Anybody else have this problem? Installing a retail Intel processor, heatsink, and fan on a ASUS motherboard was a tight fit. It deflected the motherboard just enoughtthat it was scary. After serveral repeated attempts to post, I just kept getting the error message; "system failed cpu test" over and over and over. Would not post for nothing. I tried everything...moving memory around, removing unrelated hardware (sound card, modem, ect.) Finally, by luck, I unloosened the 2 retaining arms and relieved the pressure and the system ran just fine.
I called ASUS on this and they are well aware of it as there are others reporting the same thing.
Asus' solution was to buy a new fan/heatsink. My solution was to take off the plastic retaining cage, file down the two tan colored arms, and reinstall. Worked like a charm. Not near as much tension on the motherboard, no deflection, yet firm enough to hold tight.
No noticed increase in cpu temperature as per Asus probe.

It is disappointing that their solution is it to put the burden of resolution upon the buyer, especially when it is a known issue.

Jim

BTW,

I decided to try your fix...worked great for me too!

Thanks,

Jim

I owe you many thanks, after almost a week of grueling effort, a couple hours google'ing the problem has saved me quite a bit of money and extra time, your solution works FLAWLESSLY. I don't reccomend filing down the plastic though.

Meant to say, don't recommend filing down the plastic arms unless you're prepared for a bit of a mess, and as a note, the locking assembly comes apart from the fan/heatsink, and the control arms snap out of the locking assembly, make sure you play with the device so you know which part to file (meaning the part of the arm that contacts the fan/heatsink assembly when locked into position).

Wooohooo!! I've been trying to figure out this prob all day. I tried your fix and it works great! Big props.

What exactly are you guys filing down? Im confused if you guys are filign down the arms to the heat sink, or the brackets on the motherboard.

Do you have to remove that retaining clip off the motherboard? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

see my post on same problem here:
http://hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/8069/

why would resetting cmos fix the problem if its just a tight fan ?

mind you I do think the fan was tight when I installed it and I'm considering a 3rd party one.

Sorry. My message disappeared. I'll try again.

The CPU fan being squeesed to tight is probably not the real problem but just accelerates it.

Read the real problem by MechaBouncer (on the middle of the page):
http://techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=610...genumber=3

Picture of the problem from Jso-2:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/~nightops/eki/DSC00249.JPG

This was the real cause of my problems. The problem is taht ju will loose your warranty just by checking if you have this problem. And definately if you try to fix it.

I had same issue. No POST with normal setup. Immediate POST with heatsink clamps undone.

Current fix: shaved 0.5 mm (approx) off of the top inner lip of the heatsink retainer bracket which is attached to the mobo. Works great.

When I took off the bracket from the mobo, I tried to look for the solder spots (I have done electronic and IC repair before) but didn't see them. Also, the way my retainer bracket is designed, it looks like it only touches the mobo at the through-hole standoff circles anyway.

Update (two days later) (weather colder.. factor?)
Won't POST. Undo the clamps. POSTs right away.

Will take off another 0.5 mm.

If this doesn't work, I'm going to order a thermalright slk900.

Please keep this thread alive. Perhaps it'll help the next guy...

Can someone comment on this, to put my mind at ease?

As in thread above, I had to cut down my heatsink retainer.

Current CPU temps are 30 C baseline and then peak of 48 C when running multiple CPU burn-in cycles using SiSoft Sandra. Is this bad or OK?

Hello fellow P4C800 owners

I wanted to comment on the solder on the back of the motherboard issue.

I originally purchased my motherboard in early June. After about a week it started having problems posting but was very sporadic. Finally it flat died and wouldn’t post. I simply went and RMAed the board with the vendor I purchased from. When I received my new board I installed the Retail 2.8g p4 and the system wouldn't post. At this point I checked the power supply and everything I could think of. Finally I called Intel support and RMAed the CPU. After receiving the brand new Retail p4 I installed it and again the P4c800 wouldn’t post. ( At this point I am so tired of hearing "System failed CPU test" ). So I called ASUS and again RMA'ed the P4c800. After a few weeks I received my tested motherboard. Again I installed the CPU only to not get a good post.

