Getting a C1 error on my 780i mobo after installing new GPU :(

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 14:42

So yesterday I installed a new GPU and a new heatsink on my Q6600. Everything seemed to be fine. No problems for several hours so I went to bed. Well, this morning I try to boot up my computer and all I get is a blank screen and either a C1 or 1D code on my mobo (an EVGA 780i).

Is there anything I can do about this? I really hope I haven't fried the board with a static discharge or something like that. I was really careful about staying grounded while I was messing with things. I kept the computer plugged into the mains but with all the power switched off.

I've checked the manual and the C1 code apparently means "memory base detect" and the 1D code means "early PM initialization".

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 15:24

No such luck mate. Tried reseating the ram, tried it with only one stick in each of the slots. Still getting that 1D error.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 15:52

WD40! Some people...

I was about to try resetting CMOS. I have a only a vague idea of what I need to do though. I think I've found the switch. It's the blue thing with three pins at the bottom of the board. Do I just lift it off the two pins to the right and put it on the two pins to the left, and then take out and put the battery back in?

I can't get into the BIOS now, but I think if I do that I will be able to get back in and change the settings on my ram. I recall messing with the ram back when I first built this rig. Maybe those settings aren't good with my 560Ti even though they worked fine with my 9800GTX?

But will I need to switch the CMOS back to the pins on the right at any point after I get it to boot again?

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:16

Reset the CMOS jumpers and still no luck. 1D error.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:26

Underside seems fine. The backplate has a plastic layer of insulation on the side which contacts the board.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 16:35

I've decided to try this procedure:

http://www.evga.com/forumsarchive/tm.asp?m=169747&mpage=1&key=

Just waiting to put the battery back in ow. But what should I do if I can get back into BIOS? I assume I'll have to change the ram settings, but I'm not at all sure that to do. Is there an 'auto' setting or anything like that?

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 17:12

I think I might have had some success!

Okay, I did all that and now I get an 'FF' message, which according to the manual means 'boot'! However the first time it returned that message I couldn't figure out why nothing was showing on screen and then I realised there was no GPU in the system so there was nothing connecting my PC to my monitor :S

So I just did it again with my 560Ti plugged in. I get an FF, so I think it's booting but again nothing is showing on-screen. There are 2 orange lights on the 560Ti so I don't know what's going on.

Any ideas?

Edit: figured out the reason for the orange lights on the 560Ti... no power connectors plugged into it!

Anyway, that's plugged in and the lights are green, but I'm still not getting anything on-screen.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 17:40

My old GPU is plugged in right now but still nothing on-screen.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 18:03

I read here:

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=205384

That it might be a problem with multiple drivers. I did install several new drivers recently. I already had some from last month installed, then when I first installed my 560 I installed the latest ones, then when I put in the CD that came with my 560 that installed even more drivers, i.e. the ones that were the latest ones when the 560 shipped back in January or whenever, then when I installed BF3 it made me install the latest Nvidia drivers yet again. Come to think of it the system hasn't booted since I switched it off after having installed that last set of drivers.

I wonder if all that could have something to do with it? I would have thought that everytime there's a driver install it automatically deletes the old ones so it wouldn't be a problem, though...

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 18:24

shadesofgrey said:
Could do, that would explain why everything worked untill you turned it off then tried to restart it in the morning... but you shouldn't have any drives plugged in while trying all this any drivers and such would only be on the hard drive, I doubt you have
flashed ur BIOS or anything.

Have you definitely tried booting up with bare minimum hardware attached? 1 stick of ram, gpu, powersupply, cooler fan, keyboard. Thats it.

Yeah, I've got one stick of ram in the far slot and I took out my sound card, so all I've got left is the CPU, cooler, one stick of ram, a GPU, mouse, keyboard and PSU.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 18:41

Yeah, tried all of the possible ram configs and the mobo doesn't have any kind of video out.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 18:43

Just to double check, mate: what position should the cmos jumper be in? On the left or right?

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 19:04

Yeah, that's in the right position then. I'm stumped.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 19:09

Yeah, but I think it's a false FF because it goes straight to FF and doesn't go through any of the other stages.

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 19:20

Okay I'll give that a try then.

But what exactly should I be trying to do here? I can reseat the fan but I don't know what to look for as far as problems go. I don't know what the SMDs are either I'm afraid. What do I need to do in the reseat to make sure it's in right?

My cooler is a Spire Thermax Eclipse II. One of these: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Spire-TherMax-Eclipse-II-CPU-Cooler-Review/1085/4

Edit: might be of some use, apparently only the blue LED (standby power) is supposed to be on before pressing the power on button, but the orange LED (memory power) is always on on my board. Could that imply a problem with the memory?

I've had this rig for 3 years and the memory has always worked fine. Strange...

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 20:03

Okay I'll try that.

Maybe I could cover the backplate with electrical tape also, as an extra layer of insulation?

First though I'll try loosening the screws. That logically sounds like it might be the problem but then that doesn't explain how I could use my rig for 8 hours plus last night and not have a single problem?

Honestly, this stuff is exhausting. Starting to wish I handn't bothered with these upgrades now

kissenger · 17 Nov 2011 at 22:06

You know, the more I think about it the more I think the problem is the heatsink warping the board and causing a problem with the DIMM slots. That would explain why it worked yesterday (because that was just after I installed the heatsink and it hadn't had time to warp) and why it didn't work this morning (because it had warped overnight as the pressure from the screws got to the board).

kissenger · 18 Nov 2011 at 22:25

Update:

Tried reseating the heatsink for the third time and I moved the nuts that usually sit on top of the backplate onto the topside of the board. No luck.

I also bought some new ram to see if my old ram was the problem but no luck.

I also left out the battery all of last night and put it back in this morning. No luck.

I think I've tried everything, unless I'm missing something. Looking like an RMA is necessary.