New Build problem

zychos

Honorable
Apr 5, 2012
17
0
10,510
Here are the specs first; Mobo is a Gigabyte 990X4-UD3, CPU is a AMD-FX 8150 8 core, RAM is 4x4GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3, PSU is PC Power & Cooling 950W MKII. Symptoms CPU fan doesn't turn on when I plug in the PSU. I have paper clipped the PSU and it works. I even substituted in a brand new Corsair 600W psu same problems. Thought maybe a RAM issue so went with 2 instead of 4, still nothing. I pulled out the 24 pin from the mobo and the auxillary fans for the shell powered on but shut off when I plugged the 24 pin back into the mobo.
I don't have a spare AM3+ board or another CPU to test. I am thinking it my be the board but not sure. Any suggestions?
 
Solution
AMD really aren't doing too well in the processor marketplace right now.

Their next big thing was supposed to be FX, but I think they underestimated the level of support they would get from the motherboard manufacturers in terms of the motherboard manufacturers going out of their way to make the FX chips a success.

The major motherboard manufacturers all make boards for both Intel and AMD and they don't really care if they need to make more of one type or less of another. Intel is the easiest thing for them, because Intel doesn't cause support calls for FX.

If people just buy Intel, things get easier for the motherboard makers, so they have an incentive for people not to buy FX. That, I think, is why they feel it is OK to bend...
It sounds like you may have the ever so annoying problem that FX motherboards often need a BIOS update before they will accept a FX processor.

Without a different CPU, you can't do a BIOS update.

You would have to get a $10 ultra low end AM2 Sempron processor (I think the AM3+ boards can still take these) only to flash the BIOS with it if I am right.

FX processors flopped in the marketplace for just this sort of reason.

You could return your board for a different one, but sadly a lot of different boards have this problem.

You could return your CPU for a different AMD CPU, something from the Phenom 2 x4 or x6 lineup and it should work right away. Boards never need BIOS updates to recognize those.

- Edit - Typo
 
I agree.
I went to the Gigabyte site for your motherboard and it does say you need to update your BIOS.

"To enable AM3+ AMD FX-Series CPU support, please update your motherboard with the most current BIOS found in your motherboard’s download section."

So, yes you have to get a CPU that works without the BIOS update, apply the BIOS update, then swap to your current FX CPU.

That sucks. Sorry.
 
Thanks guys, just ordered a cheap AMD Athlon II I found and had it overnighted. Hopefully, tomorrow I will see if it is the Mobo, the CPU or flashing the BIOS.
 
hopefully the Athlon will do it. I had to do the same thing for my FX 6100. it took me weeks to figure out what i have to do. I poped my Phenom 955 in and updated the BIOS and tried FX and eh bit disapointed butthe 8cores are the best out of the series. Good Luck with you new Build!
 
Well, put in the Athlon and still the same results as before no power to the CPU fan or the auxilliaries. RMA the mobo and will see if that works. Not recommending the FX structure.
 
I don't recommend FX to anyone unless they already have at least one AMD processor accessible to them, because of all the problems they cause.

Even then, I usually still don't recommend them even though the FX-4100 does OK as a gaming chip.

I got on the 2500k train with everyone else.

I only really suggest 4 core AMD chips if someone only has $130 to budget for a processor and they want to play BF3 or something like that which really needs 4 cores (like BF3 does).
 
Funny thing is I really am not planning on gaming with the CPU I chose. For school I have to create VM's and do penetration testing and mini-network monitoring. I was running it off 8GB i5 core and it bottlenecking the laptop. So my goal was to build a tower to handle this amount of workload along with dual monitors to watch the network.
I considered just going to a similiar build I made for someone with an AMD phenom quad core but thought I would try the FX struture and see if the 8 core with a ssd, 3tb primary and max ram would allow me to do my projects without the bottlenecking.
Unfortunately, the semester will be over before I get to find out it seems.
 
