Motherboard has died

[statalite]

I assume you have tried a bios reset as this will revert the bios to its eeprom stored factory defaults

So far I have tried clearing the CMOS using the external dip switch (motherboard feature? and also internal jumper. I have also tried removing the battery, but not for an extended period.
How do I reset the bios other than removing the battery?

 

[Topper]

So far I have tried clearing the CMOS using the external dip switch (motherboard feature? and also internal jumper. I have also tried removing the battery, but not for an extended period.
How do I reset the bios other than removing the battery?

If you have done a dip switch reset then you have reset the bios to factory settings, it does sound like the cmos has failed, to be sure it is worth trying to boot without keyboard and any additional cards in use.

 

[statalite]

If you have done a dip switch reset then you have reset the bios to factory settings, it does sound like the cmos has failed, to be sure it is worth trying to boot without keyboard and any additional cards in use.

Went to check the CMOS booted without keyboard and any additional cards in use.

Gave same error code as before translating to:
"Complete uGuru inital process, AWARD BIOS take over booting job"

Would this be CMOS or BIOS at fault?

 

[Topper]

Well based on what you are reporting it would seem to be the bios but I cannot say I am an expert when it comes to cmos/bios problems, I take it you are never achieving an option that allows you to enter the bios to edit the cmos date and time in which case it seems to be the bios

 

[statalite]

Well based on what you are reporting it would seem to be the bios but I cannot say I am an expert when it comes to cmos/bios problems, I take it you are never achieving an option that allows you to enter the bios to edit the cmos date and time in which case it seems to be the bios

I appreciate your advice and take onboard you may not be an expert.
That's right nothing displaying at all, no response from input either.
Thinking of ordering the replacement bios chip to see where that gets me.

 

[Topper]

I take it there is a working cmos battery in there, i.e. have you checked the voltage output?

 

[statalite]

I take it there is a working cmos battery in there, i.e. have you checked the voltage output?

As far as I know the battery is fine not very old.
Voltage output of?
I don't have a multimeter so I cannot measure anything.

 

[Topper]

As far as I know the battery is fine not very old.
Voltage output of?
I don't have a multimeter so I cannot measure anything.

In that case you are not able to measure the battery voltage

 

[battenfan]

Thinking of ordering the replacement bios chip to see where that gets me.

I'll say that's a long shot. It's more likely a ram fault. Bios needs ram to boot.
Try pull some of the memory modules and keep a minimum of them in if you can. If there's no difference try moving them around.

 

[Topper]

I'll say that's a long shot. It's more likely a ram fault. Bios needs ram to boot.
Try pull some of the memory modules and keep a minimum of them in if you can. If there's no difference try moving them around.

Worth a check but onboard low level check prior to bios takeoever should have produced beeps or flashing light to indicate ram failure

 

[pgh13]

I'd be suspicious of ram. Also, and not wanting to insult your intelligence, make sure that in your troubleshooting you haven't changed something that is further confounding the problem, e.g. leaving the CMOS jumper in the clear position stopping the board from booting. I've seen that a time or two., although you said it was a DIP switch in this case. What board is it?

 

[statalite]

I'd be suspicious of ram. Also, and not wanting to insult your intelligence, make sure that in your troubleshooting you haven't changed something that is further confounding the problem, e.g. leaving the CMOS jumper in the clear position stopping the board from booting. I've seen that a time or two., although you said it was a DIP switch in this case. What board is it?

I will try to check the ram later, although I don't have any replacement to try with so have to test with what I have.
Yes there is a switch on the outside of the case and also a standard jumper type near the data ports, 99% sure these are set correctly.
Motherboard is an Abit IN9 32x-Max

 

[battenfan]

Reading Abit site it seems this motherboard might run on dimms installed in slot 1 & 3 (depending on what dimms they are). The reason I don't think it's the bios chip is that it froze while being in use. The bios usually gets copied to ram at boot an never used again until next boot.

 

[Luke61]

try disconnecting everything from the system board except: cpu, graphics card, 1 memory dimm, power leads. see what error you get.

 

[statalite]

I'd be suspicious of ram. Also, and not wanting to insult your intelligence, make sure that in your troubleshooting you haven't changed something that is further confounding the problem, e.g. leaving the CMOS jumper in the clear position stopping the board from booting. I've seen that a time or two., although you said it was a DIP switch in this case. What board is it?

Checked and the dip switch and jumper are in the correct "normal" non clearing position.

Reading Abit site it seems this motherboard might run on dimms installed in slot 1 & 3 (depending on what dimms they are). The reason I don't think it's the bios chip is that it froze while being in use. The bios usually gets copied to ram at boot an never used again until next boot.

I have been using the RAM in slots 1&2 as the manual where I'm looking does not state that they needed to be in 1 and 3. Been using it like this for years, I wonder if its affected it.

try disconnecting everything from the system board except: cpu, graphics card, 1 memory dimm, power leads. see what error you get.

Done this but same error even switching the 2 RAM modules I have been using with each other in slot 1 but still the same.

 

[battenfan]

I have been using the RAM in slots 1&2 as the manual where I'm looking does not state that they needed to be in 1 and 3. Been using it like this for years, I wonder if its affected it.

No, if it has worked then fine. I was wrong. I was referring to this:

http://abit.ws/test-report/in9-32x-max-wi-fi.htm@2

I thought, if you had 4 dimms you could pull 2 of them out.
"To reach optimum performance..." sounds as if it might run on a single dimm.

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/205151/Abit-In9-32x.html?page=18#manual

 

[pgh13]

Clutching at straws, i know..... spotted this in answer to a similar prob with an AN8 board

'
The remote CMOS lead is an issue - removed it and used normal jumper after doing a clear and it booted.

Put it back the other way round (there are only two ways it can go) - no go.

Remove it and clear CMOS and put the normal jumper on and it RUNS.'

 

[statalite]

Clutching at straws, i know..... spotted this in answer to a similar prob with an AN8 board

'
The remote CMOS lead is an issue - removed it and used normal jumper after doing a clear and it booted.

Put it back the other way round (there are only two ways it can go) - no go.

Remove it and clear CMOS and put the normal jumper on and it RUNS.'

Just used a standard jumper on the CCMOS1 located under the SATA ports but no difference made, same error code.

 

[statalite]

So guys the only thing left to try is switching the BIOS chip?

 

[Analoguesat]

I think thats probably your best bet now.