# No post / video signal with Asrock 939Dual-Sata2



## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

Hi all,

I've a very very VERY annoying problem that I cannot solve.
Here's the story (sorry it's a bit long)

About 3w ago, I started to have big slow down when playing games (random freeze and so on). After a lot of researches I found that the issue could be the PC was too hot. So I decided to clean it up and remove the thick layer of dust inside.

I carefully used a vacuum cleaner with a brush to remove the dust from the HDD, mobo, gpu etc... I also tried to clean the CPU fan, but unfortunately, when removing it, the CPU came with it (so i didn't have the chance to lift the lever to properly removed the CPU - which wasn't of my plans but anyway) as it was "glued" to it because of the thermal paste. I put everything back, restarted the PC and ... nothing.  All fans and HDD are spinning, but nothing is displayed on the monitor.  I briefly smelled a light smell or burnt and immediately switched the PC off. I took the CPU off again and realized that when putting it back in the socket, I wasn't careful enough and I broke 4 pins.

So I ordered a new CPU last week, this time managed to put it carefully back in place (I read the manual in advance this time), restarted the PC and again, no video signal whatsoever. Everything is starting up (I can see all fans and HDD spinning, all leds seem to show some kind of activity), but nothing is displayed. I know the monitor is OK because I've tried with my laptop.
*****

I've been told that I probably burnt my MB because of static electricity; so I bought the same MB on eBay, I tried it last week and it still doesn't work. I've re-connected all components carefully and so on, verified jumper settings; but I get no POST message at all. All fans and leds are on, but no POST. So after some thought I ordered a new power supply as I thought I burnt the other on. I've installed everything and it's still the same issue.

I borrowed another graphical card and RAM from work. I've tried one by one all 4 RAM modules (also in different slots), the 2 MB (my old oneand the one from eBay) and 2 graphical cards (both DVI with a DVI-VGA adapter - does it make a difference for POST? I hade that before and was getting all POST messages). The problem remains. I don't know what to do.

The CPU is brand new so it's very unlikely to be the cause of the issue.

I've did all my tests with all components outside the case to avoid any short-circuit.

Any idea/advice is welcome.


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

wtf? man thats wack um......try a cmos clear and rebuild everything again make sure risers are tight on the mobo tray in the case than she if she'll post if that doesnt work make sure it isnt the mobo and pull the ram out and boot it HOPEFULLY you get a bios error code.


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> wtf? man thats wack um......try a cmos clear and rebuild everything again make sure risers are tight on the mobo tray in the case than she if she'll post if that doesnt work make sure it isnt the mobo and pull the ram out and boot it HOPEFULLY you get a bios error code.



hi solaris and thanks for your msg.

I've already did about 1000 CMOS clear, I even removed the battery.
I've also tried to boot without any RAM and I still get no bloody video signal (I've tested again the monitor and it works fine when I use it with my laptop)

As there's no on-board speaker, there's no beep.... so I really have ano clue where the problem could be. The worst case scenario could be that the 2nd MB I bought on eBay is also defective...


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

that could most deffinetely be the case but if i were you id go to a local PC shop and get a bios speaker that will tell us alot of the problems.


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

I say its a bent pin on the CPU itself....pull it back out and look at it very carefull.

939's were famous for this issue!!!!!!


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

hmmm, yeah probably... sounds like a lot of headwork to save a 50USD (70 EUR) MB.... maybe I should consider buying a new one....


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

sneekypeet said:


> I say its a bent pin on the CPU itself....pull it back out and look at it very carefull.
> 
> 939's were famous for this issue!!!!!!



hi sneekypeet, thanks for your reply.
I removed the CPU and carefully inspected it. All pins are OK.


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

Chouf said:


> hi sneekypeet, thanks for your reply.
> I removed the CPU and carefully inspected it. All pins are OK.



Ok most likely back to the mobo again, and as Solaris recommends, get a mobo speaker, they are really cheap and will give back every cent in time it takes to diagnose issues!!!!


