AW9D Max: NO POST halt on code "C1"

[L33T]

I've got an AW9D Max that's been sitting around for some time unused. It was working last when I tested it out, but when I turned it on today, it wouldn't post. I searched everywhere for information, and it turned out that a lot of people are having this problem, but there isn't a definitive solution other than the typical "reset CMOS, remove battery, wait, rinse, repeat" solution.

Basically, the motherboard does not post. The LCD display gives an error code of C1, which means a memory error in my interpretation.

This is what I've done:

1. Reset CMOS
2. Reset CMOS again
3. Reset CMOS with battery removed and cord unplugged for a few hours
4. Repeat
5. Tweaked the CMOS jumper, in case it wasn't contacting the pins properly
6. Swapped the CMOS jumper with another jumper thingy, in case the jumper was bad
7. Removed the GFX card and tried a different card
8. Removed all the RAM
9. Placed 1 stick of RAM in slot 1 (note that this RAM has been tested in another rig)
10. Placed 1 stick of RAM in slot 2
11. Placed 1 stick of RAM in slot 4
12. Banged head against wall:brick:

The damn thing worked before... I don't see why it won't work now. Although this C1 thing did occur in the past, it just sorta went away within say 1 or 2 hours of CMOS resetting...


Please help... I would really rather not RMA if I can get this damn thing to work!!

Thanks in advance

[RyderOCZ]

How new is the ram? How old is the bios of the board? What "other" board does the ram work in?

[L33T]

The RAM is some highend GEIL, 2x 1GB. It works in a DIMENSION 9100 DELL desktop, but it was bought for my gaming compy. The RAM isn't new, but it definitely works. By recently tested I mean that during this time I wasn't using the Vapochill compy it has been in my DELL. I'm not sure how old the BIOS is... looks at this point the world might never know :(

[hokiealumnus]

Hi. Please supply a complete list of your hardware with makes and model numbers. Folks can better assist you if they know exactly what you're dealing with.

[L33T]

All in my sig

[Cpt.Planet]

A buddy of mine had the same issue. It was actually psu related. Unplug the 24 pin an let it isit for a bit then plug it back in.

[RyderOCZ]

Ok..so the ram works in another machine and was running in this machine right...now suddenly you have C1?

What speed is the ram running in the Dell? Like 533?

Try some other ram in the Abit.

[hokiealumnus]

All in my sig

Sorry, used to text and didn't even see it in there. If what you've done hasn't gotten you anywhere, I'd say get back to basics. Pull it out of the case and assemble a bare-bones system on cardboard consisting of the CPU, GPU, 1 stick of RAM and keyboard (the minimum hardware required to enter BIOS) and try a good deep CMOS clear like so:


Remove power from the system.
Hit the power button to discharge the capacitors.
Move the CCMOS jumper to the clear position.
Remove the battery from the motherboard.
Do something else for an hour.
Replace the battery.
Place the jumper back in the normal position.
Restore power and boot up immediately into BIOS.
Select "Load Optimized Defaults" and set the recommended voltage for your RAM
Save & exit.
On reboot, go directly into BIOS and set the recommended timings for your RAM and any other options you'd like to set (i.e. boot order, etc.).


If not, if you have one, it might be a good idea to try another PSU just to rule that out.

[tuchan]

If you get into BIOS you can OC on the fly then save as profile;)