Maximus Formula POST Troubles!

[BoySCouT]

I just completed my new build...

(New components)
Maximus Formula
Intel Quad Q6600 G0
4 GB of Corsair XMS2 PC8500C5 RAM (2 sets of Twin2X2048-8500C5)
Corsair 550VX PSU
EVGA 8800 GT 650 MHz
Tuniq Tower 120

(Existing Components)
Seagate 500 GB SATA HD
DVD Burner
CD-Rom
Floppy Drive
Case- Tsunami Dream 3000

At any rate, I waited for 1.5 weeks for my video card and installed it last night. When I turned on the power supply, the the power, reset, and CLCMOS buttons light up on the motherboard, as well as the top of the sound card. When pressed the power button on the front of the case, the leds and other things light up on the motherboard for about 1 second and turn off. The case fans spin for about 1 second as well and shut off. The LCD Poster displayed CPU INIT, but it does this even before I push the power button on the front of the case.

Last night I...
Checked the 8-pin and 24-pin power connectors. Checked the connectors on the system control header. Then I got tired and depressed!

Here is what I am thinking...

1. I will take out all but one of the RAM sticks and try to boot.
2. I will try to boot with only video card, monitor, cpu, heatsink, and fan.
3 Could be a PSU issue? From Corsair, I hope not.
4. Will try to clear CMOS and take out the battery and all that stuff (read a
bit on the forums of other sites and have some instructions to follow)
5. I may have a short somewhere.
6. Last, will reseat the CPU. Could the heatsink be screwed down to tight?

Any other ideas, suggestions, thoughts? Thanks guys. I will post back with results.

 

[THUMPer]

My asus does this. it is my sound card. iI have a fatality POS, and when i unhook it and hook it back up sometimes it will flop, and not boot. fans spin for 1 second thats it. I have to unplug the power from the sound card, and plug back in then it works. This happens hardly ever.
Try taking out the sound card?

 

[Merlin]

Yeah, I was thinking the RAM was not all the way in.
Had that happen before.

Could also be the PSU if not a RAM issue.
Make sure all the electric connections are plugged to the motherboard.
And. one more thing, check that the fan for CPU is also in, sounds like the system does not see the CPU fan coming on, and shute the system down before it gets too hot. ( like you said, maybe the CPU cooler is not positioned just right.)
A short would most likely take something out quick.
Like screws too tight on motherboard

Merlin

 

[BoySCouT]

Good News! I got it up and running last night.

I disconnect everything but the monitor, video card, cpu, heatsink and fan, mouse, and keyboard at started with one stick of RAM. It booted but my monitor stayed black. Tested second stick, booted into BIOS, tested third stick, booted into BIOS, tested fourth stick, booted but monitor was black. I thought what are the odds that one stick from each grouped pair is bad? I reseated the fourth stick and it booted into the BIOS. I retest the first stick and it booted into the BIOS. So... Dummy me, I must have not seated one or more of the 4 GB of RAM and that's why it wouldn't post.

I did get a message from Asus Probe that my DRAM voltage is a bit high. I need to look that up and change it in the BIOS. Did I read that the Maximus Formula automatically boost the DRAM voltage a little bit? Also, my USB keyboard and my PS2 keyboard work when I log into Vista Ultimate x64, but if I start Internet Explorer or Firefox or Word Pad, they don't type and the programs lockup (blah, blah not responding). The Alt-Control-Delete keys will work on both so that I can get into the Task Manager to end the programs.

Any ideas why the keyboards are acting crazy? Thanks for the ideas and suggestions on the POST problem.

 

[Merlin]

Asus Probe sucks....I deleted mine....you can do what you want.

On the keyboard....I don't have a clue....

It works, but when you use it in some program it freezes .....right?

hmmmmmmm.........dunno
Merlin

 

[BoySCouT]

Well, I made some headway last night. I reformatted and reinstalled Vista x64 and just did the windows updates. Keyboard still works. Started to install the soundmax drivers and after, keyboard doesn't work. Did a software restore and keyboard works. Continued to set up computer and installed Asus utility AI Suite, keyboard suddenly doesn't work. Did a software restore, keyboard works. I don't think that the Asus software likes the x64 version (or vice versa) of windows ultimate.

Kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. Have 4 gb of ram and if I go to x32 version, can't use 1 gb. If I stay with x64 version, have to put up with some programs not working with it. Uhmmmmmm? Other than that, the Maximus Formula is a nice board, and it's working fine.

Boy, does that 8800 GT every get hot! I used Rivatuner to increase the fan to 60% and it stays at about 40-43 C. It kinda heats up the inside of my case as well. On the other hand, the Tuniq Tower 120 keeps my Q6600 nice and cool. Hasn't been above 20 C yet. Last night it was running around 15 C. (I keep my office a little on the cool side as well), but I played Halo 2 for about an hour and I used Asus Probe and it said 15 C. Not sure how trust worthy that software is? Anyone know of a good reliable temp software? I have SIW and Everest already.

Thought I would let the board run for about 2 weeks to let the Artic Silver 5 do its thing and then try overclocking it a bit.

 

[Merlin]

I have SIW and Everest already.

Thought I would let the board run for about 2 weeks to let the Artic Silver 5 do its thing and then try overclocking it a bit.

I find Everest does a good job, depends on the sensors, though.

Nice temps

Merlin

 

[BoySCouT]

Hello Everyone,

Sorry it's taken me so long to report back to this thread. Have been messing around with overclocking the quad and it is amazing! I have reached 3.4 GHz and I haven't pushed it to the limit yet. Decided to back it down to 3.0 GHz to see if it would run stable. Played Cod4 Modern Warfare for several hours with out any problems. Set the DRAM frequency to DDR2-1066 in the BIOS and increased the voltage to 2.1V with timings of 5-5-5-15. If I want to overclock the RAM would I lower these timings to 4-4-4-12 OR 4-4-4-15? I have a Corsair RAM fan installed over the 4 sticks of Corsair RAM I have in it now.

Check temps after playing CoD4 and the cpu was at 28 degrees C. EVGA 8800GT was at 51 degrees C. Just received my Zalman VF-900 VGA heatsink/fan with 8 little blue heatsinks for the RAM. Still need to order some more heatsinks for the MOSFETs before I start this little cooling project on the video card. So far, I am very impressed with the Q6600 and Maximus Formula.

Just thought I'd share a little tech information. Tah-Tah