New build

Dr Nic

Hi guys,
opinions please on my 4th build. Just need it to be quick, not for gaming purposes

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3570K Box, LGA1155|€211.70
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€36.71
LG GH22NS50/70/90 bare schwarz|€17.30
Xigmatek Asgard, ATX, ohne Netzteil, schwarz|€31.61
be quiet! Pure Power 430 Watt / BQT L7|€42.88
Ultron Cardreader 75-in-1, intern, schwarz|€8.99
WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s|€61.69
Samsung SSD 830 256GB SATA II Paper Box|€206.84
MSI Z77A-G43, Intel Z77, ATX, DDR3|€91.69

Eboggles

No gaming? What sort of stuff will you be doing? Anyway, get this instead:

Item|Price
Intel Core i5-3450 Box, LGA1155|€173.14
ASRock H61M/U3S3 (B3), Sockel 1155, mATX|€54.05
8GB-Kit G.Skill PC3-10667U CL9|€36.71
Antec BasiQ VP350|€34.38
BitFenix Merc Alpha|€31.61
LiteOn iHAS124-19 schwarz SATA|€18.57
Ultron Cardreader 75-in-1, intern, schwarz|€8.99
WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s|€61.69
Samsung SSD 830 256GB SATA II Paper Box|€206.84
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€644.97

My opinion of course, but I wouldn't find much need for an overclocking chip. Saves a lot of money too!

Dr Nic

Basically open CAD drawings all day. Not GPU intensive at all, but does require a semi decent processor. Thanks!

Sarz91

Are you talking about 3D models or 2D? I know Creo 5.0 eats anything under a 2.4 GHz CPU speed so you should be more than able to run anything with that. Are you thinking of overclocking? Will you be using the likes of CFD?

Dr Nic

Just 2d autocad drawings. Its not for me so thats about all i can tell you

Sarz91

To be honest, with 2D drawings being the only major function, CPU speed doesn't have to be as high as 2.4 GHz. I'd go with the build that was suggested as the option of running a 3D modelling programme still exists with that build in case the user decides to start.

Dr Nic

Hi Guys, a little help with build?
Its all pieced together in the case.

But when i powered it up, the fans spin etc, but nothing comes up on the screen. No bios screen flashes up

I've tried disconnecting all sata drives from the mobo but still nothing out from the vga

Im just thinking that its vga, dva and hdmi out. Could it be that hdmi out has taken over?
Any idea's?

Dr Nic

Sugarman - its bought already! Thanks
Any help with getting it running?

Dr Nic

Ok so i've taken everything out and off the mobo cept for the cpu and fan - still nothing on the vga or hdmi. Not even a flicker of the bios boot screen.

Sure shouldnt the mobo bios boot flicker on vga without even a cpu installed??
This is the first time this has ever happened, after 6 builds
Please help!!
Thanks...

Sarz91

Dr Nic wrote: »

Ok so i've taken everything out and off the mobo cept for the cpu and fan - still nothing on the vga or hdmi. Not even a flicker of the bios boot screen.

Sure shouldnt the mobo bios boot flicker on vga without even a cpu installed??
This is the first time this has ever happened, after 6 builds
Please help!!
Thanks...

Stupid question but does your monitor work? Is it at fault? Does anything appear on screen at all?

Procrastastudy

When it has memory in is it POSTING? You should hear a "Beep". If you're not getting that something is up. It could be a short somewhere - try taking the mobo out of the case.

Eboggles

Dr Nic wrote: »

Ok so i've taken everything out and off the mobo cept for the cpu and fan - still nothing on the vga or hdmi. Not even a flicker of the bios boot screen.

Sure shouldnt the mobo bios boot flicker on vga without even a cpu installed??
This is the first time this has ever happened, after 6 builds
Please help!!
Thanks...

You do have the CPU 8-pin connector in properly? A lot of people forget this.

But then again you have done 6 builds so you're not a noob .

Skylinehead

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

When it has memory in is it POSTING? You should hear a "Beep". If you're not getting that something is up. It could be a short somewhere - try taking the mobo out of the case.

You need a 4-pin speaker to hear that.

Procrastastudy

Skylinehead wrote: »

You need a 4-pin speaker to hear that.

Orly? I've never connected anything and mine goes beep

I thought they were built in. Either that or I have the Chucky PC!

Dr Nic

Eboggles wrote: »

Dr Nic wrote: »

Ok so i've taken everything out and off the mobo cept for the cpu and fan - still nothing on the vga or hdmi. Not even a flicker of the bios boot screen.

Sure shouldnt the mobo bios boot flicker on vga without even a cpu installed??
This is the first time this has ever happened, after 6 builds
Please help!!
Thanks...

