Trouble booting a new m/b
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Trouble booting a new m/b
Changed a m/b for my daughter today. A MSI K8M800 with a AMD 2800. All connections OK but after several attempts with one check after another the message on screen is simply NO SIGNAL.
Powers up OK showing red light. Permanent light on floppy. Reset would not work but connections as per book.
I didn't have boot a disc (did I need one?) and the supplier of the original (ABIT board) did not send copy of ME 2000 disc but that is installed. There has been a short history of crashes which is why I suggested that she has a new m/b and CPU.
Any inputs will be appreciated. I have some thoughts on the problem but not wise enough to know which is maybe the right one.
Your help is sought please.
PPP
Powers up OK showing red light. Permanent light on floppy. Reset would not work but connections as per book.
I didn't have boot a disc (did I need one?) and the supplier of the original (ABIT board) did not send copy of ME 2000 disc but that is installed. There has been a short history of crashes which is why I suggested that she has a new m/b and CPU.
Any inputs will be appreciated. I have some thoughts on the problem but not wise enough to know which is maybe the right one.
Your help is sought please.
PPP
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Check that the Mobo is not touching the case or a spare pillar underneath. This will ground it and will not boot. Also check that the extra power connector for the mobo is connected. It is a square 4 plug and will not boot without it. Also double check the connection for the switch, if it's the wrong way round it may not start either. Also it may just be duff.
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tf, thank you.
You may well be right about the pillars!
What square 4 plug are we talking about can't recall a spare plug. Where does it connect to?
Pwr switch for front panel connectors?? Hope its not duff but as you say.........
Thanks again.
PPP
You may well be right about the pillars!
What square 4 plug are we talking about can't recall a spare plug. Where does it connect to?
Pwr switch for front panel connectors?? Hope its not duff but as you say.........
Thanks again.
PPP
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What square 4 plug are we talking about can't recall a spare plug. Where does it connect to?
Edit : For your board, the connection circled in green.
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FM, the only wire coming from the PSU is for the fan it seems. I cannot identify any other plug or socket of the type you have kindly taken the trouble to show me.
PPP
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Permanent light on floppy usually means data cable connected wrong way round 
If reset switch not working its probably connected the wrong way on the MB. Its about time there was a standard plug to connect reset,pwr switch,power led etc etc instead of the fiddly little connectors that each manufacturer likes to arrange in a different order...
Connected one MB up last week where the little picture in the manual was misleading in that it was upside down compared to the board...Lucky i noticed it before trying to switch it on
The 4 pin cable from the power supply should look like the one here...
If reset switch not working its probably connected the wrong way on the MB. Its about time there was a standard plug to connect reset,pwr switch,power led etc etc instead of the fiddly little connectors that each manufacturer likes to arrange in a different order...
Connected one MB up last week where the little picture in the manual was misleading in that it was upside down compared to the board...Lucky i noticed it before trying to switch it on
The 4 pin cable from the power supply should look like the one here...
Originally Posted by PPRuNe Pop
Changed a m/b for my daughter today. A MSI K8M800 with a AMD 2800. All connections OK but after several attempts with one check after another the message on screen is simply NO SIGNAL.
Powers up OK showing red light. Permanent light on floppy. Reset would not work but connections as per book.
I didn't have boot a disc (did I need one?) and the supplier of the original (ABIT board) did not send copy of ME 2000 disc but that is installed. There has been a short history of crashes which is why I suggested that she has a new m/b and CPU.
Any inputs will be appreciated. I have some thoughts on the problem but not wise enough to know which is maybe the right one.
Your help is sought please.
PPP
Powers up OK showing red light. Permanent light on floppy. Reset would not work but connections as per book.
I didn't have boot a disc (did I need one?) and the supplier of the original (ABIT board) did not send copy of ME 2000 disc but that is installed. There has been a short history of crashes which is why I suggested that she has a new m/b and CPU.
Any inputs will be appreciated. I have some thoughts on the problem but not wise enough to know which is maybe the right one.
Your help is sought please.
PPP
Last edited by Chainkicker; 2nd May 2006 at 15:07.
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Chainkicker,
Nope! No four pin socket available on the board and no 4 pin plug attached the main pwr plug either.
You are right about the fiddly little connectors. What I will do is rotate each of them through 180 and see what happens. But right again. There is no way of telling which is right or wrong. The drawings in the manual are a mirror image of the plugs on the mobo. Somewhat confusing too.
I did check the floppy connection and it was keyed so should be right - I guess!
Thanks for your inputs guys. I am about to set forth to rectify, alter, bash, bin or go
Nope! No four pin socket available on the board and no 4 pin plug attached the main pwr plug either.
