AsRock 775 DUAL-VSTA & Core 2 Duo E6400 - big Problem

flares · 14 Mar 2007 at 13:45

I recently did a cheap upgrade to Core 2 Duo (6400) using the AsRock 775 DUAL-VSTA. Everything worked sweet as a nut with absolutely no problems for about 1 week or so. In the middle of the night while I was asleep the machine (which is left on), just started restarting, and never stopped.

It gets past the memory test, and has located all the drives etc. when it flicks to start booting the OS, it just resets. I can clearly hear the little click noise from the board, the same noise that occurs when I hit the reset button.

I have removed, swapped, and tried less of the memory modules, and it makes no difference whatsoever.

I have swapped out various Hard drives with different OS's, and it makes no difference. It will not boot from a windows CD, or indeed a boot floppy.

I can get into the Bios as normal, but I don't get the menu choice to boot into safe mode.

I have tried cleaning and reseating all components, and tried it without all components it doesnt need. No good.

The case is very cool as is the CPU temp, plus I underclocked the CPU just in case, so its not that.

Deducing it must be the motherboard, I RMA'd the mortheboard back to the retailer, they tested it, said it was faulty and a week later I received my replacement. I installed it and guess what........

It didn't work! The PC still reboots itself immediately after the memory and drive check. While my motherboard was back with the retailer, I reinstalled my old motherboard and CPU, and everything worked perfectly, albeit slower with the old CPU.

Is it possible it could be the new CORE 2 DUO (E6400) CPU. The BIOS still reports that it is running nice and cool. Would it even get to the BIOS if the CPU was faulty?

If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate them.

thank you

flares

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 (allendale)
ASROCK 775DUAL-VSTA
1GB PC2700 RAM (2x512)
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
Windows XP Pro SP2

Cob · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:07

Is the e6400 at stock speeds?

Tbh I wouldn't fancy trying to run a 266mhz fsb Intel cpu with 333mhz DDR RAM. Try to get your hands on some dirt cheap pc2-4200.

flares · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:11

Hi - yes its at totally stock speed. It ran sweet for a week or so, but now won't get to OS anymore. Could the RAM cause such a thing?

Cob · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:21

I doubt it would stop an OS loading.

Have you ran MemTest to make sure?

flares · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:24

Re MemTest;

Unfortunately I can't boot into any OS to run anything

theredguy · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:34

Memtest runs from a bootable cd so you can check it even if you have no hdd in the system.

Link

flares · 14 Mar 2007 at 14:38

It doesn't boot from floppy or CD rom, it resets just before it would normally get there.

Darg · 15 Mar 2007 at 19:03

Do you know anyone else with a C2D motherboard that you can test your CPU in? I doubt its a memory compatibility problem as a lot of people are running various speed DDR memory with this board without problems.

Try testing the CPU or borrowing some DDR2 from a friend if you can. How long has it been since you bought the CPU?

flares · 16 Mar 2007 at 13:28

I don't know anyone else with a Core 2 DUO mobo. I have had the CPU for about 1 month. Can anyone tell me, if the CPU was faulty, would the machine not startup at all. The reason I ask is that I can still get into the BIOS.

flares

ethan · 16 Mar 2007 at 19:23

flares said:
I don't know anyone else with a Core 2 DUO mobo. I have had the CPU for about 1 month. Can anyone tell me, if the CPU was faulty, would the machine not startup at all. The reason I ask is that I can still get into the BIOS.

flares

Well Icracked a core once on a cpu and that wouldn't boot. Must have been a hairline crack because you just could not see it

No bios either )

bottletop · 16 Mar 2007 at 22:19

had something not dissimilar ages ago with a friends pc - turned out to be the PSU. might be worth borrowing one if you can just to make sure

sonyaddict · 16 Mar 2007 at 22:49

flares said:
I recently did a cheap upgrade to Core 2 Duo (6400) using the AsRock 775 DUAL-VSTA. Everything worked sweet as a nut with absolutely no problems for about 1 week or so. In the middle of the night while I was asleep the machine (which is left on), just started restarting, and never stopped.

It gets past the memory test, and has located all the drives etc. when it flicks to start booting the OS, it just resets. I can clearly hear the little click noise from the board, the same noise that occurs when I hit the reset button.

I have removed, swapped, and tried less of the memory modules, and it makes no difference whatsoever.

I have swapped out various Hard drives with different OS's, and it makes no difference. It will not boot from a windows CD, or indeed a boot floppy.

I can get into the Bios as normal, but I don't get the menu choice to boot into safe mode.

I have tried cleaning and reseating all components, and tried it without all components it doesnt need. No good.

The case is very cool as is the CPU temp, plus I underclocked the CPU just in case, so its not that.

Deducing it must be the motherboard, I RMA'd the mortheboard back to the retailer, they tested it, said it was faulty and a week later I received my replacement. I installed it and guess what........

It didn't work! The PC still reboots itself immediately after the memory and drive check. While my motherboard was back with the retailer, I reinstalled my old motherboard and CPU, and everything worked perfectly, albeit slower with the old CPU.

Is it possible it could be the new CORE 2 DUO (E6400) CPU. The BIOS still reports that it is running nice and cool. Would it even get to the BIOS if the CPU was faulty?

If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate them.

thank you

flares

Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 (allendale)
ASROCK 775DUAL-VSTA
1GB PC2700 RAM (2x512)
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
Windows XP Pro SP2

Well I’ve got a confession... my computer behaved like this and i eventually removed the MOB and tested outside of the case (worked fine).... I discovered I’d left an old MOB pillar mount that was not lined up to anything else!.... could have ****ed it but it didn’t!... strange thing it only started acting up after an hour of install ...including a re install of XP!... WTF! :eek:

Xeon · 17 Mar 2007 at 07:25

If you can get it to start loading the os hit F8 key & try booting into safe mode.
If this works you could then try a system restore.

ethan · 17 Mar 2007 at 16:41

To be honest you have got to try everything that has been suggested and everything you could possibly think of. Personally I would try your motherboard with somebody elses cd2 cpu and power supply: and if that booots ok you'll be one step closer to isolating the prob. I am sure a shop would do this for when they had a moment and for a nominal fee. Good luck

Sounds like a power supply or short problem on the mobo 2 me and it is not entirely inconceivable that you have been supplied with a faulty batch of mobos?