BIOS POST Slow, Windows 7 Startup Hangs (1 Viewer)

Okay, I have been wrestling with this problem for 4 days now. It's been on and off, and I can't quite get a bead on what's causing it. I suspect a power supply issue, but I can't confirm it.

Here are my system specs:

K9N SLI V2 (Board), NVIDIA 570LT SLI Ready (Chipset)
AMD Athlon 64 x2 BE 3.2Ghz
Thermaltake CPU Cooler (Forgot it's name, but it's a copper V)
2x NVIDIA 9800GT 1023MB DDR3 VRAM (SLI'd)
2x SATA HDs (one is a Wester Digital, don't know the other)
x5 120mm Case Fans
700W Ultra Power Supply (Came with an old case)


I installed a new processer AMD Athlon 64 x2 BE 3.2Ghz (Windsor). I originally had a Phenom 9500 x4 2.2Ghz (sorry, don't know type). The PC ran fine for the first few days I had the processor in. The only thing I noticed, initially, was that the BIOS would sometimes take a long time to POST.

So, I started making attempts to OC the processor, which were not very successful. Eventually, I BSOD'd twice, and then the entire OS just froze - no BSOD, nothing. Suddenly, the BIOS takes forever to POST, and Windows Startup hangs there for eternity.

I performed a system restore and was able to get the OS running again. I shut the machine down for the night, came back, and had the exact same issue. I started getting CMOS Checksum errors around this time, as well.

I borrowed a boot CD (Hieron's) from a friend and ran diagnostics on all of my hardware. CPU, RAM, Mobo, and HDs all came back green. The only failure I've received is from my USB Controllers. I have no idea why... *cough* power supply...

Additionally, I shut off quick POST and noticed the BIOS POST dealy is due to the USB Initialize step.

Seems to me this thing sort of snowballed from 0 to 60. One second everything is fine, the next - disaster!

So, there's my "brief" cry for help. Anyone have any ideas?

Well according to MSI's website your CPU is supported so firstly I would update the BIOS (after making sure it detects your new CPU of course and you've done a backup ) clicky. I would advise not to overclock it until it's working properly first though apparently they don't overclock very well anyway.

I flashed the BIOS before I put the new processor in. Sorry, forgot to mention that. I've abandoned CPU OC'ing for now, it's a waste of time till I get this stupid hunk of junk working again...

Does anyone know what most commonly occurs (outside of just flat not working) when someone uses a processor not "supported" by the board?

medeirosaurus said:

Does anyone know what most commonly occurs (outside of just flat not working) when someone uses a processor not "supported" by the board?

Click to expand...

I can't speak authoritatively on that but I would imagine that damage to the motherboard could result.

Normally nothing bad will happen if it fits, it just won't read it as the correct processor. I had run into issues similar to the issues you are having in the past. For me, it ended up being a bad motherboard. There were blown capacitors on the board. Check all of the capacitors on the board. They should all be flat on the top, and a little indented in, if anything. If any of them look stretched or bulged, indented up, or even worse, open at the top and leaking, then it's bad.

That's the other option I had floating around in my head - a bad PSU, or a bad mobo. Nothing I've done to this problem has fixed it so far. I keep coming up to the same dead end - windows won't boot. I've been looking at new mobos, and I'm thinking I may spring for one.

I have 2 concerns, however. The 1st is HOW did my motherboard kick the bucket if it did (existing hardware damaged it?)? This problem only really occurred when I installed the new processor. And, 2nd, is what if my PSU is bad, as well? Could a damaged or dysfunctional PSU cause damage to the motherboard?

The first thing I would do is check the Power Supply. It is the most frequent point of failure. I've had so many die on me. You need to make sure that the power is sufficient for what you have in the computer. I don't use anything less than a 400W supply in my machines anymore. The ones they put in the machines to start with are usually underpowered, or close to it if you add any USB powered items.

It would be unusual for the motherboard to be damaged by fitting a CPU it doesn't support but as I've posted it should be fine according to MSI's website at least.

I also not sure about the PSU both CPU's are rated with the same power consumption.

Of course both of these point would be mute if you damaged either in the process of putting in your new CPU.

The fact it did work for few days indicates that in theory it should work permenantly

Have you tried the old one again and going into the BIOS and re-detecting the hardware?

Personally I would check all hardware is properly seated then strip everything back to basics CPU, PSU, GPU and a single stick of RAM - boot into BIOS and check settings, boot into Windows, if it fails more RAM to a different slot redo, try a difference stick of RAM redo etc. basically try to isolate if it is a hardware issue and what is causing it. (if it is hardware of course).

If fact a musing on the PSU I often find it odd that so many people have issues with PSU's I can honestly say I have never had a single failure of the PSU and I've been building and owning PC's for decades - OK I'm probably more of a geek than most 'normal' users but I still do my research before buying any component or system even if it's an upgrade. (It's probably just me though )

Well, while a "resolution" to this problem has not been found, a fix has. I swapped out the old processor, and it worked like a charm. BIOS loaded as fast as ever, Windows booted right up. So, while I still can't be sure that the other processor isn't damaged, I can safely say that the processor/board combination is not compatible (at least not that particular board I own, and that particular processor).

Unfortunately, my old processor is a Phenom 9500 Quad Core 2.2Ghz (Yuck). The board I'm using is a piece of junk whose capacitors can't handle OC'ing much past stock. I'm going to buy a new board, and I may go with Intel and an ASUS board. Intel seems to use NVIDIA chipsets, and thus support SLI, much more than AMD does now (since they own ATI, that makes sense). Additionally, Intel processor power consumption is much lower 65W versus 125W. There's a lot more headroom for OC'ing, although Intel 775 sockets don't like to handle DDR2 800MHz (downclocks to the second highest RAM frequency).

Anyway, thanks so much for the assistance. I appreciate all the input. I'll let you all know how my new rig handles. Maybe I can get it to the elusive 4.0Ghz...

medeirosaurus said:

Well, while a "resolution" to this problem has not been found, a fix has. I swapped out the old processor, and it worked like a charm. BIOS loaded as fast as ever, Windows booted right up. So, while I still can't be sure that the other processor isn't damaged, I can safely say that the processor/board combination is not compatible (at least not that particular board I own, and that particular processor).

Unfortunately, my old processor is a Phenom 9500 Quad Core 2.2Ghz (Yuck). The board I'm using is a piece of junk whose capacitors can't handle OC'ing much past stock. I'm going to buy a new board, and I may go with Intel and an ASUS board. Intel seems to use NVIDIA chipsets, and thus support SLI, much more than AMD does now (since they own ATI, that makes sense). Additionally, Intel processor power consumption is much lower 65W versus 125W. There's a lot more headroom for OC'ing, although Intel 775 sockets don't like to handle DDR2 800MHz (downclocks to the second highest RAM frequency).

Anyway, thanks so much for the assistance. I appreciate all the input. I'll let you all know how my new rig handles. Maybe I can get it to the elusive 4.0Ghz...

Click to expand...

Asus boards have declined in quality over the last few years IMO. I've had two end up with blown capacitors. And I'll gladly take the Quad-Core Phenom off of your hands if you like.

See if you can turn on detailed POST in the BIOS. This should then give you a clue on what part of the POST it's hanging on.

The most common slow POST issues that ive come accross over the years is due to a faulty USB port.