The Mother Board

[roddenberry]

Aargh. Just finished building a great little PC using a M2N-E mobo by Asus. I had the manual so setup and install went like a charm. Put a 660w power supply so I can power-up my Nvidia GeForce 8800 card (it has the 6-pin PS connector).

So everything went well and I installed XP, all the drivers and the service packs and updates. 100% good, speedy little PC, awesome video performance. I am happy.

This morning, I start-up the PC... it stays on for 3 seconds and then shuts down. Tried again and again... same thing. I thought maybe a bad BIOS battery (some Macs behave like that when the battery is dying). So I changed the battery with a new one... Still shuts down after 3 seconds.

Then I tried booting while holding the reset button. It stays on as long as I keep my finger on the button. As soon as I release it, it shuts down. Frustration...

Just wondered if anyone experienced that particular problem with a M2N-E or other Asus mobo?

I tried to disconnect everything, including the video card and HD, and it still shuts down after 3 seconds. What I don't understand is that it ran fine for several days without a hitch.

Thank you in advance for any insight or any anecdotes about this evil mobo...

Robert

[Karlsweldt]

Lots of helpful tips in this link to "troubleshooting" here on the Forum..
http://www.motherboards.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39873

But a few quick checks.. ensure the CPU and its cooling fan/heatsink are securely mated. It can take less than 5 seconds for the CPU thermal cut-offs to activate, with high temperatures! And check the thermal limits in the BIOS for CPU cut-off. Some CPU models do run hot, so set the cut-off temp around 75°C to 80°C, which would be about average. And ensure all power sockets mate with power leads from the PSU. Same if using a high-end video card, they require a lead set.
Then there is that nasty "bad caps" syndrome.. where capacitors go bad, and cause all sorts of problems. If any show domed tops, lean excessively or have signs of leakage, they are bad. More info at www.badcaps.net/ .
_________________
F@H.. to solve mankind's maladies.. in our lifetimes!