dead motherboard?

tuxy

Hey, I hope this is the best forum for this.

I have been using a Asus P5W DH Deluxe with a E6600 cpu.

When I first got this I had been running it at 3 ghz (which primed for a few hours with out errors) but after about 3 weeks windows became corrupt. So i reset to stock and reinstalled windows. Ran fine for about 4 weeks, then windows became corrupt again. So i reinstalled again, only this time when rebooting after the install I can't get it to post.

Both times just before windows became corrupt I would have trouble with files i downloaded, like crc errors with rar and zip files.

The board and all fans power up. but nothing comes on the display and no keyboard lights come on, it does not lock up because I can power off by holding the power button.I have tried resetting bios and this has not helped.

For some reason my case which also came form ocuk has no speaker so I don't know how to diagnose what part is at fault.I have tried resetting bios and this has not helped. But I would think it is the motherboard. Power supply rails were perfect last time i checked and the cpu and memory passed all stress tests I ever ran.
So should I try to RMA the motherboard? I can't be sure its the motherboard.
Even if I can somehow get it to post again I'm not happy to run it, I have lost too much data to corruption as it is.
Any advice on what to do would be much appreciated.

full system all ordered from ocuk
Asus P5W DH Deluxe WiFi (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
Intel Core 2 DUO E6600 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.40GHz (1066FSB)
NZXT Lexa Classic Series Ultra light Aluminum Midtower
Samsung SH-S182D 18x18 DVD±RW ReWriter (Black)
Connect3D ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256MB GDDR3 AVIVO TV-Out/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
Enermax Noisetaker 485W EG495AX-VE(G) SFMA ATX2.0 PSU
Scythe Ninja Plus Heatpipe CPU Cooler (Socket 478, 754, 939, 940, LGA755)
G.Skill 2GB DDR2 HZ PC2-6400 (2x1GB) CAS4 Dual Channel Kit
Western Digital Raptor 74GB WD740ADFD 10,000RPM SATA 16MB Cache

tuxy

update

With no CMOS battery in the motherboard boots fine, I can the change setting and get into windows. Cold booting with CMOS battery in (ie some settings saved) and the board will not boot.

I have no idea whats wrong or even if the board is faulty for sure.

Anti

Now that you can get into windows. Can you flash the bios ?

tuxy

Anti wrote:

Now that you can get into windows. Can you flash the bios ?

Yes, no problem flashing bios, have tried a few different ones which have not helped.
I can only cold boot when the bios is clear, once any changes have been made it will not cold boot. Even if the only changes I make are to load fail safe setting.

So I can boot anytime with out fail if the battery is out. Make any changes I want and
get into windows. But cold boot with the battery in just wont work. I have even tried a new battery and that has not helped.

I have never seen anything like this before.

Anti

Did this happen after the thunder and lightening the other night?


The only time i have ever seen this was that the bios chip was fried, Which obviously required a new motherboard.

Also have you tried ASUS'S tech support? I found them fairly decent anytime i needed anything.

tuxy

I don't think there was any lighting in this part of the country.

I rang the asus UK phone number and was told they only do tech support for motherboards online. For the online support I am told I need the serial number for the motherboard, which is on the box it came in. Of course I don't have the box anymore as I got the board 6 months ago.

Anti

I had that problem too. But apparently the serial number is on ( wait for it ) Near the serial port on the moptherboard itself. But infact was on the usb ports. Have a look. If not contact the manufacturer and RMA it.

tuxy

Anti wrote:

I had that problem too. But apparently the serial number is on ( wait for it ) Near the serial port on the moptherboard itself. But infact was on the usb ports. Have a look. If not contact the manufacturer and RMA it.

Thanks anti, will have to take all the parts off it and look closely at the board, my eyesight isn't the best.

Do you think I should be able to RMA through asus? I really dread the thought of sending a RMA in with overclockers.co.uk . Or are they not as bad as I have heard? I only ordered from the because komplett who i normaly deal with didn't have it in stock.

Anti

Ive just RMA'd a graphics card, HAd to wait for a RMa number, as it was a new product, but no hassle. Was through overclockers.

Not worth trying it throuhg asus. Will take ages.

tuxy

Anti wrote:

Ive just RMA'd a graphics card, HAd to wait for a RMa number, as it was a new product, but no hassle. Was through overclockers.

Not worth trying it throuhg asus. Will take ages.

I have heard that if you have the product for less then 28 days, they will test it and if faulty send a replacment from their stock right away.
However if you have it longer, they will test it and if faulty send it back to the manufacture.
Then you have to wait for the manufacture to send the replacement to them and they pass it on to you. Of course the second way it can take weeks and any delay is blamed on the manufacture.

This is just what I have heard from reading online forums so it may not be true. But from reading their support page there seems to be a different process for items that are over 28 days old. So it is a bit of a worry.

Hopefully someone who has more experience with ocuk can prove me wrong on it.

Anti

I have never RMA'd anything over 2 weeks old. So i wouldnt be able to tell you. Might be best to ring them in the morning. Their phone staff are actually pretty nice. Apart from one guy called alan i think.

Best of luck anyway.

