SAM problem...Half Solved!

I have put my SAM440ep in a tower case and there is no display!

SAM440ep

550W PSU 80+ 24pins (using 20 of course)

Connected to a CRT VGA monitor via a DVI to VGA adapter and all I get is a black screen and the monitor complaining that there is no pc attached!

The blue led on the SAM comes on and the leds on the two ethernet ports flicker like mad at the beginning then just once in a while, but no display.

Is it busted?

I have tried a PCI card and nothing, tried the VGA adapter (internal pins) and nothing!

I have put a SAM flex 800 in there and still the same.

What is going on?

The DVI to VGA adaptor supplied with a Sam is not standard!

Use the one that came with it, and it'll work fine!

Hi,

I have got two, one with lots of pins and one with less pins, same result with both...

If you put a samflex inside and still the same result? And it works when you put it back where it belongs, then it sounds like a other problem. Is that psu the one you got when you did buy the sam?

If I put the flex in I get identical results.

No I have got everything new, case, PSU. The SAMs were taken out from different set ups which I haven't got anymore.

I'll try with another PSU. Thanks.

Shouldn't be the PSU, not if it's booting (as it looks like it is). Some larger PSUs don't work with low drain boards like the Sam, but it sounds like it's working.

I would still strongly suggest connecting them up to an LCD monitor or TV via DVI, even if only to rule it out. It's not to do with the number of pins, I believe, I think there's an extra component inside the DVI->VGA adaptor that comes with Sams.

Still no luck.

Same computer case.

I have just bought another power supply, a generic 400W, instead of the other branded, new 550W 80Plus.

Taken everything out of the case.

Same story, same behaviour with both boards.

I had this exact problem with my sam and it turned out the vga cable i was using was at fault so i tried a different vga cable and it work great yet the cable that would not work on the sam works with all my other computers? Strange but true. Have you tried another monitor?

I'll try another monitor just in case although the CRT VGA works fine with the Windows PC.

Check the case itself, It could be an earthing problem, check to see if there are any of the brass mounting bolts in the wrong place, thay can cause a short, one quick fix for mysterious shorts is to cut out a backing plate out of a cereal box. Just put the sam mobo on the back of a piece of the box, draw round it and don't forget to mark the mounting holes which should be big enough to go over the mounting bolts. cut it all out and put it in the case and the entire mobo is now insulated...

Still no luck

Forget luck; get signals! Does the SAM use a battery? If the battery on the A1 is low the bootup is a black screen. Uboot needs a signal to switch in the video interface.

So should I charge the battery? Keeping the SAM connected to the PSU?

Isn't there a 'button' shaped battery on the mobo? The A1 uses a 2032-3 volt battery. They're not rechargeable; replace it with a new one...Really?

I'll try that as well.

I hope it's as simple as that!

Thanks

Try clearing the NVRAM too - I can't remember if there's a jumper to do it, but just removing the battery for a short while will work too. Don't think it'll work but....

I presume you've read and re-read the manual to make sure it's connected, correctly. Make sure the reset switch is correctly connected especially. :)

Going to buy some more batteries today and a serial to usb cable for teraterm/hyperterm/putty.

Will this work?

Bought a new battery, replaced and still the same!

@thedaddy

The battery is an A1 problem. Never heard of anyone having this problem on the sam series.

In the beggining you had it working in another case? In that case, can you put it back in the old one?

Quote:

Put it in the old case and still the same...I am getting worried...

Some good news!

Stripped the SAM440ep down to the bare minimum; board, memory and battery.

Connected to one of the two new PSU (400W one).

Removed the battery and placed the new one in.

Replaced the memory with one from the flex.

UBoot comes on! It's alive!

Put the old battery back in and it comes on!

Removed the battery completely and it comes on! Without the battery in place! :D

Put the original memory in and it won't display anything.

Now it's the SAM flex turn to be brought back to life!

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks everyone (Spirantho etc...)