System wont POST; hangs at 3 lights.

[sdat1333]

alright heres the situation. I shutdown my computer to start my windows XP installation. I connected my floppy drive (to install SATA drivers), and started the system up. Ran teh first part of the XP installation. computer restarted to continue installation.

I shut it down and took the floppy drive back out. Then Hit the power button, it turns on, sits for like 15 seconds at 4 LEDs, after which it goes down to 3 and sits and it wont go to two.

 

So I think to myself, Oh ok, just reset CMOS. So i disconnect power, take the battery out, move the jumper over. Wait 30 minutes, move jumper back, put battery back in. Boot up, same thing happens. So I try just one stick of RAM, same problem. So I try the other stick of RAM, again same problem. Then I try different slots. SAME PROBLEM.

 

So I take the RAM out and bring it down to a working machine and swap it out, the ram works fine.

 

I guess the board is dead and needs to be RMAed?

[sdat1333]

alright well unless I get some suggestion on how to fix this by tomorow mornin im gonna go ahead and start the RMA process.

 

Can someone walk me through how to do this?

[Krohling]

Try this maybe:

 

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showpost.p...04&postcount=24

 

Which BIOS version used?

Use DIMM slot #2, the orange one, furthermost from the CPU socket

[sdat1333]

yep I tried that.

Ill try again tomorow mornin tho after lettin the CMOS bat stay out for 8 hours.

 

But I already did use that DIMM slot.

i beleive im using the latest DFI official one

[hmf]

If you ever get it sorted out just remember you don't need to load any drivers unless you are installing to an array. Windows will treat your sata drive as a pata drive and install.

[sdat1333]

really? No SATA drivers at all as long as u dont do RAID? Well that comes in handy

[Warrio Poet]

Take it you have tried Safe Boot and CMOS reset?

 

Also, I had the same problem and turned out to be a cpu heat issue. The heatsink wasnt sitting flush and it wouldnt go further than the 3 LED action.

[sdat1333]

ok i tried exroadie's instructions, thy didnt fix the problem

Reseated HSF, didnt fix problem, ive tried everything, i think this board is just fried

 

now can soemone tell me how i RMA ?

 

EDIT: btw another thing that makes me think this is the board is that my system was really unstable. I thought it was the CPU so I brought it back to the store, they gave me a new one. Same problems with the new one, and the store said that the original did 24 hours of dual prime, no problem.

 

So I think its the board. But like i said, how in the world do I RMA? DFI's site is SO unhelpful

[sdat1333]

wow this is the last DFI product I ever buy

I CANT EVEN FIND AN RMA FORM OR A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON DFI'S SITE! SOMEBODY GIVE ME A NUMBER TO CALL, I NEED TO RMA

[sdat1333]

:mad: erggh i just called the san jose branch and it made me leave a message

 

really a shame that DFI makes such good boards but doesnt have a decent tech support. I know that angry and rgone do there best, and im glad they try to help. But DFI just needs to hire some more ppl to work the phones, i mean come on, i should not have to leave a message when i call tech support.