You are right about the fiddly little connectors. What I will do is rotate each of them through 180 and see what happens. But right again. There is no way of telling which is right or wrong. The drawings in the manual are a mirror image of the plugs on the mobo. Somewhat confusing too.
I did check the floppy connection and it was keyed so should be right - I guess!
Thanks for your inputs guys. I am about to set forth to rectify, alter, bash, bin or go
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Regarding the "fiddly little connectors" which connect the power switch, reset switch etc to the motherboard, in my experience there isn't a right way round to connect them. The pins over which the connect fits are operated by a connection being made between them - they are essentially a jumper cap but with a switch connected, so that circuit is only complete when the switch is pressed. In the same way that it doesn't matter which way round you fit a jumper cap over headers on the motherboard, in most cases it doesn't matter which way round you fit the power and reset switches. The ones where polarity is important are usually marked on the board or in the manual (hard disk/power LEDs, internal speaker and extra USB ports I think) but generally if the polarity isn't specified in the manual then it isn't important.
I've had a similar problem and it could be any one of a number of things. Have you tried running it with absolute minimal components? Take out everything except one stick of memory, graphics card, CPU, heatsink, monitor and power switch connector and PSU (no hard drives, CD drives, network cards or anything like that). If you don't get something after that, then one of these pretty fundamental parts is the problem. I know it sounds obvious but is your graphics card seated properly? If you're getting no alarms on the motherboard but no signal on the screen, it might indicate either a faulty graphics card, faulty motherboard or that it's just not connected.
Also, what graphics card do you have? This won't apply if you're using on-board integrated graphics (I don't know if this board has that or not) but many newer cards these days require another power connector from the PSU to be plugged into them - there is a little connector on the opposite end from the VGA connection. It's usually for the same power cable that goes into your floppy drive.
I've had a similar problem and it could be any one of a number of things. Have you tried running it with absolute minimal components? Take out everything except one stick of memory, graphics card, CPU, heatsink, monitor and power switch connector and PSU (no hard drives, CD drives, network cards or anything like that). If you don't get something after that, then one of these pretty fundamental parts is the problem. I know it sounds obvious but is your graphics card seated properly? If you're getting no alarms on the motherboard but no signal on the screen, it might indicate either a faulty graphics card, faulty motherboard or that it's just not connected.
Also, what graphics card do you have? This won't apply if you're using on-board integrated graphics (I don't know if this board has that or not) but many newer cards these days require another power connector from the PSU to be plugged into them - there is a little connector on the opposite end from the VGA connection. It's usually for the same power cable that goes into your floppy drive.
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chainkicker, it is the 754.
More news. I have found that there could have been an ATX 12v Power connector (as an option with the mobo) to provide power to the CPU but that essentially is what seems to be missing. The case is a 300w ATX btw. Can only hope that once the CPU powers up everything else will follow? I agree with bjk that it appears not to matter what way the 'fiddly connectors' are fitted. Tried that and all appears to be fine whatever way i fit them and I follow the jump therory.
I have to change the floppy flat cable to a 80 pin version
I apologise for misleading you but I can now see a 4 pin socket on the board at about the site you mentioned. But the connector is not part of the main power 20 pin connector. I will buy one to-morrow. The handbook is not clear on quite a few things. Unusual I think because I have fitted MSI boards before and always without much of a problem.
bjk, I believe that it has on board graphics from a VIA chip - does that make sense?
Can't tell you how much I appreciate ALL the help and ideas you have proferred. Thanks very much.
Thanks again.
PPP
More news. I have found that there could have been an ATX 12v Power connector (as an option with the mobo) to provide power to the CPU but that essentially is what seems to be missing. The case is a 300w ATX btw. Can only hope that once the CPU powers up everything else will follow? I agree with bjk that it appears not to matter what way the 'fiddly connectors' are fitted. Tried that and all appears to be fine whatever way i fit them and I follow the jump therory.
I have to change the floppy flat cable to a 80 pin version
I apologise for misleading you but I can now see a 4 pin socket on the board at about the site you mentioned. But the connector is not part of the main power 20 pin connector. I will buy one to-morrow. The handbook is not clear on quite a few things. Unusual I think because I have fitted MSI boards before and always without much of a problem.
bjk, I believe that it has on board graphics from a VIA chip - does that make sense?
Can't tell you how much I appreciate ALL the help and ideas you have proferred. Thanks very much.
Thanks again.
PPP
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re. On-board graphics from the VIA chip, yep that makes sense. Means there's no separate AGP, PCI or PCI-E card to plug into the motherboard, you can just plug the monitor directly into the panel on the back of the system. This of course eliminates the problem of the graphics card not being seated in its slot properly - because there isn't one.
