New NF7-S won't POST

[metal_dragen]

I've tried searching around the forums and found some things to try. I've tried them and none seemed to work, so I'd like to get some more input on the problem.

I recently (Christmas-time) got a complete brand-new system, and just this past weekend got it built.

I've got:
Abit NF7-S (Thermaltake Volcano 11 HSF)
Athlon XP 2800+
1GB (2x512MB) Corsair XMS PC3200 DDR RAM
Ati Radeon 9800 Pro
Maxtor 120GB Serial ATA HDD
Lite-On DVD/CD-R/W Combo Drive
Mitsumi Floppy

in a Thermaltake Xaser III 1420 case with a Thermaltake Silent Purepower 420W PS.

Ok, so as I said above, it won't POST. I've tried checking the board for evidence of shorts, reseating the CPU, putting the memory in different slots (initially they were in DIMM3 and DIMM2 as suggested in the manual for PC3200 RAM) and only using 1 stick, disconnecting everything from the board except video, and a different video card (both PCI and AGP).

I read in some of the other threads that my problem could be caused by the BIOS being dead. Is this a common occurence for a brand new Abit board? Is there a sure way I can check before I dump $30-50 on a new BIOS chip? Is there anything else that I haven't tried yet?

Thanks for your help.

[golfer49]

You did not mention power supply, is yours big enough to handle that system? Have you tried clearing CMOS?

[metal_dragen]

Oh yea, forgot to mention that I have moved the CMOS jumper (according to the process in the manual) to clear it several times.

The PS should be large enough to handle it. As I said, I tried disconnecting everything (all case fans, HDD, CD, and Floppy) from the PS and just booting the system with only the video card plugged in and it still gave me the same problem.

The case I got has 7 case fans. According to the info I have (and assuming my calcs are correct) I should be able to run all the case fans, plus all the hardware just fine with it.

[Groove67]

When you say it doesn't post ...exactly what do you get? I mean does it act like the switch does nothing or is there any activity at all like fans spinning? Does the red light come on at the bottom of the board by the SATA connecters? That light is supposed to be red when there is power to the board and then there's a green light when you actually turn it on.

[Abducted]

Originally posted by Groove67 on 02-14-2004 at 03:36 PM
When you say it doesn't post ...exactly what do you get? I mean does it act like the switch does nothing or is there any activity at all like fans spinning? Does the red light come on at the bottom of the board by the SATA connecters? That light is supposed to be red when there is power to the board and then there's a green light when you actually turn it on.

I 2nd those questions.
Have you tried taking the mainboard out of the case putting it onto a non conductive surface and testing it there?
Plug in the GFX card (+ CONNECT THE POWER FOR THE GFX CARD!), plug in the PSU, CPU and HSF, memory and see if it boots?
I read quite a lot of people with newly installed board that have this problem and often its because a short circuit at the back of the board. Ofcourse telling us what you mean by no post will help.

[metal_dragen]

Everything comes on normally. I get the red light on the bottom of the board near the SATA connectors as soon as I turn the PS on. And it turns green, and all fans (case, CPU, Chipset, and Video) turn on. Everything appears to be running, but I hear no beeps and can see nothing on the monitor that would indicate it is POSTing.

I've tried taking it out of the case, but this does not appear to solve the problem.

[Groove67]

That does sound like a dead bios chip. Have you re-seat your cpu yet ... it might be a dead cpu. No beep at all isn't good - you got your speaker header connected...right?

[golfer49]

Try removing and reseating your memory sticks and your video card, then retest.