Computer won't boot
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From: Antares 531 on 28 Feb 2010 19:04 On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:57:56 -0600, "Unknown" <unknown(a)unknown.kom> wrote: >Try the process of elimination if you don't know the beep codes. I.E. Remove >a memory module and try to boot. >Then remove another item and try to boot. > I tried that earlier today but didn't get any positive results. I removed the #2 memory stick and tried booting...same long beep. Next I removed both memory sticks and tried to boot but still got the beep. Then I removed the #1 memory stick and replaced it with what had previously been the #2 memory stick and again it beeped at me. Then I replaced both memory sticks in reverse position from their original positions. This also got the beep sound. I disconnected all the hard drives, CD and floppy then booted but still got the beep. I just noticed that the keyboard and mouse are not showing any life. Earlier, the keyboard lights flashed when I booted but now they don't. The hard drives, CD and floppy drive all seem to be working to the point that I can hear the hard drives humming and if I put a CD in the drive the activity light will blink and it seems to be trying to read the CD. Same for the floppy drive. I'm thinking that since I got the new computer up and running I've left this old computer turned off for extended times and this may have depleted what was left of the BIOS CMOS battery. If this battery went completely dead the BIOS may not be working at all. I'll buy a new battery tomorrow and see if that makes any difference. Start with the little things and work my way up, I guess. Gordon
From: Hot-text on 28 Feb 2010 19:28 BEEP about one second long during the boot process Pull all the RAM stick out Restart Computer with out RAM stick if the long BEEP go away it a Bad RAM stick! "Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message news:kjhlo5hs002oqungjb5cp23ph1l3g2uc71(a)4ax.com... > On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:15:36 -0500, "glee" <glee29(a)spamindspring.com> > wrote: > >> >>"Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message >>news:077lo5lskt869rrv33jhmaeone4s7o05sd(a)4ax.com... >>> On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:04:53 -0500, "glee" <glee29(a)spamindspring.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>>"Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message >>>>news:j32lo5hdvnjmj33iuhpf3ddrvt3q16cdot(a)4ax.com... >>>>>I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that >>>>> I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and >>>>> have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all >>>>> checked out and settled in. >>>>> >>>>> Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one >>>>> second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The >>>>> drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of >>>>> lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it >>>>> goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of >>>>> the computer flash a few times, then everything stops. >>>>> >>>>> I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and >>>>> also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither >>>>> boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light >>>>> flashes >>>>> a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP. >>>>> >>>>> Any ideas as to what I might try next? >>>> >>>>That model mobo apparently has an Award BIOS. One LONG beep from an >>>>Award BIOS often indicates a memory error. I would start by >>>>re-seating >>>>the RAM. If there is more than on stick of RAM try using just one, >>>>then >>>>the other (in the first RAM slot). >>>>If no improvement, try reseating the PCI cards and other items >>>>connected >>>>to the motherboard (power connectors, etc). >>>> >>>>It could be other things, but that's where to start. >>>> >>> Thanks, Glee, I followed your suggestion but didn't get any favorable >>> results. >>> >>> I powered down, pulled the power cord then removed the RAM stick out >>> of the DDRII 2 slot then booted and still got the beep. >>> >>> I then powered down pulled the power cord and removed the RAM stick >>> from the DDRII 1 slot and replaced it with the one I had removed from >>> the other slot. Still beeped at me. >>> >>> I powered down again, pulled the power cord, then put the second RAM >>> stick into the DDRII 2 slot. This had the two RAM sticks switched >>> around from their original positions. Still got the beep. >>> >>> Something I noticed...the CPU cooling fan seems to be erratic. That is >>> it will start running as soon as I click the switch to boot up, but it >>> stops then jiggles intermittently when the beep sound occurs. After >>> the beep sound, this fan starts running normally without further >>> interruption. Could this mean that the CPU has failed? >> >>It's hard to say, Gordon....it could be the power supply, or the mobo or >>the CPU too. >> >>Have you removed all the peripherals and cards except video, re-seated >>absolutely everything, and tried again? >> >>Try with the optical drives disconnected and only the hard drive >>connected (and floppy drive if you have one). >>Try with only the floppy drives connected if one is installed. >>Try with NO drives connected. >> >>A single long beep *usually* does not indicate a display problem. >>This is a long beep, not the short beep one often hears during a normal >>start-up, yes? >> >>It's a slow process of re-seating, and disconnecting/reconnecting >>everything to see if you get different behaviour...namely, if you can >>get anything on the screen. >> >>Does this have integrated video, or a separate video card? >> >>If I had to make a total guess, I'd bet on a power supply problem. Do >>you have a simple power supply tester, or a spare PSU you can try? >> >>ATX PSU Tester >>http://www.buy.com/prod/startech-com-atx-power-supply-tester-atx-motherboard/q/loc/101/202973591.html >>and >>http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-PSUTEST20-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B000HVFBX8 >> > I've gone through the process of removing and re-installing all the > add-in cards