media" blah blah screen and stays there for 10 seconds, the monitor flashes white, then I leave it for about another minute, and shut it off.

It didn't turn off, yay. But now, my monitor(Samsung 19" 977DF Perfect-Flat CRT) stays in sleep mode when I turn it off.

Please clarify. While booting, does the entire screen become and stay white? Does the monitor stay in 'sleep mode' (standby mode?) if you turn the system on again?

 

[Pringleprime]

Had this keyboard on the new machine since the one I ordered was back ordered, but, problem semi solved. Removing the battery and setting the jumper to clear for 20 seconds fixed the monitor not working, then everything else started working. Problem now though, is that XP locked up while installing with 33 minutes left. Almost to the same point, so hopefully that's not going to happen again..

 

[Elledan]

Try running Memtest86+ to rule out faulty/incompatible RAM. Also test the PSU with a DMM while the system is on.