AMD Athlon 750mhz not responding

[Telexen]

I got an Athlon 750mhz system from school...I'm trying to get it work so I can sell it.

I put a hard drive and CDROM into it, turn it on...POST goes through fine...I can get into the BIOS...it detects the hard drive and cdrom...RAM is fine...but the next screen is just a blinking cursor...and it just sits there...

I've tried loading safe BIOS settings...different drives, NO drives...the only card in it is a known good video card.

I figure it's either the motherboard or CPU...which one would it normally be? Or what else could it be?

you need an os!!! are you trying to boot from a floppy or from the cd-rom? If its going to bios just fine the its not the board or the cpu. If there was an issue with either the board wouldn't post right or not at all. Since it sounds as though your gettin into the bios fine without an other issues sounds like you might be missing you os.

[Telexen]

I can't load an OS...it locks up before it would boot to a CD or floppy.

I just read this from EpoX's website (the board is a 7KXA+):

Western Digital UltraDMA hard drive problems with VIA chipsets.
There are some known issues with regarding UltraDMA-33 use on certain models of Western Digital hard drives with the CCC identifier code starting with C1 or B1. As long as the CCC code printed on the drive begins with codes other than C1 or B1, there should be no problems with VIA chipsets. For example CCC: E3 30 MAR 98 S would have no problem as it begins with E3. If you should have a problem drive please contact your vendor for a replacement.

...this is a WD drive I'm trying...the only problem is all the drives I have available are WDs

I'll try another drive in it.

[Telexen]

Originally posted by Telexen
I can't load an OS...it locks up before it would boot to a CD or floppy.

Well, not locks up...but stops doing anything.

boot it without the drive just boot from floppy or cd and see if it even works. double check your jumpers on your drives. Check to make sure your not trying to only boot from the hard drive boot from floppy or cd rom first. if it detects the drive fine in the bios it shouldn't have any problems

[Telexen]

Same thing when no drive is connected...I guess I'll have to get my hands on another Slot A board to test the CPU.

you could always try flashing the bios because it doesn't sound to me like its the cpu might be the board.

edit: sorry my brain is not working tonight. when the board posts it shows all the drives correctly and they are known good drives and you have the setting to boot from floppy/cd-rom first right? because this doesn't sound like its a bad cpu to me could very easily be bad ram or a bad cable...had that problem does it try to read from the floppy? does it spin the cd-rom and i'm guessing no beeps? if the cpu was bad it would never post not saying it might not be going bad or something but i think it would still never post if it was cpu related.

[Brainchild]

Have you tried reseating everything? Sometimes it's the only way.
And blowing the dust out helps sometimes too.

[Telexen]

I've tried two different sticks of RAM...one was KNOWN to be good...the other came with the system...and it checks out fine in another system

I've tried two different IDE cables...made no difference

I'm about to try flashing the BIOS (I'll do it in the morning, actually)...I just have to get a good floppy cable out of the bag clear across the room...too much to do right now.

You know it is a slot a...It could be a little loose...I'll check that out tomorrow too.

Thanks for the replies...I'll post back tomorrow.