# Nvidia 680i lt boot up problem



## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

C2D E8400
2X1gb of corsair ddr2-800 mhz ram
ati 4830
wd 160 gb sata hdd
Antec True Power Trio 430W ATX12V Power Supply with Three 12V Rails

I have a bfg tech 680i lt motherboard (A1) , the bios has been fully updated to the latest version by BFG so my cpu is supported. I do not get any POST, i do not have any peripherals connected to make debugging easier. I realize my board has a aux pex molex connector, i never tired plugging my molex connecter into that. I have a 4 pin cpu power connector, although the mobo asks for a 8 pin. I plugged in my 4 pin ( only one way it fits) and no post. when i start my pc, yellow, green and blue L.E.Ds light up though. I think it was orange and green but im sure bout blue. I do know for a fact that 3 LEDS lit up on each startup. I have yet to clear CMOD and plug in the molex connector thing...it says its used to supply extra power to the mobo or gpu, so maybe that would help right?
tomorrow i will use my friend old socket775 cpu to test if will work with that, if it does then that means either they didnt update bios or my e8400 needs more voltage.

EDIT: I took one of my molex connection and plugged it in on the on board aux pex thingy. No luck still
My friend is lending me his old socket 775 cpu in the morning so i can test if the mobo is alive or dead, the bfg tech guys told me that it was fully tested and what not before it left the warehouse and it does have latest bios...blahh hopefully it will work with the old cpu.
Two things will happen: either my mobo is not flashed with the latest bios to support my wolfdale or my e8400 needs more voltage via 8 pin since i only have a 4 pin
someone please help me find a solution.


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## gaximodo (Jun 24, 2009)

try lower CPU voltage and underclock your E8400 if you can boot into bios with it.


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## Mussels (Jun 24, 2009)

gaximodo said:


> try lower CPU voltage and underclock your E8400 if you can boot into bios with it.



do tell how he is supposed to lower the voltage, if the machine wont power on?

Ijatt: your diagnosis is correct. Either the BIOS is outdated and doesnt support the CPU, or the motherboard requires the 8 pin connector. That fits with your assesment.

However, no-POST scenarios can also be video card and memory related, so please dont rule those out. You should borrow spares of them off your friend at the same time.


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

I placed my friend Pentium d 820 cpu into the mobo and guess what, it boots up fine. I went into bios and set load default bios just to reset it back to its original state.

So now i know my video card works, memory works, cpu works but not my wolfdale only the older cpu

remember guys i only had a 4 pin plug for the cpu power socket not an 8 and it booted up fine!!!!!
when i do this with my e8400 and plug inthe 4 pin to the mobo, i do not see anything... i might need a 8 pin to powerup my e8400? or did they not do a bios update which they said they are 100% sure they did

btw i know my e8400 is not dead because i just used it on my other pc

EDIT: i added a picture of what my post screen looks like, how can i find out if they updated to latest bios?


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

i just spoke to the cunts at bfg tech and they told me that my mobo doesn't have the latest bios on it.

i'd agree cause the bios are dated 03/27/07

gg bfg


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## erocker (Jun 24, 2009)

Update your bios.  Does the 680i support 45nm CPU's?


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## CDdude55 (Jun 24, 2009)

erocker said:


> Update your bios.  Does the 680i support 45nm CPU's?



Only with a BIOS update they can support them.(not the 45nm Quads tho, only Duals)


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

can someone guide me on how to do a bios update? these are bfg techs latest bios that add support for the wolfdales, http://www.bfgtech.com//CMDocs/BFGTech/721N1P08.iso.zip

can i just go from my current bios to P08


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## CDdude55 (Jun 24, 2009)

iJatt said:


> can someone guide me on how to do a bios update? these are bfg techs latest bios that add support for the wolfdales, http://www.bfgtech.com//CMDocs/BFGTech/721N1P08.iso.zip
> 
> can i just go from my current bios to P08



There are different ways to do it, floppy, flash.etc. Depends what you have available to do it with.


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

i have a flash drive. Do i reformat the flash drive, put 721N1P08.iso on it and then go into bios with my old cpu and set boot device to removable usb device? and then just boot the pc and do what it says? 

do i need the iso in the flash drive or just the bin file? should i modify the iso in any way?


