Need help with BIOSTAR 790GX AM2+

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mliraved

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I've spent all of today attempting to assemble my new PC. Everything went great until I had to install the Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer. It would not fit into the bracket on my motherboard, the BIOSTAR 790GX AM2+. After spending two hours trying to get it on, watching Youtube installation videos, then trying again, I found several reviews that warned about it not fitting certain AMD brackets... so, I installed the stock CPU fan and braced myself for the first boot up. Only there wasn't one. Fans came on, lights flickered everywhere, it sprang to life -- but no POST. No beeps. No BIOS even if I held down F12 as indicated in the instructions. I made a thread earlier about it, thinking it had something to do with my using HDMI. Went out of my way to borrow a DVI-to-HDMI adapter from a friend, still no POST visible on-screen, no accessible BIOS.

I just sat down and read through the user's manual for good measure. I noticed the on-board LED's were both off. According to the manual, this means "Abnormal: CPU/Chipset Error." I thought this was strange, considering I had triple-checked my AMD Phenom II x3 720 was correctly locked into place. Furthermore, BIOSTAR explicitly claimed my CPU was supported by the 790GX AM2+, which is why I bought it. I kept reading, and I quote:

"Please update the BIOS to the latest version while using AM2+ CPUs. Due to the latest CPU transition, you may encounter the situation that the new system failed to boot while using new AM2+ CPUs. In this case, please install one standard AM2 CPU to boot your system, and update the latest BIOS from our website for AM2+ CPUs support."

Whaaaaaat! I don't have an AM2 CPU. I have no access to an AM2 CPU. Does this mean I can't even boot up my PC because they failed to inform me of this glorious technicality? Is there any other way I can install the updated BIOS?

One other possibility is that the BIOS is fine but I don't have the CPU adequately powered. I have a slot called JAXPWR3 that supplies "+12V to CPU Power circuit" and should, technically, be plugged into. However, my Corsair 750W PSU doesn't have the 4-pin connector it requires; thus, the only thing going into the mobo is a 24-pin power connector (into JATXPWR2). I've read in other sites that JATXPWR3 isn't necessary, but the manual says to plug it in before boot up. Could this be the culprit? I hear no beeps and the LEDs are both off, and I've been thinking it's indicative of CPU incompatibility, but could it be instead caused by lack of power?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, as I have to decide whether I need to RMA or fix this thing.
M
 
you need the 4 pin power into the board. Take a look at your psu. You will have a 4 x 4 12v plug. Right now it looks like a 8 pin but you can take it apart to make 2 4 pin power plugs.

Second one makes 2, 4 pin 12v connectors

tx_conn.jpg
 
I just figured that out as you posted. I hooked it up, looks messy as heck but the CPU turned on. Now I have an LED indicating I have a "Memory Error."
 
probably. clear cmos for fun. If you have another computer you could test the ram in there just to confirm. But, if you tried each stick in every possible ram slot it may be rma time.
 
I've got the same board and it recognized everything right off the bat. I had to use a dvi to vga though at first to get it to come on my 26" tv screen. After I installed drivers then hdmi worked. Sounds like you got it all figured out though.
 
I'm posting from the new rig, so yeah -- everything's working great. All I need to do is get a new heatsink/fan (since the Core Contact was a no go) before I start overclocking. Thanks for all the help, guys!
 
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