"System failed due to CPU overclocking"

Jampy · 20 Oct 2007 at 15:55

Argh, my PC died last night... just in the middle of watching something and it powers down, like the power cable had been pulled out or something.
On reboot i get the dreaded "System failed due to CPU overclocking" voice post from the motherboard. I got no video, and the machine locked.
This system has been going strong for over 3 years now and has had no recent changes.

I've reset the CMOS but this seems to have made matters worse, it now powers on (no video again), i dont get any voice post message (instead i get a kind of stuttering noise) and then it automatically powers off.
I've tried swapping the RAM around and everything looks in order (CPU seated ok...)

Any Ideas?

Systems:

Asus A8V Deluxe
Athlon 3500+
Geil 1gb
9800 radeon

Thanks!

Jampy · 20 Oct 2007 at 16:22

with just mobo + CPU = no post at all but fans start up
mobo + CPU + RAM = no VGA voice message
mobo + CPU + RAM + GFX = stutter noise and power down

GFX problem?

Jampy · 21 Oct 2007 at 22:14

put in another GFX card and got the "no VGA card connected" voice POST, the GFX definetely works as im using it right now. Any reason why it shouldn't have worked?
Motherboard to blame?

Jampy · 22 Oct 2007 at 16:41

Amonlym said:
could be the PSU giving up.

got a spare to try with?

i thought there was a possibility it might be this... afraid i dont have anything to test it with though.

Jampy · 6 Nov 2007 at 12:19

Argh! I could really do with some help here.
New motherboard is in the system right now and guess what:
its doing the excact same thing, first i got the "System failed due to CPU overclocking" post, and onrestting the CMOS, it just powers down as it tries to post (you can hear the audio stuttering).
With no graphics card i get "failed VGA test" post, and using a different graphics card that i know works i get "failed VGA test".

to summerise:

first boot with new mobo: "System failed due to CPU overclocking"
after restting the CMOS: powers down as it posts
without the graphics card: "failed VGA test" but doesn't power down
with a fully working gfx card: "failed VGA test" but doesn't power down

any ideas, this is really frustrating!

Jampy · 6 Nov 2007 at 12:23

I've got two chips, so I've just used one... and swapped them around... so unless they are both dead i don't think its that.

Jampy · 6 Nov 2007 at 13:13

as soon as I clear the CMOS, that error goes and it starts to turn itself off as it struggles to post... so I've only got it twice (on each motherboard). It could be the CPU, i've got no way of testing but it looks fine.