LP UT NF4 SLI Expert upgrade problem

KenA · nFHQ Member

Hello all, maybe someone can help me out. I have upgraded my sons computer from a MSI K7T266 Pro2 ver.2.0, AMD T-Bird 1900+,512 megs, EVGA 5700LE agp8x, Sound Blaster Audigy, Maxtor hdd,DVD-R,Windows XP to a DFI LP UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert 939, AMD A64 4000+ 2.4G, corsair twin2x 512 3200 cpt, XFX 7600GT 256m pcie, Zalman cpu fan, same Maxtor hdd and DVD-R and Windows XP. I can get to the Bios ok but it will not boot to windows, a blue screen with errors of some sort flashes for a millisecond then it tries to restart. Wont boot to safe mode. I have not tried to boot with the Xp cd as yet but I have tried the DFI motherboard utility disc and nothing happens. Is it because of the change from the T-Bird to the A64? Does this much of a system upgrade require a reformatt and reinstall of the OS?

Oh and almost forgot, The diagnostic leds flash 2-3-4-no5 to 2-3 to 2(VGA detected) only 2 stays lit. DRAM power led ok.

-RYknow · nForced²

Did you delete all the drivers related to the previous hardware before firing it up with all the new hardware?

From personal experience save yourself the headache and reformat. Odds are your having conflicts with drivers from previous hardware. Besides, you can't beat a fresh install! Cool

-RYknow

rpbrown · nLightened

Radiohead57 · **--?--** nForced

I can see maybe going from NF3 to NF4 would most likely be possible so long as it was done in the proper fashion but bridging that many generations of chipsets in one go will leave you with a very problematic system if it would function at all. If you're gonna even attempt it you best have anything you consider sacred backed up to the nines.

wardog · **Exited the premises.** Ultra nForced

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but two LEDs lit indicates a ram related problem.

If you haven't yet done so, place/use only one stick in the orange DIMM slot furthest away from the cpu and see if it fires up into safe mode.

.. Rick

ps: and has been said here prior, either back-up, or preferably a full fresh install.

wardog · **Exited the premises.** Ultra nForced

And you fail to mention the PSU.

DFI's are THE most finicky towards a good PSU.

Radiohead57 · **--?--** nForced

I think you are right about the diagnostic leds wardog. I've just riffled through my manual in hoping to verify but I can't find it in the manual. Odd I remember looking at them just a few days ago when I was working on an RDX and couldn't get it to boot. Maybe it was in the RDX manual and not the NF4 but thats strikes me as odd..

wardog · **Exited the premises.** Ultra nForced

KenA · nFHQ Member

A little update. The psu is a SurePower 550w Smart Cable (new).
I have been able to enter the bios, load optimized defaults, then boot with the XP disc to do fresh install. XP setup goes through all the steps but when it tries to reformatt it takes forever and at the finish it states it was unable to reformatt because of hdd error of some kind. The hdd makes somebad sounds at that time. I did use a compressor to blow out all the dust, that may have damaged the hdd.
On a lighter note, on start up all the red leds cycle through and go out.

Funny thing,sitting here at my LP NF2 Ultra all my red leds are lit when running.

wardog · **Exited the premises.** Ultra nForced

Yea, place a different HD and re-attempt an install.

Your PSU, THIS one, doesn't have the Experts req'd EPS 8pin power plug.

You've read the Experts manual and know how to proceed using a/the correct 4pin in the 8pin EPS, correct? I only ask as the website is most skimpy in referencing any information about it. Not showing the PSU's rail specs either, which is a big no-no in my book. So if you start having other non-hd related problems after she's up-n-running, consider yourself warned Confused

Not to say you will with any certianty but you'll know where to start should you.

.. Rick