Bootup of P6X58D halts during POST

Any suggestions as to why an ASUS P6X58D motherboard halts during POST.
Here are the POST messages.
Press DEL to run setup.
Press F8 for BIOS popup.
Press Alt + F2 to execute ASUS EZ Flash 2.
DDR3 - 1066 MHz
Initializing USB Controllers Done
6136 MB OK
At this point the BIOS halts. It is repeatable. The POST halts every time at this point.

Howard

 

According to the manual, that mobo issues beep codes. If you don't have a
case with a speaker, see if you can "borrow" one from an older case. The
beep codes will tell you what the problem is:

One continuous followed by two short: memory
One continuous followed by three short: vid card
One continuous followed by four short: hardware component failure (bad
mobo?)

 

Remove some RAM and retest. Try (if possible) running
one stick of RAM at a time.

If that fails, and there are no beep codes, you can try resetting
the CMOS (clear CMOS jumper, unplug computer before doing it,
follow instructions in manual).

You can also use a PCI Post Card, with hex display, as a last
resort. The BIOS writes to a particular port of a particular
PCI slot, and updates it with progress information. The Post
card starts with 0x00 or 0xFF value on the hex display at
startup. As the BIOS POST progresses, the code displayed
changes. Some enthusiast motherboards, have that two digit
hex display integrated into the motherboard (typically Nvidia
based boards contract manufactured for Nvidia, did that).
But if your motherboard doesn't have a LED or LCD display
of that type, you can pick up a card and install it.

(These are available in ISA, PCI, and PCI Express. You can
get them on Ebay, from sellers in Hong Kong. If your local
computer store carries one, they might want $100.00 for one.)

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SY-TECHAID

The hex values displayed, you have to look those up, and
that's the problem. While there are tables of values,
even the motherboard manual will refer to some values
as "reserved", and if such a code shows up, you won't know
what actual phase the BIOS POST sequence is in.

The progress code, tells you the last subroutine the BIOS
executed, before it got stuck. It could be in the routine itself,
or the code could be the code of the last successful routine.
So it's neither a precise method, nor of much diagnostic
value. But if you're asking "what else can I do", it's
another option.

Fiddling with RAM or clearing CMOS, are more likely to yield a result.

If I had to guess, it's headed to the Southbridge, is preparing
to read from a disk using extended INT 0x13, and some disk
preference in CMOS is screwed up somehow.

Paul

 

Hello Paul,

Thank you for the extensive reply.
I bought a 6 digit POST card on Ebay. Seller estimates an August 30, 2012 delivery date. I see Amazon sells POST cards at prices that are competitive with Ebay prices.

My pans are to start with the POST card and then if necessary reset the BIOS to its default value. Thanks for the warning about POST cards not being super accurate. But the card should provide a good starting point for finding the problem.

Howard