After reading though the news groups I saw MechaBouncer's info in this news group with pictures about the solder problem. It is very easy to see. You just have to remove the back retainer for the P4 heat sink holder. Right there in front of me is a solder blob that had been flattened by the pressure from the retainer. Now I got my third RMA from ASUS and the said I should loosen the heat sink screws on my next board. (BULLs**t!)

The problem is this!... Solder under constant pressure behaves like a fluid. period! This means with the CPU retainer applying pressure to these bulging solder contacts, it’s just a matter of time before your system doesn't post with the stock heat sink holder.

The fix for your problems is as follows. First RMA your P4c800 board with ASUS and get one that isn't crushed or deformed by the Intel retail heat sink. (You can fix the solder joints if you want but it’s a risk that will void your warranty) Then go out and purchase an Alpha or other heat sink that doesn’t use the ASUS heat sink retainer. The Alpha heat sink uses bolts and plastic washers to hold their heat sink on. There is no pressure at all applied to these solder points. ( This is the only reason that some of the reviews didn't catch this.. they would never use the retail heat sink )

Now from what I have seen every board ASUS sent to me has had this problem. Sadly many of these fixes that relieve pressure will simply delay the inevitable. This is because "Solder under constant pressure behaves like a fluid". Any pressure to these solder joints will cause them to flatten and expand over a trace. Sadly this is a problem where someone should sue (This problem is ASUS's issue alone and it has cost me a lot of time and money in shipping not to mention devaluation of the hardware I purchased over 4 months ago). It’s was easier and cheaper for me to have a friend use a solder sucker and fix the joints. After this my, motherboard powered up like a champ on the first try.

It’s very sad to see this. I've always been a big fan of ASUS and thought I was purchasing the Cadillac of motherboards. Now I realize that it’s probably a fluke this happened. However, the fact that they still haven’t admitted to this and don’t seem to understand the problem is not giving me a hole lot of confidence in their technical expertise.

I hope this post helps some of you guys short cut the problem because I have seen so many different solutions that wont solve the problem.

Best of luck

Christopher

Hi Christopher,

You are so on the money !!!

I'm on my third motherboard... release some pressure on the CPU, and bang, the thing jumps to life !!!

What I really want to know is, where are the pictures of the solder blob ?
I really want to see exactly where the blob is, I can't seem to locate it.

Thanx dude,
Brettbear

Found the picture... for anyone else, look here...

http://koti.mbnet.fi/~nightops/eki/DSC00249.JPG

and the original article from MechaBouncer...
http://techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=610...genumber=3

Okey I got the same problem and changing heat sink solve it but... Is there any point in replacing this mainboard for new one. On every new the same thing will happen. Is is something really bad that those bulbs melted a bit maybe they will anlways in some time because that are straight under this CPU retainer?

Anyone know whether the soldering point problem (Mechabouncer) still exist for the latest Asus P4C800 Deluxe? I just put together a new system based on the P4C with P4 2.4C, Corsair TwinX pc3200 512 Mb, Nvidia GForce 5600XT, and using the Intel retail box CPU heatsink. The system does not POST, no video, no BIOS, ever. It beeps 5 times that indicates CPU error, but I tested the CPU working fine on a Intel 875PBZ system. I looked at the target problem soldering point as picture in http://koti.mbnet.fi/~nightops/eki/DSC00249.JPG, but found it totally flat, with nearly no solder, without touching any other points. Does it mean that this mobo has other problems and I should simply do an RMA, or there is something I can try to make it work.

Please help. Many thanks.

Vicenzo

hey check out the 5 ghz project at tomshardwareguide, id get their mobo that they used for it,(better components) but u know what its asus fault for making bracket shorter than needed for the heatsink, i mean the asus p4s8x doesnt have that problem.

does the p4c800-e experience this same problem? perhaps it could cause a comp slowdown? my 3dmarks scores suck, 3235 and 11000 when im running a 2.8 pentium 4 with 800 fsb, 512 corsair 3200 memory xms serries with platnium silver heat spreaders, ati radeon 9600 pro and sb audigy 2 zs. 80 gig 7200 rpm 8mb cache hd. antec big case with 430 watt true power supply with 3 80mm fans

I have the same problem System failed CPU test, but my model #: P4P800-Deluxe. I wonder if this the same problem?

I had this annoying System Failed CPU Test..

Solution: http://bq.fi/20040505power.jpg

This SHOULD be connected to the mobo :p