Cuddlesworth

When you ran memory tests did you run them overnight? Most times with me I don't see errors on memtest until about 5 hours into it, running test 8.

tuxy

krazy_8s wrote:

When you ran memory tests did you run them overnight? Most times with me I don't see errors on memtest until about 5 hours into it, running test 8.

No I ran it for about 2 hours. But I think I can be fairly sure at this stage that its the motherboard. A faulty motherboard can cause windows corruption right?

I will contact ocuk tomorrow and if they are better at handling rma's then i though I will be back to set the record straight.

shanethemofo

same thing happened to my p5b dlx except mine came DOA . just sent it back (pixmania) bout 4 weeks and got a email from them on thursday with a dispatch of a new one *crosses fingers that this one will work*

tuxy

Right just got a RMA number but .....


"If you are returning an Intel 775 motherboard you MUST fit the socket protector before shipping. If the board is shipped without this protector your warranty will be voided."

I have the board almost 7 months now and no longer have the socket protector. Anyone have any idea what I should do?

Cuddlesworth

tuxy wrote:

Right just got a RMA number but .....


"If you are returning an Intel 775 motherboard you MUST fit the socket protector before shipping. If the board is shipped without this protector your warranty will be voided."

I have the board almost 7 months now and no longer have the socket protector. Anyone have any idea what I should do?

I'm going to say bull****, in the same way they demand that you have all the original packaging. Your not a recepticle for keeping crap.

tuxy

Ya good point, if I was to keep on to everything I would have to dedicate a room in my house to keep all the stuff.

game4it70

i just got the p5b deluxe wifi. you can have my socket protector if u want.pm if interested.

tuxy

Hi game4it70, I already found someone who is willing to send me one. Thanks.

tuxy

omg I'm starting to think core 2 duo hates me.

I got so fed up with the asus that I got a abit aw9d-max(meant to be a great board)
I set up the new board power on and on the led read-out it says c1(memory error)
I reset and it say f6 (floppy controller error).

So now when I boot it intermittently gives me boot code c1 or f6. So it wont post no keyboard lights or display.
All parts still work in the asus boad once the bios battery is out.

I ring abit tech support and am told it's probably a compatibility error with the memory :mad: :mad:

Have been building p.c's for a few years and have never had trouble like this.
No Idea what to do next.

Anti

Oh yeah, hah, i didnt think of this lol. With some boards you need one set of memory to get to the bios and change the memory timings to allow it to be used with the ram you have.

You have 5300/6400 tuxy ?

Exact make and model !

tuxy

Man thats a bitch , all my friends are on ddr 1

using
G.Skill 2GB DDR2 HZ PC2-6400
4-4-4-12 @ 2.0-2.1 volts
I know that abit board defaults to 1.8 volts so i guess thats not helping. As for timings for the board, I dont know but I do know the new bios added alot of memory timmings. Of course if I cant boot I can't update the bios.

Anti

the evga board i have will eb fine with the ram you have, but it is very expensive. One thing you could do, isuse your CC to buy some nice expensive ram, use it to sort the timings. Then send it back under the cooling off period.

tuxy

Well it's not like this memory was really cheap (330 euro on overclockers atm)
They have 18 different sets of 2 gb 6400 and it is the 4th most expensive

Maybe get a 256mb stick of something? It should come in handy
What would you recommend?

Anti

Well i dont want you going off spending money on ram, but since you dont have access to any other ram. Unless some of the boardsies will lend you some. It might be the best idea.

tuxy

Well I won't expect anyone to loan me ddr2( that stuff isn't cheap).
I have two options, use the cooling off period on the abit(can I do that I have all pacakeging and i got it yesterday,but it is all opened). Then get a different motherboard.
Or get more ram then use the cooling off on it.

Very anoying though , because none of the parts i have are cheap.
It's the first time iv gone for exensive parts, normally I get the cheapest generic ram and low to mid range motherboard.
I have never have had this much trouble with a build before.

Anti

Yes you are covered by the cooling off period ( 14 days ) and your statuatory rights. even if the package is open. And used.

this board has no problems with any ram, but as i said its not cheap:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-000-EA

Also RMa the asus too. Asus and abit are the two worst boards for ram with the c2d.

The evga is simply awesome.

tuxy

I see, so its 50 euro more then the abit or asus. Not a bad price to get this mess sorted.
Thanks for your advice yet again.

edit: one last thing komplett's site says the cooling off period is 10 days and the items must be unopened and unused

Anti

statuatory rights, and the distance selling regulations act


Google will explain them better then what i can.

But if all else fails, just break off a cap or 2. and refuse the replacement and get the refund like you are intitled too.

tuxy

When I google that the top two links say it's seven days.
The second link is the one komplett link to on their site. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/20002334.htm
I think this could be a job for the consumer issuse forum.

tuxy

I don't believe this. I got the asus board working, took me a while to get it to boot again. Then I set ram voltage to 2.3. Orthos stable for 5 hours so far, will probably run it for 12. So I guess the stupid board was undervolting the ram.

I will be staying clear of asus and abit boards in future.

How can I make sure my ram is now really stable. Run memtest86 for 12 hours?
Or is there something better.