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New PC Build - "System failed CPU Test"

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New PC Build - "System failed CPU Test"

Chas Uno

Chas Uno

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I'm beginning to think I shouldn't try and build my own PC :(

Anyway, this is what I have:

ASUS A7V333 Mobo Rev. 1.02 (Unused, so effectively brand new)

AMD Athlon XP - Model 6 (Palomino) 2000 MHz (rated), 1667 MHz (actual)
Socket A - 1.75v 90C Max Temp 256kb L2 Cache 266 MHz effective bus speed (133 MHz actual) (Thanks to Xen for identifying them - https://www.fiatforum.com/computing/108738-fastest-processor-my-mobo-speed-current-amd-cpu.html)

Seagate 160GB PATA Hard Drive (brand new)

Crucial 256MB 266Mhz DDR Ram (for the moment)

PNY Technologies Verto Ti4280 Graphics card

Bog standard CD Rom

Bog standard 3.5" FDD

Mercury ATX 400W Switching PSU

The MOBO has been installed into a DABS ATX tower case using the supplied stand offs, and using the correct number of screws as specified in the ASUS manual. Everything else has been installed as per the book and connected correctly.

When I turn on the ATX power supply at the back of the machine, the mobo green LED lights up. I then hit the ATX power on at the front of the PC and the system on LED lights up and the HDD light flashes then goes off. The CD rom flashes its light before going off then I get an audible speech message through the computer speakers saying:

"System failed CPU test" over and over and over :bang:

The monitor doesn't come on so there's no visible error messages. At this point the PC just sits there doing nothing. If I turn off and restart the same thing happens. Also the keyboard LED's flash when the PC is turned on, but caps lock and num lock LED's do not come on when appropriate keys are pressed.

Seems that this is a common problem with ASUS mobo's - http://forums.tweaktown.com/archive/index.php/t-2371.html

What I've tried to do is this:

Reset CMOS (removed battery and shorted the two reset pins with a jumper) - no difference.

Switched from jumper free mode to jumper mode. Set system config to basic settings - no difference.

Switched back to jumper free mode - no difference.

Switched the two AMD CPU's over - no difference. Heatsink and fan correctly installed with thermal paste. Heatsink fan operates correctly when PC is switched on.

So basically it won't boot up into POST, and as a result I can't get into BIOS to set it up. From doing a search on the internet is seems that this MOBO and some others from ASUS are notorious for doing this. At the moment I don't know whether there is a simple fault that needs rectifying or if the MOBO is buggered. Or if the CPU's are buggered. Sadly I have no way of testing them :(

Two things that keep getting mentioned are the MOBO shorting on the case and the PSU not being the right type. When I installed the MOBO I used the suppied risers with no washers (as I was told to), but should I have in fact used insulating washers between the Mobo and case or something?

However, one clue I got from the manual might suggest where the problem lies -

IMPORTANT! Make sure the ATX 12V power supply (minimum recommended wattage: 230W) can supply at least 10mA on the +5-volt standby lead (+5VSB). The system may become unstable and may experience difficulty in powering up if the power supply is inadequate. For Wake-On-Lan support, the ATX power supply must supply at least 720mA +5VSB.

Looking at the power supply is seems that the +5VSB lead is supplying much more at 2A, so could this possibly be the problem? I've enclosed a picture of the power supply with its specs to see if this will give any clues.

I'm stumped at the moment as to what to do next. Is it a setting fault, or does it sound like a dead mobo and/ or cpu? Any advice? And if the worst comes to the worst, any recommendations as to what type of mobo I can get (that will be compatible with all my current hardware) to replace mine? And how much would I be looking at paying for a compatible mobo?

Any help and advice would be VERY greatfully received!
 

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It's at these sort of times I turn to benchtesting...

remove the mobo and PSU from the case. Remove any un-nessesary cards. Only things required are:

PSU
mobo
CPU + heatsink/fan
RAM
GFX

Set it all up on a desk, and power on by bridging the power switch pins with a screwdriver. 50% of the time it will boot fine (a sign that there was a poor connection somewhere). The other times you can experiment with RAM in different slots, unplug gfx/ram to see if you get a different error.

Ironic that you're cobbling this computer together and I'm litterally giving away bits.. I've just given away a full PC. I'm such a hoarder. :rolleyes: You going to Standford Hall? :chin:
 
Thanks for the advice guys, very much appreciated :)

Hellcat said:
Set it all up on a desk, and power on by bridging the power switch pins with a screwdriver. 50% of the time it will boot fine (a sign that there was a poor connection somewhere). The other times you can experiment with RAM in different slots, unplug gfx/ram to see if you get a different error.
Click to expand...

I've read that suggestion before, so if all else fails I'll give that a go. Probably have to wait until Friday now before I'll get time (and space) to do that. At least it should go some way to eliminating possible problems.

Hellcat said:
Ironic that you're cobbling this computer together and I'm litterally giving away bits.. I've just given away a full PC. I'm such a hoarder. :rolleyes: You going to Standford Hall? :chin:
Click to expand...

The mobo, ram and CPU were cast offs from a friend. The case and HDD are brand new. Actually the mobo is second hand but was never used so is effectively new. I guess it is possible it is faulty.