Well, got a new board and still the same problem. Thinking maybe RAM or the PSU even if I did jumpstart the PSU with a paperclip. I tried a second set of Corsair Vengeance that I had but still no luck. Any other suggestions?
 
Do you think you could post a couple high resolution photos of the inside of the case?

Also, I know it probably doesn't need to be asked, but are you screwing the motherboard directly into the case wall or into the standoffs that came with the case?
 
Ill post picks when I get out of class. I installed the standoffs and I am screwing in to them. I spoke with a tech acquaintance and he said the mobo I have won't post with the Athlon and I need to go with a Phenom II. I had the board checked for free and the board is fine so I am going with the Phenom II approach.
 
Supported CPU's: http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=4001

Now I assume your have BIOS FA.

There's your list of supported CPU's. Pick the cheapest one, boot, then flash the BIOS to FB so you can install your FX CPU.

Hopefully you can cheaper than this one. http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103888

Which Athlon did you actually buy?

Any chance a store will help you out for cheap? Not likely I know. Or maybe you know someone who is buying a CPU and will loan it to you (for a small fee).

You could also try e-Bay, but I don't trust it.
 
Raid, will post pics later been cramming for exam so that has been top priority. Photon the Athlon I used was Athlon II X2 250. I got a Phenom II X2 560 coming since a tech friend of my brother's said he was expericing the same problems and the only CPU he found to work was the Phenom II.
 
Did you read the compatibility list I posted above?
Because the Athlon II X2 250 is listed as compatible.

Is this the correct motherboard?
GA-990FXA-UD3 (rev. 1.2)

**IMPORTANT**
There appear to be three versions of this board, 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. The same CPU's are compatible, however the BIOS versions are different.

rev 1.2 uses FA or FB
rev 1.1 uses F1 up to F6

(It's the only name I could find CLOSE to what you spelled so I assumed you typed the name incorrectly.)
 
rev 1.1 is the version I have and yes it is the GA-990XA-UD3.

20120411_163206.jpg

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20120319_195514.jpg
 
Just to verify, all 8 of those slots in the CPU power slot have cables in them, right?

The picture isn't entirely clear and I just want to make sure that portion is covered.

Also, it wouldn't hurt if you went down to 1 stick of RAM while you were troubleshooting this stuff, and no video card too while you are at it.
 
Yes all 8 of the slots have cables in them. I pulled the video card tried that, pulled the ram down to 2 and 1. I cleared the CMOS with a connector. Put in a low end graphics card when I went down to no Ram to see if there was anything happening.
 
I just got this motherboard third time I had to RMA it. I had a tech look at the setup. He said the mobo was fine but didn't have any spares to test the CPU. I wonder if he did anything since he didn't charge me though he said he didn't find anything wrong.
 
Just to be clear:
You have tried MORE THAN ONE OF:
- motherboard
- CPU
- Power Supply
- RAM (one stick at a time)
- graphics card

If I have this correct, you have tried a replacement for EVERY part that you need to verify a basic build will turn on?

Wow. I'm stumped.

The ONLY thing I see is that the CPU (X2 250) appears to be the only one you've tried so far that could work as the FX can't yet. If it was defective you'd have a problem.

There's not much a technician can do that you can't. Basically you need to swap parts.

Other than checking with the new CPU you mentioned earlier I don't know what else to try.

**Have I got the state of things correct?**
 
If you want to know why the FX chips completely flopped in the marketplace, it is because of stuff like this. Just sayin. People just don't like to do this sort of troubleshooting with brand new parts.

Take the motherboard out of the case and put it on a wooden table and plug the stuff back into it when it while it is outside the case. See if anything works differently that way. You can turn it on without a power button by putting any random metal object into contact with the 2 pins listed in the manual as PWR_BTN. A flat screwdriver would work, for example.
 
Yes I put a connector on the pwr_btn pins and put the board on the anti-static sheet on top of my wood desk and wait for it, wait for it, nothing. I used AMD before had a lot of success and saved ppl money using their CPUs instead of Intels however, this is starting to really sour my on AMD.