and interconnection cables. This didn't produce any > noticeable changes other than the CPU fan now runs in short bursts of > about 2 or 3 seconds whereas it was just jiggling like it was starting > to run but never actually rotated the fan. > > To answer another question...I do have an nVidia e-GeForce 7600 GS > graphics card installed. This is a 512 MB PCI-E video card. I'm not > using the motherboard's graphics output. > > I've not yet tested the power supply (PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470 > ATX 12V, Ver 2.2), but it seems to be working okay in that all the > drive activity lights blink on and I can hear the drives spin up and > the read/write arms move. > > I'm wondering if maybe the BIOS memory chip or battery has gone bad. I > built this computer in October, 2007. It shouldn't be near the point > of battery failure, I wouldn't think. Also, even if the BIOS battery > is dead, wouldn't the boot CD still work? Should I buy a fresh battery > and do a change-out? > > Gordon
From: glee on 28 Feb 2010 21:51 "Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message news:kjhlo5hs002oqungjb5cp23ph1l3g2uc71(a)4ax.com... >> > I've gone through the process of removing and re-installing all the > add-in cards and interconnection cables. This didn't produce any > noticeable changes other than the CPU fan now runs in short bursts of > about 2 or 3 seconds whereas it was just jiggling like it was starting > to run but never actually rotated the fan. > > To answer another question...I do have an nVidia e-GeForce 7600 GS > graphics card installed. This is a 512 MB PCI-E video card. I'm not > using the motherboard's graphics output. > > I've not yet tested the power supply (PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470 > ATX 12V, Ver 2.2), but it seems to be working okay in that all the > drive activity lights blink on and I can hear the drives spin up and > the read/write arms move. > > I'm wondering if maybe the BIOS memory chip or battery has gone bad. I > built this computer in October, 2007. It shouldn't be near the point > of battery failure, I wouldn't think. Also, even if the BIOS battery > is dead, wouldn't the boot CD still work? Should I buy a fresh battery > and do a change-out? > > Gordon What happens if you connect your monitor to the onboard video outlet instead of the video card? If the CMOS battery was dead, you would still get video, directing you to BIOS setup to reset everything. The fact that your drives spin doesn't necessarily mean your PSU is OK. -- Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009 A+ http://dts-l.net/
From: Antares 531 on 1 Mar 2010 08:27 On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:58:47 -0600, "Brian A." <gonefish'n(a)afarawaylake> wrote: >"Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message >news:9i0mo55tpiet5mgq5pmg13l9e078ed1elp(a)4ax.com >> (snip) >> >> I'm thinking that since I got the new computer up and running I've >> left this old computer turned off for extended times and this may have >> depleted what was left of the BIOS CMOS battery. If this battery went >> completely dead the BIOS may not be working at all. I'll buy a new >> battery tomorrow and see if that makes any difference. Start with the >> little things and work my way up, I guess. >> >> Gordon > >If the CMOS battery is failing you should get an error during boot prompting you >to enter setup or continue, doubtful it's the CMOS battery although stranger >things do happen. > >A simple way to check if the PS is the cause without purchasing another, simply >place your two PCs side by side, disconnect all of the power connectors from the >new machine and connect the ones needed in the old. If the issue isn't resolved >you can rule out the PS as the cause. > I see what you mean, Brian, but I'm a bit reticent to mess with the new computer and risk causing some serious problems with it. How long should the CMOS battery last. This one was installed in the motherboard when I bought it in November 2007. It may have been installed quite a while before I bought the motherboard, if this item laid on the shelf somewhere. I'm thinking it would be prudent to start with the small things like the CMOS battery and if that doesn't produce any improvement, move on to something else. Gordon
From: Antares 531 on 1 Mar 2010 08:30
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:51:54 -0500, "glee" <glee29(a)spamindspring.com> wrote: >"Antares 531" <gordonlrDELETE(a)swbell.net> wrote in message >news:kjhlo5hs002oqungjb5cp23ph1l3g2uc71(a)4ax.com... >>> >> I've gone through the process of removing and re-installing all the >> add-in cards and interconnection cables. This didn't produce any >> noticeable changes other than the CPU fan now runs in short bursts of >> about 2 or 3 seconds whereas it was just jiggling like it was starting >> to run but never actually rotated the fan. >> >> To answer another question...I do have an nVidia e-GeForce 7600 GS >> graphics card installed. This is a 512 MB PCI-E video card. I'm not >> using the motherboard's graphics output. >> >> I've not yet tested the power supply (PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470 >> ATX 12V, Ver 2.2), but it seems to be working okay in that all the >> drive activity lights blink on and I can hear the drives spin up and >> the read/write arms move. >> >> I'm wondering if maybe the BIOS memory chip or battery has gone bad. I >> built this computer in October, 2007. It shouldn't be near the point >> of battery failure, I wouldn't think. Also, even if the BIOS battery >> is dead, wouldn't the boot CD still work? Should I buy a fresh battery >> and do a change-out? >> >> Gordon > >What happens if you connect your monitor to the onboard video outlet >instead of the video card? > >If the CMOS battery was dead, you would still get video, directing you >to BIOS setup to reset everything. > >The fact that your drives spin doesn't necessarily mean your PSU is OK. > I haven't tried the on-board video outlet but it does sound like something worth checking out. If I can get my head on straight later this morning I'll do this. I'm down with a severe cold and not feeling up to much in the way of stress. Gordon |