PROBLEM!! Using PCI Card On A8N-SLI Premium

Sillysod · 02-28-2007, 11:59 PM

Hi,

I have just bought an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium mobo, along with a AMD Athlon64 4200+ X2 CPU. I built the system, & having ran out of funds to buy the PCI-E card, I just thort I could use my spare old PCI card, just for now (just to be able to use the computer, no games). I am using 2 X 256 PC3200 RAM in dual channel, an 80GB HDD & a thermaltake 430W PSU. When I try and turn on the comp for the first time, I got artifacts on the screen and a _ symbol flashing at the top of the screen. I then restarted & I got one long beep and 3 short beeps after that (repeated again after 4-5 second pause). Ive tested all the hardware on an other computer and all is fine, used different PSU, RAM and PCI card and to the same result. If I try to turn on the comp with no RAM at all, I get the same beeping, but with 2 shorter beeps after the longer beep, instead of 3. If i reset the CMOS, i get the artifacts again.

Am I correct in thinking that I can use a PCI card in the mobo that is really tuned for PCI-E? Could it be a dead mobo?

Many thanks!

Sam H

PC eye · 03-01-2007, 12:23 AM

Check to make sure your bios settings are set for pci and not AGP! That right off would see problems. The one long and multiple short beeps do usually point at a hardware like the video card or memory. On the board there with the Phoenix-Award bios you can easily suspect the card or bios setting.

That model board has seen problems to add to that however. Last spring I was asked to look at a new build with the same model when nothing happened when turned on. There was plenty of power there when seeing all fans running and an initial blink of drive lights but...? That board and the second sent to replace were both... D..O..A...! Your bios beep code shows that your board isn't quite one of those since it has pointed at the card most like as the problem.

Sillysod · 03-01-2007, 12:33 AM

I would make sure it was set to PCI display, but I do not have a PCI-E card to do this in the first place! I cannot get into the bios. I would have thort a basic PCI card would work in most computers new or old? I will probably just have to wait till I get a PCI-E card

.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Sam

PC eye · 03-01-2007, 03:38 AM

If you get a clear enough screen and can get into the bios you simply switch the PCI/PCI-E setting to pci once there and choose the exit and save option if the F10 key doesn't work. That will save the setting there for using the card you have. But without even seeing the initial post screens the card is most likely toast.

You are already hearing the hardware fail code with the multiple beeps. You're going to happier with a good PCI-E model anyways. Even with the wrong setting in the bios a working card would still display the post and bios setup screens. The problems with the incorrect setting there would be seen later when loading Windows.

Sillysod · 03-01-2007, 09:59 AM

Its not the normal post at all, its just some random blocks with a flashing line in the top left of the screen (& very Seldomly displays anything). I have tried the card in my other computer & it works fine. Ive also tried another working card. I will get a PCI-E card, but im just worried that the board is dead & not just a problem with the pci card.

Many Thanks for your posts PC eye

Sam

elitehacker · 03-01-2007, 10:10 AM

Do not buy a PCI Express card yet. Try another PCI card, a PCI card should just work in any motherboard with a PCI slot provided that you have the correct settings.

Sillysod · 03-01-2007, 12:56 PM

I can't set the settings for the PCI card as stated before

What do you recommend I do? I could just buy the cheapest PCI-E card from ebay and try that?

Thanks for your help!

Sam

elitehacker · 03-01-2007, 12:59 PM

"I then restarted & I got one long beep and 3 short beeps after that (repeated again after 4-5 second pause)" that is the typical beep sequence for no video. Well can you borrow a PCI express card? Is the motherboard still under warranty, if it is and you ask really really nicely, maybe the place you bought the card from may let you test it with a PCI express card so you don't have to waste your money buying a new one.

elitehacker · 03-01-2007, 01:01 PM

Also just as a side note, the reason for your low 3dmark score is not limited to your CPU, its actually what a typical 6800GT will get. The 6800GT is an aging card so don't expect much from it.

Sillysod · 03-01-2007, 02:37 PM

I will just buy a very cheap PCI-E card from eBay and if it doesnt work I will sell the card. But I would have thought a PCI card would work in almost any comp? Would it select to display from the PCI card automatically seeing there is no other graphics adaptor?

Many thanks peeps!

I will change that elitehacker, I dont own that computer any more anywayz! Been along time since i've been on computerforum!

02-28-2007, 11:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sillysod Bronze Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Age: 20 Posts: 99	PROBLEM!! Using PCI Card On A8N-SLI Premium Hi, I have just bought an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium mobo, along with a AMD Athlon64 4200+ X2 CPU. I built the system, & having ran out of funds to buy the PCI-E card, I just thort I could use my spare old PCI card, just for now (just to be able to use the computer, no games). I am using 2 X 256 PC3200 RAM in dual channel, an 80GB HDD & a thermaltake 430W PSU. When I try and turn on the comp for the first time, I got artifacts on the screen and a _ symbol flashing at the top of the screen. I then restarted & I got one long beep and 3 short beeps after that (repeated again after 4-5 second pause). Ive tested all the hardware on an other computer and all is fine, used different PSU, RAM and PCI card and to the same result. If I try to turn on the comp with no RAM at all, I get the same beeping, but with 2 shorter beeps after the longer beep, instead of 3. If i reset the CMOS, i get the artifacts again. Am I correct in thinking that I can use a PCI card in the mobo that is really tuned for PCI-E? Could it be a dead mobo? Many thanks! Sam H __________________ CPU - AMD Phenom 955 X4 BE HS - Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro MoBo - Gigabyte MA770T RAM - Crucial Battlax 2GB DDR3 Dual 1600MHz HD - 2 x Samsumg Spinpoint 500GB HDD Graphics Card - ATi Radeon HD 4850 PSU - Thermaltake 430 Watt TR2 PSU Sound - Creative Audigy 2 ZS OS - Windows 7 Pro

