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Motherboard and CPU

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by baabaa, Oct 2, 2004.

  1. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    I purchased a motherboard ages ago, 6 months at least and it has been sitting in a box in my cupboard ever since.
    The Motherboard is an ASUS A7V400-MX, and it lists that it is compatible with Athlon XP CPU's.

    Do you think this motherboard will run with an AMD Athlon 1GHz? - NOT an XP one.
    I ask, as I have just done an upgrade and have an athlon left over which is in fully working condition.
    The code is Athlon A1000AMT3C, now I know this is an Athlon and NOT an XP with 266FSB capabilities @1GHz.

    I have been to ASUS website and it is crap at offering compatitble CPU's with motherboards - as I can't find a listing anywhere.

    I think Mr K can answer this one........


     
  2. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    One thing I need to learn, is read a little more and you will find it........LMAO and giving myself a right good slapping.............

    Found out that it is compatible, so I inserted it today and got some strange results.

    Just Motherboard on the bench with a PSU, PC2100 128Mb Ram and the CPU,HS/Fan inserted.

    On bootup, it kicks up - CPU fan spins and 2 secs later shuts off, then reboots again (without me turning it on), CPU fan spins and it boots up fine.

    Now after this has happened it does not happen again if I manually shut off by holding the power switch on for 4 secs and then turn on again it is fine UNTIL I remove the mains power, then this bootup issue repeats itself.

    Have reseated the CPU, different type of RAM tried etc...

    Nothing in the BIOS that can effect it, it detects it as 1000MHz Athlon.
    Set the Motherboard to default at 200MHz FSB which reduces the CPU to 750MHz and is correct.......

    Sounds strange and hard to explain really, anyone have any thoughts???????????????
    _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Beware of the Pixies - they move in over night and turn your life upside down

    [​IMG] [​IMG][/small]
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2004
  3. agent-k

    agent-k Regular member

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    Either the motherboard or the psu is re-setting itself.
    It seems to be remembering it's settings until the power is cut.
    What Power supply are you using?
     
  4. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    Yes I considered that aswell, but there is no way it can do that, this is a hardware issue.........

    I have found out where the problem lies.

    The fact that the mains cable issue has nothing to do with it - but it is still wierd to explain......

    I checked out the CPU on my mates Motherboard with my PSU and RAM - No Problems, sprung into life.
    So CPU OK, PSU OK......

    Points to a motherboard issue.
    Well, I took the motherboard back and they replaced it - still got the same problem Eh - WTF!!!!!!!!!

    Possible CPU seating issue I thought - nope not that either.

    It IS down to the +5VSB, PS_ON or POWER_OK lines.

    If I just plug in the ATX connector, then it has the problem, now if I plug the connector in and put pressure on the cables - Hey presto it works..........

    So it points to an issue with the connector, but it works on another Motherboard!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Well I compared the ATX socket on my motherboard and my mates different type ASUS motherboard, and the pins are different in construction.

    There are what I can describe 2 peaks that are pushed together in the middle, now on mine the 'peaks' are crushed together, on my mates there is a little air gap between and I believe this is what is causing the problem.........

    I shall prove it tomorrow, but if I am right then my supplier and ASUS are going to get some choice words......because it points to a bad batch of boards....

    I know it happens but hell......we shall see....

     
  5. The_OGS

    The_OGS Active member

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    Hi Baabaa,
    We all remember the original Thunderbird @ 100Mhz x 10 = 1000.
    But when the very first 133FSB TBirds came out, there was 133MHz x 7.5 = 1000!
    It is likely that this is your chip.
    Which is a good thing - now you can run your PC2100 synchronously :)
    I had a TBird 1200 (133 x 9) on a Tyan mobo, coupla years back...
    Regards

    Edit: I just read your mobo manual,
    seems like a nice board.
    USB 2.0, OnBoard graphics + AGP8x slot, 1394firewire, etc.
    Pretty modern - should make nice little rig ;)
    L8R
    _X_X_X_X_X_[small][​IMG]

    ABIT AN7 nForce2 Ultra 400
    XP2500+ Barton @ 3200+
    2 x 512MB PC3200[/small]
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2004
  6. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    If I can get it working that is......LOL....

    Yes, it was a good price aswell from http://www.overclockers.co.uk

    Just got to get this PSU issue out of the way.

    I am just slapping it together, I do have P4 machine at the moment which is my main PC.
    But I am moving house in a couple of months and looking at getting this one up and running for a network...............
     
  7. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    Nah, no good cannot get to the bottom of this......

    It is not the ATX connector or Motherboard ATX socket afterall........ belled out ALL the pins, and opened up the pins to make sure there is a wider area to make contact within the receptacle of the ATX connector:-(

    Tried a 350/400/450/550 and 600 watt power supplies and still the same results, because I thought the 5VSB may be a little low on power....but nope.....

    Not like me to give up, digressed the BIOS line by line to see if ANY settings improved the situation and zippo...............

    The only possible thing I can think of is that the CPU is not 100% compatible with this motherboard maybe due to the operating voltage or other variable........

    Actually it emphasises my own personal opinion of Athlon CPUs compared to that of the Pentiums in which I have never EVER had ANY issues with Pentium based motherboards.

    It may be an ASUS trait but would not like to comment as I have read about strange issues encountered with some motherboards........

