This is the wierdest problem I have ever experienced!

D

D4xL0ki

Gawd
Joined
Jul 2, 2002
Messages
522
Big Problems here. I made a thread about my motherboard being screwed up. After a lot of switching peripherals around like my videcard, cases, PSUs, running my rig outside of a case, etc., I have figured out that something with my rig (mobo) and my case are not clicking.

I switched all of my stuff that was inside an Antec Sonata to a bigger Antec P160. Here's the wierd thing...When I boot up my computer on its SIDE, it works fine. But...when the P160 is freestanding, it either freezes if it was in the OS and I put the computer upright or if it is a cold boot, it will stop after the RAM check and make a repeating long beep (approx. every 3 seconds).

I though that this beep code was my RAM. But, after putting everything back in the Sonata, things were all good. Why the heck is my computer working on its side but not right side up?! :mad:

K, so the logical next step was thinking that something in the case was shorting out a component like the mobo.

Things I have done to try to solve the wierdest problem.
- I taped over all of the excess mounting holes with electrical tape as well as the edge of the motherboard tray in the P160 with electrical tape.
- MADE SURE (like 10 times) that there were no incorrect motherboard risers shorting out the board

WTF! Could it be that the connectors (like the power sw, hdd led, etc.) from the P160 are messed up? I cannot think of WHY the case works on its side but not right-side up. PLEASE HELP ME [H]!!!

Specs:
Chaintech VNF3-250 Motherboard
Athlon 64 3400+
Hdd
Floppy (not connected)
DVD drive (not connected)
2x512MB PC3200 Corsair RAM
AIW X800XT

Antec Sonata (which works, old case)
Antec P160 (new, cursed case?)

Antec TP2 480 PSU and Antec TP 380 PSU
 
i had that happen to me once. a comptuer worked on its side and not right side up.. but it had busted caps too.. i just gave up, pulled the processor and stuck it in another obscelete pIII board...

does the board work vertically outside the case.. you will have to hold it with your hands or osmething.. (cause i fried one once leaning it against a metal case.. haha)..

try using only half the screws to screw it into the case.. and see if maybe putting a screw in one of the holes screws it up.. i know that you taped them though.. but its worth a shot..
 
Well, here's the thing...I put everything back into the Antec Sonata and it works like a charm (vertically).

For a while I thought my Mobo was busted so I was soooo pissed off about RMA'ing a pretty new Mobo. Anyhow, now I KNOW is is something with the Antec P160 case.

I don't get why I works only on it's side though. Does this somehow ground the case? I taped over everything I could so not sure what could be causing the problem.

Only thing I can think of is the switches in the P160 are messed up somehow (the hdd led, pw sw, reset sw, etc.). But then why would it work on it's side if the switches are messed up?

Grr.!!

I will try the less screws thing tomorrow. Thanks for trying to help. Please people, help a poor fella out. I feel so inadequate right now :(
 
D4xL0ki said:
Only thing I can think of is the switches in the P160 are messed up somehow (the hdd led, pw sw, reset sw, etc.). But then why would it work on it's side if the switches are messed up?
Click to expand...
If you think this is the case, then unplug them and short the power switch pins with a screwdriver or paperclip. I don't think this is the case, though.

Check all cabling and make sure there are no exposed wires. Check your heatsink to make sure it is attached correctly (try wiggling it). It could be that the heatsink is not attached securely and it is coming out of the socket when the system is standing vertically. There may be just enough contact to keep the CPU from frying, but not enough to keep it cool enough to run.

Just my thoughts...
 
slowbiznatch said:
Check all cabling and make sure there are no exposed wires. Check your heatsink to make sure it is attached correctly (try wiggling it). It could be that the heatsink is not attached securely and it is coming out of the socket when the system is standing vertically. There may be just enough contact to keep the CPU from frying, but not enough to keep it cool enough to run.
Click to expand...
That was my first thought...


Another thing you may want to try would be put in some motherboard standoff spacers inbetween the mobo and the standoffs... Typically when building a PC, I never have to use them... but, you could possibly be grounding the mobo out on the case when you stand it vertically as you have more weight pulling directly down; whereas if the case is laying flat, the weight of the board is pretty much evenly distributed across the standoffs. (Except the corner of the mobo where the CPU and HS is mounted) The spacers are very cheap, and if it works may save you some headaches there as well. Also make sure your board is firmly screwed down to the standoffs so it can't slide up or down...
 
l337zax said:
That was my first thought...


