IP35 will not boot

[JaySel]

Abit IP35 Dark Raider LGA775 Quad Core
Intel Core 2 Quad Pro Q6600 95w 2.4Ghz SLACR G0 (over clocked to 3+ Ghz)
Coolermaster Hyper 600 Passive cooler
4 x OCZ 1Gb Vista Upgrade Edition DDR2 PC2-6400 800MHz 50505015 Copper
Inno3D GeForce 8800 GT Overclocked Edition
250GB Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATA II 300 7200rpm 16MB cache
2x 1.5Tb Samsung Eco
NEC Optiarc AD-7173A-0B Black 18x DVD ±RW/RAM DL LabelFlash oem
OCZ 600W with 120mm Fan GameXStream Power Supply
Antec Nine Hundred Gaming case

My system shut down and would not reboot.
The red light on the mobo showed, but when I switch the case button, the green light on the mobo flashes and the system shuts down.

I removed all hard drive power & SATA connections, ram & video and then attempted (after removing the power lead & wating 30? seconds) with the same result.


I also removed the cooler from the cpu, and installed a passive Coolermaster Hyper 600 to isolate an issue with the old fan, but still the problem remained.

I then jump started the psu with everything disconnected except a case fan and the psu started but with a really high pitched whistling sound. I tried this a number of times but the very loud whine was still there.

Not sure if its relevant, but I have kept my system running 24/7 for the last couple of years since I built it and had no previous problems except a fairly new HDD that has corrupted itself twice in the last week (now awaiting RMA)

Any ideas? Is the issue mobo related, or could this be my psu at fault?

[BUFF]

my first avenue to check would be PSU.
1 other thing - unless you have previously disabled shutdown on low fan rpm in the BIOS don't test using a passive cooler as it will of course prevent it booting.

[JaySel]

Thanks - I am awaiting an RMA on the PSU - however, I am dubious as the PSU powers when not attached to the mobo.

I haven't amended the bios for passive cooling, as the system will not even POST. I don't think that this is the issue - however, thanks for the tip. If I get it to power up I will amend the bios setting.

[BUFF]

if you haven't changed that BIOS setting then the system won't POST with a passive cooler.

[JaySel]

Oh I see. So I guess I am screwed then.
How on earth can I amend the BIOS when I can't power up the mobo? Also, the symptoms are the same even before I changed the cpu cooling to passive so this may be coincidence.
I'm just not sure how to prove this one way or another.
Are there no jump start routines or anything to test a mobo is working?

[k0nigen]

plug any fan into the CPU fan header so that the motherboard thinks it's not a passive cooler?

[JaySel]

Yeah, thanks K0nigen, thats what I did in the end.
However, the issue still remains. I have now emailed Abit Tech Support and am waiting to hear back.

Does anyone know of a way to run a power test on these mobos?

[BUFF]

you do know that abit support only exists for RMA purposes these days & if you are in the EU your warranty on an IP35 is almost certainly expired?

Seriously, I think that it's a PSU problem.

[JaySel]

Thanks Buff. I didn't know about the RMA, which is why I have posted here & the support site.
I am waiting to hear back from support - so far, I am extremely underwhelmed at the response.

Hopefully it will be the psu - I have picked up a spare today and will test tonight.

Shame that support cannot tell me how to test a mobo. I can't believe that there is no workaround to test except to load it up with ram, cpu, drives etc to test.

Its my first Abit board, having used Gigabyte for the last 10 years, and whilst I have been happy with the mobo, the support is extremely poor compared to Gigabyte.

Thanks for your help Buff

[BUFF]

Its my first Abit board, having used Gigabyte for the last 10 years, and whilst I have been happy with the mobo, the support is extremely poor compared to Gigabyte.

well, if Gigabyte had closed down 20 months ago what kind of support do you think that you would be getting from them today?
I think that it's pretty decent that abit didn't just pull the plug totally when they shut down.

[JaySel]

well, if Gigabyte had closed down 20 months ago what kind of support do you think that you would be getting from them today?
I think that it's pretty decent that abit didn't just pull the plug totally when they shut down.

Ah - I see the issue here. As an Abit techy chap, you naturally assumed that I knew that Abit had closed down. Sadly I didn't! In fact, after checking their website and finding nothing, I had to resort to using Wikipedia to find this out.
Now I realise why I have struggled to get any help or support. And explains your glib answers.