Post problem with P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP@n

[dark2099]

So I got a ASUS P5E3 Deluxe WiFI-AP @n from fit last week and couldn't stand waiting for the DDR3 I ordered from newegg to arrive on wednesday, so I went out and picked some up from the local MC to start playing with. After messing around with stuff for a while now, I have gotten the board to succesfully post on twice. Basically the problem is that I hear a single post beep, my monitor light changes from sleep to getting a signal, but nothing displays. I have tried with both my E8500 and Celeron 430 CPU, 3 different gfx cards, my HD 4850, HD 3870, and HD 2600XT and with all of them the same thing has happened. Tried switching the cards around in the PCI-E slots and nothing worked, changed the DIMM slots the ram is in, nothing works. Links to the MB and Ram included. Using BIOS 1203 if I remember correctly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131218

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220304

 

[dark2099]

Now all it does is start up and shut down every 4 seconds.

 

[imperialreign]

try a CMOS reset

can you get into BIOS at all?

 

[dark2099]

I've reset the CMOS a million times (ok not that many but alot). Seems to like the celeron a bit more, got it to post after a CMOS reset, then swapped out the E8500, and it started acting up again.

 

[imperialreign]

double check your mobo connections, remove and then plug back in the 24pin ATX connector, as well as the CPU power connector, and make sure the VGA adapter is 100%, fully seated.

If you have a different PSU laying around, try booting with the spare PSU as well. Have you also tried only having one stick of DRAM installed, and swapped around?

I've had similar happend before after a bad OC setup, and the only thing I could do was to reflash the BIOS.

Can you make it into BIOS at all, or to the POST bootup image? If so, go into the EZ Flash utility (under tools in BIOS, or hit ALT+F2 during POST), and re-flash the BIOS; it usually won't allow you to flash the same version as currently installed, so you'd have to try 1109. I'd attach it here, but I don't see the attachment button

 

[dark2099]

Tried the DRAM in diff slots, haven't tried the PSU, if I reset the CMOS and try booting with the celeron it will post and displan an image, but only the one time. If I try to go into the BIOS to edit anything it won't POST properly again.

 

[imperialreign]

Tried the DRAM in diff slots, haven't tried the PSU, if I reset the CMOS and try booting with the celeron it will post and displan an image, but only the one time. If I try to go into the BIOS to edit anything it won't POST properly again.

Im starting to think the BIOS image is borked - you can attempt a BIOS flash to repair it, and keep your fingers crossed . . . I've had issues with mine here prior to 1203 . . . IIRC, should something happend during the flash procedure, there's a failsafe that at bootup will start searching for a BIOS ROM to flash - from your HDD, USB or ODD.

You can flash from a USB with EZ Flash - put the ROM image onto a USB, and it should detect it.


I'd try a different PSU, first, though. I still think the BIOS image might have been corrupted, but it's better to eliminate any possible hardware faults, first.

The only other suggestion I could give would be try obtain a different DDR3 stick, even a 512MB would suffice for testing . . . but, TBH, I don't get the impression that it's a DRAM issue.

 

[dark2099]

Tried a different PSU with no go, about to do a BIOS flash back to 1109.

 

[imperialreign]

Tried a different PSU with no go, about to do a BIOS flash back to 1109.

good luck, man!

If need be, there's also the default BIOS in the root directory on the driver CD

 

[dark2099]

After flashing the BIOS, it posts every time with the Celeron, going to try the E8500 now.

 

[dark2099]

Back to the start and shut down every few seconds.

 

[imperialreign]

how's the dualie POSTin'?, damn, just noticed your post ^

what about when you go back to the Celey?

 

[dark2099]

We must have posted at exactly the same time.

 

[imperialreign]

curious . . . what revision is your E8500?

 

[dark2099]

There is a screenie from CPU-Z.

 

[imperialreign]

hmmm . . . ASUS claims to support the C0 revision . . .


anywayz, can you POST with the celeron all the time now?

If so, I'd recommend downloading a fresh copy of 1203.rom (http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us), then flashing that to the board; let it POST and make sure it'll boot up - then power down, install the dualie, then go into BIOS and load default configuration and reboot.

