Continuous Beeping Noise When Booting Up

[deeloughran]

I don't really know what the problem is...I went to install a new set of Ram and a TV Card, and when i put it together i got this beeping noise that won't stop (nothing appears on the monitor (though the power on button is on orange - think that's standby).

So i took out the TV Card, beeping noise continued.

I took out the new Ram and put in the old, STILL continued.

Took out the graphics card and re-inserted it, STILL getting it!

Anyone have any ideas what the problem is, or anything i could try?

Everything seems to be running though, the fans are lit up, CPU's fan is spinning, graphics card fan is spinning, and the computer sound as if it's running, so don't think it's a motherboard problem...

[DaftpuNk]

Put the original RAM in and reset the CMOS, and see if you get POST successfully. If this works, try the other RAM and reset again, and see if it likes it. If it only POSTs after a reset with the old stuff, you know it's not too keen on the new.

[deeloughran]

Could you help me on reseting the CMOS, after reading the manual, it says to clear the CMOS there is 2 solder points beside the CMOS battery, i found this, and it says to 'unplug the power cord, then short the solder points for more than 3 seconds by using a metal material, e.g. a paper clip.'

Looking at the map of my mobo, i found the place where it is, but it is only small silver dots, not sticking out pieces of metal, but anyway, i stuck a paper clip to the dots but had no joy, would you recommend anything else to try? I know that i can take the CMOS battery out for a few hours and that will reset it also but it's time consuming...

Edit: Have taken out the battery and will leave it a while before replacing to see if this will reset the CMOS settings!

[just_laze]

Removing the battery for a long enough period will result in the CMOS being reset.

[schmunk]

Does your graphics card have an extra power connector at the back? I get a siren if this isn't connected.

[deeloughran]

Erm... don't really know...it looks like this at the back
http://www.mtf.pt/images/FX5700LE128MB.jpg
(only the other way round) and the monitor fits into the blue side, nothing has ever went into the other connecter and it has always worked perfectly!

How long should i keep this battery out? (Currently it's been about 40mins)

[schmunk]

Erm... don't really know...it looks like this at the back
http://www.mtf.pt/images/FX5700LE128MB.jpg
(only the other way round) and the monitor fits into the blue side, nothing has ever went into the other connecter and it has always worked perfectly!

How long should i keep this battery out? (Currently it's been about 40mins)

Ah, I meant the other back.

(which, yes, is technically the front... )

If your card is the same as that pictured, then there isn't a secondary power connector, so this isn't the problem. Next!

[deeloughran]

lol! Yeh it is, i've never had to put any extra power into my graphics card (it's crap ) lol! I also took out the graphics card and it make the same damn noise!

[deeloughran]

I put the CMOS battery back in there, but NO CHANGE!

Listening to the beeping more carefully (these beeps can be translated by someone?) it is 3 loud beeps a slight pause and again 3 more beeps...continuously repeating!

Anyone have anything for me to try?

I found this table:

Beep Code: Description of Problem:
No Beeps Short, No power, Bad CPU/MB, Loose Peripherals
One Beep Everything is normal and Computer POSTed fine
Two Beeps POST/CMOS Error
One Long Beep, One Short Beep Motherboard Problem
One Long Beep, Two Short Beeps Video Problem
One Long Beep, Three Short Beeps Video Problem
Three Long Beeps Keyboard Error
Repeated Long Beeps Memory Error
Continuous Hi-Lo Beeps CPU Overheating

So using this table it is a memory problem, but i have put in two sets (the old working pair, and the new set) and both cause the same errror! Could the motherboard have been damaged if the ram was forced in (let my little brother try it = bad idea) - but surely then everything that runs off the motherboard, like the fans, graphics card would simply not work, which they ARE!

[schmunk]

Not a keyboard error? Have you checked that a keyboard is plugged in?

[Dark Horse]

Hello,
This new ram was my ram so I'll see what I can do to help.

The new ram is pretty high performance TCCD ram so has fairly tight timings 2-2-2-5 at ddr 400. The old ram (especially if it was old) would have had much slacker timings. Also the new ram is 2 x 512mb sticks as opposed to one.

This change in both settings and ram probably confused your bios if you didn't clear it back to defaults before you installed the new ram. When you clear the bios it uses the timings that are built into each stick of ram that tell it what timings to use at a given speed. If things change and the ram is forced to use different settings (much like what happens when you overclock and push things too far) the bios will not like it and will post but not boot.

When you say you have cleared the CMOS it sounds a bit odd that it is two dots of silver? Normally cmos jumpers look like this:



One setting is effectively "On" ie used saved data and keep it after each reboot. The other is "reset" and should only ever be used when the computer is off as it screws things up if you try to boot with no jumper in.

The usual process would go something like this.

Make sure computer is off
Move jumper across for 30 secs
Move it back
(I usually repeat just to make sure)

It should then boot fine. Another trick to try is to hold the "insert" key while booting up, this helps to reset the settings on some systems. Also try holding both the reset and power switches for a few seconds and then releasing the reset switch.

I'm not sure what the solder points do but I'll have a google now while dinner is in the oven.

[deeloughran]

Hm...doesn't look like my motherboard has a jumper like that...i took a picture from the manual to show what it looks like...

Number 15 is the two silver dots, just below the CMOS battery, while the manual states that no.1 is a 'PS2_USB_PWR1 Jumper' and number 22 is a 'JR1/JL1 Jumper'
They both have small blue things on them, so i took these off and used a paper clip then a screwdriver together to try and reset the CMOS, but this didn't work! They look like this:
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...n/DSC00168.jpg
And this here is the CMOS battery with the two silver dots below (they are right below the battery to the right)...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...n/DSC00166.jpg

Well i looked at my receiver and funny enough there was no light for a keyboard, then i switched the batteries, and still didn't light up, put in two different keyboards and both these didn't light up (Number key lock and Caps lock do not light up) but maybe these only light up after booting? Or maybe this is the actual problem?

[DaftpuNk]

An hour is way more than enough to reset the CMOS via battery removal. Any differences?

[deeloughran]

No none at all had it out for about an hr and a half...!
And after 'i think' finding the CMOS resetting jumpers they made no difference, i think it could be a keyboard problem, i have tried 3 different keyboards and none have lit up at all! But the mouse IS working, what could be the problem?

[DaftpuNk]

In what way are you able to say the mouse is functional? It just powers up? It's probably just USB or something then and is receiving power. This isn't really that indicative of functionality. Is it possible your monitor is a multiple input one which is set to the wrong input? Silly suggestion I know, but even the best fall at the smallest of hurdles sometimes... so apologies if that sounds patronising

[deeloughran]

Yes the mouse receives power, it is wireless, and so was the keyboard but had no power, so i plugged in two USB keyboards and both also would not light up.

How would the monitor have been set to the wrong input? It also lights up so is receiving power, if it was in the wrong input it would not light up at all?

Don't worry about it, the simplest solutions are probably the most likely!