Stanford Hall I think I am going to. Isn't it in September? It all depends on whether I have work placements that weekend, something I won't find out until I start my second semester in August. I'll certainly let you know, but fingers crossed I might be able to get this machine up and running at last.

toad101 said:
you are using a 333mhz board with a 266mhz cpu. the board could be overclocking the cpu, can you alter the board to run at 266mhz, usually by altering jumpers
Click to expand...

That's interesting, and I never though of that. The mobo is set as 'jumper free' by default and it's supposed to automatically detect everything and/ or be set by going into BIOS. It can be set to jumper mode and the CPU speed can be set along with its core voltage via dip switches. I'll give that a shot to see if that's the problem, though I was assured by my friend that the CPU and MOBO were compatible. If that still doesn't work I'll try Hellcats suggestion and benchtest the mobo as a bare bones system out of the case.

Thanks again for the advice (y)
 
toad101 said:
you are using a 333mhz board with a 266mhz cpu. the board could be overclocking the cpu, can you alter the board to run at 266mhz, usually by altering jumpers
Click to expand...

Hmm, just had a look in the mobo instruction manual and it states that the CPU External Frequency Selection can be set between 100mhz and 230mhz via dip switches in jumper mode. Does that mean that the board is in fact a 230mhz board rather than 333mhz?

The manual also says that the Voltage Regulator Output Setting can be set via jumpers (in jumper mode) to adjust the CPU core voltage between 1.85/ 1.825 volts and 1.7/ 1.675 volts.

Shall I set both to the lowest settings in the mobo jumper mode?
 
I tried a whole load of different settings last night be still got the same result - annoying female voice bleating "system failed cpu test" over and over :bang:

I'll try setting to 133mhz and the lowest voltage setting (not sure if I tried that last night), but it looks like I will be going for Hellcat's suggestion of benchtesting it bare to try and eliminate any possible shorting or faulty hardware.

Thanks very much for the help though (y)
 
custard said:
get it working?
Click to expand...

I will be benchtesting it today! It's supposed to be raining (damn weather forecasters), so as it's dry I'm going to go out and do an hours cycling first. Will spend the rest of the afternoon pulling the PC apart (so much for all my carefully routed cables and cable ties :() and then seeing if the MOBO or CPU are buggered...
 
You really don't want the voltage on the lowest setting, probably a lot lower than needed, as mobo's usually go to around half of whats required (At least my DFI does).

Find the specs of the CPU on the net and you should be able to find the default voltage, although Jumpers aren't really something you should need to be playing with, mobo's pretty much sort themselves out these days.
 
Mig, it was just a recommendation to try different voltage settings for the CPU, and my research on the web showed that a dodgy ASUS mobo sometimes worked when being used in jumper mode.

However, despite extensive testing it appears that either:

A: the mobo is faulty

or

B: Both CPU's are faulty

or

C: Both the mobo and CPU's are faulty.

I did as Hellcat recommended and removed the mobo from the case and ran it at absolute bare mininum. All I had was the PSU, the mobo, the CPU and fan and a stick of ram sitting on a wooden board. Connected up an internal speaker, switched it on and after ten seconds got that annoying woman bleating "system failed CPU test" over and over (again) :bang:

I tried both processors, tried it in jumper free and jumper mode, tried different ram sticks, tried it with a graphics card installed and connected to the monitor and also tried it with the HDD installed. Nothing, just that "system failed cpu test" again. Think I'm going to have to sample that and use it in an annoying song, at least I will when I get a PC up and running to record on. :rolleyes:

Basically the mobo is screwed and/ or both the CPU's are fried. Fed up with it now :cry:

However, I might be able to source another mobo thanks to an offer from a FF member. (y) I shall contact them and fingers crossed I will FINALLY get to build a fully working PC at last. Fingers crossed!
 
Have you tried resetting the BIOS? it might be a case of the last Processor that was in there is was the BIOS is expecting and because it isn't, it might refuse to boot to prevent damge.

The BIOS reset jumper is usually right next to the CMOS battery. its 3 pins. The Jumper should be on two. move the jumper over one pin so that it covers the other pin and one that was already covered.

Turn on your system for about 30 seconds. then turn off and move the jumper back over and try booting up again.

If you can't find the Jumper, remove the battery and leave it out for 24 hours then put it back in and try booting.
 
Trancendental said:
Have you tried resetting the BIOS? it might be a case of the last Processor that was in there is was the BIOS is expecting and because it isn't, it might refuse to boot to prevent damge.

The BIOS reset jumper is usually right next to the CMOS battery. its 3 pins. The Jumper should be on two. move the jumper over one pin so that it covers the other pin and one that was already covered.

Turn on your system for about 30 seconds. then turn off and move the jumper back over and try booting up again.

If you can't find the Jumper, remove the battery and leave it out for 24 hours then put it back in and try booting.
Click to expand...

Yup, tried that a number of times too. Removed the CMOS battery, stuck a spare jumper on the RTC RAM reset pins (only two on the ASUS - no jumper is default, put jumper on both pins to reset) for ten seconds, then put the battery back in before rebooting computer. No difference :( This is how the manual says to clear the CMOS system setup parameters.

I can only assume the mobo is fried?
 
I don't really like Older Mobos because they tend to do things like this when they are working perfectly :confused:

The only thing I can suggest, even though it seems like you have read the manual inside out, is to check to see whether there are jumpers which set the processor speed and make sure they are set accordingly.

Furthermore, are you 100% sure the processors you have are compatible with your current board?

If you are sure and have already tried of all the above then I would guess the mobo is indeed... dead.
 
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