System has been breadboarded. I have tried everything at the amateur level. It's down to the motherboard or CPU.
Here is what is connected:
ASRock Z97 Anniversary motherboard LGA 1150
Intel i5-4590
Cooler Master EVO 212 HSF
EVGA GQ850 GPU
The power supply is not an issue. All fans are plugged in now, but I ran my tests without them attached and came out with same results. I have not yet taken out the CPU to try to power only the board. And I had a very good install originally with the processor and HSF, I really don't want to mess with it, it's been solid since Day 1 for a year and a half. No bent pins.
Here's my progress so far:
1. Board is totally dead. Power supply is good. The PSU is currently turned off, and is plugged in to a UPS/Line Conditioner that is plugged into the wall. The main cable is attached securely to the ATX socket via a 20+4 plug, and for the CPU socket a 4+4 plug. I have eliminated the case switch and any other connectors from the case. The HSF and 2 chassis fans are plugged in to the board, just to help me tell more easily when the system comes on.
2. And now I try to turn on the system power with a screwdriver jump. There are no indicator lights on the board at all, only one small light over the RJ-45 port on the backside of the panel with all the other ports. It is not on. At this point, I don't know where the power is stopped. Trying to turn on the board with the screwdriver jump does nothing. That light is my only indicator, and it is not on right now, yet the PSU is on at it's switch.
3. So I remove the brand new CMOS battery and leave it out for a few minutes. There is a CLR CMOS jumper on the board, but I'm not sure what this would do vs. just taking the battery out. The board's manual is no help.
4. Now I put the CMOS battery back in. Turn on PSU. The little light over the RJ-45 jack is lit. So now I know power is getting to the board past the point that stopped it during the previous shutdown.
5. So I jump the power pin. Board comes on, all 3 fans spin up, and the light accents are working. Right this second, it sounds fine with what is connected.
6. That "on" state lasts for a full 8 seconds exactly. Right at the end of this phase, the speaker emits one long beep, then the computer completely shuts down. But power light still shows steady at the RJ-45 jack. Now I count off exactly 4 seconds, and the cycle starts. It powers up on its own for 8 seconds, during the end of which, the speaker emits a long beep lasting 1 second. Then shuts down for exactly 4 seconds, then restarts, run for 8 seconds, beep, shut down, off 4 seconds, restart, beep, shut down, restart, beep, shutdown, restart, etc.
7. I turn off the power at the PSU switch. But now if I try to turn the machine on again, there is no power, I am back to being completely dead. So I have to take the CMOS battery out again. I ran this test several times with slight variations, but got same overall start-beep-shutdown-restart-beep-shutdown pattern.
So, now I'm at the point I have been able to establish a pattern. I don't definitively know what the version of BIOS is going to represent in beep code communication, but there is one iteration of the AMI UEFI Legal BIOS that says "DRAM PROBLEM". So I have decided to proceed to the next step and add a part to the mix.
8. I add one stick of 4mb RAM to the motherboard. I still have to do the CMOS battery reset to get power to the board. I also hooked up the case switch, just to be easier than the tip of the screwdriver thing.
9. As before, the system has the PSU switch on, and the light above the RJ-45 port is lit. I turn on the system, and again, the fans spin up and the lights are on. And again, after 8 seconds, the system shuts down. Completely. But this time no beep at all, just fans running for 8 seconds, then completely off. And the green light over the RJ is out now too. To reset the board with power to be able to be turned on, I have to do the CMOS battery removal again. I try the test again, with just one stick of RAM, but a different stick. And yet another. Changing slots. All same exact result. Powers up, runs 8 seconds exactly, no beeps, shuts down completely, even though PSU switch is on, there is no power to the board at all.
At this point, I do not know what to do next. There was one section in the ASRock FAQs about the beep codes, but some had to do with "no beep" and did not interpret what was wrong. One long beep is supposed to be a memory issue, but I don't understand what is wrong from running 8 seconds, no beeps, then complete shutdown. I have started an RMA on this board, but who knows how long that will take?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Erik