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

so i made a bootable usb drive and dled the files needed to do a bios update. they are in a iso file. can someone download http://www.bfgtech.com//CMDocs/BFGTech/721N1P08.iso.zip and confirm that i only need to put these files onto the usb drive : "721n1p08.bin, autorun.bat ,  flash.bat and nvflshsc.exe


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## cdawall (Jun 24, 2009)

you could just burn the ISO to a cd


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## iJatt (Jun 24, 2009)

i did that last time and mobo died. can u guide me via usb please?


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## CDdude55 (Jun 24, 2009)

iJatt said:


> i did that last time and mobo died. can u guide me via usb please?



You must of did something really wrong if you burned the ISO to a CD and your Mobo died.


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

okay guys i have gotten everything to work, i did a bios update via usb....new problem though

my e8400 is idling at mid 40's when it suppose to be doing low to mid 30's because i had this cpu in my last mobo and it did that

it might be thermal paste for my cooler master, haven't re applied anything since i got the cooler...but still there is oem thermal paste on it already and it seems enough...anyone know what could be wrong here?


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## erocker (Jun 25, 2009)

Is the motherboard overvolting the CPU?  Is your room temperature warmer than usual?


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

bios shows cpu core to be 1.12 volts and cpuz says i idle at ~.992 v to 1 volt and coretemp says VID: 1.16 volts

room temp is 78 degrees Fahrenheit with one fan on ceiling running.

My cores are both running properly, can assure of that . its just cpu temp is being weird.


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## mlee49 (Jun 25, 2009)

OEM thermal paste is crap.  Usually dried up and not very good.  Try reapplying with some fresh MX2 or AS5.  Either way your Voltage is superb.

My guess is your heatsink isn't seated correctly or the thermal paste is bad.  What cooler are you using?  Push pins or bolt through kit?


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

i am using a coolermaster Hyper TX 2
http://www.coolermaster.com/products/product.php?act=detail&id=2535

I have arctic silver ceramique thermal paste but didn't use it for some reason lol. My friend said i just have to clean of the old paste and just put some of arctic silver in the middle of the cpu and apply heatsink and stress test cpu for 5 mins with max load and it will spread out. ..

is that the correct way?


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

alright so i just applied some arctic silver thermal paste and no sign of temp change, well it went down by 1-3 c but still nothing comforting.


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## mlee49 (Jun 25, 2009)

Good, the better paste will help with load temps the most.  

Any fan control on that cooler?  Ramp it up to 100%


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

it automatically runs at 100% but i will go into bios and just make sure of everything. 

I did occt testing right now for 5 mins and i maxed out at 63 C cpu temp and my cores maxed out at 53 C 

the core temp is normal because on my last mobo the cores maxed out at 53 C as well and cpu was below 50 C on full load 

What could it be really? could it be that my cpu needs all 8 pins connected to cpu power socket even though i only have 4 and it works perfectly fine

or is it a driver/mobo/sensor issue?


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## jagass (Jun 25, 2009)

Damn...Same prob here...


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

Jagass can you detail your problem please


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## coodiggy (Jun 25, 2009)

I have a 680i board that had higher temps than my brothers x38 orx48? board with the same CPU and found that the CPU socket/CPU retainer on my 680i board was tweaking the IHS on my CPU just slightly when clamped down and made a low spot in the middle of the CPU where the heatsink would not touch, unless I applied a big gobb of thermal grease.. If you TRUST your cpu/heatsink retainer, you can try a temporary test; lay the computer flat on a table; so the motherboard is horizontal; remove the CPU retention bracket from the hinge and hold the CPU down with just the pressure of the heatsink retainers.. Use thermal grease, like as5; and the credit card application method, keep the motherboard oriented horizontal while testing your temps and see if there's a difference, if you had a bolt down heatsink like I do, you could leave the cpu bracket off and then set your computer back up on the case feet.. Just be VERY carefull when installing the cpu and heatsink, do not move the heatsink at all after it has made contact with the CPU because it will lift it right out of the socket.. When removing the CPU heatsink after the test, be carefull to lift straight up and you will find your CPU stuck to the base of the heatsink, install the plastic pin pad cover over the cpu and then slide the cpu off the side of the cpu heatsink..... This works VERY well on my 680i board, I was getting random blue screens of death even with a good contact patch of thermal grease while using the socket cpu retainer bracket, but it required excessive thermal grease.. Without the socket retainer bracket, I could use much less cpu thermal grease and keep a  very flat contact patch on the IHS and no bsod's and the temps were a good 8-10C lower


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

so pretty much remove the CPU retention bracket and install my heatsink  as i normally would and walla?


