Is my P35-DS4 dead?

[DiaperGravy]

After a few months of use, one day it just decided to quit working. The computer turns on, cpu and video fan at 100%, but that's it. No post, no beep codes (I do have system speaker in the case), no monitor powering up, no nothing. It just powers up and doesnt do anything. I've done the following already...

1) stripped down computer to bare minimum stuff.... cpu + ram + video + hdd and that's it. Didnt work. Tried to clear CMOS and try it again, didnt work. Tried to clear CMOS and popped out the battery for a few minutes, didnt work.

2) borrowed power supply from another active computer, didnt work.

3) tested ram, cpu, power supply, and video in the other computer, all work fine leaving me to believe nothing wrong with any of those.

Anything else I could try? Everything seems to point to something on the motherboard going bad. Maybe BIOS chip or power component? Anyways, I started the submission already for RMA to Gigabyte since it looks like that is gunna be the end result anyways. Just checking to see if there is anything else I can do in the mean time.

[HemiRick]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

did ja kill the power to the board while the battery was out and resetting the CMOS? If not try that....And if it dont work still I say it's RMA time.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Yeah, I always unplug the power supply then put a hard drive jumper on the clear CMOS pins and let it sit for about 10 minutes

[DiaperGravy]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

yeah. battery was popped out with no power on board as with any other work. haha, I dont want to shock myself on anything if nothing else.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Try the way I said, I find it to work sometimes better then removing the battery

[Rewl]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

try without HDD aswell (if you didn't just forget to mention that);
a defective drive can easily block the whole system;

otherwise it pretty much has to be the board

[DiaperGravy]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

I gave it one last ditch effort since it has all been sitting unpowered for a day. Battery out cmos jumper shorted for about 30 minutes, my esata hdd even though it's just storage (would at least post and say not bootable if nothing was bad), dug up an old X800 vid card, and hooked up the power supply on the desk outside of the case, still nothing.

I have an RMA number from Gigabyte now, so I guess I will send it in. Luckily I have a cheap AMD based Dell I use as sort of an HTPC on my living room TV to record TV and watch downloaded movies on. I've moved that into this rig's place, changed up the settings and installed the usual crop of software I use on the desktops, so will have that at least in the mean time. Quite a difference going from nice new fast powerfull quiet machine to using a low end dell/amd based system that is a couple years old now. heh.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

What RAM is this you are trying to use? May be compatibility issues

[DiaperGravy]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Crucial Ballistix DDR2-800. Doubt it was that. Like I said in the first post, system was running great for about 3 months, then nothing. Everything work fine in the other computer, and the other computer's cpu and ram didnt work on the DS4.

I have RMA number and board is getting shipped off monday. It's already broken down and boxed up, just no time to make it to UPS till monday.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Yeap, that is likely JUST WHAT IT IS! Crucial Used to be the best, now often dies or errors early causing you to need a RMA. And yes that is the brand I had in mind when asking about compatibility issues, they do have with GA boards.

While you wait you should RMA that ram for a refund and buy Mushkin or GSkill they are more compatible with GA boards. If you are a Crucial FTW person then you will have to learn the hard way I suppose. See my post #28 here >>>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/p35-ds3l-possible-memory-setting-problems-26590/index3.html#post251365

[HemiRick]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

my 1st set of Crucials recently sucked hard and corrupted the BIOS of my 1st MoBo and have been RMA and my new board loves the Gskills....I'm afraid to even try to test the Crucials in my board when I get em back....Wanna buy some cheap ram?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Ebay that before you get tempted!!!

[DiaperGravy]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

Finally had time to box the board up and send it in when I made a $175 mistake.

Took off the cpu cooler, cleaned off the cpu and removed it, was attempting to wipe off the last trace amount of thermal paste off the cpu retainer real quick before popping in the socket protector which proved a fatal mistake. I snagged a pin on the socket. Got the jewler screw driver out to move said pin back into place, which it did but you could still tell it had been tampered with afterwards as the reflection of the base of the pin where it goes almost horizontal for a stretch didnt match when really inspecting it at all angles. So while trying to correct that, I managed to disrupt a couple surrounding pins making it noticeable from about any angle with a good look. Now physicly damaged and clearly against what they state is acceptable for RMA, it got stabbed with screw driver and thrown against the wall which relieved some stress for about a minute. heh. So that pretty much takes care of that board. Destined for the trash now.

So there it is. After building or at least doing a major update to my homebuilt machines yearly since the 386sx-16 days, this is the first motherboard I have had that ever went bad on me. I've never had a DOA one or anything over the years. Figures the one that finally goes bad is also the most expensive one I have bought as well.

The plus side, I dont have to worry about the wait RMA'ing the old one anymore...even though it did cost me a lot. I also thought about getting a different board since I have to spring for a new one now...was close to buying one of the Asus P5K series, but ultimately bought another DS4.

[DiaperGravy]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

oh yeah...fogot to mention what I found with the board between ruining the socket then destroying the board. I gave it a real close look, everything looked fine, then popped off the heatpipe/heatsinks. on the one behind the I/O ports...the middle heatsink with the Gigabyte label on it...one of the chips it covers was popped. I'm guessing a mosfet chip? Anyways, that appears to be what initially killed it.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Is my P35-DS4 dead?

WOW

Be careful with your new one!!!!