03-01-2007, 12:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
Sillysod Bronze Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Age: 20 Posts: 99	I would make sure it was set to PCI display, but I do not have a PCI-E card to do this in the first place! I cannot get into the bios. I would have thort a basic PCI card would work in most computers new or old? I will probably just have to wait till I get a PCI-E card . Thanks for your suggestions! Sam __________________ CPU - AMD Phenom 955 X4 BE HS - Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro MoBo - Gigabyte MA770T RAM - Crucial Battlax 2GB DDR3 Dual 1600MHz HD - 2 x Samsumg Spinpoint 500GB HDD Graphics Card - ATi Radeon HD 4850 PSU - Thermaltake 430 Watt TR2 PSU Sound - Creative Audigy 2 ZS OS - Windows 7 Pro

03-01-2007, 09:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
Sillysod Bronze Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Age: 20 Posts: 99	Its not the normal post at all, its just some random blocks with a flashing line in the top left of the screen (& very Seldomly displays anything). I have tried the card in my other computer & it works fine. Ive also tried another working card. I will get a PCI-E card, but im just worried that the board is dead & not just a problem with the pci card. Many Thanks for your posts PC eye Sam __________________ CPU - AMD Phenom 955 X4 BE HS - Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro MoBo - Gigabyte MA770T RAM - Crucial Battlax 2GB DDR3 Dual 1600MHz HD - 2 x Samsumg Spinpoint 500GB HDD Graphics Card - ATi Radeon HD 4850 PSU - Thermaltake 430 Watt TR2 PSU Sound - Creative Audigy 2 ZS OS - Windows 7 Pro

03-01-2007, 12:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sillysod Bronze Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Age: 20 Posts: 99	I can't set the settings for the PCI card as stated before What do you recommend I do? I could just buy the cheapest PCI-E card from ebay and try that? Thanks for your help! Sam __________________ CPU - AMD Phenom 955 X4 BE HS - Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro MoBo - Gigabyte MA770T RAM - Crucial Battlax 2GB DDR3 Dual 1600MHz HD - 2 x Samsumg Spinpoint 500GB HDD Graphics Card - ATi Radeon HD 4850 PSU - Thermaltake 430 Watt TR2 PSU Sound - Creative Audigy 2 ZS OS - Windows 7 Pro

03-01-2007, 02:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
Sillysod Bronze Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Age: 20 Posts: 99	I will just buy a very cheap PCI-E card from eBay and if it doesnt work I will sell the card. But I would have thought a PCI card would work in almost any comp? Would it select to display from the PCI card automatically seeing there is no other graphics adaptor? Many thanks peeps! I will change that elitehacker, I dont own that computer any more anywayz! Been along time since i've been on computerforum! __________________ CPU - AMD Phenom 955 X4 BE HS - Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro MoBo - Gigabyte MA770T RAM - Crucial Battlax 2GB DDR3 Dual 1600MHz HD - 2 x Samsumg Spinpoint 500GB HDD Graphics Card - ATi Radeon HD 4850 PSU - Thermaltake 430 Watt TR2 PSU Sound - Creative Audigy 2 ZS OS - Windows 7 Pro

03-01-2007, 12:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye banned Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 21,092	Check to make sure your bios settings are set for pci and not AGP! That right off would see problems. The one long and multiple short beeps do usually point at a hardware like the video card or memory. On the board there with the Phoenix-Award bios you can easily suspect the card or bios setting. That model board has seen problems to add to that however. Last spring I was asked to look at a new build with the same model when nothing happened when turned on. There was plenty of power there when seeing all fans running and an initial blink of drive lights but...? That board and the second sent to replace were both... D..O..A...! Your bios beep code shows that your board isn't quite one of those since it has pointed at the card most like as the problem.

03-01-2007, 03:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
PC eye banned Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 21,092	If you get a clear enough screen and can get into the bios you simply switch the PCI/PCI-E setting to pci once there and choose the exit and save option if the F10 key doesn't work. That will save the setting there for using the card you have. But without even seeing the initial post screens the card is most likely toast. You are already hearing the hardware fail code with the multiple beeps. You're going to happier with a good PCI-E model anyways. Even with the wrong setting in the bios a working card would still display the post and bios setup screens. The problems with the incorrect setting there would be seen later when loading Windows.

03-01-2007, 10:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
elitehacker Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 20 Posts: 2,413	Do not buy a PCI Express card yet. Try another PCI card, a PCI card should just work in any motherboard with a PCI slot provided that you have the correct settings.

03-01-2007, 12:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
elitehacker Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 20 Posts: 2,413	"I then restarted & I got one long beep and 3 short beeps after that (repeated again after 4-5 second pause)" that is the typical beep sequence for no video. Well can you borrow a PCI express card? Is the motherboard still under warranty, if it is and you ask really really nicely, maybe the place you bought the card from may let you test it with a PCI express card so you don't have to waste your money buying a new one.

03-01-2007, 01:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
elitehacker Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 20 Posts: 2,413	Also just as a side note, the reason for your low 3dmark score is not limited to your CPU, its actually what a typical 6800GT will get. The 6800GT is an aging card so don't expect much from it.

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