    Anyway, never mind, easy come easy go I suppose......going to take the motherboard back I think and buy a really cheap and nasty one - and I bet it works.........LOL
     
  8. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    Going for one last attempt....

    Everything is pointing to an incompatibility between the PSU's that I have tested and the Motherboard.....

    I think there is 'too much' of a delay between when I turn it on and the POWER_OK to come up.......this points directly to the motherboard, however due to the different PSU's I have used, I think the delay is caused by the 'impedance' of the motherboard...

    So going to try a little 'wizardry' to try and get it going..............
     
  9. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    check power management in bios & see if everything is turned off as one of the settings is for power failure like in blackout & if on in setting will turn on by itself once power is plugged in
     
  10. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Athlon K75-1000
    Clock: 1000Mhz
    Multiplier: 10.0x
    FSB: 100Mhz
    Package: Socket242 (SlotA)
    Voltage: 1.60V

    Athlon Thunderbird 1000
    Clock: 1000Mhz
    Multiplier: 10.0
    FSB: 100Mhz (200DDR)
    Package: Socket242 (Slot A) and Socket 462 (Socket A)
    Voltage: 1.60V (Slot) and 1.75V (Socket)

    If you've got a Socket462 chip (which im pretty sure you do) then you should be good to go. The nice thing is, since the older chips use a higher voltage you cant really mess up anything if there is incompatibility since the mobo will be delivering a lower voltage if it doesnt work :)

    Set it to 100Mhz FSB and 10.0 multiplier :) Try matching the above settings :)
     
  11. The_OGS

    The_OGS Active member

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    No, as I have said it runs 133 x 7.5 = 1000 :)
    (It is the very first, lowest-clocked 133FSB TBird)
    L8R
     
  12. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    I took the motherboard back, explained the problem, they gave me a blank look, and gave me another one.

    Got it back - same thing again.

    Purchased an XP2500+ and an XP1800+ - inserted them and guess what - same thing again.
    That kinda narrowed the problem down....LMFAO.....

    Took the motherboard back AGAIN, and spoke to someone else.
    They actually told me this was normal for this motherboard and that ASUS had implemented a slightly different POST and that is what is happening, and that it was not faulty.
    I told him - bollocks, when I press the power button, then I expect the dam thing to power up straight away and none of this EXTRA POST bullshit - it doesn't have time to even load it........

    After a few baabaa words, and alot of embarrassment to him (in front of many prospective clients....LOL), I got him to give me an equivalent, really cheapo MSI KM4M-V.

    Got it home, stuck the athlon 1000 in and bingo - first time power up, every time........

    I shall email ASUS regarding this and see if this jerkoff was telling the truth, however my logic tells me he is full of shit, and also I have not been able to come across ANY instances where this has happened to anybody else with this type of motherboard.

    Well, good news is it is up and running.

    Loaded windows 95 up on it for a laugh.....fusking hell talk about QUICK.................booted up in 14 seconds..............

     
  13. cdub998

    cdub998 Member

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    Also with those ASUS boards they are picky about how your heatsink is seated on your chip. Mine used to do that until i got better thermal paste and seated it again.
     
  14. OZiggy

    OZiggy Member

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    baabaa

    I just thought I would tell you that I have had the exact same experience with the ASUS A7V400-MX. It powers up then dies than powers up, but if it stays on it isn't for long. What a piece of junk. The ASUS tech support said try a different power supply (like we have those sitting around). I used one out of a working computer and I had the same problem. I built a number of machines and this is the first time I have encountered anything like this. If this is suppose to be normal for ASUS mobos then I think from now on I will have to use a different brand. That powering up and shutting down cannot be an intentional thing. I think they just sold us some cow stuff.
     
  15. baabaa

    baabaa Active member

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    It is the only ASUS motherboard I have encountered this problem with.

    When the board was up and running, it ran great - can't fault that part.
    It was just so annoying, and in my opinion bad.......

    I don't know as of yet what the problem is with it, but I am pretty sure it is a bad design.
    If it is not a BIOS/POST feature, then I am sure it is a design bug.

    The fact that the PSU requires a loop back signal from the motherboard to enable points me in the direction that there is either too much impedance or capacitance on one of the supply rails to the motherboard, therefore there is too much of a delay between the PSU signal getting to the motherboard in order to send an ok signal back, and the chipsets have fired up with no go go juice to start up the CPU.....................

    Anyway, I shall not forget this episode.

    Hope you get it nailed.................
     
  16. OZiggy

    OZiggy Member

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    Thanks, I am still dealing with the ASUS tech support, but I don't have much hope. In the mean time I am going to get a cheapy board and I am sure it will work. I will let you know if I ever get it resolved.

    Regards
    OZiggy
     
  17. The_OGS

    The_OGS Active member

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    Noticed there has been a FLURRY of BIOS updates for this mobo, 3 new ones in the past few weeks alone...
    Dunno if that helps but, it is very unlike Asus to allow these problems to persist.
    If a particular chipset has a problem (VIA or whatever) ASUS is famous for cooking up a BIOS to make it function while other manufacturers products remain bugged.
    This mobo is pretty new (I thought maybe it was old stuff) and so, do not give up hope just yet! :)
    I am now going to read your mobo manual, see if there's anything weird in there...
    I'll let ya know.
    L8R
     
  18. OZiggy

    OZiggy Member

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    Thanks "The_OGS" I appreciate your help
     

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