Unresponsive Motherboard Problem

[snowcrashed]

Today I was installing an additional video card in my mining rig.  Booted up, everything worked fine then I restarted to configure something.  Upon reboot the system became unresponsive.  There is a power button/light on the board that shows it's getting power.  But instead of having to press the power button to boot the system, as soon as the PSU is turned on the CPU fan starts spinning and the system is completely idle/unresponsive.   Pressing the power button on the motherboard does nothing.  The CPU fan spinning is the only activity I can see and it will keep going indefinitely.  The only way to stop it is by switching the PSU off.  I tried a hard reset of the bios, pulling all components out and reseating them.  It seems only two things could be damaged, the motherboard or the PSU.  I briefly tested the PSU with a different motherboard and that board was responsive so I doubt its the PSU.

Did I fry my motherboard?  What could have caused this, static damage?

[HellDiverUK]

What motherboard?  What cards?  What PSU?  Risers?  No risers? 

[snowcrashed]

Motherboard: GA-F2A85X-UP4
Vid Card:2x Sapphire Vapor-X 7950
PSU:  Raidmax RX-850AE 850W Gold
Unpowered Risers, PCI-E 16x to 16x.

[MashRinx]

I have this issue sometimes on a machine that gives me fits from time-to-time.  Have you tired totally unplugging power form the PSU for 30 seconds or so, which  gives time for all of the capacitors on the motherboard to discharge?  When I do this, the machine doesn't auto-start when I turn the PSU back on, and waits for the power button again.

I also do not get video when I try to restart until I do this, and sometimes it takes more than once.  I've had issues with the MB for a while, so it may be slowly dying, but I've been able to nurse it along for a while with this method, so maybe it will work for you too.

When you power on and only the CPU fan spins, the GPU fans don't spin at all either?

[snowcrashed]

I have this issue sometimes on a machine that gives me fits from time-to-time.  Have you tired totally unplugging power form the PSU for 30 seconds or so, which  gives time for all of the capacitors on the motherboard to discharge?  When I do this, the machine doesn't auto-start when I turn the PSU back on, and waits for the power button again.

I also do not get video when I try to restart until I do this, and sometimes it takes more than once.  I've had issues with the MB for a while, so it may be slowly dying, but I've been able to nurse it along for a while with this method, so maybe it will work for you too.

When you power on and only the CPU fan spins, the GPU fans don't spin at all either?

Yeah I've completely disconnected the motherboard and let it sit for a long time.  Tried again and it's the same result.  Yes the GPU LEDs power on and the GPU fan spins up.  Also I initially tried running 2x7950s and a 7850 on an 850w PSU.  From what I've deduced from other people's setups, each 7950 need ~300w of the 850w to run properly.  Could underpowering the system caused a problem like I'm describing?

[iTrader]

Being a messenger:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=237264.0

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=231495.0

Having the same issue so I thought I'd sign up to add to his thread but seems the forum has limitations for newbs.

Cant even PM.

If someone could pass this onto the guy who started that thread it'd be appreciated.

I got a few 7950's as well, all came at different times so for a few days I was running on one card.  Second came so I powered down the rig, installed the GPU and when I powered it on again there was a burning plastic smell and no video output, no bios, nada.  Mobo was showing a 99 status code (super IO initialization - seems to be linked to the PCIe slots), all fans were working, even on the GPU's but nothing working.

I tried reseating, going back to one card, changing PCIe slots, even using an old GPU from our entertainment rig.  Without a GPU the mobo would put out a no video output code (no onboard) and with any GPU installed it still gave the 99 code.

I've contacted the guys I bought the mobo from to get an exchange which should happen in a few days as long as they dont try to give me the send it away for warranty spiel.  Happy to keep you updated if you send me a PM or something.  Maybe post this to your thread in case it can help anyone else out as well :thumbsup:

[snowcrashed]

Thanks Mr Messenger.  

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=231495.0

Having the same issue so I thought I'd sign up to add to his thread but seems the forum has limitations for newbs.

Cant even PM.

If someone could pass this onto the guy who started that thread it'd be appreciated.

