[Help!] Bad processor, mobo, or ???

[Shintsu]

My dad recently purchased an Intel E8600 from Newegg new in retail packaging and just purchased an A5N-P motherboard from a local retailer also new. After plugging it into his old 400 watt power supply and memory he had on his old computer he cannot get a post. He has swapped video cards and tried all sorts of things, everything is wired properly it simply will not post and no image comes on the screen or anything. We're not sure if it could be the mobo that is bad or the processor or something else. The fan on the processor comes on just fine but I know that hardly indicates anything but the mobo allowing power to the CPU fan.

Can anyone recommend any sort of measure to test the problem here? This is driving him crazy as he took his old machine down to put this one back in it's place and is now stuck with no PC. Any suggestions appreciated!

[Sgt. D. Pilla]

Sadly this is something Asus boards are good at, outdated BIOSs.
Find a Pentium 4 CPU and install that this should allow the motherboard to POST and boot.
Then you'll need to flash the BIOS to the latest revision which will support the E8 series.
The fact the CPU fan comes on and powers, indicates to me that the CPU and mobo are somewhat fine.

I'd almost guarentee its the BIOS needing an update.
Out of the 10 or so Asus motherboard based systems I've built for clients and a mate, 8 did the same thing, all different motherboards (all also released last year) and 8 of the 10 didn't support some of the latest and most common CPUs (also released last or the year before).
Gigabytes never seem to do this, but I've only built 6 gigabyte based systems.

[kow_ciller]

The 500-series chipsets dont support the 45nm chips I dont think. I could be wrong, but I dont think they're supported. Its not an Asus problem its most likely just the fact that the older chipset doesn't support newer chips.

[Sgt. D. Pilla]

No idea.
Is it even such a motherboard ~_^
I just googled "A5N-P", "A5N", "Asus A5N", "Asus A5N-P" and never did any reviews, offical websites or anything come up.
Are you sure you ahve the right model number or series? Because going by google, ain't no such motherboard...

[Mr. Pedantic]

First of all, I have a question. Is everything compatible with everything else? Because you haven't told us what sort of RAM you have, and I can't find any mention of your mobo all throughout the internet.

[Shintsu]

I mistyped, it is an A5N-D. I discovered the problem however. When removing the processor, one of the pins in the bed that is on the socket was bent in the opposite direction. No idea how this happened as it was installed gently - most likely a factory defect of the board. If you run your finger across the socket one way it smooths down the other way it sticks up. Without question this board is getting exchanged for a new one first thing. Was hoping we could determine the problem without removing the processor, however nothing else would've shown this but that. Is it possible to fry the processor if two of those socket pins should touch? Thanks for the helpful tips as well guys, much appreciated.

[Sgt. D. Pilla]

Not really, but you would have just fucked the motherboard by running you fingers over the pins anyway.
Just imagine all that oil on your hands and static that you just sent surging through the most fragile part of any motherboard.
Ohwell, it was stuffed anyways lol.
However, I highly doubt its a factory defect, those pins are easy to bend no matter how gentle you are.
Further, i still can't find your motherboard anywhere.
Nor have I ever heard of an A5N

[Shintsu]

Wow, really deficient today - P5N-D. Phew...I don't know why I kept getting that wrong.

Wouldn't normally touch the pins but was simply feeling the pin which looked broken. While probably not best for it I don't think that would cause it to stop working or any such. It wasn't any better to touch the pins on a processor and people did anyway with usually minimal consequence. I was grounded as well...always wear a ground strap.

My EVGA 750i FTW had no such problems and I was a little rougher on it (not much, but not quite as gentle as this one). One complaint I'd like to make about all these are those stupid factory heatsinks - such a PITA to put on and they make you think you're going to snap the mobo pushing the pins in place.

[kow_ciller]

Thats why you pay $5 and buy a bolt-on kit

[*The.Doctor]

Those push pins are annoying little buggers. Its even more of a pain in the ass if you have a rather large heatsink that makes the pins hard to reach. Or if you have a board like mine with a large NB/SB heatsink and a large cooler, i literally had to stick something in between to push the one pin down since my fingers didn't fit.

I really should get that bolt on kit next time....