You've heard it before - PC Won't Boot

[leachy86]

*sigh*

Hey guys,

Well, I've just built up my rig.

Athlon 4000+, Abit A8N SLi, 2x512 Corsair XMS PC3200 C2, 7800 GTX. 400w Akasa Ultra Quite Paxpower PSU.

I hooked everything up, finally plugged everything in, and switched on.

All the fans spin, no output to the monitor and no beeps.

If I take one strip of RAM out, no difference. This applies to either of the 2 sticks, which ever you take out. If you take them both out, after 2 seconds after switching on a quick succession of beeps (about 5 beeps in 5ms intervals) is heard, then 2 seconds, then the succession of beeps again.

I've ordered from Overclockers UK and I hope to god nothing is physically broke, as that means time sending it back and then time again to recieve it.

One thing, which I don't really want to say as it may cause some people to instantly point the finger at this as the problem, but...

The Corsair RAM was found random in the box, one strip on top of my GFX card box, and one in the bottom corner of the big box it all came in. The packaging for the RAM was just lying there with nothing in it. Not good service.

Fast replies appreciated, my hearts beating like mad.

[mike_w]

What PSU do you have?

Take out all the non essential components, such as hard drives, optical drives, PCI cards and floppy drives.

The fact that the motherboard beeps when the RAM is out suggests that there is at least some life in the motherboard. Does it beep once or twice when you try and boot up? (Most motherboards do when working properly)

You could also try resetting the BIOS.

Is it possible to swap out components?

[leachy86]

Right, leachy's friend replying for him now while hes trying something else.. Ah! its the RAM. he just tried putting some old RAM in it, and it worked. 1GB of Corsair at £130 and it arrived broke.. Well, this problem's solved, but Overclockers UK are gonna get an angry phone call

[Dougal]

Right, leachy's friend replying for him now while hes trying something else.. Ah! its the RAM. he just tried putting some old RAM in it, and it worked. 1GB of Corsair at £130 and it arrived broke.. Well, this problem's solved, but Overclockers UK are gonna get an angry phone call

Nope they're gonna have you getting angry at a ring tone

[Taz]

Graphics card has power (not sure if it's a PCI high-end one - if it is then it will needs its extra power connector from the PSU). P4 +12V connector plugged into motherboard from PSU?

Check LED's on motherboard and compare combination with motherboard manual.

What type of A64 is it? Does the motherboard support that version (eg. Venice) with the current BIOS?

The fans are likely to spin as they are probably powered directly from the PSU (or are you powering them through the mobo connectors)?

Just some things to try...

[Edit]: Oh well, ignore my post as I was typing it when you fixed the problem!

[Yohji]

Nope they're gonna have you getting angry at a ring tone

It took me three days of calling all the time to sort one of my orders once. New PSU for old pc came the next day recently though

[leachy86]

Right, as said I tried both sticks of the Corsair PC3200 C2 512mb on their own, individually, both of which caused the PC to provide zero beeps and no video output.

I have tried two sticks of PC333 of 256mb and it boots. The BIOS is shown and it displays the 'Operating System Not Found', which means all is well.

The RAM, as said, was quite disgracefully found scattered in the box amongst 20 other boxes and items that was in the large cardboard box delivered ruggedly by Amtrack.

I'm going to email Overclockers UK, and use 512mb of PC3200 from a friend to let me use my rig in the mean time.

The Athlon 4000+ is running at 42 deg C and I'm installing Windows, so everything else is A Okay.

[Dougal]

I'm going to email Overclockers UK, and use 512mb of PC3200 from a friend to let me use my rig in the mean time.

Their email address: "please.ring@us"

[leachy86]

I'm getting the point, OcUK's customer service will be pants then?

[leachy86]

A question:

What is the likelihood of 2 512mb strips of Corsair XMS being faulty on arrival because they fell out of the case?

The reason I ask, is to iron out a possibility that Corsair XMS PC3200 C2 512mb is incompatible with the Asus A8N SLi, which I highly doubt, but still, it seems uncanny that both sticks of RAM would be faulty.

[BUFF]

So which is it, ASUS or ABIT (you've mentioned both)?

If it's the ABIT now that you have it running try setting Vdimm to 2.7 or 2.75V & putting the Corsair back in.

[leachy86]

It's the Asus A8N, sorry for any confusion.

[Shmee150]

A question:

What is the likelihood of 2 512mb strips of Corsair XMS being faulty on arrival because they fell out of the case?

The reason I ask, is to iron out a possibility that Corsair XMS PC3200 C2 512mb is incompatible with the Asus A8N SLi, which I highly doubt, but still, it seems uncanny that both sticks of RAM would be faulty.

I have an Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe and 2GB (2x1GB) Corsair PC3200 C2PT and there is no problemo there!

ShMeE

[leachy86]

Update

It works

I took the Corsair to a friends and tested it. It worked.

This got my mind in a tangle, I had to get home.

I had only been putting it in the blue coloured dual channel memory slots.

Now it's in the black slots and it runs perfect.

Thanks for all of your replies!