Can't get my new system to boot, please help!

[Shunidar]

EDIT to show **current** problem:

Hey guys, I filled out the sig like you said to, so here goes:

 

I just got all the parts for my new rig and put them together. This is my second build, and I am still a newbie.

 

With everthing installed I am having lots of problems with my board (system).

 

**The first thing I noticed was that I was unable to keep power to the board. I have all 4 power connectors hooked up to the board (24 pin, 4pin, 4pin molex, and the small 4 pin one... don't know what it is called). About 60% of the time when I power my PC on, the power dies about 3 seconds later.**

 

(Fixed this next part, thanks for the hint!) -- When I manage to give it some time to rest, start it up, and cross my fingers, it stays on. When this happens, I notice that my fans do not work properly. I have my fans plugged into Fan 4, Fan 5, Fan 1, and CPU. Fan 4 and Fan 5 work just fine, but the CPU and Fan1 (?... the plug near the top left of the board, just above the CPU 3 pin) do NOT work when the power to the system is on. As in, if they DO work, they run very very slow. I have reverted to plugging those in directly to the PS.

 

(Fixed this part too, thanks again) -- When the flash screen comes up (not windows, the one with black and white text where you check what bios version you have) two things really bother me. it does not regognize my CPU. It says "AMD hammer family processor - model unknown" and at the bottom it says "Warning! Please install one RAM module in DIMM 2 for single channel operation, and 2 modules in DIMM 2&4 for dual channel operation" I CAN get into the BIOS, and when I set the first boot device to the CD-ROM (it seems to recognize the HD and CD-ROM ok) it still will not boot to the CD so I can install windows.

 

Please help me! (and excuse some of my descriptons when I dont know the right word).

[soundx98]

board should be flashed to 6-23 to support your x2

 

Turn ON of fans are controlled by temp in bios. I'd change them all to start at 25 degrees.

 

Use the orange slots with the bios that is currently on the machine.

 

I wouldn't use the fan headers on the board unless you really need to. The DFI NF4 is power hungry enough all ready.

 

Is the CD-ROM the only drive on the secondary controller?

[Shunidar]

Ahh, ok. How can I update the bios? I do not have a floppy drive and I cannot get the system to boot to a CD? Is the bios the reason the board will not stay turned on? I moved the ram to oj slots btw.

[PoppyMcShotgun]

You can flash your BIOS with a USB flash drive. You know those convenient little storage devices you can find most anywhere? I have flashed my board twice now with this method.

 

This thread will let you know how to do it:

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread...=USB+BIOS+FLASH

 

If your board turns on for a few seconds then automatically shuts off, that sounds like a heat issue to me. A friend of mine that tried to build his computer by himself for the first time was having the same problem. He would turn it on, and about 3-5 seconds later, it would just shut off. Upon going to his house and looking into the problem, he didn't apply any thermal grease and the heatsink didn't have a pad!!! He was lucky... his proc still worked fine after I doctored it up... I'd say check to make sure your HSF is getting proper contact with your proc, and make sure you've got thermal grease or a thermal pad to aid the heat relief.

[soundx98]

I'd suggest Winflash or you can burn a CD-rom

 

pershoot has the goodness here http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showpost.p...045&postcount=3

 

make sure you run memtest before you load XP.

[soundx98]

another great read. plus it gives you a chance to brush up on your RGonian

 

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread...44&page=1&pp=15

[Shunidar]

Moving the ram finally let me get windows loaded! I'm still haveing problems with the PC turning on and then shutting off sometimes. It's like... if it stays on longer than 5 seconds it works just fine. But 80% of the time it just shuts right back off.

 

Heat was totally the first thing I was worried about. The first time I built a PC I put the PS in the wrong way and the fan was blowing against a wall. DOH! This time I cant figure it out. AS5 on the heatsink, temp (read from a real probe) is only 79-81F. I checked the BIOS, and those temps were really mild (low 30's). Hmmm, ill get the bios flashed and the chipset updated and see if that makes it better.

 

I'll get that flashed and see where that takes me Thanks so much folks

[Shunidar]

NVM, dumb question

[manapua]

why such a hurry to get Windows installed? You really risk corrupting your OS installation when you dol it on an unstable system.

Update your BIOS to support your X2. Then, like soundx98 said, make sure you memtest first. When you're sure you've got a memtest stable system, then install your OS.

[Shunidar]

Ok, so I'm officially worried. I managed to get the bios updated to 6/23/05-3 drivers, but still having problems with power failing. I have tried removing one of the rams, trying each ram individually, trying each ram in a different slot, and I am still having the same problems. I have tried moving the SATA cable into different slots, I have tried reseating the video card...

 

In other words, I don't think it is the memory. It is certinly not symptomatic of a memory failure anyway.

 

When the system boots, there are bright red LED's that come on in the lower left corner. I just don't get why the system keeps powering itself off... Any insight would be greatly appreciated.