EP43-DS3L not posting

F

fiCti0naL

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 30, 2002
Messages
187
Just put together my new PC which consists of:

gigabye EP43-DS3L
core 2 duo E7200
g.skill 4gb
visiontek radeon HD 4850
antec earthwatts 500

So I just put this system together, it posted first try so I went ahead and mounted it in my case. Installed xp, got things up and running. Kept getting the ati2dvag.dll loop BSOD over and over which was extremely annoying so I spend a few hours trying to figure out what the problem with that was. After trying a few solutions, I fire up HL2 to play for a few. After about 10 minutes, my system freezes up and I have to power down. Ever since then, I havent been able to get the system to post again. No beep codes, it just powers up, cpu and video cards fans spin, and I can hear the video card's fan speed up and slow back down every few seconds. It just sits there idle and doesn't do anything.

I noticed when I pulled the motherboard out to start stripping it back down to cpu/mem/video that the HSF had somehow gotten loose. Popped that back into place and still no post. I've tried using a different PSU and got the same exact results. I've tried both memory sticks each in every spot by themselves. I've completely removed and reinstalled the HSF & cpu several times. I've removed the video card and listened for any post beeps but heard nothing. The cpu was running pretty cool around when the system crashed (48c) so I don't think it was damaged or overheating. I have both the main and CPU motherboard power connections plugged in.

Only thing I can think of at this point is the motherboard just decided to die... but it really doesn't make much sense for that to happen after it's been posting fine all day. Any ideas? SO disappointed in this machine so far - nothing but problems since the first time I powered it up.
 
First thing of course is to strip it out of the case to the bare motherboard, cpu, ram, and video and give that a go. It sounds like you already did that though. If you're fans are spinning up, then stopping, then spinning up again it could be a host of different things.

First off, try it without a keyboard plugged in. I just had a new build where the keyboard was actually shorting it out. Second I would try resetting the CMOS via jumper. Third when you said something about BSODs with the ATI card, and then it freezing after playing HL2, it leads me to believe you may have a video card problem. If you have a spare video card around I'd try that as well.
 
Tried without keyboard, I've reset cmos numerous times by taking out the battery for a minute or two and putting it back in. I also touched a screwdriver to the 2 pins for the jumper. I have a spare card but it's my old 9700pro AGP so I can't use that to test with with no agp slots. I really have no clue what's going on... ugh. It just baffles me that everything was working and then all of a sudden I crash and it wont post anymore. When I take the video card out, I get no system beeps or anything, the fans spin, LEDs on motherboard are lit, but nothing else happens.
 
Get a cheap PCI video card, pick one up for five or ten bucks at goodwill if you have to, good thing to have around for times such as this.
 
fiCti0naL said:
Tried without keyboard, I've reset cmos numerous times by taking out the battery for a minute or two and putting it back in. I also touched a screwdriver to the 2 pins for the jumper. I have a spare card but it's my old 9700pro AGP so I can't use that to test with with no agp slots. I really have no clue what's going on... ugh. It just baffles me that everything was working and then all of a sudden I crash and it wont post anymore. When I take the video card out, I get no system beeps or anything, the fans spin, LEDs on motherboard are lit, but nothing else happens.
Click to expand...

Now try a different motherboard.
 
Do you have anything plugged into USB besides mouse /keyboard. Perhaps a USB Drive or something?
 
Nothing is plugged in whatsoever other than the video card DVI. This thing is stripped down to the bare, bare minimum. I may go pick up a cheap pci video card later... but I just dont see how it would just quit working like that for no reason. MIght just go ahead and send the motherboard back and hope for the best with the new one.
 
I just finished almost the same build. Same MB, CPU, G.Skill 1066 2GB (2x1), Antec Earthwatts 500w, WD 640GB HDD, but with a PNY 9600GT vid card.

I first installed Vista Ultimate and everything was fine until I installed the vid card drivers it would begin to boot and then just hang on a black screen. I went back to XP Pro SP3 and it works fine. I didn't see where you mentioned the OS so I figured I'd mention that.

My MB shipped with the F3 BIOS and it only set the E7200 at a 9x multiplier effectively underclocking it, so I manually added the 0.5 multiplier and it ran, but once I got XP in I used @Bios to get it up to F7. Just an FYI.

