[Solved] Need help troubleshooting new build

[JackAttack91]

OK ive assembled a computer and have run into a brick wall here

Here's the general specs:
Sabertooth 990FX mobo
AMD FX-6100 cpu
2x4gb G.Skill Ripjaw RAM
Galaxy Nvidia geforce 560 gtx
Western Digital 7200 rpm 32mb cache hd
750 watt Antec psu

After I first put all the parts together, it worked for about a day. However, not long after I installed the OS, I started getting random shutdowns without blue screens. Later on I started to get more and more blue screens, especially when running games... Finally I open an internet browser, the computer bluescreens and shuts down.

So I restart the computer and the fans turn on, but the monitor gets no signal. No POST beeps either. The keyboard and mouse also receive no signal (no LEDs light up). My immediate inclination was to reseat the video card, but it was to no avail. I noticed that the red light near the MemOk switch was solid red. I tried reslotting the RAM several times in all different combinations using the MemOK switch, even trying an old stick of Patriot RAM but nothing worked. After that, I assumed it was a motherboard problem so I RMA'd the mobo and got a replacement. Unfortunately, the replacement motherboard has the same problem - the red light still there, taunting me, laughing at my failures.

I tried the video card on another computer and it works. I replaced the Antec 750w with a working Antec 650w, and also no results, I've tried using a different monitor, I've tried using a different power chord. I feel like my only option left is to try some more RAM sticks, but before I go through the hassle I would like some input as to what the root of this problem may be.

Hopefully there is something really obvious that I missed, but right now I'm at a loss at what I can do.

[LITOralis.nMd]

A BIOS update was released for your mobo this week.
The link below is the best I've seen online regarding the instability of your mobo. Long thread, you'll need to read through quite a bit.
I almost bought this mobo and a FX-8120 last week, but held off until the FX mobos are fixed so I can play Shogun 2.

I'm not sure if the BIOS is in beta or final...
Source of info:
Games crash at splash screen with 8120. - [H]ard|Forum
Link to BIOS:
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/Soc ... S-0901.zip


The other comprehensive thread for your mobo, again lots of problems reported:
[Official] ASUS sabertooth 990FX Owners Club

[LITOralis.nMd]

A quick thing, remove the CPU and check for bent pins,

another WAG, if you used conductive thermal compound, make sure it's not in the pins. nearly a random guess.

you're going to need to read through those threads on HardForum and overclock.net to find info...

[JackAttack91]

I don't think it's the hard drive. I've tried turning the computer on without the hard drive even plugged in to the psu or motherboard and still didn't even get any signal input on the monitor. I think if it were a hdd problem, I would at least get vga input and a bios splash screen.

I checked the cpu pins and theyre all good, no bending or thermal paste.

Thanks for the links to the info on the bios. I'll definitely try my luck at the sabertooth forums if I cant get this thing working today. The thing that gets me is that this ram was on the list of qualified vendors in the asus manual, but I guess thats not necessarily an indicator that it'll work.

Does anybody know of some ram that is for sure compatible with this board, as in someone else is using it without any problems?

[LITOralis.nMd]

Hi Jack,
I was reading those links above, your mobo has lots of overclocking options and is VERY picky about the quality and consistency of the 12V rail power coming from the PSU to the 24 pin mobo connector.


ON the [Official] ASUS sabertooth 990FX Owners Club link on page 160ish, other people have had your same problem in the last two weeks... never a good sign. Some resolved it by simply removing the CMOS battery and pressing the power button repeatedly to drain the juice from the system. Get this, some guy bought a mobo in last 3 weeks that came with a dead CMOS battery. Might have to check that too.

Other people were able to update bios by installing older (non FX) CPUs and doing the USB thumbdrive method of BIOS updating.



That's all I got, good luck.

[LITOralis.nMd]

I have been telling everyone about this because it caused me some frustration at first, All you guys have likely figured it out by now, but for those who are just now getting the board, this should help you get up and running without frustration.

If you are not running ECC ram, you have to disable the feature, which by default is enabled in the BIOS.

Here is how.

[Official] ASUS sabertooth 990FX Owners Club

[MaSSive]

Your problem is BIOS definitely. I was looking at asus.com about your mainboard initial bios version and I see that it is 0402 while version where your cpu is added to support is 0813, which is three releases newer.

FX-6100(FD6100WMW6KGU),3.3GHz,6C,95W,rev.B2G,AM3+ ALL 0813


What you need to do now is to insert an older cpu which is supported by bios and flash it to newer stable version. If you think you cant do it yourself or you dont have older processor take it nearest service shop and explain the problem.

Always check if your cpu is supported by your mainboard before buying it.

[JackAttack91]

Good news everyone - I bought some kingston ram and it works fine. I realize now that I may have had the ram incorrectly seated the whole time because I'm used to DDR2 from my old machine, but whats done is done.

[MaSSive]

Good news everyone - I bought some kingston ram and it works fine. I realize now that I may have had the ram incorrectly seated the whole time because I'm used to DDR2 from my old machine, but whats done is done.

So you inserted RAM stick wrong and fried it? Oh youre lucky board didnt get fried.

If you solved this Im going to lock it.

[Pedz]

I think its impossible to seat ram incorrectly... Theres a gap in the pins 2/3 down the board I believe... Its designed so people cant do that. And sitting ram the wrong way would not fry it at all, the pins are merely connectors to the smaller chips, it'd just cause addressing failures. Frying chips will generally only occur to overvoltage/too high current, or general long use , Very possible they were duff sticks.

[MaSSive]

Pedz I believe some of those "pins" do serve to supply current to the chips and they cant be on same position if you flip the stick the other way around. Doing so will probably fry the stick, and maybe ram slot, possibly mainboard and PSU in some cases

Locking.