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## CDdude55 (Jun 25, 2009)

iJatt said:


> so pretty much remove the CPU retention bracket and install my heatsink  as i normally would and walla?



Ya reinstall your heatsink fan if you think you have a temp problem.


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

if i remove the cpu retention bracket, could i possibly hurt the cpu?


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## CDdude55 (Jun 25, 2009)

iJatt said:


> if i remove the cpu retention bracket, could i possibly hurt the cpu?



You using the stock Intel heatsink? or are you talking about an aftermarket heatsink or something else?


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

i have a cooler master tx2 aftermarket cooler dude. my temps are still high 40's for cpu man  

exactly what do i have to do to get normal temps?

okay what im asking is can i remove where it says foxconn, can i remove that bracket thing? http://www.ixbt.com/cpu/images/s775-cpu/s775-closed.jpg
I dont think my cooler is making contact with my cpu all that much


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## CDdude55 (Jun 25, 2009)

iJatt said:


> i have a cooler master tx2 aftermarket cooler dude. my temps are still high 40's for cpu man
> 
> exactly what do i have to do to get normal temps?
> 
> ...



The link is messed up.

40c on idle is pretty normal for a CPU. But if your saying the aftermarket cooler its working up to what you thought try some new thermal paste and a reinstall.


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

already did all that and still no change. i dont think my heatsink is making full contact with cpu...

that's why i was wondering if i can remove the thing in blue, i have uploaded a image


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## CDdude55 (Jun 25, 2009)

iJatt said:


> already did all that and still no change. i dont think my heatsink is making full contact with cpu...
> 
> that's why i was wondering if i can remove the thing in blue, i have uploaded a image



No you shouldn't take that off, it holds the CPU down into the socket.


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## iJatt (Jun 25, 2009)

that is what the problem is, the cpu in kinda below the level its suppose to be


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## timta2 (Jun 26, 2009)

Yeah, those temps probably aren't that high considering it is near 80 degrees (F) in your room. On my 680i LT my processor runs about 30 degrees (C) when it is 68-70 degress (F) in my room.  Of course that is OC'ed with nice air cooling and the processor is lapped. (10+ fans in the case).

I would recheck the seating of your heatsink. Are you sure all 4 clips are tightly clipped to the motherboard? I had problems with running too hot when I originally got the board and realized that one of the clips wasn't making a tight connect with the motherboard.

You should enter your system specs so we know what you are working with.


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## coodiggy (Jun 26, 2009)

iJatt said:


> already did all that and still no change. i dont think my heatsink is making full contact with cpu...
> 
> that's why i was wondering if i can remove the thing in blue, i have uploaded a image



That is the item I was talking about removing from the hinge when I mentioned the test previously. Don't be afraid to test this out, but don't feel like you HAVE to do it.. 

Many people will say just put in the thermal paste the way intel intends, a big ol pea size gob in the middle and let the heat and pressure spread it out.. 

This is TOOO much thermal paste... The reason they have been suggesting doing this is because the methods that we used to use; "credit card swiping" or plastic baggy over our fingers; does not work with this socket type very well... so ... yeah or I could stay like an ostrich with my head in the sand.... and mention nothing about it...


I have found on my 680i board and two different cpu's that the temperatures and bsod's were because the retention bracked does indeed deflect the IHS and create a low spot where the CPU die resides, and will not make flush contact with the heatsink and rely's only on the thick layer of thermal grease... If you had a lapped IHS like on my qx6700; you could literally see the reflections of a flat surface start to "BEND" while you lock the cpu down....

