ARock z68 - Fans on, No Post, LED doesn't turn on

[hinky]

I've built a couple of systems in my time but this one has me stumped - unless it's just a bad board. I was excited to put together the ARock z68 Extreme 4 Generation 3 with an SSD drive, 16Gb of RAM, etc.

I connected everything but when I turn it on, all the fans go on but there is no post. There is an LED there (Dr. Debug) but even that doesn't turn on. I yanked out all the RAM - same thing. Yanked out all the drive data cables - same thing. Typically a board would provide a warning or beep with an LED code - nothing.

CPU in CPU Fan 1 - Check

Hmmm... I'm either missing something or... worst fears. HOpe not!

 

[hinky]

Works great... love this board....

 

[hinky]

One question though - my mobo temperature is 28C and the CPU is 46C - I'm using a Hyper 212 Plus cooling fan. How are others getting readings that are supposedly 20C cooler? That doesn't even make sense to me since that's barely room temperature.

 

[chesteracorgi]

hinky,
The 46 C is a bit high for the CPU. Did you overpaste the heatsink/CPU with thermal paste? It is is supposed to be applied sparingly so that it only fills the gaps between the CPU and heatsink. Normal temps on a mobo are 28-32 C at idle. Normal CPU should be 35-40 C at idle. Stressed temps are dependent on several factors including ventilation, fans and type of cooling.

 

[RetiredChief]

On paste, The hyper 212 is diff than a "flat based HSF. Flat base uses a pea size amount spread evenly, with the hyper 212 you use the line method (if unsure google a youtube video) - you have to fill the "ridges/valleys".

On Temps. SB cpus are diff than previous cpus. Older cpus ran about the same temp in bios as in windows at idle, Not true fro SB CPUs, the run hotter in bios as they are running at native speed. Once in windows idle speed drops to 1.6 GHz, hense the high 20's, low 30's for idle.

Recommendations: If you did not put thermo paste on correctly, redo. Go into windows and using an app for monitoring your core temps note idle temps, then run prime 95 to find what max temps are. NOTE prime 95 temps will be higher than any application, ie running word or a game will produce.

 

[hinky]

Best answer selected by hinky.

 

[hinky]

Thanks guys. The Hyper 212 is weird and the stock paste from Cooler Master is junk (like melted cheese.)

I don't know why but after having the computer on for a day or so, temperatures have dropped to 31-40 on all cores, depending upon the temperature of the room as well.