[RESOLVED] Reset switch malfunction - More problems with Ultra-D syste

[MrKurt]

Back again with more problems on my rig. Tried to play UT 2004, started to load and then hardlocked. Powered down system, turned back on, nothing.

 

Problems:

Won't post

4 leds on

No sounds from the speaker

 

Troubleshooting steps taken:

Confirmed all power plugs are into the MB.

Had in 1 stick of ram, Video, single hard drive. No beeps.

Removed CPU and reseated. No beeps.

Removed CPU completely and tried to boot without a CPU. No beeps.

Cleared BIOS (let it sit for almost 3 hours). Nothing. Currently in the process of doing a 6 hour clear to see if that helps.

 

Removing the CPU and not having any sounds makes me lean toward the MB, but I'm not sure. I dont know what other steps to take before calling Monarch up and seeing if I can get an RMA on the motherboard. Or should I just bypass Monarch and send it directly into DFI?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, need to get my rig up!

[StephenC]

Try the barebones approach with the motherboard out of the case. Only connect what is required to post.

[MrKurt]

I'll give it a shot and try it out. It just seems weird that I'd have to take all the parts out of the system and work on them outside of the case when it originally was working inside the case.

 

I will try it out though.

[wevsspot]

I'm gathering that this setup has been problematic for you from the beginning? Has it been stable at any time before?

[MrKurt]

Did what StephenC said to do and I am COMPLETELY stumped out of my skull now.

 

Took motherboard out of case. Plugged in all 4 power connectors to motherboard, plugged video card, put in one stick of ram and the keyboard. It posted. Loaded optimal configuration, rebooted. Shutdown computer, plugged in hard drive. Booted up to windows. Shutdown, plugged in floppy drive. Booted into windows again. Shutdown, plugged in DVD Burner. Booted into windows again. Ran UT 2004 again (Which was the game I ran which caused all this hassle to begin with). Came up fine.

 

Shut down, unplugged everything, put MB into case, plugged in 4 power connectors, stick of ram, video card, keyboard. Now stuck at same spot, not booting, no sound, and diagnostic leds stay at 4.

 

Any suggestions now? As stated at the beginning of my post, I'm completely stumped out of my skull now. I haven't moved the case in close to over a month. I'm at a loss as what to do.

 

Thanks.

[red930]

Try laying the case on its side.

 

Start removing the screws that hold the motherboard down to the brass standoffs. Remove a couple at a time and try to boot the rig.

 

DO NOT try to remove any plugs or cards while you have the screws out.

 

Check the case install for alignment while setting the motherboard in place. Verify that the motherboard is perfectly flat with all the standoffs. Make sure that the level of the motherboard is correct for the rear slots.

[MrKurt]

I'm gathering that this setup has been problematic for you from the beginning? Has it been stable at any time before?

 

It ran fine for about a month before my first problem, reseated the CPU fixed it. Close to two months later, another problem... reseating the CPU fixed it. About 3 weeks later, another problem. Reseating the CPU didn't fix it.

 

Getting really irritated as I don't know what the problem is. Without knowing exactly what is wrong, I don't know what to send back to the store I bought it from to get working components again. It's also frustrating because it seems to be an intermittent problem.

[MrKurt]

Final update, as this problem has been resolved. Thanks to StevenC & Ex-Roadie for tips that helped me resolve it.

 

I took the motherboard out a second time to make sure all the standoffs were tightened down. There were some things still plugged in that I didn't have plugged in the initial time I took the motherboard out. All of the plugs for the front panel of the case were still plugged in. So I figured I'd try them one at a time to see if perhaps if something was wrong with the wires. All of them worked except for the reset switch plug.

 

Listening to Ex-Roadie's wise words of wisdom:

Try laying the case on its side.

With the case on it's side, I was able to to see that the reset switch was in just slightly. From the case's normal standing position, I could not see this. Needless to say that after checking that the reset switch on the front panel was in it's normal position, the computer boots up fine now.

 

Thanks again for all the help, looks like I um, won't have to RMA the board after all. lol