MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

[canadaboy25]

Hello, I have a MSI N1996 it also has a sticker on it that says 865PE Neo 2 - V.

When I power it up it takes a long time then beeps once if I keep waiting it beeps twice then once more. If I leave it after that it just automatically shuts down. If i do not wait after the previous attempt to try it again it doesn't even get to the beeps it just shuts itself down.

According to this site - https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=86906.0 Under the AMI BIOS (Which is what I have) 4 beeps means bad timer. Under the PHOENIX BIOS 1-2-1 beeps is also bad timer.

If I am correct the timer is a chip on the motherboard right?

If it is would it be possible to replace?

All of my google searches just come up with changing the motherboard's battery.

Any help is welcome

[pfrcom]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

I think you're looking at a complex solution when the answer may be simple

1a. How do you know the memory you're using is good ?

1b. And compatible with the board ?

2a. How do you know the graphics card you're using is good ?

2b. And compatible with the board ?

3a. How do you know the processor you're using is good ?

3b. And compatible with the board

4a. Do you have the optional MSI D-Bracket ?

[gg1978]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

the timer chip isn't a discrete part, it's either part of the super i/o chip or the southbridge. Either way you'll be hard pressed to get a replacement and actually swap it out unless you work with high pincount SMT or BGA packages.

[pfrcom]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Which processor are you using ? - Pentium4 S478 a given - what speed, FSB, cache (all embossed on the chip) - Sspec would be useful

What memory are you using ? - DDR1 a given - what brand and speed rating, i.e. DDR266/DDR333/DDR400 ?

Is your board the model with three memory slots, or two ?

Compatibility of components is an underrated requirement, but key to getting something that works

[canadaboy25]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

How do you know the memory you're using is good and compatible with the board?

I have tested the memory in another pc and verified that it is good and it is the memory that has been in the board since before it broke so I know that it is compatible.

How do you know the graphics card you're using is good and compatible with the board?

The graphics card has also been in the board since before it broke and I have also tested it in another pc.

How do you know the processor you're using is good and compatible with the board?

Is there any simple way that I can test it?

Do you have the optional MSI D-Bracket?

If that is the USB ports with the 4 lights on the back then yes I have it.

[canadaboy25]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Which processor are you using ? - Pentium4 S478 a given - what speed, FSB, cache (all embossed on the chip) - Sspec would be useful

What memory are you using ? - DDR1 a given - what brand and speed rating, i.e. DDR266/DDR333/DDR400 ?

Is your board the model with three memory slots, or two ?

Compatibility of components is an underrated requirement, but key to getting something that works

Pentium 4
2.80GHZ/512/533
SL6PF China
5429B816

That is what is on the processor

DDR333 one is samsung and the other is infineon
And my board has 3 memory slots.

[Agent24]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Probably doesn't help you, but that N1990 is just a certification mark or something, NOT a model number.

[pfrcom]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

since before it broke

So it used to work, not something you've recently got your hands on ?

my board has 3 memory slots.

Your board has i865pe chipset (ties in with 865PE Neo2-V model name), as distinct from i848p chipset of two slot board

Therefore it can run memory in dual-channel, given compatible DDR sticks

Do you have memory in same coloured slots, or different coloured slots ?

Have you tried removing second DDR stick, or moving it to alternate slot ?

MSI manual indicates different coloured slots are dual-channel setup - at odds with convention, where dual-channel is same coloured slots

I'd try a single memory stick first, to see if that boots - both yours are quality brands, I'd probably favour Samsung, but if one doesn't boot try the other

If single stick boots, try second stick, moving to alternate slot if no boot at first

Pentium 4
2.80GHZ/512/533
SL6PF China
5429B816

An early model Northwood processor with slower 533FSB (compared to later 800FSB)

Processors rarely fail, but you never know

DDR333 one is samsung and the other is infineon

Which gets an OK in MSI manual's Memory Speed/CPU FSB Support Matrix

If it won't boot with single stick of memory, time to connect your MSI D-Bracket and see what code its twinkling lights give you

The MSI manual I downloaded for your board is sh*t - has instructions for connecting a D-Bracket, but doesn't show what codes mean

If you go this route, Google D-Bracket and 865PE Neo2-V to see what you can find

Failing that, download manual for MSI 865PE Neo2-P (aka MS-6728) which is similar MSI board, with useful documentation for D-Bracket - chances are, its codes are same as yours

[larrymoencurly]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

What kind of beeps do you get if you turn on the power without any memory modules installed? If the beeps then differ, there's a memory problem.

I would take a close look inside the DIMM slots with a flashlight and magnifying glass, in case any of the contacts are bent, broken, or dirty.

[canadaboy25]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Well I took the motherboard out of the case and attached the bracket and put in one ram module and the graphics card and the system is now working fine other than the fact that it randomly shuts down all the time. What would cause that?

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

For the listed bleep codes, 1 of them is wrong, IIRC:

For Award BIOS:

1 long and 3 short bleeps is the familiar video init failure code. It happens often when the video card got bumped on AGP rigs.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Well I took the motherboard out of the case and attached the bracket and put in one ram module and the graphics card and the system is now working fine other than the fact that it randomly shuts down all the time. What would cause that?

Reseat the heatsink and make sure there's the right amount of thermal paste... And I would try another PSU...

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

And at least for Asus' version of the AMI BIOS:

1 long and/or 8, 9 or 7 short bleeps=CPU fan error and you have to press F1. Failed to detect CPU fan RPMs.
And this may occur randomly on a P5Q series!

[canadaboy25]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Well I had taken off the cpu fan/cooler for testing to see if it would boot because the atx plug is in a hard to get to spot. So I put the cooler on and presto! now its working

The only issue I have now is SATA hdd's wont show up in the bios and the BIOS has 4 IDE channels when my board only has two any Idea how to fix that?

[Agent24]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Sounds like your SATA contoller is running in IDE mode. There should be an option somewhere to change it to SATA or AHCI mode.

[pfrcom]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

The only issue I have now is SATA hdd's wont show up in the bios and the BIOS has 4 IDE channels when my board only has two any Idea how to fix that?

i865 SATA channels will show up as IDE

Check SATA is Enabled in BIOS - presumably so, if you have extra IDE channels showing

If Enabled, try new SATA cables - temperamental things

Otherwise, disks not compatible with i865's SATA - or need jumpering into compatible mode

There should be an option somewhere to change it to SATA or AHCI mode.

Not with i865

[Agent24]

Re: MSI N1996 Motherboard with bad timer

Not with i865

Oops. Didn't know that, I'm an AMD guy