DFI NF4 Cold Boot Issue?

[inevitab1e]

I have a DFI NF4 Ultra-D.

 

I've had my mobo over a year running fine no problem with my Old Opty 148. Recently I installed a dual core opty 170 and am now having boot problems.

The problem is the computer will not turn on when pressing the power button. In the morning, afternoon, night, even after having the computer on all day, then turning it off and on again (nothing).

The only thing I can do to fix it is turn the PSU on and off about a half dozen to a dozen times.

I've searched the cold boot problems, but they all seem different.

I tried a new PSU, it worked fine initially (off/on) until one time I turned the computer off, then on again, and it didn't fire up. This sat in my mind that it couldn't be a PSU issue.

The Standby LED is always on, the Dram LED is only on when the computer starts. The DRAM LED does come on after switching the psu off and on a bunch of times. When I see the DRAM LED lit, that's when it boots.

 

Anyone got a fix? This board has been fine for a year, now since switching to dual core its having this problem. I've tried other Bios, nothing. I would think a Fortron 500w would be enough to power a dual core, 6800gs, (1) optical drive, and 2 HDD's in raid.

 

Thanks for the help everyone.

[caffeinejunkie]

Most coldboot problems with DFI Lanparty boards stem from the psu not having enough amps on the +5vsb line. Lanpartys have massive power draws at boot and can overload the +5vsb rail causing the overvolt protection on the psu to kick in and for it to shutoff. What were the specs of the other psu you tried?

[hardnrg]

the half a dozen times on/off is exactly what was happening with my neopower 480 psu... i upgraded to a pcp&c 510 and have never had the problem since...

 

edit: lol, i'm not saying the solution is "buy a pcp&c psu"... i'm saying, get a decent psu if you want to run an oc'd 170 on an ultra-d

Edited March 11, 2007 by hardnrg

[inevitab1e]

Most coldboot problems with DFI Lanparty boards stem from the psu not having enough amps on the +5vsb line. Lanpartys have massive power draws at boot and can overload the +5vsb rail causing the overvolt protection on the psu to kick in and for it to shutoff. What were the specs of the other psu you tried?

I tried an Antec NeoHE 550w. It was modular, but had 18amp on the rail. It worked fine with that psu, and i thought it was resolved, then i turned it off another time, turned back on, nothing.

 

I dont see how the Fortron could be fine for a year, no problems, and when i drop in the Opty 170 it all goes to hell ?!?! When i put in the 148 it works fine.

[caffeinejunkie]

I was just telling you one cause of coldboot. But the added power draw from the DC opty on startup could be enough to overload the standby rail on both psus. Also I think that 18a was more likely the 12v line since I have yet to see a psu with over 3amps on the +5vsb.

[inevitab1e]

so it's the 5v line i should worry about?

 

Here's some other things it does:

 

When turning it on the front light stays on (like the computer is on). Yet nothing even spins trying to turn on.

After a couple successful turn on's, eventually the computer will boot with 4 led's (DFI means nothing is detected) and clearing the CMOS is the only thing to cure that.

 

Does a dual core really draw that much more power on startup?

[hardnrg]

I dont see how the Fortron could be fine for a year, no problems, and when i drop in the Opty 170 it all goes to hell ?!?! When i put in the 148 it works fine.

you've pretty much replaced one processor with two, roughly doubling the power consumption... it's not a like-for-like swap... it'd be like saying "i swapped my 3L four-banger for a 6L V8 and i don't know why i need more fuel"

 

ok that was a rubbish analogy, but meh, you get the idea... hopefully

[inevitab1e]

you make a good point. What is the recommended minimum wattage for a PSU for a dual-core chip. I figured 500w would be plenty

 

I see you have your own IHS removal guide. haha, heres my thread I started when I removed my 148.

 

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/index.p...c=63785&hl=

Edited March 12, 2007 by tytlyf

[caffeinejunkie]

Well the aboslute minimum for an lanparty board is 480w. So either get a very good quality 500w or go for something like a 600w OCZ GXS, 620w Corsair, any pcp&c, ect...

[hardnrg]

I see you have your own IHS removal guide.

yup... it's pretty much identical to the thread i made after many requests (i.e. nagging lol) to make a guide after i successfully cut off the ihs off the 3500+ and 146

 

is the Fortron psu in question the "Blue Storm" ? because i tried that psu and i think it's RUBBISH... it wasn't any better than my Tt Purepower 480 which, while reliable as hell, is hardly something i'd use for overclocking and certainly not in my main rig... i think the Fortron psus only really get good in the Epsilon range or w/e it is for the higher models

Edited March 12, 2007 by hardnrg

[inevitab1e]

Well the aboslute minimum for an lanparty board is 480w. So either get a very good quality 500w or go for something like a 600w OCZ GXS, 620w Corsair, any pcp&c, ect...

I'm considering the OCZ 600 or 700. Probably the 700. They are all discontinued so I will be going online to get one.

I still am not buying anything over the internet until I know exactly what the problem is. A little hard to return something you buy over the internet.

Edited March 12, 2007 by tytlyf

[inevitab1e]

Just got done with a 46 hour long cmos clear, and the problem is still there. So I'm thinking that the 500w Fortron Blue Storm is not enough power for this dual core chip. Which shocks me. So I just ordered a OCZ OCZ700GXSSLI and this better fix the problem.

If this problem is still present after the new PSU gets here, I'm tossing this computer out the window