Everything has been stable as hell and very fast for me so far, the only strange thing is my case power LED slowly goes on and off like the system is in a sleep state/hibernating when it is running fine. I'm guessing it is due to the low power draw with the Energy Saver app running fooling it into thinking it is suspended... but that is only a guess and I have a thread started in this forum hoping someone knows the scoop on that issue.

It seems to me that your issue is probably video related. Update the bios and use the newest Catalyst drivers, not the CD that shipped with the card and see what happens. Best of luck!
 
Well, If the system wont post at all, I have no way of updating the BIOS. My mobo was shipped with the F6 BIOS. I also never install old drivers off of CDs. I was running XP SP2 and had all of the latest drivers for all hardware.
 
I was just offering info in general for your setup. You state it gets stuck on a dll and BSODs, that means the computer posts. Xpressrecovery2 and or bios updating is available from the second you power on, it has nothing to do with Windows. The only other thing I could say would be to download and burn a Linux live CD (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.) and see if it boots fully and runs properly. If it does then you know it is a windows/driver/corruption issue if it bombs out or fails to be stable then it is a component, from there it is process of elimination.
 
No, as I've stated the computer no longer posts at all. It was at one point, then after a system crash I have not gotten the system to stay on for longer than 10 seconds, much less have anything come up on-screen. I'm just going to send the motherboard back to newegg tomorrow and hope the new one takes care of it.. that's really my only option it seems at this point.
 
Sorry for my misunderstanding, I think some of your wording was confusing and I can see now how you meant that in the OP but without the extra elaboration it was a touch unclear. Sorry if I sound like your H.S. English teacher... I worked as an editor for a number of years and I can't help it.

I personally think it will be one of two things... either the CPU was damaged from being run with no/poor HSF contact (fairly unlikely but possible) or else it is something to do with the vid card. The problem is that if you don't have a spare CPU or card it is impossible to determine that. You can RMA the board but I wouldn't be too surprised if that isn't the final solution. Best of luck.

Oh, and for future reference the blinking light is caused by the Energy saver software and I haven't found a solution yet just in case you get the same result.
 
Also wanted to point out that the system still powers itself off and back on over and over even without the video card. It would seem the system would atleast beep at me or stay idle with no video card so I think that may rule out the video card as the culprit.

I'm going to test the video card in a machine at work tomorrow, and have the CPU tested at a buddies pc repair shop. If both of those work, then obviously it's the motherboard. I'll report back with the results tomorrow night. Thanks for the replies.
 
Newegg approved my RMA for both the CPU and motherboard, so I just went ahead and shipped them both off yesterday. Hopefully these new ones don't die on me too and if they do work I don't get stuck back with that freaking ati2dvag loop BSOD that plagued me while the system actually worked...

I think I'm going to head out and buy a nice HSF to have ready for it and trash that POS stock cooler, any good recommendations that aren't too expensive?
 
I have the EXACT problem as you. Same mobo cpu, but I have an Asus 4850. I get no post at all and the videocard fan throttles back and forth. Let me know how it works out for you. I'm doing tests of my own.
 
Interesting, let me know what you find out as well. A buddy of mine actually just ordered the exact same motherboard/CPU as well and hooked up his 8600 and has had no issues whatsoever. He's loving it. I'm really hoping it isn't some sort of compatibility issue with our 4850's which I seriously doubt as I've seen people on this forum with the same systems with no issues.

Can anyone else here chime in with the same motherboard and a 4850?
 
I just built a rig that is nearly the EXACT same spec as you, just 2gb of ram instead of 4 and I haven't encountered a problem like that. I did flash to the latest BIOS before doing anything though but you say you have F6 on there from the factory, strange. Must be one of the components.
 
I isolated the problem to be the videocard. I used a friend's 9600GT and it worked perfectly. Good luck with yours.
 
lol.. I swear to god if I sent off both the CPU/mobo for replacements (still hasn't even arrived at newegg) and the video card was the problem I'm gonna be SO pissed.
 
The video card is fine as I figured, tested in two different machines. Pretty much 99% sure it was the CPU that took a crap for whatever reason. It didn't heat up at all when I powered the system on.
 
Just got the replacement motherboard/CPU and put everything back together - running rock solid. Loving this thing now!
 
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