No boot on NF7-S

GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
edited April 2004 in Hardware
I just rebuilt my secondary rig with some extra cooling. I had to dremel off one of the side tabs on an SLK-947U to clear the caps and I put a ZM-NB47J on the NorthBridge, as well as some passive SB cooling.

The PC worked with the same configuration before I rebuilt it with the better cooling (had a stock Barton HS and stock cooling on the mobo) but now it doesn't boot. I get no beep codes or anything on it, nothing on the monitor, etc. In fact, all it does is power up and all the fans spin and lights come on (HDD light stays on solid as well as power light) and nothing happens.

I didn't put this in the Emergency forum because it's my secondary rig, so I've got a PC without it, but I'd really like to get this problem solved in time to get the rig going for S-M LAN...

Comments

  • dobunnsdobunns Belem, Para, Brasil
    edited April 2004
    Have you checked your HDD connections, make sure they are the correct way round, the floppy light stays on when it's connected the wrong way around, just a thought :)
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    The cables have pegs on them so they can't be connected the wrong way. Although I get the same no-boot conditions with or without the hard drives connected.
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    I assume you've tried clearing resetting the BIOS?

    I'd suggest re-attaching the CPU HSF.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    Yup, cleared BIOS. I'll try to re-do the HSF tonight... any tips on using the 947U? I've never attached a non clip-on HSF before...
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    Maybe it's grounding out. Did you try taking the mobo out of the case?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    I can check that if all else fails.
  • edited April 2004
    You put the "X brace" or whatever it's called in with the plastic sheet and spongy pad thing facing the board, correct?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    Yup, I sure did.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited April 2004
    Is this your first time attaching a 4 hole mounted Thermalright HSF (900U, 947U, SP97, etc)? For my first, I hadn't gotten the 4 HSF mounts in tight enough for it to touch the CPU core good enough and it sounds like what you're experiencing. To see if it's making efficient contact, take off the HSF and look at the thermal compound on the HSF & CPU. If there hasn't been enough pressure, you can tell.

    It took a lot out of me to tighten the mounts tight enough the first time. I could have swore I broke the board they needed to be so tight. Nothing's broke however, and it worked from then on.

    You can always slap the Barton HSF back on and see what happens to narrow it down to the 947U.
  • edited April 2004
    I have the same problem after transfering my motherboard into another case. I hope someone can find the solution to this. BTW, if the original poster already solved the problem, if you be so kind and post the solution too. Thanks.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    Park_7677 wrote:
    Is this your first time attaching a 4 hole mounted Thermalright HSF (900U, 947U, SP97, etc)? For my first, I hadn't gotten the 4 HSF mounts in tight enough for it to touch the CPU core good enough and it sounds like what you're experiencing. To see if it's making efficient contact, take off the HSF and look at the thermal compound on the HSF & CPU. If there hasn't been enough pressure, you can tell.

    It took a lot out of me to tighten the mounts tight enough the first time. I could have swore I broke the board they needed to be so tight. Nothing's broke however, and it worked from then on.

    You can always slap the Barton HSF back on and see what happens to narrow it down to the 947U.

    Yes, it was my first time installing a 4-hole mounted HSF. I thought it wasn't tight enough as well, too. Turns out I had solid contact... The X-brace was tight enough that the board was a little bowed.

    At any rate, I narrowed it down to the board, because when I removed everything, the motherboard had a nice fried trace on the backside... burned so bad the copper was peeling off the PCB.

    RMA time...
  • MJOMJO Denmark New
    edited April 2004
    Park_7677 wrote:
    Is this your first time attaching a 4 hole mounted Thermalright HSF (900U, 947U, SP97, etc)? For my first, I hadn't gotten the 4 HSF mounts in tight enough for it to touch the CPU core good enough and it sounds like what you're experiencing. To see if it's making efficient contact, take off the HSF and look at the thermal compound on the HSF & CPU. If there hasn't been enough pressure, you can tell.

    It took a lot out of me to tighten the mounts tight enough the first time. I could have swore I broke the board they needed to be so tight. Nothing's broke however, and it worked from then on.

    You can always slap the Barton HSF back on and see what happens to narrow it down to the 947U.

    I was nervous while mounting my SLK-947U as well.
    It should be tight, but you wouldn't want the processor crushed.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    when installing the brace for the slk947u be sure to not overtighten the studs.
    Once you place the heatsink (the direction makes a clearance difference) hold the studs with needle nose plyers so that whenever you drive the screws with springs you don't continue to tighten the studs.
    If the studs are too tight it will result in a bowing of the MB but if secured sufficiently it will be ok ...the springed screws are what secures the heatsink to the processor and those are tough to overtighten when holding the studs with needlenose.
    The only other advice is while tightening the springed screws is to give each screw about 5-8 turns and then move onto another screw preferably opposite from the one you just semi-tightened (in an X pattern) ...and keep following those steps until fully tightened.
    That way you will get as even a seat as possible.
    It's odd but I have that heatsink and mobo and northbridge and I have made no mods at all for caps or anything ...I have found that I got a better fit but turning the heatsink 180d.
  • floppybootstompfloppybootstomp Greenwich New
    edited April 2004
    GHoosdum wrote:
    Yes, it was my first time installing a 4-hole mounted HSF. I thought it wasn't tight enough as well, too. Turns out I had solid contact... The X-brace was tight enough that the board was a little bowed.

    At any rate, I narrowed it down to the board, because when I removed everything, the motherboard had a nice fried trace on the backside... burned so bad the copper was peeling off the PCB.

    RMA time...

    If a board burnt that badly, it does sound as if some kind of short circuit was introduced to it.

    It's my guess - and it's only a guess - that the cooler retaining plate has shorted component contacts on the underside of the board. Perhaps the plastic insulating sheet was punctured or slipped somehow?

    Good luck with the RMA.

    I've just had a similar scenario with an Abit KV7, wouldn't boot. Disconnected PSU, left CMOS battery for a few hours, it booted. Mounted board in case, wouldn't boot. One of the six retaining screws was shorting somehow, removed that and it booted. Odd.

    Then I fitted a Thermalright SP97, my first experience with one of those. I liked the way it fitted, although it was just a little fiddly. Fitted with 92mm Antec fan, best cooler I've ever had, I think.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    the bowing may have made it short ...who knows. Make sure you use the correct washers.
  • edited April 2004
    Did you install that mobo into a different case than you originaly had it running in? If so, it might have a standoff in a place where your mobo has no mounting screw and shorted the board to death. A friend of mine killed 2 boards that way before he noticed the standoff. :eek:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2004
    It was in a different case, but I removed all the standoffs and started from scratch with the board install. Could detaching the NB fan cause a short? I took off the active NB cooling and put on a Zalman.
  • floppybootstompfloppybootstomp Greenwich New
    edited April 2004
    GHoosdum wrote:
    Could detaching the NB fan cause a short? I took off the active NB cooling and put on a Zalman.

    imo, extremely unlikely. In fact, I'd say no, assuming the fitting was carried out correctly.
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