"I apologise for misleading you but I can now see a 4 pin socket on the board at about the site you mentioned. But the connector is not part of the main power 20 pin connector. I will buy one to-morrow. The handbook is not clear on quite a few things. Unusual I think because I have fitted MSI boards before and always without much of a problem."
I think there might be a bit of confusion here. Very modern ATX motherboards are starting to come with 24-pin main ATX power sockets rather than 20-pin. To ensure backward compatibility with older motherboards, power supply manufacturers are supplying their PSUs with an adaptable main ATX power cable - it has 24 pins, but is split at one side so if you have a 20-pin connector on the motherboard the extra 4 pins will detach from the PSU lead and leave you with a compatible 20-pin one. This detachable 4-pin section is different from the ATX 12V 4-pin cable described above. This cable will be completely separate from the main ATX power connection, and usually has black and yellow leads. It is correct to say that if the provision for connecting an ATX 12V 4-pin lead is there on your motherboard, then the board will not boot without it being plugged in. It's not going to get shipped as an option as such - that board and PSU combination will either require it and have it fitted, or won't require it and won't have it fitted, and being a socket 754 board it probably does need it. (mine does.) If your PSU doesn't have this connection, then the only option is to take it out and replace it with a newer one.
Barring this being the problem, it's starting to sound suspiciously like a faulty motherboard or incompatible RAM/motherboard combination could be the cause. What RAM are you using? If it's a cheap, generic brand, there could well be compatibility issues - some motherboards are very picky, even if it should work in theory.
"I apologise for misleading you but I can now see a 4 pin socket on the board at about the site you mentioned. But the connector is not part of the main power 20 pin connector. I will buy one to-morrow. The handbook is not clear on quite a few things. Unusual I think because I have fitted MSI boards before and always without much of a problem."
I think there might be a bit of confusion here. Very modern ATX motherboards are starting to come with 24-pin main ATX power sockets rather than 20-pin. To ensure backward compatibility with older motherboards, power supply manufacturers are supplying their PSUs with an adaptable main ATX power cable - it has 24 pins, but is split at one side so if you have a 20-pin connector on the motherboard the extra 4 pins will detach from the PSU lead and leave you with a compatible 20-pin one. This detachable 4-pin section is different from the ATX 12V 4-pin cable described above. This cable will be completely separate from the main ATX power connection, and usually has black and yellow leads. It is correct to say that if the provision for connecting an ATX 12V 4-pin lead is there on your motherboard, then the board will not boot without it being plugged in. It's not going to get shipped as an option as such - that board and PSU combination will either require it and have it fitted, or won't require it and won't have it fitted, and being a socket 754 board it probably does need it. (mine does.) If your PSU doesn't have this connection, then the only option is to take it out and replace it with a newer one.
Barring this being the problem, it's starting to sound suspiciously like a faulty motherboard or incompatible RAM/motherboard combination could be the cause. What RAM are you using? If it's a cheap, generic brand, there could well be compatibility issues - some motherboards are very picky, even if it should work in theory.
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Thank you very much bjk.
Issue of the ATX 12v connector now solved. CPU now up and running. LED's OK too. The RAM (512mb) was ordered with the board - Kingston I believe.
Problem now is that it all boots up to:
"Disk boot failure - insert system disk" which she or I don't have. I am familiar with the term but beyond that..........I have tried booting from the ME disc but nothing happens.
Checked the BIOS and CMOS and all seems OK.
Questioned my daughter about the crashes she had and it seems that she thought she had viruses of some kind! When starting there is a very unhealthy noise from either the floppy or the HDD. I am considering formatting it on my machine and start again and then perhaps I can boot from my XP Pro disc once it is clean.?
BTW. I have acquired a simple graphics card but cannot connect it until the system is OK.
I confess to being at a bit of a loose end at the moment.
Sorry.
PPP
Issue of the ATX 12v connector now solved. CPU now up and running. LED's OK too. The RAM (512mb) was ordered with the board - Kingston I believe.
Problem now is that it all boots up to:
"Disk boot failure - insert system disk" which she or I don't have. I am familiar with the term but beyond that..........I have tried booting from the ME disc but nothing happens.
Checked the BIOS and CMOS and all seems OK.
Questioned my daughter about the crashes she had and it seems that she thought she had viruses of some kind! When starting there is a very unhealthy noise from either the floppy or the HDD. I am considering formatting it on my machine and start again and then perhaps I can boot from my XP Pro disc once it is clean.?
BTW. I have acquired a simple graphics card but cannot connect it until the system is OK.
I confess to being at a bit of a loose end at the moment.
Sorry.
PPP
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Progress
Check the bios settings to see the boot order and make sure CD ROM is selected as one of the options and then try and install.
