HP Compaq D220 mobo won't POST, just beep codes...

[TechShui]

Okay, this is really frusturating. I thought I would've figured this out by now. I turn the motherboard on, and I get 5 short beeps, a pause and then 5 more, and so on....

I've tried Googling the mobo model (Lite-On NR138) and there's no specs anywhere, I know it's old, but even the HP Compaq D220 page is void of any useful information. No specification page. And the "Upgrade and Migrate" page is a dead link.

It would help me a lot to know what the beep codes mean, but it would also help to know if this motherboard's BIOS only recognizes
certain steppings, because I've already tried 3 differnt CPUs. Two of them with B0 stepping, and one with C1 stepping.

The first CPU I tried was SL68Q (1.8Ghz, 512K, 400Mhz) it gave the 5 beeps.
Next, I tried SL6LC, the one with c1 stepping (2.0Ghz, 128K, 400Mhz) it didn't work at all, I didn't even get beep codes. (Not surprising, I think it's fried).
Lastly, I tried SL66Q which is identical to the first (1.8Ghz, 512K, 400Mhz) this one also resulted in 5 beeps.

And yes, I've ruled out the RAM as well, I tried 2 different dimms (both work in other systems). So I'm convinced it's a CPU issue.
Any feedback would be appreciated, especially if you own this mobo, and have upgraded the CPU.

[erico]

Here are the specs for your Lite-On motherboard. 

Here is a link to the Intel Willamette CPUs that should work.

Here is a link to the Intel Northwood CPUs that should work. Within the Northwood group, the mobile CPUs are not for your motherboard. 

you will have to do your own research at the Intel website to cross reference the part numbers 

regards,

erico 

Message Edited by erico on 08-25-2009 01:19 PM

[TechShui]

Erico, thanks for the reply!

Hmm, the datasheet you linked is for a Fujitsu X101 motherboard.  Is that a re-branded LiteOn NR138?

The CPUs I've been using are on that Northwood list, thanks for that btw, it's a good reference. However, I just found out today, that this is not a CPU issue, because I took that 1.8Ghz SL68Q and put it into a spare 478 mobo that I have (GigaByte GA-8PE800) and it booted!

So what now? I've already tested with another power supply, that a friend let me borrow, could his PSU have been faulty too?

I guess I should go buy another one for good measure.

[erico]

---

@TechShui wrote:

Erico, thanks for the reply!

Hmm, the datasheet you linked is for a Fujitsu X101 motherboard.  Is that a re-branded LiteOn NR138?

The CPUs I've been using are on that Northwood list, thanks for that btw, it's a good reference. However, I just found out today, that this is not a CPU issue, because I took that 1.8Ghz SL68Q and put it into a spare 478 mobo that I have (GigaByte GA-8PE800) and it booted!

So what now? I've already tested with another power supply, that a friend let me borrow, could his PSU have been faulty too?

I guess I should go buy another one for good measure.

---

The Datasheet is Lite-On and the motherboard must be rebranded. Lite-On is not a motherboard manufacturer. They make peripherals only. Take a look at this link. You will see who made the Scenic X101 and which motherboard is installed. Surprise, surprise...it is the NR138..from Fujitsu Siemens.

 regards,

erico 

I would have to say that clearly there is no BIOS support for that particular CPU.

It is never a bad idea, as a tech, to keep a major brand PSU in your work area to use for testing suspected motherboards. That is my own practice.  

[TechShui · Accepted solution]

Erico, thanks for the suggestions.

Problem solved! 

The RAM card was loose on one end, and after pushing it in with all my might, it clicked. I was so sure it wasn't the RAM, because I'd tried several cards, different slots even (but they never wanted to click). The slots in this particular mobo are unlike any I've seen. The grooves are short, so the modules look like they're sitting on top of the gold contacts in the groove. It takes a lot of force to seat them properly.

Let this be a lesson to myself and others, that it's always a good idea to triple-check each and every memory module, and make very sure they're not wiggling, or slanted. The tabs on either side should click by themselves.

The board is an American Megatrends Inc. [AMI] model NR-138. (Not Fujitsu, nor Lite-On). It's HP-branded, but has an AMI BIOS, not Phoenix / Award. It does indeed recognize the CPUs I'd tested previously. It has onboard AGP, Audio and LAN. The chipset is Intel 845GV.

So in summary, five (5) short beeps from this board equals "RAM not detected".