"FF" error code on a MSI 890FXA GD70 motherboard

Question

I think I've lost 1/3 of the hair on my head...

My motherboard has stopped working completely and all LEDs light up blue. I've disconnected everything except for:

• AMD Phenom II X6 1055T Thuban 2.8GHz Socket AM3 125W
• Antec BP550 Plus RT PSU (550W)
• 1 x BFG Tech BFGE981024GTGE GeForce 9800 GT 1GB
• 1 x Corsair XMS 4GB 240-Pin (DDR3 1333)

I push the power button and all of the LEDs light up. I tried re-seating the CPU and moving the RAM to the first and last RAM slots, but that didn't change anything.

I don't get any video output and the error LED shows FF and reboots every 1/2 of a second.

Does anybody know what I can do to fix this?

Solution 1

On person "knocked the shunt off the jbat1 prongs" on the motherboard which caused this FF error.

.

I would assume any sort of improper assembly can cause this FF error , CPU or memory not properly seated, wrong memory or PSU, etc.

Solution 2

it is probably a voltage issue, has it ever worked or is this a fresh build? If it did work at one time was it overclocked?

Comments

[Blender]

It did work before, but I have never overclocked the CPU. I reset the BIOS by removing the CMOS battery for ~20 minutes and pressing the power button, which didn't do anything.

[xXPhenom22Xx]

So one day it just stopped working, there was no new hardware or anything added?

[Blender]

Yep. I called MSI and they said it's either a motherboard or CPU failure :|

[xXPhenom22Xx]

I found something from MSI about this, maybe it will help. They also include a good utility at the bottom to recover your BIOS settings forums.techarena.in/motherboard-processor-ram/1413640.htm

[xXPhenom22Xx]

Since your DOA now might as well try everything. Look at flashing the BIOS if you have an old version. If you already updated it try using that BIOS utility to set it back to previous settings. Do you see any POST information?

[Blender]

I can't get any video output from the motherboard at all, so I can't boot the USB drive (I tried this yesterday).

[xXPhenom22Xx]

I would try unplugging all unneeded peripherals and if you have an aftermarket video card ditch that too and use the onboard one, just to rule out possible hardware conflict. Not sure what else, pretty tough to troubleshoot if you can even get a POST screen

[Blender]

The motherboard has no onboard graphics, but I've tried disconnecting my GPU. It had no peripherals plugged in to begin with so I'm not really sure what to do. I'm still searching online to see what other people have found...

[Blender]

Sir, have you ever been called a wizard? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, because you are a wizard. That jumper/shunt was missing on my motherboard! Thank you very much (I'm typing this from that same motherboard :P)!

[Blender]

It was a missing jumper. Who would've guessed?

[xXPhenom22Xx]

Jumper came loose from when it was working?

[xXPhenom22Xx]

Nice find, never heard of anything that crazy in my life... Should've got an ASUS lol

[Blender]

It probably came off when I took out the board for cleaning. I'm not entirely sure how it came off, but I installed a new one and it works (I'm typing it from that same computer).

[xXPhenom22Xx]

Awesome glad to hear, talk about bizarre. Sure beats a new board though =)

[Blender]

Yep. Now I have to cancel my RMA request ;)

[Moab]

@Blender I have been called a lot of things in my life but never a Wizard, I will add that to my list of keepers, thanks. My Google Fu paid off. That is a pretty cool motherboard you have, I wish I had a budget to build one myself. Blender was a great album by Collective Soul, but most of their albums are great.