I got a few 7950's as well, all came at different times so for a few days I was running on one card.  Second came so I powered down the rig, installed the GPU and when I powered it on again there was a burning plastic smell and no video output, no bios, nada.  Mobo was showing a 99 status code (super IO initialization - seems to be linked to the PCIe slots), all fans were working, even on the GPU's but nothing working.

I tried reseating, going back to one card, changing PCIe slots, even using an old GPU from our entertainment rig.  Without a GPU the mobo would put out a no video output code (no onboard) and with any GPU installed it still gave the 99 code.

I've contacted the guys I bought the mobo from to get an exchange which should happen in a few days as long as they dont try to give me the send it away for warranty spiel.  Happy to keep you updated if you send me a PM or something.  Maybe post this to your thread in case it can help anyone else out as well :thumbsup:

I didn't have a burning smell but something definitely went wrong with the motherboard.  I bought a new motherboard but it wouldn't even post to the BIOS.  I figured the CPU I had got fried along with the board, so I ordered a new one of those too.  But I come to get a new CPU and the new board still won't post.  I've tested the PSU and RAM with another computer and they both work fine.  There's no reason a brand new CPU/Mobo should not work unless one of them was DOA, and I find that a bit too much of a coincidence.  So, the problems continue.

[iTrader]

  No probs!
Someone did the same for me on another forum once so know how useful it can be

[glendall]

Would not hurt to unplug and pop the battery from the CMOS/BIOS for a few hours .  I've more than a couple of mobos over the years that got so scrambled they wouldn't post but would be fine after a powerless 'time out' period.

[snowcrashed]

I'll give that a try when I get home.  It just makes no sense why brand new CPU/Mobo will not work.  I got an ASUS F2A85-V and an AMD A4-5300 Trinity.  I mean, what are the chances one of them was DOA?  The motherboard gets power and when I press the on switch the CPU fan will run but no activity otherwise.  If I plug a video card in, the video card will get power but same result

When I check ASUS's support website for this board, it doesn't list the exact model # as a compatible cpu.  These are the closest things:

AMD A4-5300 (AD5300OKA23HJ, rev.A1, 3.4GHz, L2:1M, 65W)
AMD A4-5300B (AD530BOKA23HJ, rev.A1, 3.4GHz, L2:1M, 65W)

The CPU I have is: AMD A4-5300 (AD5300OKHJBOX, rev, 3.4GHz, L2:1M, 65W).  The different model numbers just means that mine is a boxed CPU and the others are OEM.  So I doubt this would be an issue.

[jdebunt]

i've had had the same issue like you had, completely new hardware, everything powered up, no post or beeps.

In my case it was the mobo which was (at first i thought) incompatible with my CPU, soit needed a BIOS flash. After that, still the same though.

I ended up purchasing a new mobo & everything worked instantly.

Is your mobo mounted in the case or on a flat service? Do you wear any fitness or sports bands that could possibly cause static electricity?

[Justjuice]

Hi guys.

Just offering a quick update.

I took my mobo into the place I purchased it today, they got it working perfectly and after describing everything they suggested it could be a ram issue.  I purchased a new 4gb stick which was 1600mhz and it all worked fine after that.  Looks like the other stick I was using was only 1333mhz.  Im not knowledgeable enough to know the difference between what the two offer but it seems that with one GPU the 1333mhz stick was fine but with two GPU's it just fried.

Currently have two GPU's in and its running good, as soon as my risers come I'll put the third GPU in and hope for the best.

[snowcrashed]

i've had had the same issue like you had, completely new hardware, everything powered up, no post or beeps.

In my case it was the mobo which was (at first i thought) incompatible with my CPU, soit needed a BIOS flash. After that, still the same though.

I ended up purchasing a new mobo & everything worked instantly.

Is your mobo mounted in the case or on a flat service? Do you wear any fitness or sports bands that could possibly cause static electricity?

It's mounted on a flat surface.  The motherboard is on risers which rest on a piece of wood that is contained in a milk crate.

I'm careful about static electricity, I make sure to discharge any before working with the parts.  Also it's fairly humid weather and the computer is in a room with a concrete floor, so the chance of damage from static electricity is very very minor.