CPU LED/FF post code

Building a new system from scratch.

Athlon 64 3000+ and heatsink/fan
2x512 PC3200 RAM
Gainward 6600 PCI-e Graphics

connected that lot to an Epox 9NPA+Ultra mobo.

All fans working. Board has 3 LED for CPU/DIMM/Chipset, CPU LED is off other
two on.

Immediately get FF post code on power up. I've tried removing RAM and Video
card and powering up with mobo out of case, all to no avail.

I can only assume the CPU is dead but I haven't another one to test and no
other board to test mine in.

Any other ideas?

I have a new build, same board, 3800X2, that always shows the FF after it
boots. Works fine. Is FF Boot Failure? I'm not sure, since the only
reference I can find in the manual is FFh... Boot Attempt. The board runs
fine... except for the LAN which disappeared on me last night. Now I'm not
so sure....;-)


"Iain" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Building a new system from scratch.
>
> Athlon 64 3000+ and heatsink/fan
> 2x512 PC3200 RAM
> Gainward 6600 PCI-e Graphics
>
> connected that lot to an Epox 9NPA+Ultra mobo.
>
> All fans working. Board has 3 LED for CPU/DIMM/Chipset, CPU LED is off
> other two on.
>
> Immediately get FF post code on power up. I've tried removing RAM and
> Video card and powering up with mobo out of case, all to no avail.
>
> I can only assume the CPU is dead but I haven't another one to test and no
> other board to test mine in.
>
> Any other ideas?
>

> "Iain" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Building a new system from scratch.
>>
>> Athlon 64 3000+ and heatsink/fan
>> 2x512 PC3200 RAM
>> Gainward 6600 PCI-e Graphics
>>
>> connected that lot to an Epox 9NPA+Ultra mobo.
>>
>> All fans working. Board has 3 LED for CPU/DIMM/Chipset, CPU LED is off
>> other two on.
>>
>> Immediately get FF post code on power up. I've tried removing RAM and
>> Video card and powering up with mobo out of case, all to no avail.
>>
>> I can only assume the CPU is dead but I haven't another one to test and
>> no other board to test mine in.
>>
>> Any other ideas?
>>


"Dennis Gordon" <> wrote in message
news:m5z0f.2046$ t...
>I have a new build, same board, 3800X2, that always shows the FF after it
>boots. Works fine. Is FF Boot Failure? I'm not sure, since the only
>reference I can find in the manual is FFh... Boot Attempt. The board runs
>fine... except for the LAN which disappeared on me last night. Now I'm not
>so sure....;-)
>
>

My system won't boot at all, and the CPU power LED is not on.

I think the POST LED normally shows FF after it's run through the other
codes. Mine goes straight there and no further.

Iain wrote:
>> "Iain" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Building a new system from scratch.
>>>
>>> Athlon 64 3000+ and heatsink/fan
>>> 2x512 PC3200 RAM
>>> Gainward 6600 PCI-e Graphics
>>>
>>> connected that lot to an Epox 9NPA+Ultra mobo.
>>>
>>> All fans working. Board has 3 LED for CPU/DIMM/Chipset, CPU LED is
>>> off other two on.
>>>
>>> Immediately get FF post code on power up. I've tried removing RAM
>>> and Video card and powering up with mobo out of case, all to no
>>> avail.
>>>
>>> I can only assume the CPU is dead but I haven't another one to test
>>> and no other board to test mine in.
>>>
>>> Any other ideas?
>>>
>
>
> "Dennis Gordon" <> wrote in message
> news:m5z0f.2046$ t...
>> I have a new build, same board, 3800X2, that always shows the FF
>> after it boots. Works fine. Is FF Boot Failure? I'm not sure, since
>> the only reference I can find in the manual is FFh... Boot Attempt.
>> The board runs fine... except for the LAN which disappeared on me
>> last night. Now I'm not so sure....;-)
>>
>>
>
> My system won't boot at all, and the CPU power LED is not on.
>
> I think the POST LED normally shows FF after it's run through the
> other codes. Mine goes straight there and no further.

Check that the 'Reset' button isn't stuck down or shorted. If there is
a reset asserted, the 7-seg display may not be allowed to start counting
and be artificially held at FF.


--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
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Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.

"Graham W" <> wrote in message
news:434409c1$0$15048$...
>
>
> Iain wrote:
>>> "Iain" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> Building a new system from scratch.
>>>>
>>>> Athlon 64 3000+ and heatsink/fan
>>>> 2x512 PC3200 RAM
>>>> Gainward 6600 PCI-e Graphics
>>>>
>>>> connected that lot to an Epox 9NPA+Ultra mobo.
>>>>
>>>> All fans working. Board has 3 LED for CPU/DIMM/Chipset, CPU LED is
>>>> off other two on.
>>>>
>>>> Immediately get FF post code on power up. I've tried removing RAM
>>>> and Video card and powering up with mobo out of case, all to no
>>>> avail.
>>>>
>>>> I can only assume the CPU is dead but I haven't another one to test
>>>> and no other board to test mine in.
>>>>
>>>> Any other ideas?
>>>>
>>
>>
>> "Dennis Gordon" <> wrote in message
>> news:m5z0f.2046$ t...
>>> I have a new build, same board, 3800X2, that always shows the FF
>>> after it boots. Works fine. Is FF Boot Failure? I'm not sure, since
>>> the only reference I can find in the manual is FFh... Boot Attempt.
>>> The board runs fine... except for the LAN which disappeared on me
>>> last night. Now I'm not so sure....;-)
>>>
>>>
>>
>> My system won't boot at all, and the CPU power LED is not on.
>>
>> I think the POST LED normally shows FF after it's run through the
>> other codes. Mine goes straight there and no further.
>
> Check that the 'Reset' button isn't stuck down or shorted. If there is
> a reset asserted, the 7-seg display may not be allowed to start counting
> and be artificially held at FF.
>

OK, I've already noticed that the reset button does nothing at all. When
I've powered up and the fans are running, should the rest button cause the
fans to stop and then start again, because it doesn't.

I don't know whether this is relevant but I tested all the voltages on the
ATX connectors last night and they all appear fine apart from on the gray
PWROK wire which is at 0.7V. I hear this should be in the range of 3-5V and
is designed to tell the system when there is sufficient power to the board.
Anyone know if that could be a problem.

On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 19:37:22 +0100, "Iain" <>
wrote:

>OK, I've already noticed that the reset button does nothing at all. When
>I've powered up and the fans are running, should the rest button cause the
>fans to stop and then start again, because it doesn't.
>
>I don't know whether this is relevant but I tested all the voltages on the
>ATX connectors last night and they all appear fine apart from on the gray
>PWROK wire which is at 0.7V. I hear this should be in the range of 3-5V and
>is designed to tell the system when there is sufficient power to the board.
>Anyone know if that could be a problem.
>
The PWROK line from the power supply is holding the motherboard in a
reset state. Once the power supply voltages have stabilized, PWROK
should be at least 2.0 volts.

It was the PSU.

I would have tried a different one earlier but I didn't think the old
one I've got had a 20/24 pin ATX and a 4 pin one but it does, it fired
everything up straight off.

It just goes to show (I think) what a lottery it is. I assumed that
because the PSU seemed to be working generally that it was working
completely. I was ready to send the CPU back and would have done if it
wasn't for the CPU Ledion indicator on the Epox board combined with my
voltage check.