I turned on my old PC this morning only to get POST error code beeps. My machine is a Micron P133 with Phoenix 4.X BIOS, a Stealth 64 2001 series video card and 32 MB total of EDO RAM in 4 sticks.

I get one long, followed by two short beeps (although the long has a blip in it that could be taken to cut the long into a short and a long hence it could be short, long, short, short) prior to floppy disk access. I have my boot sequence as C: then A:. If I don't put a bootable floppy in A:, I get the error code mentioned earlier then a repeating 3 short sequence.

My monitor never shows any graphics nor does the control panel show that it is getting a signal for that matter. I have reset the video card and the video chip. In fact, I moved the video card to another PCI slot.

I have removed all the RAM and reinstalled it at random in different configurations. If I don't install any RAM, I don't get an error code.

The keyboard flashes the numlock, capslock and scroll lock lights as the system starts.

I have released and reset the Pentium in the Socket 5. All hard drive connectors and cables have been reset.

Help will definitely be appreciated!

Here (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/index.htm) is a POST code diagnostic page.

There is the possibility that the CMOS backup battery need to be replaced....


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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.


[This message has been edited by mjc (edited 06-01-2001).]

Sounds (!) to me your graphics card is DOA. Or at least it is not properly connected. Try to startup your engines with another card, or reinsert it.

1-2-1-1 is the error code an Pheonix 4 BIOS for "Initialisation of Power Management". Using a POST board it should return an error code of "10"

Has there been a power surge in your area? Checked all PSU connections to the MOBO? For more info you can always check www.phoenix.com (http://http://), just a thought.

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Confucious, he say, "Don't use cannon to kill mosquito.. use a nuke instead.."

As many times as I've been inside the case, I couldn't remember seeing a CMOS battery. Having removed the MB last night, I can say that there isn't one there! Unless it's incorporated in the real time clock? Nothing else is big enough to be a battery. All of the connections should be good given that I've undone and reconnected all connections to the MB at least once.

I checked output voltage on the power supply after hearing the processor fan slow down when the floppy drive was searching. Voltage checks at 5.6 volts. The processor fan is connected to the power supply harness, not the MB. What other voltages should I get from the power supply?

I should be able to get my hands on a VGA adapter, nothing fancy, but in working condition. Will give it a try.

Surges? not that I know of. I'm running a surge suppressor. Granted, it's a couple years old but still shows as being OK.

Wished I had a POST board. How expensive and how are they installed?

I've reviewed the troubleshooting info on this web site, not sure if I have many options left. I'm starting to miss my financial info and contact manager. Should have backed up last week instead of two months ago. Oh well.

Your posts have been helpful. Thanks for the support.

Most modern MOBOs use a battery like a watch battery about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter, older ones used a variety of batteries including ones soldered to the board, some of which have a method of replacing by adding a new battery (that looks somewhat like a 9v with leads attached) and ataching it to a 2 pin connector.



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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

Strange, no backup battery? Usually the motherboard/CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) has a small CR2025 button battery or small battery pack connected to it... how else could it store all settings??? I may be wrong! Could the battery have fallen out?

I agree with mjc in that the/a (?) CMOS battery may need to be replaced but if you do not have one...

Do you have the facility to send me a pic of your MOBO, if you can it's leeskillern@hotmail.com without seeing it sorry I can't help much further.

Sorry, I don't know where on the web to locate a POST board I bought mine from my local computer retailer. It installs in an open ISA slot (long black BUS).

As for backing up, is there any chance you can remove your hard drive and use a friends computer to take all your personal files off yours for the time being... just a thought....

Anyway sorry can't be more help for the time being



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Confucious, he say, "Don't use cannon to kill mosquito.. use a nuke instead.."

With the exception of a couple capacitors and the usual IC chips soldered to the board, there isn't anything big enough to be a battery. That's part of the reason I took the MB out so that I could see if a battery was surface mounted underneath. It wasn't.

I've had experience with an on-board battery failure on an older PC. The manufacturer provided a case to attach AA batteries in parallel with the lithium button.

Since I wrote the above I did some research and have found that the battery is encased in the Dallas Real Time Clock. I'll have to replace the clock/CMOS to replace the battery! Go figure! Here's the URL -- http://www.resource800.com/dalfaq.html

I'm about ready to move the hard drive to the PC that I'm using now and burn a CD of the major files so that life can go on while I trouble shoot.

Sounds like a good idea....
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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.


[This message has been edited by mjc (edited 06-03-2001).]

Have now tried an ancient VESA video card in place of my PCI card. No luck. The boot sequence stalled at the same point with the same error code. In addition to trying the different video card, I also had both hard drives out and a Win95 boot disk in A:.

Any other ideas before I order a new Dallas RTC?

Thanks for the responses to date. You've helped.

Does Windows and/or BIOS setup keep the time and date correctly?
If the clock chip has really failed, it should show up there.

Here (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/phoenix/new.htm) is a list of Phoenix 4.X beep codes. Might help narrow it down.

This page (http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/mobo/compRTC-c.html) has info about the 'Dallas' chip.
Is yours socketed or soldered on?

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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand."
-- Homer Simpson


[This message has been edited by tjaymadison (edited 06-07-2001).]

? you said you had all ram out and didnt get a beep code ? just asking cause the way i test a mobo is to unhook everything but power and proc and if no memery or ram you should have a error or beep cod for memory if not i think the mobo may be bad just a ?

Received and installed the Dallas RTC. No difference in the error code. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif Borrowed an older VGA monitor that I know works. No luck, same error code. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif The screen shows that the CRT works by the change in its color. I'm just about out of options.

Could the power supply be the culprit? If so, short of doing a swap, how do I test it dynamically?

I have had trouble occassionally over the years with the screen going black for a second or two then coming back. Maybe it just decided to do it permanently now?

I just realized the video card I used to troubleshoot was probably not plug and play. Could that cause a problem? I don't even remember how to set up a pc for a nonPnP card.

Is there a chance I had a virus destroy my BIOS? As you can tell, I'm groping for answers. If anyone is interested in a brand new Dallas DS 12887A RTC, I might just have one for sale, cheap. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif

Even a nonPnP video card would show something on the screen during POST...how else would you see the POST?

Is the BIOS flashable, if it is not a flashable BIOS then there is little chance of a virus corrupting it...

AT or ATX PSU?

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

Sorry this is so late, been out of town for a few days...

Initialisation of Power Management is before it starts anything it checks whether the power is right and all parts of the board are getting power before continuing. Unfortunately it looks like yours may not be (check my earlier post). If you can see if you can get another power supply because, being an electrician, I don't recommend checking it for yourself - it's VERY dangerous...

Anyway I hope this post isn't posthumous



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Confucious, he say, "Don't use cannon to kill mosquito.. use a nuke instead.."

I would suggest you unplug the machine from the surge supressor and try to boot from the wall socket. Cheap/defective supressors can cause headaches.

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He thrusts his fists against the posts but still insists he sees the ghosts.