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

sneekypeet said:


> Ok most likely back to the mobo again, and as Solaris recommends, get a mobo speaker, they are really cheap and will give back every cent in time it takes to diagnose issues!!!!



ok guys, I went back in my basement, diggged out an old Compaq AP200 and unscrewed the built-in speaker. I've connected it to my flying MB (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=61&u=11937221) and I got some beeps at startups. The sequence is: two very short beeps (be-beeps), then 9 consecutive and identical beeps


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

AMI bios beep codes:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Asrock+beep+codes

Award beep codes:
http://bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

well ok apparently it's something like "ROM BIOS checksum failure" which doesn't sound good at all. And btw, now I don't have any beeps anymore. I "rebooted" twice, got sounds 2, or 3 times and now it's completely silence... Anyway that "ROM BIOS checksum failure" seems to mean that the MB is dead....

I'm just wondering now if I should buy another cheap 939 Socket MB and hope my new AMD X2 3800+ is ok or if I should buy a completely new PC.


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

actually checksum failure usually measn the bios is f'd not flashed properly or not configured correctly..is the bios chip removable? if it is try swapping it with the other mobo. the mobo may be dead but thats a long shot because one of the reasons i asked you to get a speaker is because if the mobo will spit out stop codes thats a tell tale sighn that the mobo isnt the prob.


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

http://www.asrock.com/mb/enlargement.asp?Model=939Dual-SATA2

Looks socketed to me...I say try swapping the BIOS chips as well!

If you are unsure the BIOS chip is just northeast of the battery in that pic!


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

you can get ic removers (their like tweasers) but needlenose pliers or forcips will work just as well just dont squeeze to tight your youll crack the chip.


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> you can get ic removers (their like tweasers) but needlenose pliers or forcips will work just as well just dont squeeze to tight your youll crack the chip.



I have also heard the tip of inserting a couple of "jewlers" screwdrivers, and put thenm into the slots and gently pry down. I have also seen IIRC a guy who super glued a fan screw to the top of the bios chips , for easy removal!


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

sneaky im going to thank you so you have 500 because 499 is so undeserved..


back on topic.


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

Lmfao......


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

sneekypeet said:


> http://www.asrock.com/mb/enlargement.asp?Model=939Dual-SATA2
> 
> Looks socketed to me...I say try swapping the BIOS chips as well!
> 
> If you are unsure the BIOS chip is just northeast of the battery in that pic!



You mean this one? 







hmmm doesn't seem to be that easy to get it out.
Btw, I've also tried to flash the BIOS, but I only have an old USB floppy drive and anyway, nothing is recognized at startup so I can't even boot from the floppy to launch the little Asrock tool


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## sneekypeet (Apr 23, 2008)

thats the critter


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

sneekypeet said:


> thats the critter



to tell you the truth, i've no clue how to remove it without damaging the pins around/the plastic socket....


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

Chouf said:


> to tell you the truth, i've no clue how to remove it without damaging the pins around/the plastic socket....



ok i found a way.... give me a sec and i'll give it a try

(btw guys, thanks a million for your help here!! It's greatly appreciated)


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

np dude anytime hope you stay and welcome to tpu tell us how it goes.....remember if you swap them and she still wont boot clear the cmos

it also might not be a bad idea to swap the batteries. i had a battery go bad and i got that error all the time.


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

ok, guys no luck, I've tried both MB chipset in both MB, same stuff... no POST, no video signal... I think we can definitively say that these two will RIP


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

got a pci card?


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## Chouf (Apr 23, 2008)

Solaris17 said:


> got a pci card?



just tried again the 1001st Clear CMOS + swapped MB batteries
(no PCI card, just a PCIe video card)


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## Solaris17 (Apr 23, 2008)

got an agp card? see if you can borrow a pci from somebody see if she will boot with that


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## kyle2020 (Apr 24, 2008)

hmm . . . have you tried the CPU with the other mobo? and tried running it on the integrated rather than your PCI-E  video card? that might be dead, other than that i havent got a clue. sorry man =/


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