If for some reason it still won't POST properly with the dualie, the only options I could reasonably think of would be to wait until a new BIOS revision is released (which, considering ASUS' release "schedules" should probably be within a few weeks . . . hopefully), or contact ASUS tech support and see what they can come up with . . . but I get the feeling they'd end up giving you an RMA number

 

[dark2099]

Problem seems to be solved, bad CMOS battery, was suggested by JR, thankfully had a gigabyte board that I messed up and replaced it with and works like a charm now.

 

[CStylen]

I remember mine was acting funny by shutting down and starting up randomly until I realized I had something plugged into the AI remote usb port. Even the port next to it is touchy depending on what you plug into it.

 

[dark2099]

Actually it still likes to restart every 2 seconds.

 

[imperialreign]

Problem seems to be solved, bad CMOS battery, was suggested by JR, thankfully had a gigabyte board that I messed up and replaced it with and works like a charm now.

seriously?!

dude, I never woulda guessed at that! Usually you'll get a beep at POST along with a message saying 'bad CMOS checksum' or 'no BIOS defaults loaded' or something to that effect. Never run into an issue with a failing CMOS battery causing POST issues like what you described . . . I'll have to remember that for future reference!

Glad to hear it's finally up and running!

So, your dualie POSTing alright now?


a word of advice with the board, though, I still recommend BIOS v1203 - I've found it to be a lot more stable than 1109 was, and if you intend to do any OCing, 1203 seems to be a lot more stable as well (hell, with all the previous BIOS revisions, I couldn't even get my DRAM over 1600MHz). Although, I'd make sure you get your system set up and stable, first, though - don't update the BIOS unless you have to, y'know?


-edit-

Actually it still likes to restart every 2 seconds.

I see . . . that board is getting out the ninja skillz on ya now

try reseting the CMOS by the jumper, then - it's at the bottom of the board near the cha3_fan connector, and the battery. remove the battery, move the jumper, wait 1 min, replace the jumper, replace the batt and boot up.

It might also be worthwhile to take a quick trip to the store and pick up a brand new battery as well - if a batt swap cleared issues up to begin with for a short while, it's possible that spare batt you had laying around might be dead.

 

[dark2099]

seriously?!

dude, I never woulda guessed at that! Usually you'll get a beep at POST along with a message saying 'bad CMOS checksum' or 'no BIOS defaults loaded' or something to that effect. Never run into an issue with a failing CMOS battery causing POST issues like what you described . . . I'll have to remember that for future reference!

Glad to hear it's finally up and running!

So, your dualie POSTing alright now?


a word of advice with the board, though, I still recommend BIOS v1203 - I've found it to be a lot more stable than 1109 was, and if you intend to do any OCing, 1203 seems to be a lot more stable as well (hell, with all the previous BIOS revisions, I couldn't even get my DRAM over 1600MHz). Although, I'd make sure you get your system set up and stable, first, though - don't update the BIOS unless you have to, y'know?


-edit-




I see . . . that board is getting out the ninja skillz on ya now

try reseting the CMOS by the jumper, then - it's at the bottom of the board near the cha3_fan connector, and the battery. remove the battery, move the jumper, wait 1 min, replace the jumper, replace the batt and boot up.

I've done all that many times, have the celeron in there now, posted, went into the BIOS to change the date and time and boot order of the HDs, then saved and exited, back to the post beep but no display problem.

 

[imperialreign]

honestly the last recommendations I could give would be to try a brand new battery for the CMOS (worth a shot if a spare cleared things up for a short amount of time), or my earlier post:

If so, I'd recommend downloading a fresh copy of 1203.rom (http://support.asus.com/download/dow...Language=en-us), then flashing that to the board; let it POST and make sure it'll boot up - then power down, install the dualie, then go into BIOS and load default configuration and reboot.

If for some reason it still won't POST properly with the dualie, the only options I could reasonably think of would be to wait until a new BIOS revision is released (which, considering ASUS' release "schedules" should probably be within a few weeks . . . hopefully), or contact ASUS tech support and see what they can come up with . . . but I get the feeling they'd end up giving you an RMA number

I'm sorry, man, but I can't think of squat else

maybe someone else might be able to offer some more insight or some other useful ideas

 

[dark2099]

Flashing it back to the 1203 bios, don't think it will help, but worth a shot.

 

[dark2099]

Yea, still hates to post.

 

[dark2099]

Figured someone might find this interesting, and I can't remember if I said it in here, but if I go into the BIOS to do anything, when I save and exit, it goes back to the usual post beep but no display.