Biostar mobo not posting

[lubemnky]

Hello,I cannot get this POS to post reliably. ANY ideas would be appreciated as I have already exhausted all suggestions in this forum I think. FYI instead of pulling the battery to blank the cmos you can hold the insert key and power button simultaneously until it cycles.

 

[T_T]

Welcome, Newcomer. By "all suggestions" I'm assuming you've already worked through our standard checklist (link in my signature) of the most common reasons for "no boot" and/or "no display".

Post your system hardware for better assistance.

 

[lubemnky]

Yes, very informative, but no solution yet. I'm not one to ask for help usually, but here is the hardware list: Biostar MCP6PB M2+, AMD Phenom x4 9600B 2.ghz, Centron 2048mb pc6400 ddr2 800mhz, 450w power supply. I have had the system up and running several times but there seems to be an issue with the gpu nvidia GeForce 6150se, as I get on occasion 1 long and 2 short beeps. At times it has boot cycled continuously untill I shut it off and I have tried several pci video cards with no improvement. When it has been running, at some point the display will freeze and I have to hard boot, after which, it's a battle to get bios to post again. I have a newer bios version ready to re-flash, but I have to get mobo to post first. System is running ubuntu 10.04lts all recent updates have been installed, but since I can't get post I don't believe that is an issue. Thanks in advance.

 

[T_T]

Have you tried breadboarding?

 

[lubemnky]

Yes, I tried all your suggestions after reading your informative post, but seems to have gotten worse as I can't get it to post at all now even after blanking the bios, all I get is blank screen. I tested the monitor on this machine so I know it works and Biostar has not replied to my support query. I have borrowed another PS today to try, that is the last thing left on the list. Mabe the board is just fubar'd.

 

[T_T]

Sorry for the delay in my response. In my experience, "freezing" occurs as a result of several reasons. The graphical failures you experienced could also be an indirect cause or result of some other more probable failure. The typical reasons for failure are:

1. RAM - Like anything else, RAM isn't immune to failure, even if it were working a minute prior, that doesn't mean that the RAM isn't failiing.
2. CPU - Probably the biggest CPU failure is in the heatsink fan. The CPU is designed to shut itself off when it 'senses' immenent failure; not just the actual failure itself. Meaning, if the CPU is heating up too fast, it will also shut down.
3. PSU - Probably the second most common failing part is the PSU. It goes without saying that improper voltage or load will cause system failure, but testing the PSU's P1 connector is the best way to determine if the PSU is still good.

A distant fourth culprit could be the GPU that causes freezing, but you'd more than likely experience BSOD after BSOD if the GPU starts to fail.

Unfortunately, the only way to test the CPU is to put it in another mobo and see if you can get a display then; or use a different CPU on your current mobo. If you can get your hands on a different mobo, I would also test the RAM using MemTest86+ .

 

[lubemnky]

Best answer selected by lubemnky.

 

[lubemnky]

Solved- re-seated the processor in the socket in a last ditch effort to save the mobo after ruleing out the RAM, PS and GPU by process of elimination and voila, problem solved. Thanks T_T, you help was appreciated.