Another thing you may want to try would be put in some motherboard standoff spacers inbetween the mobo and the standoffs... Typically when building a PC, I never have to use them... but, you could possibly be grounding the mobo out on the case when you stand it vertically as you have more weight pulling directly down; whereas if the case is laying flat, the weight of the board is pretty much evenly distributed across the standoffs. (Except the corner of the mobo where the CPU and HS is mounted) The spacers are very cheap, and if it works may save you some headaches there as well. Also make sure your board is firmly screwed down to the standoffs so it can't slide up or down...
Click to expand...
Instead of spacers you can use electrical tape. Just tape over the entire standoff and screw through the tape when mounting the motherboard.
 
you sure your mobo isn't shorting out on the bottom some where? if you have some sort of antistatic foam (real thin) cut holes for the screws and put your mobo in and put it verticle.. if you still get problems I'm baffled.

unless there is just a cut trace on your mobo and the verticle stress is enough to generate a gap in the trace lines
 
slowbiznatch said:
Instead of spacers you can use electrical tape. Just tape over the entire standoff and screw through the tape when mounting the motherboard.
Click to expand...
Ah yes.. I forgot about the old electrical tape trick. Good thinking on that.

Sometimes when using the electrical tape, after you tape over the standoff, you may want to poke a small hole on the top of the standoff so the screw will actually start. If it still gives you the same problem after you've spaced/taped the standoffs, you will also want to make sure that the screws you are screwing the mobo down with are not reaching outside the grounding space of each hole. If so, you'll ground your motherboard out that way too.. You may want to try using spacers to space the screw away from the PCB on the mobo to make sure it isn't grounding out that way as well if the other tricks don't work first...
 
Swap the PSU out of the Sonata into the P160. If problem goes away... bad PSU. If problem still exists, bad case ground, RMA.
 
ok.. let me fix this post..

are you using 2 different psus? try the sonata psu in the p160 case.. you might have something wierd with the psu..

another thing that could be making wierd contact thta wasn't mentioned is the I/O shield.. check that to make sure it is all right..
 
OK guys, I dont think any of you read my thread.

I already stated that THIS IS NOT a CPU heat problem or AYNTHING like that.

Again, EVERYTHING works 100% as it should in my old case, the Antec Sonata. Also, like I already stated,

- I already tried the electrical tape thing
- Made sure (at least 10 times) that the standoffs are not somehow shorting the board; made sure no extra standoffs
- Played around with different peripherals (vid card swap, PSU swap, Mem swap, ran memtest, etc.).

This is an Antec P160 problem.

Things work when I run the P160 on its side but not standing up! This is the problem. Again, everything works fine in my old case, where I put everything back.

Hmm, maybe I have to try and return this P160 case :mad: Does anyone know if Directron.com accepts defective cases? lol.
 
D4xL0ki said:
Only thing I can think of is the switches in the P160 are messed up somehow (the hdd led, pw sw, reset sw, etc.). But then why would it work on it's side if the switches are messed up?
Click to expand...

slowbiznatch said:
If you think this is the case, then unplug them and short the power switch pins with a screwdriver or paperclip. I don't think this is the case, though.

Check all cabling and make sure there are no exposed wires. Check your heatsink to make sure it is attached correctly (try wiggling it). It could be that the heatsink is not attached securely and it is coming out of the socket when the system is standing vertically. There may be just enough contact to keep the CPU from frying, but not enough to keep it cool enough to run.

Just my thoughts...
Click to expand...

I was not talking about the PSU power switch pins. I was talking about the connectors in the Antec P160. Could the case just be defective? Lol. And if so, why the heck would it work on the side but not standing up? This makes no sense to me.

Because if this is a shorting out problem, how would laying a case on its side ground it as opposed to having it stand up? Doesn't everything get grounded through the PSU anyway? :confused:
 
Like I suggested, swap the PSU from the Sonata into the P160.

If problem goes away.... P160 has bad PSU.
If problem remains... P160 has bad case ground, RMA.
 
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