My brothers intel based board did not push that hard or unevently on the CPU compared to my 680i board.. 

I had this problem with an intel E6600 and QX6700 on my 680i board. The bracket pressure on the IHS will not provide a flat enough surface to use a propper thin coating application of thermal transfer grease/compound.. 

You can easily test to see if your bracket is bending the IHS without removing the CPU retainer, or the CPU from the socket..  Put a small peice of carbon paper facing a small piece of plain white paper between the CPU and heatsink, then install the heatsink, then remove the heatsink and look at the plain white paper for a contact patern.. 

You may see area's with darker marks, near the edges of the IHS, instead of the center, where the actual cpu die is located, this is not good....  If you don't have carbon paper, use a very thin skim coat of thermal compound, then install and remove the CPU heatsink/cooler and look at the patern.. Where the CPU does not contact the IHS correctly, the thermal goop will be thicker, or not touching at all.. It usually looks like a thicker line of goop down the middle on quad cores, and may look like a thinned out open ended pair of brackets with a dual core.

As I mentioned above, removing the retainer bracket from the socket hinge, is another way to test if you have this issue; by comparing your temperatures before and after removing the CPU retainer clip from the socket hinge; using only a skim coat of goop.. If you have a flat contact patch without the retainer bracket, you'll see the results as much lower load temps as there is less thermal insulation between the base of the Cooler and the top of the IHS compared to what is required to get it working with the CPU retainer bracket locked down.... 

The situation that I have on my 680i, I have had the CPU retainer bracket disconnected from the socket for a couple years.. 

I had been Using just the OEM heatsink to hold the CPU down flat against the contact pins, but decided that bolt down was the only real secure way to go.. 

Trust me, the bracket sucks; it bends the CPU IHS on duals and quads, it's especially bad on quads because of the way quads are made; the silicon is split into two cores, right down the middle of the CPU, where the bracket puts the most pressure.. with all those tiny pins pushing up from the other side.. The combination of forces acts like when you grab a pencil an put your two thumbs in the middle, and the rest of your fingers around the back and press in opposite directions.. The bracket deflects the entire CPU substrate right down the middle of the CPU between the two cores of quads...

Ensure that the CPU is lined up in the socket; the right way around, and that the locator tabs don't overlap where they are not supposed to; then carefully line the cooler up with the heatsink cooler retention holes, so that all of the little tabs are just lined up with the holes, but the cooler isn't touching the CPU yet.. Then push the cooler straight onto the cpu slowely and carefully, so that you do not twist, or re-lift up on the CPU cooler and don't allow the cooler to tilt or move while you are installing and locking the cooler's retainer clips in place....   

The stock intel/clip type heatsink retainer is strong enough to hold the cpu and heatsink against the motherboard, however, I would not trust to leave it fixed like this for long unless you have a bolt through "secure" heatsink.. 

Try it out... Don't worry too much as long as you are carefull in holding the heatsink down against the processor and firmly into the socket with one hand, or have someone help you hold the heatsink down, while you press and lock the retainers in two corners at a time....
Always test that the retainers are actually pressed into place as there will be more force on the retainers without the CPU retainer bracket installed, due to the pressure of the spring loaded contact pins in the socket...
 The reason I say be very carefull, if it tilts sideway's there's a chance at damaging the socket pins.. or scratching the base of the CPU near the contacts area, or slipping off the CPU entirely and mucking up components on the board.. so


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## coodiggy (Jun 26, 2009)

wow something weird happened to TPU while I was trying to upload my pics! couldn't get back on here for a while, just kept timing out.


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## iJatt (Jun 26, 2009)

thanks a lot for the help coodiggy.


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## coodiggy (Jun 26, 2009)

you're welcome!


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## Mussels (Jun 26, 2009)

i removed my cover for the socket as well some time ago - keep in mind its rather dangerous, as if one of the pins on the CPU heatsink comes loose, your CPU can actually fall out of the socket while in use - that would be very bad. its also bad cause when you take the heatsink off, the CPU will come out with it.


In the end i merely straightened mine and put it back on.


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## coodiggy (Jun 26, 2009)

That's not a bad idea! I seem to have missplaced the bracket, but I'll try that when I find it.


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