Does this sound like a CPU issue?

[scruffeh]

I have been trying to get my PC to work for a few days now after I replaced a faulty motherboard. As it stands now, the motherboard will power on and then off within a second of being switched on. If I take the CPU out then the motherboard will power on for 10 seconds and then switch off. During this time it will bleep 4 times - long short short short as if there was a video card issue. However, I have tested the graphics card and it works.

My question is whether you would expect an Abit AV8 to stay powered on without any componants attached. As it is powering off after exactly 10 seconds then I am guessing this is by design rather than indicative of a fault. I have a feeling that the CPU is to blame but it was working fine in the previous motherboard, unfortunately I have no way of testing it and don't really want to take it to a shop to be ripped off for a 5 minute job!

My system is as follows:

Abit AV8-3rd Eye (brand new)
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (not sure of the core but it's one of the first ones
released Newcastle or Clawhammer perhaps)
Geforce 5900 Ultra
1 gig Corsair dual channel RAM

Any help would be appreciated, I've been without a working computer for 2 months whilst trying to fix these problems!

 

[scruffeh]

Yeah, the fan starts spinning before the whole thing cuts out. I'm inferring from your post that it is probably my CPU that is causing the motherboard to shut down so quickly. Does anyone else have an opinion?

 

[scruffeh]

It was mounted in the case to start with, as I got more and more fed up with it I removed it from the case and rested it on top of an anti static bag. Would shorting explain the differences experienced with and without the processer there?

 

[scruffeh]

Without the CPU it beeps 4 times - long short short short. A quick search tells me that the motherboard is reporting a video card error (because it can't print to screen to give more details). I assumed this was just down to the lack of processer. I am using the stock cooler and heatsink that came with the processer.

Pardon my ignorance but how could it be shorting if their is an antistatic bag between the motherboard and the case? Are you saying simply putting the processer in is making it short? I'm fairly computer literate but my physics knowledge is very limited

Thanks for helping..

 

[scruffeh]

Yeah I have tried reseating them. The problem occurs even without ram and GPU though. It literally switches straight off as soon as I plug the CPU in. Unplug the CPU and it will stay on for 10 seconds and switch off after beeping. I'll try without the anti static bag tomorrow but I'm not confident that it will help

 

[scruffeh]

Jokester - what I mean is, powering up the motherboard with no componants leads to a 10 second power up and then it switching off. As soon as I plug the CPU into the motherboard and turn it on it spins the fans then switches off. This is without any other componants.

AWPC -

1, I have run the same motherboard (with older bios version) with this chip and had no problems. Even if it was the bios, I wouldn't be able to flash it because it switches off before then

2, I have plugged and replugged it many times. The PSU is a good quality brand (Antec) and has been tested in my other pc. The same PSU also ran this set up before my previous motherboard died

3, The problem occurs before I even plug the RAM and CPU in. However, the GPU has been tested in my other PC and works fine and the RAM was working fine under the same set up before my previous board died.

 

[scruffeh]

update for reference

For what it's worth there was no problem with the CPU, the problem was with the motherboard. However, the replacement motherboard also died which has led me to conclude that the power supply was stressing the boards out (3 AV8s died on me). I have since upgraded to a 580w Tagan. Thanks to everyone for their input, it was much appreciated