Motherboard upgrade

[BlueDevil]

Hi all, need help on this one.

 

Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLI

Athlon 3600 x2

GForce 7950GT's in SLI mode.

650watt psu.

 

Rebuilt pc using above 2nd hand parts as upgrade which I know the background of. Therefore all working.

 

First query/problem Have decent processor cooler but has a four pin power socket, mobo only has three pin. Is that a problem? also cannot plug 4pin socket onto alloted mobo supply for cooler as capacitor in the way, therefore have plugged onto supply for case cooler. Is there a potential problem there although the fan does run?

 

Second problem..when booted machine pc goes through normal system checks but then stops and starts all over as if reset! Thought that I need to use Xp CD so booted from that and begun reinstall!! However when windows wanted to restart machine same problem....system check..system check over and over!

 

Bit stuck on this one hence me being here. Thanks to all in advance.

[Match]

Hi Bluedevil

 

First query/problem Have decent processor cooler but has a four pin power socket, mobo only has three pin. Is that a problem?

 

as far as I'm aware the fourth wire is for the variable speed control for the fan,

 

also cannot plug 4pin socket onto alloted mobo supply for cooler as capacitor in the way, therefore have plugged onto supply for case cooler

 

My question here is how? Do you still have a case fan working? Have you used a connector splitter? or have you just spliced and diced?

 

I would personally advise the use of something like THIS

 

Second problem..when booted machine pc goes through normal system checks but then stops and starts all over as if reset! Thought that I need to use Xp CD so booted from that and begun reinstall!! However when windows wanted to restart machine same problem....system check..system check over and over!

 

Sounds to me like something not set right in the bios, or a compatibility problem ?

 

What RAM and HDD unit have you got installed?

 

Is the CPU originally from/with the motherboard?

[BlueDevil]

Hi Match

 

Thanks for reply

 

Ok...wasn't aware of splitter so will use that. Although it being a 4 pin plug it can still sit onto three pin but obviously fourth pin not connected.

 

Thing is, if cooler takes power direct from psu then you only get constant fan speed, presumably at maximum..am I correct?

 

CPU was with mobo as well as RAM....

Using IDE HDD

 

Checked BIOS but all seems as it should but. Perhaps I should re-check

[Match]

Thing is, if cooler takes power direct from psu then you only get constant fan speed, presumably at maximum..am I correct?

 

Correct unless you have something like THIS.

 

constant system check, are :-

 

CPU timings set right in Bios, are voltages set correct?

 

all cards seated correctly?

 

power supply connected correctly?

 

all cables seated correctly (No Bent pins)

 

forgive me for going through the basics but I have had to 'repair' a pc by turning the power switch on at the rear, and that was after the guy had replaced the motherboard twice!!!

[BlueDevil]

Ok Match...will re-check. Understand why it's important to run through basic stuff so no offence taken.

 

One last question I was thinking. The psu, is a 650 watt sufficient for two 7950 cards?

[DirtyPolo]

Hey, can you also let us know what RAM you have installed please.

 

Your best option is to set everything to Auto in the BIOS, that you can and let it sort itself out.

 

Also, a 650W PSU should be fine for powering the two cards.

 

What is the make and model of the PSU just out of interest.

 

Thanks.

Edited March 31, 2009 by DirtyPolo

[BlueDevil]

hi Polo

 

Not sure of RAM type as not near pc but two sticks of 1 gig! Really don't think that's the issue though...could be wrong though!

 

The psu is an EZCool something or other!

[Dalo Harkin]

Most CPU coolers use the 4 pin design as Match said - they are for the MOBO to keep an eye on the temps and if it starts getting toasty it ups the speed of the fan.

Have you set the first boot device in the BIOS to HDD and disabled the rest?

 

2x 7950 will draw around 300 Watts

[BlueDevil]

Hi all..

 

Ok this is the current situation now. I mentioned earlier that I had started the Windows install process...Ive tried to do this again but what happens is that when it gets to the first reboot section off of the hard drive the Windows logo is displayed...blank screen for a second or two then pc resets itself and goes through the startup checks. If allowed to it will do this over and over.

 

I'm thinking that there is a conflict somewhere and will have to look closely at everything. Would it help if I removed one of the graphics cards at all?

 

With regard to the cooler and it's connection to the psu rather than the mobo, will that be detrimental at all?

[Dalo Harkin]

Hi all..

 

Ok this is the current situation now. I mentioned earlier that I had started the Windows install process...Ive tried to do this again but what happens is that when it gets to the first reboot section off of the hard drive the Windows logo is displayed...blank screen for a second or two then pc resets itself and goes through the startup checks. If allowed to it will do this over and over.

 

I'm thinking that there is a conflict somewhere and will have to look closely at everything. Would it help if I removed one of the graphics cards at all?

 

With regard to the cooler and it's connection to the psu rather than the mobo, will that be detrimental at all?

 

Have you completely reformatted the drive?

I fixed a PC the other week on this and I had to reformat and do the whole install again after it being handed to me as you describe.

 

When you say the fan is plugged into the PSU - can you show me a pic please.

as if anything fan wise comes from the PSU its normally to plug into the MOBO so the MOBO can control the Fan speed in the PSU.

 

Remove one of the cards as the OS may not like it - make sure you remove the lowest card on the MOBO if that makes sense

[BlueDevil]

Hi Dalo

 

To answer your question, no I have not formatted the drive.

 

Previously, when I have changed mobo's and cpu at the same time I have not had to do this when keeping the same hdd. This is why I am slightly confused as it's a new problem to me.

 

I have checked and re-checked things i.e bios, memory, taken one graphx card out etc. but the same result everytime. Ok..if I have to format then I will do so very reluctantly because of lost data but none the less I would like to find out why the problem occured this time but never previously.

 

With regard to the cooler fan supply, what I meant was that it is currently plugged onto the mobo albeit onto an alternative connector (see above) but if I used a cable directly from the psu would it be ok? hope that explains.

[Dalo Harkin]

Buy a new HDD and then you can install the OS to that and then slave your current one to get the info off.

 

If you change a MOBO - you HAVE to reinstall the OS - regardless what anyone says - the MOBO is the very heart of your system and all the drivers are different from one MOBO to the other.