ASUS P5K Premium wont POST - RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS HERE!!!

[AuDioFreaK39]

I'm asking for any advice here that may still help me from becoming suicidal here (sarcasm intended

I just bought a completely new $2k system last week, finally assembled everything last night, but after assembly it won't POST (can't get into BIOS, no video signal) with the Q6600. I have a Pentium 4 550 3.4GHz that I tried using, and I could get the motherboard it to post only a few times with it, but only after fiddling with the PSU like a mother - I would have to refresh the PSU by flipping the switch several times while hoping that my monitor light would switch from Standby (yellow) to green.

(the same problem occurs on my ASUS P5LD2, which I used this P4 on)


Specs:

ASUS P5K Premium/WiFi-AP
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 - G0 Stepping
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W Continuous @ 40°C
Patriot eXtreme Performance 4GB (2GB X 2) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
EVGA GeForce 8800GTX 768MB
Samsung HD501LJ 500GB SATAII 16MB Cache



The problem:

* When using the Q6600 (G0 Stepping), everything powers on but no POST or system beeps whatsoever

* When using a Pentium 4, the system will POST only after refreshing the power (flipping the switch, etc) several times



What I have already done/checked:

-I updated the BIOS to the latest version (0204) using the Pentium 4 CPU, because on the ASUS website it said that the Q6600 (B3 and G0) wasn't supported until this version

-All fans start up correctly
-Checked application of thermal paste on CPU - normal
-Q6600 runs at an adequate low temperature / no damage whatsoever, but can't POST with it
-Pentium 4 runs at an adequate low temperature / but I CAN POST (see above: refreshing power)
-Both 6-pin power connectors are connected to the 8800GTX
-Both ATX12V (2x2) and ATX (2x12) are connected to motherboard
-Motherboard is not being shorted anywhere
-Monitor is fine
-Monitor cable is fine
-8800GTX is fine (because it works when using the P4)
-Power supply is fine (works with the P4)
-New BIOS version 0204 is fine and in working condition (with P4)
-Tested with a GeForce 6800 and a GeForce 8800GTS - same problem
-Memory is fine (because it works with the P4)?
-Tried only one memory module - same problem
-Tried no memory modules - beep code is normal for no memory
-Removed everything except CPU, CPU cooler, power switch, power LED - same problem
-Tried plugging the computer into another wall outlet in another room - same problem

-Reset CMOS, both by shorting the jumper and removing the battery for a few minutes - same problem


Now before anyone tells me to RMA my motherboard, I want you all to read this similar issue that I found on another thread:

forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=78475

Apparently AZ_Engineer couldn't POST his P5K until he cleared the CMOS each time. And when he would change a setting it wouldn't POST back up. He tried three different boards (his first one, an RMA, and a third from another retailer) and still had the problem.

Asus tech told me to exchange the first board that had this issue for a 2nd board. Same issue. Asus tech said it's still the board and I got a 3rd board from the retailer. Same problem. It's possible that Asus had a batch of bad chips and all three boards had them, but that seems unlikely...

Yes, board #1 no work, new battery no work
board #2 no work, new battery no work
board #3 no work, new battery no work.

I'm thinking it's not the battery. So far I've had 6 different batteries including 3 different brands.

....Mem test passes fine.

...The ASUS tech asked me to switch drives and see if I could make a BIOS change. Switched drives, no fix. At this point it's either the Seasonic PSU or the video card and nobody thinks it's the video card.

While it may not be quite the same issue, it does raise concerns. I am doubting whether or not I have a bad motherboard. However, my only choices for this problem would be the CPU (if that's even possible), the BIOS, or the motherboard.



ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Thanks in advance

[Sema4]

Do you have another motherboard or system that you can test the Q6600 in to prove conclusively that it's ok ? It would be good to eliminate that from the equation if it's at all possible...

Did you remove the CMOS battery when installing the Q6600 in the first place ?

It seems odd that you get post problems even with the P4 that will, on occasion, post successfully...

Have you tried removing the CMOS battery and leaving it out while trying to start the computer ?

You have clearly been very thorough as it is, and I, like you, am clutching at straws, just trying to help...

[AuDioFreaK39]

so you're saying I should try leaving the CMOS battery OUT and trying to get it to POST? Hmm, I think I'll try that. Thanks



btw I don't know of anyone that has a quad core supporting motherboard, so I can't really try it on another system.

[AuDioFreaK39]

Nope. Removing the battery didn't work.

But there's another thing I'd like to make note of:

When I had a keyboard plugged in and I flipped the power switch to ON, if the keyboard briefly lit up before I pressed the power button, that meant that it wouldn't POST. However, if the keyboard briefly lit up AFTER I pressed the power button, it would POST. I made this assumption when I used the Pentium 4. Does this situation relate to anything between the motherboard getting power at the right time?

Oh and BTW I tried this on two different power supplies and the same thing happens.

[Sema4]

Yeah. the battery really was a long shot, but it seems you have tried everything else, and if I were in your position, I would have tried it, so I thought I would suggest it...

More interestingly however, is keyboard lights.... and FWIW, all I can offer on the subject is this...

I recently had a PSU fail on me, it's a peculiar fail however, fuses were all good, the ASUS motherboard it's connected to has an LED that stays lit when the power supply is connected and switched on, yet the computer won't start when I hit the button on the front. Fan's don't turn, nothing happens at all.... but the green LED says the motherboard has power....

The interesting part ? When I switch the PSU on, the lights on the keyboard flash for a second then go out....

I swapped the PSU for another one, and the lights on the keyboard DONT flash when I turn it on, and the computer boots perfectly every time, confirming my first PSU has a fault..

You have tried 2 separate PSU's, thus ruling out the possibility of a PSU failure similar to mine.... I just can't help but find it interesting that the keyboard lights flash in the same manor mine do with my faulty PSU. This flashing of lights when turning the PSU on, is really not supposed to happen...

So... this 'flashing when turning the PSU on', it happens only occasionally with the P4 ? and when it doesn't happen, it posts ok ? Does this mean it flashes every single time with the Q6600?

It would certainly appear to be a logic fault of some kind if it's random....

[AuDioFreaK39]

So... this 'flashing when turning the PSU on', it happens only occasionally with the P4 ? and when it doesn't happen, it posts ok ? Does this mean it flashes every single time with the Q6600?

It would certainly appear to be a logic fault of some kind if it's random....

Correct. It happens occasionally with the P4, and when it doesn't flash as soon as I flip the switch (but after the system powers up for the first second) then it POSTs okay. But yes, it does flash every single time I flip the switch with the Q6600.

Before I decide to shoot myself, I just went ahead and did an RMA for the motherboard. The sad part though is, I'm going to be on vacation all next week and won't be back until Saturday. If I receive the board in its repaired form and it still doesn't work, I think i'll go ahead and pull the trigger. This is just ridiculous. Anyways, wish the ASUS team luck as they try to repair this one. Thanks for all your replies

[AuDioFreaK39]

GAHH!! FOUND THE PROBLEM!!

THE LGA 775 SOCKET HAD 2 BENT PINS!!

thank you ASUS for sending me a defective motherboard, i did NOT put those there.

I will be returning this to Newegg and purchasing a working one tonight

[xiao]

is it working now that its replaced now?

[ikonia]

how does a socket have bent pins ? the cpu has pins the socket has holes

[Tetras]

how does a socket have bent pins ? the cpu has pins the socket has holes

You donut

Incase it isn't a joke: LGA = Land Grid Array (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_grid_array).

[redlight]

how does a socket have bent pins ? the cpu has pins the socket has holes

Hope you were joking with that comment.