Fatality AN8Mobo. Dead?

[CRoswell]

Hey folks.

I have an ABIT AN8SLI motherboard.

Been looking around and can't find much on their website for support. Maybe I'm missing something. I think my mobo is shot or on it's last legs.

I'm not getting a POST beep. No monitor feed. MOST of the time. Once in maybe 20-30 reboots I'll get a POST beep then the thing works like nothing is wrong. I've tried disconnecting everything except the video card, but the Mobo doesn't have any on-board GFX.

Any suggestions?

I've had the motherboard for 3 years and 1 month. From what I understand, the warranty is only 3 years long. Am I screwed?

[BUFF]

welcome

It helps others to help you if they know exactly what you are dealing with.
Please supply a full system specification incl. make & models.

what codes does the POST reported display?
perhaps it's another component e.g. PSU?

[CRoswell]

2x 2GB Corsair in DDR.
BFG GeForce 7900 GTX
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 2.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual-Core Processor
PSU - Antec earthwatts EA500 500W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC
Audio is on-board.
Running Windows XP.
USB keyboard / mouse, nothing special.

System has been running like a dream since I built it in 2006. I've reset the CMOS a few times and typically that is when it boots properly. Still only about a 1 in 20 shot though.

Last night I pulled out the RAM and tried booting it up. Still no video feed, no POST beep at all.

I'm broke and this is pretty much my only form of entertainment at the moment. It is going to be a lonnnng summer...

[jclafi]

Remove all devices, clean then (including the card´s and memory´s contacts) and BE SURE that you PSU is Ok.

What´s the brand of your PSU? Did you have any replacement parts to do some tests?


See ya

[CRoswell]

Clean them with? Just some compressed air?

I have alternative PSUs, but they are very low wattage. 200W should be enough for a mobo only boot though. Not sure on my PSU's brand. It's been awhile since I bought it and apparently the invoice is no longer in my gmail account.

Found an invoice on newegg.

PSU - Antec earthwatts EA500 500W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC

Also, my CPU specified above is incorrect.
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo 2.2GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket 939 Dual-Core Processor

[BUFF]

your mobo has an LED POST reporter - what codes does it display?
(btw iirc on the AN8 SLI it's upside down)

[CRoswell]

I will check tonight and report back.

[CRoswell]

Btw - I've checked these in the manual and was unable to find a couple. I'll post the ones as they display and decipher the ones I found.

Codes:
Power to the system, not turned on: 9.9 (Complete Power Off sequence)
Hit the power switch: 8.3. 9.0. F.1. These are in rapid succession. ATX Power Supply Ready; Complete uGuru Initial Process; SoftMenu Reset
Then it sits at 0.4. I think I read somewhere that this is a memory testing phase, but it is not listed in the manual anywhere that I can find atm.

I'll continue testing and report back. Please excuse my multiple posts in my own thread. and THANK YOU for reading.

[CRoswell]

With the RAM removed:
9.9
8.3. 9.0. F.1.(rapid succession) and then hangs at 0.4.

- With the RAM removed and the SATA drives unplugged - Same sequence as above.
- With the Audio card unplugged (The one that came with the motherboard, called Audiomax 7.1) same sequence.

Again, no POST beep, no output to a monitor. I'm using PS2 Keyboard and mouse just to make sure that it isn't some obscure USB conflict or something.

One snag with PSU testing - I doin't have another one that fits. The rest of my PSUs and Mobos are all micro ATX and the Fatal1ty AN8SLI is regular ATX. Don't believe I have an adapter. At least not one that I can find anywhere.

Update - I have tried the CMOS reset multiple times with multiple hardware configurations. Does not appear to have any effect anymore.

[BUFF]

With the RAM removed:
9.9
8.3. 9.0. F.1.(rapid succession) and then hangs at 0.4.

- With the RAM removed and the SATA drives unplugged - Same sequence as above.
- With the Audio card unplugged (The one that came with the motherboard, called Audiomax 7.1) same sequence.

0.4. is a memory initialisation problem so you are going to get that without any RAM ...

One snag with PSU testing - I doin't have another one that fits. The rest of my PSUs and Mobos are all micro ATX and the Fatal1ty AN8SLI is regular ATX. Don't believe I have an adapter. At least not one that I can find anywhere.

afaik the connectors on mATX & ATX (of the same generation) are the same (they are on mine).

[CRoswell]

Figured it out.

I swapped the GFX card to the other PCI-E slot. (Wasn't aware that was possible with an SLI Mobo.) Everything is working just fine now. Hopefully I can get another couple years out of it.

Thanks for the advice you folks gave!