You do have the CPU 8-pin connector in properly? A lot of people forget this.

But then again you have done 6 builds so you're not a noob .

I do I think. Isn't it designed so that it can't be put in the wrong way. Ie with one square pin

Took everything out and put back in, still the same. Nothing.

The only thing I can think of is, the first time I ran it, a wire jammed the CPU fan for 5 seconds. Could this have blown the CPU?

How can I troubleshoot this? Shouldn't the mobo run its bios to VGA with nothing connected to it even cpu?

Monotype

No, you need a CPU. The fan not working for 5 seconds wouldn't destroy a CPU. You'll need RAM to boot too, although it should be able to switch on without RAM.

Try shorting the two power pins to make sure it's not the Power on switch.
It might be worthwhile swapping in a different PSU if you have it too.

Dr Nic

Well i've tried another psu - same thing.
I tried every configuration i can think of...

But i still never even get a blink on my keyboard caps lock or num etc. No vga output at all

From searching online - some ppl have had the exact same problem with this mobo and have returned it.

I have a callback scheduled with hardwareversand. Hope they can help!

Dr Nic

Has anyone dealt with hardwareversand via phone or email?

I tried calling them but its german only.
So i sent an email
I would really like to get this sorted quickly. The person who wants it is getting itchy!!

Anyone have a socket 1155 motherobard to try this out??
:-((

Procrastastudy

I've heard you speak to one person its German only hang up ring them again and someone will speak English to you. It's hit and miss.

Dr Nic

Well i called again and again until i got an english speaker. He basically said just send back the mobo and then hung up.
He didnt give me any trouble shooting advice.

So has anyone got any idea's how to debug this. A 20 day turn around time would really be a disaster for a new mobo.

I might just buy a new one in a bricks and mortar tomorrow and just get a refund

Anyone else got any ideas how to figure out what is going wrong??
Thanks!

Procrastastudy

To be fair there's not a lot you can do - sounds like you've tried most things. There's no absolute right to reject the goods but you'd have a strong case you'd be better getting them to agree to it before you do it though.

You'll find it difficult to find an up to date mobo in bricks and mortar stores I'm afraid. Maybe try Komplett they are quite a quick turn around on deliveries.

Dr Nic

Ok guys, can some one please help

I just got the exact same mobo shipped as replacement.
And guess what? The exact same behaviour!

This time i put in the cpu, fan, ram and thats all. just plugged in the 2 power cables from the psu and one button from the case.

the mobo was just on the protective mat beside the case - not possible to be grounded...

Still nothing out on vga or keyboard.

Can anyone help me debug this?
Please!!!
Thanks!!

Monotype

Did you try shorting the two power pins with a screwdriver so that you may eliminate a broken power button?

Dr Nic

Ok just fashioned a mobo speaker.

The asrock h61m is giving me 4 beeps on boot...
How the hell to debug?
But at least its some progress!!

BostonB

Maybe this
http://www.asrock.com/support/faq.asp?k=4+beeps

5 beeps is CPU. Try reseating it. Also clear your cmos

Dr Nic

Nothing in the mobo guide

http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml
helps a little - basically 4 beeps is the same as 2 beeps which is just follow ram

So i jigged the ram a lot. Same 4 beeps with both my rams in, none of them in, or either of them in. Same 4 beeps with known working ram from another rig

So its not the ram id say...

Anyone with some help?
Thanks!

Dr Nic

Thanks saw thatpage - nothing under4 beeps??

BostonB

Start out with the basic's nothing. Boot on the PSU and get the error code for no cpu or vga. then add each thing getting the right error code. If you never get the right error code maybe the board is faulty.

Dr Nic

How do mean error code?
Will this be viewable from VGA even without CPU/RAM?

I think i have a lead.

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/48925-new-asrock-h67m-itx-wont-post-4-beeps.html
Old bios on mobo??

Dr Nic

So from this page http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H61M-GS/?cat=Download&o=BIOS
This mobo only supports Intel Gen 3 from bios version 1.5 onwards, which was only released at the end of April
Possible that this mobo from komplett and the last one i ordered from hardwareversand had the old bios on it

Now how the fook do i update the bios without a cpu to even boot into the bios screen???
Balls!!!

Dr Nic

Phew...

Looks like there's light at the end of the tunnel!!!
Found a sticker on the mobo that says P1.20-1A

So that means, im willing to wager that this mobo does indeed have the old bios on it!!!
And it wont support my processor until i update to P1.50

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H61M-GS/?cat=CPU

So now i need an older processor to get the bios to run temporarily so i can update to the new chip bios...
Anyone willing to donate a chip for 20 mins...

At least we know now anyway!!