(Cant remember if WinME is on a bootable CD or not).
If not create a boot floopy with CD drivers on any machine from 98 onwards and boot from the floppy. Then do a fresh install from the WinME CD.
You will probably find the reason is wont boot is that the MB drivers are too different from the existing ones and Windows has thrown a wobbly...
(Cant remember if WinME is on a bootable CD or not).
If not create a boot floopy with CD drivers on any machine from 98 onwards and boot from the floppy. Then do a fresh install from the WinME CD.
You will probably find the reason is wont boot is that the MB drivers are too different from the existing ones and Windows has thrown a wobbly...
Originally Posted by PPRuNe Pop
Thank you very much bjk.
Issue of the ATX 12v connector now solved. CPU now up and running. LED's OK too. The RAM (512mb) was ordered with the board - Kingston I believe.
Problem now is that it all boots up to:
"Disk boot failure - insert system disk" which she or I don't have. I am familiar with the term but beyond that..........I have tried booting from the ME disc but nothing happens.
Checked the BIOS and CMOS and all seems OK.
Questioned my daughter about the crashes she had and it seems that she thought she had viruses of some kind! When starting there is a very unhealthy noise from either the floppy or the HDD. I am considering formatting it on my machine and start again and then perhaps I can boot from my XP Pro disc once it is clean.?
BTW. I have acquired a simple graphics card but cannot connect it until the system is OK.
I confess to being at a bit of a loose end at the moment.
Sorry.
PPP
Issue of the ATX 12v connector now solved. CPU now up and running. LED's OK too. The RAM (512mb) was ordered with the board - Kingston I believe.
Problem now is that it all boots up to:
"Disk boot failure - insert system disk" which she or I don't have. I am familiar with the term but beyond that..........I have tried booting from the ME disc but nothing happens.
Checked the BIOS and CMOS and all seems OK.
Questioned my daughter about the crashes she had and it seems that she thought she had viruses of some kind! When starting there is a very unhealthy noise from either the floppy or the HDD. I am considering formatting it on my machine and start again and then perhaps I can boot from my XP Pro disc once it is clean.?
BTW. I have acquired a simple graphics card but cannot connect it until the system is OK.
I confess to being at a bit of a loose end at the moment.
Sorry.
PPP
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
You will probably find the reason is wont boot is that the MB drivers are too different from the existing ones and Windows has thrown a wobbly
I'm sure that Win ME installs off a bootable CD - whether your WIN ME CD is bootable is a different matter!
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Indeed that is also a possibility. Nothing so far suggests that the bootable partition has been changed (by PQBoot or something similar) so i was picking from my experience of upgrading from Socket A to 939
There was no problem with the drive not being detected (it was shown in the Bios) but i had DBF - ISD when trying to boot. Using PQMagic off floppies showed I had an active partition set so I ended up doing a fresh install of XP booting from the CD and it ran fine thereafter
My WinME CD was not a bootable CD. I had to use a boot floopy and then install from the CD. The OEM version may be different but mine was the upgrade...
There was no problem with the drive not being detected (it was shown in the Bios) but i had DBF - ISD when trying to boot. Using PQMagic off floppies showed I had an active partition set so I ended up doing a fresh install of XP booting from the CD and it ran fine thereafter
My WinME CD was not a bootable CD. I had to use a boot floopy and then install from the CD. The OEM version may be different but mine was the upgrade...
Originally Posted by Saab Dastard
Not sure I agree there - "Disk boot failure - insert system disk" sounds to me much more like a non-detected hard drive, or a disk with no bootable partition set.
I'm sure that Win ME installs off a bootable CD - whether your WIN ME CD is bootable is a different matter!
I'm sure that Win ME installs off a bootable CD - whether your WIN ME CD is bootable is a different matter!
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Hi folks.
Events seems to have overtaken us.
I took the HDD home to run it on my machine and it is a mess. I couldn't find any usuable OS and I think it is knackered - so I have binned it. The BIOS did see it OK but it just will not work. It was also a name I was not familiar with!!!
I have ordered an 80gb Maxtor - OEM. Any problems I should watch out for? I will put XP Pro in at startup and so I hope to get it far enough to install. In other words is this the best way? Advice will be appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP
Events seems to have overtaken us.
I took the HDD home to run it on my machine and it is a mess. I couldn't find any usuable OS and I think it is knackered - so I have binned it. The BIOS did see it OK but it just will not work. It was also a name I was not familiar with!!!
I have ordered an 80gb Maxtor - OEM. Any problems I should watch out for? I will put XP Pro in at startup and so I hope to get it far enough to install. In other words is this the best way? Advice will be appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP