A64 Build - Power up Problem

Morkin

Folks,

Spec.

Athlon3200+, Epox 9NDA3+, ThermalTake Butterfly 480W PSU, Thernaltake Xaser case, Radeon 9200 (for testing), Generic 256MB DIMM. USB keyboard and mouse.

Built the thing outside the case on the antistatic bag. Hit power switch and fans spin for less than 1 sec and the thing shuts down.

After a few more tries I held the power button in for a count of 5 (like one does to power down a sick Windoze box) and then release and pressed again. The CPU booted to BIOS so I thought okay, something funny with power settings but there is nothing to change so I thought I'll put up with this and sort it later.

Went ahead and built same stuff in case and the Power problem is the same but now when it eventaull tries to boot it goes through a few thing then stops and reports FF (boot attempt) on the POST LED. Maybe a short will try this later.

So, can anyone shed light on the peculiar power up requirements? Could the switch mechanism on the case be dodgy?

All help appreciated,

M.

BTW Will try another PSU and my old case to isolate switch mechanism and PSU.

po0k

After removing the PSU and switch as factors, you might want to read up on the Epox board (perhaps at the manufacturer's site/forum) regarding BIOS updates and the revision of your CPU.

Some boards shipping at this very minute have BIOSes from months ago and may not boot with a Rev E3 or E4 (Venice/San Diego) Athlon64.

If that is the case either borrow an older cpu off someone to boot and flash the board or email Epox support and ask them to mail you out a new BIOS chip.
I dunno if all mobo manufacturers do this, but DFI have been known to do it.

Morkin

Update:

Switch Mechanism is fine. Boots up an Athlon XP system no worries.

Thermaltake PSU powers up same Athlon XP system no worries

Tried a PSU from a P4 (3.2GHz Prescott) machine with my EPoX board and 3200+ Athlon but it does the exact same as the Thermaltake so I think that's okay too.

Any ideas? This is a brand new board

Will try in the next few days with another known working Athlon 3200 system to try to isolate again and if not I'll head over to Intel land :mad:

Again any input appreciated,

M.

Sparky

same problem happened to me.
Before i got a new psu i had to hold the power button on the case and plug in the power lead to the psu.

so i bought a antec neopower 480watt and it works a pleasure, but i get the problem if i try and startup within a minute of plugging it in (other than the instant plug in method)
after a minute i assume the capacitors are charged and it boots up grand.
Leaving the psu plugged in all the time the computer starts as normal.

boards ok its just i reckon the big pull on power at startup thats the problem.

Morkin

Thanks for the info. Sparky_S. Would you mind posting the specs. of your machine? And also where did you pick up the Antec neopower 480W?

If this is it d'ya think I'll have any hope RMAing the Thermaltake (cost me 110 yoyos after all!)

Hopefully I'll get the system up at some stage.

M.

Sparky

epox 9nda3j
amd 64 3000 s939
nvidia 6600gt
2gb ram
160hdd
phillips cdrw and dvd+/-rw

antec neopower 480 was got through komplett
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=305077&cks=PLC
150 euros altogether if you take an post delievery

BTW did you try the hold the case button while plugging in the psu lead or switching on the psu switch method?

Morkin

Thanks for the specs Sparky_S. I'll try holding the power switch whilst plugging into/turning on the mains this evening.

Using the other PSU did no damage to your board then I take it?

What was the old underpowered PSU BTW?

I'll update when I've done more tests.

M.

po0k

ffs, did you read my post at all Morkin?

Check with Epox, google for information or user problems on the board.
Look at the release notes for the last few BIOS updates for it.
EMAIL EPOX ffs.
They make budget boards, but they're regarded as being solid boards.

You've removed the PSU and case PWR_SW as factors, so it's possibly the cpu, mobo or ram. It's probable that none of them are dead, unless you took them out of the anti-static bags and proceeded to lick the factory-fresh sheen off them. More than likely it's a "BIOS - CPU revision" incompatability.

If you value your hearing don't get an Intel rig, unless you can afford a Tri-120mm rad-based watercooling system.

Morkin

@SyxPak,

I read your mail and appreciate the input. I emailed EpoX UK support last night and am awaiting a reply. I dunno if it's a BIOS version issue though as it booted to the BIOS screen once and detected an Athlon 3200. I know early rev.'s of this board/BIOS combo had issues CPU recognition but have been unable to find the exact symptoms to check against my situation - would such a system boot once and then not again?

I'm still dodgy about the PSU tbh - wonlt be happy until I see it powering an Athlon 64 based system (hopefully soon as my mate has just built one).

As before that's for the feedback and I'll update when/if I get the issue resolved.

M.

Col_Loki

TBH i think it would be a very very stupid move to buy a new power supply, that just isint lightly to be your problem... like SyxPak said. The power drain if your using a 9200 and a 3200+ is going to be way off what the peak power is for the TT PSU, that system would prob boot on a generic 350w piece of crap , never mind a 480w decent one.

I would definetly re-sit the CPU & Heatsink, if its a socket A ive had very simular problems as you've mentioned. The fans spin for a sec and then power goes, i switched the heatsink and it worked perfectly (put back on the other heatsink, same problem, re-sit it again and it booted ok).... a little wierd but it sorted the problem.

I would rule out shorting (since you tried it out of the case), but thats another common problem.

Re-sit the Ram, the CPU and the heatsink.....

Morkin

I just tested the Thermaltake PSU with a 3.2GHz P4 (prescott) system here at work and it booked no problems at all. So it's down to the mobo. or CPU.

Will reseat CPU and reapply goo and try with a PCI graphics card.

Update Monday probably.

Anyone knwo the symptoms if the EPoX doesn't recognise the CPU? Are the consistent with the issues I'm having?

Thanks for listening so far,

M.

Morkin

This is weird but here's my work around for the mo.

I finally got the thing to boot but have to keep the power switch pressed in before I turn on the PSU - fortunately my PSU has an on/off switch. I then release the case power switch and the thing boots.

I've installed Win XP Pro with the kit outside the box and will try to move things inside tonight.

I've been following various other threads esp. at www.aoaforums.com and this is a v. common problem with Venice core Athlon64s esp. with EPoX boards. Some are fixed easily by PSU replacement but some still require the kludge fix to boot.

I've had no response from either EPoX or Thermaltake but I'll try to get my hands on some more PSU's and resolve this - maybe even produce a list.

If only PC World stocked decent PSUs as they have an simple return policy. Maplin nearly torture a confession out of folks!

Thanks for listening,

M.

Morkin

Okay so I got the machine to boot with the "holding the the switch then connect the PSU kludge". Spec. was 3200 A64, 2x512MB Corsair XMS Pro RAM, SATA Drive, IDE HDD, DVD-RW, ATI 9200 AGP card, and the Thermaltake 480W PSU.

Installed some drivers for the board. Powered down and replace the test 9200 card with my 9800 Pro which needs a four pin power connector.

Went to power on using the "holding the the switch then connect the PSU kludge" but the thing won't budge no way no how.

So looks like I'm on the trail for a better PSU but I'm unsure as to what I need to improve - which rail etc. I though the AGP cards took 1.5V so the 9800 Pro shouldn't crap out the system more than the 9200.

<UPDATE>
Bought a cheap-ass Q-Tec 650W and tested it last night. It runs the system fine including the 9800 Pro BUT it will only boot by connecting the power cable to the PSU. The power button only does tha same as the two other PSU's I tried, it just spins the fans briefly. Am gonna try another PSU this evening - an Enermax Noisetaker 600W but that's €215!

This looks more and more like a temperamental motherboard (or mobo/CPU combination). Still no response from EpoX though.

Stephen

Are you sure you've got the power switch connected to the correct pins on the motherboard?