Finally got my RMA (ix38 quad)back and now it wont stop beeping!

[jhferry]

So far so good until I go to boot.

I get to verifying dmi pool data and then it starts screaming, like a siren. At first I thought it was overheating. So I booted from an XP disk and it was fine. The problem seems to be booting from the HD.

I have 2 WD drives, one is 640GB (boot) the other is a 500GB.

If I disconnect the second, the system does boot into XP. It just wont stop screaming so for now I have the 500GB disconnected.

Currently my bios is default but I have Sata chip set on AHCI

Under my Standard Cmos settings, I do not see the drive under Sata Channel 1 however it shows up under boot options.

Is Abit tech support gone now?
If I change the Sata chip settings to IDE then I see it under Standard Cmos settings but it still screams.

If I disconnect the main boot drive, I get the same screaming from the second drive as well (I know there is no OS there but it shouldnt scream like that)

I can also see the contents of both drives from Erd commander 2005 but the Windows XP recovery gives a directory enumeration error (both disks)

What is wrong here? Is this another bad board?

[jhferry]

So its now doing it when I boot from the XP cd as well. I am running a chkdsk now. I cant run it from the XP recovery but I can run it from within Windows. If it wasnt for this siren, you wouldnt know anything it wrong.

[Nelly.]

Is their an Error code on the motherboard LCD digital display?

Used to love Abit motherboards but now USI has decided to withdraw their Abit motherboards, think it's best that everyone just moves on to a manufacturer that is still in business & has support.

Hence why I've switched to Gigabyte.

[jhferry]

Nope, no error code and there is nothing in the manual for a continuing siren.

[jhferry]

Ok, getting to the problem now.


This is my Temp monitoring:

Reading Beep temp
CPU 103c/217f 75c/167F
system 35c/95f 55c/131f

Obviously, cpu is the issue here. This is a new CPU (RMA'd from intel)

I am not OC'ing. This is idle temps. I checked the intel stock heatsink, it is really on there. The cover is off the case as well. Why is this thing running so hot or maybe it is misreading the temp?

This is a core 2 duo 8400.

[Nelly.]

Ok, getting to the problem now.


This is my Temp monitoring:

Reading Beep temp
CPU 103c/217f 75c/167F
system 35c/95f 55c/131f

Obviously, cpu is the issue here. This is a new CPU (RMA'd from intel)

I am not OC'ing. This is idle temps. I checked the intel stock heatsink, it is really on there. The cover is off the case as well. Why is this thing running so hot or maybe it is misreading the temp?

This is a core 2 duo 8400.

I would try resetting the cmos, remove the battery for a good half an hour. If the temps are still the same, check the cpu voltage within the bios see what its defaulting at, I would manually adjust it to 1.2v see what happens.

I presume your running the current bios that is compatable with the E8400? I'm presuming it's an E0 chip? have you checked?

[BUFF]

as Nelly said, what BIOS version is on the mobo that came back & what stepping of E8400?

[Blitzen]

So far so good until I go to boot.

I get to verifying dmi pool data and then it starts screaming, like a siren. At first I thought it was overheating. So I booted from an XP disk and it was fine. The problem seems to be booting from the HD.

I have 2 WD drives, one is 640GB (boot) the other is a 500GB.

If I disconnect the second, the system does boot into XP. It just wont stop screaming so for now I have the 500GB disconnected.

Currently my bios is default but I have Sata chip set on AHCI

Under my Standard Cmos settings, I do not see the drive under Sata Channel 1 however it shows up under boot options.

Is Abit tech support gone now?
If I change the Sata chip settings to IDE then I see it under Standard Cmos settings but it still screams.

If I disconnect the main boot drive, I get the same screaming from the second drive as well (I know there is no OS there but it shouldnt scream like that)

I can also see the contents of both drives from Erd commander 2005 but the Windows XP recovery gives a directory enumeration error (both disks)

What is wrong here? Is this another bad board?

How can this be a motherboard issue?
You already said yourself that if some of the bios settings are altered it works.

[jhferry]

I think somehow it is a MoBo thing. I think it is misreading the CPU temp. I downloaded realtemps utility and it reports way lower number than the bios does.

Before I posted I made sure I was on Bios version 14 and flashed it again anyway. I then unplugged it, pulled the battery and started from scratch.

The thing that tipped me off is the CPU temps in the bios dont change. They are always those numbers which isnt possible. With the Abit situation, I dont think I will RMA it again. Its annoying but I can live with it. I just turned the monitor off of CPU now the siren is gone.

[Blitzen]

Sounds more like a dodgy CPU where the diodes are reading wrong rather than temp sensors on the motherboard fella.

Those E8400's were blighted with this IIRC.

[jhferry]

Never considered the CPU. I had it RMA'd before the board because I thought the issue was CPU. I wonder If its worth an RMA? I probably wont bother If this is common with them.

[DratUK]

Yep the E8400 is well known for false temp registers.
Have a read through here

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=51359

[singo]

hi i had the same prob with the temps as u my cpu was reading 103oc ive got a e8600 eo stepping if your e8400 is eo the try the beta bios in this tread
http://forums.hexus.net/abit-care-he...-stepping.html
work 4 me all temps read right now

[DratUK]

Nice one singo lets hope it works for the jh, he's had enough grief already