Computer doesnt even boot!

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:31 pm

I previously posted about my problem here and in the software forum. I figured the problem had to be a hardware issue, and I thought I solved it.

The first thing I did was take out one stick of ram and my computer suddenly stopped shutting off so frequently. The problem still continued, but less frequently. Heck, I didnt want it to happen at all so I've been trying to figure out what's wrong. Another friend recommended that it might not be the ram, and the mobo might be the culprit(dealing with the ram dimms). So today, I swapped the ram I thot was bad with the ram that appears to be fine(I switched the rams in dimm1). I didnt expect it to work, and it didnt. Now the bad thing was that when I swapped the good stick back, the computer doesn't boot. I tried putting the good stick in another dimm, but it still doesn't work. What happens is that when I press the power button, the fans turn on but the computer just goes BEEEP.....BEEEEP......BEEEP and nothing happens.The beeps are contiuous too and dont stop and have the same pitch. Now my question is which part is most likely malfunctioning? Im not sure what the constant beeping means, so I am unsure as to what this problem is.

I think its odd that both sticks would result in the same problem, but at the same time taking out one stick helped to partially aleviate my problem. Since both sticks have the same problem, I think it could be my motherboard. Maybe something is up there? Another idea suggested by a friend who builds and troubleshoots computers said that my processor may be failing.

So which part sounds like it needs to be replaced? I want to buy the parts and get this over with ASAP ><.

Thanks for any replies!

mccoffee · Post by **mccoffee** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:12 pm

what mother board you have do you want bios it is if so look up the beep codes for that bios in google. that could be video depending on bios and it's beep code.

if you can't find the boot codes i would just go with board and cpu combo there for you don't have to worry about if it's the board or cpu you can test both imho

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:28 pm

I have a CHAINTECH VNF4 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard. Im running AwardBios. I searched for it and alot of sites give conflicting info. One site says Awardbios depends on who makes the board, and others give a general guideline as to what beeps equate to what problem. I just emailed chaintech about the beeps to see what is the problem. The other websites that have defined what beeps = what pretty much say it could be my videocard, memory, or the motherboard.

mccoffee · Post by **mccoffee** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:30 pm

are they long beeps or short beeps ?

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:35 pm

The beeps are about 2 seconds long. I'm not sure if that qualifies as long or short.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:03 pm

if the beeps are like a long beep then two short ones its your ram. like beeeeep beep beep over and over again. You will need to replace your ram perhaps both sticks. You might have to reset your bios which would be a jumper to move and pulling the battery out for about 10mins. If this is the sound your hearing I've delt with it many times and thats the cause. Most mobo companys are running "AwardBios" too so you need to find out what BIOD version it is exactly and then find out if there is a update posted on chains site... as I said its ram related but it might not mean your ram is "bad" to say it might just not work correctly with your mobo's bios version.

here is the newest version of your Bios needed and its dated from June 2005
http://www.chaintechusa.com/download/K8/VN210603.BIN

here is the page with all the recent ones on it and if you look the one dated for April 2005 shows some memory fixes..
http://www.chaintechusa.com/tw/eng/Down ... &PISNo=318

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:44 pm

The beeps don't sound any different. They are all pretty much beeeeeeeeep beeeeeeeep beeeeeeeee and never stop. Is this still a ram related issue?

EDIT: Not too sure about the beeping. When you say its beeeeeep and beep, can you really tell the diff easily? If I really pay attention to the beeps, it does sound likethe first one is longer than the others. Then again it may just be me. So is the diff between a long beep and short beep really obvious?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:08 pm

Altema wrote:So is the diff between a long beep and short beep really obvious?

Fairly...yes. I'll be like a beeeeeeeep beeeep beeeep beeeeeeeeep (one long, two short, one long). Just to show you what a pattern is like.

I'd remove everything. (properly discharging yourself to the chassis before reaching in with your hands and yanking stuff...following all those "best practice" static precautions). Remove any PCI cards, hard drive/floppy/cdrom cable, RAM sticks, etc.

Reseat the CPU

Reset the BIOS to default

Try to boot up...see what errors you get, notice them

Add the RAM, now try to boot up, see what errors you get, notice them..if any different from above

Now add your video card (unless it was onboard..then you're stuck..usually those are 1 long 3 short beeps)

Now add other devices one by one..booting up after each one.

You were being careful handling your RAM before, right? Don't place them on top of the anti-static bags...a lot of people will place them there after taking them out of the bags.

Might as well rub the sticks of RAM on a shag carpet...that's one of the worse things to do....place devices on top of the outside of anti-static bags. Farady cages (the full name for anti-static bags) work on the principle of containing static by keeping it on the outside of themselves.

Was this RAM certified compatible for your motherboard?

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:28 pm

My computer now boots up, but I still have the original problem of automatic shut downs

.

I think I didnt push hard enough on the ram and thats why the computer didnt load, I think...

EDIT: With two sticks of ram, it shuts off with no warning alot, so I took that stick out again.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:51 am

sounds like a bad stick then....... how does it run with just one good stick? Have you updated the Bios like I posted earlier? I had to do this with my DFI and ASUS board.

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 3:02 am

It runs better than with two sticks, but the problem of automatic shutdowns persists.

I have not updated the bios yet, but the current version is the one with that memory fix.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 3:35 am

Altema wrote:It runs better than with two sticks, but the problem of automatic shutdowns persists.

I have not updated the bios yet, but the current version is the one with that memory fix.

something isn't overheating is it? Such as CPU fan not turning or power supply isn't steady enough to hold what your running or perhaps going bad? Check rails with a meter and see what they are reading or post what the BIOS is saying for the volts of everything.

Altema · Post by **Altema** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:16 am

Full Load gets me about 36C

Voltage in bios is about
3.3 - 3.24
5.0 - 5.08
12 - 11. 84
-12 - -11.95
1.20 - 1.15