this is what happens when i turn on my computer:
i turn it on. nothing special happens for about 2 secs then i hear a 4-5 second long BEEEEP. i turn it off. and on again, BEEEEP.
i use the switch on the back of my PC to turn it on and off. after a while,
the computer stops beeping, but nothing else happens. the monitor isn't getting any signal, nothing happens with my harddrive etc...
i turn off and on again once more, this time it works. i dont know why, but it is always like that.

what i've been describing here happens everytime i turn on my PC if it's been off for a while.
in my motherboard-manual it says that a long beep means problems with RAM, but that's not right. cause if that was true, the computer wouldnt be working at all. besides, i have ran memtest86 AFTER this problem started without getting any errors.

Try changing the battery....it is used to power the clock and keep the BIOS settings when the computer is powered down.

the CMOS battery?

err...
or the one to my walkman..
stupid question i guess.

but i haven't had any problems with my computer clock or the BIOS settings (well, i haven't checked them but i haven't got any message about the BIOS getting reset like I do if i reset it using the jumper)

nope, it's not the battery. i changed it with another one that i know works, but there was no difference.

here's a summary of how i turn on my PC

press power button

*BEEP* - black screen with no signal

use swith on back to turn off/on

*BEEP* - black screen with no signal

do the switch thing about 50 times or something.. it beeps every time.
then something starts happening, for 3 or 4 times the beeping stops, but the screen is still black

switch off/on

ah! the OEM logo (Fujitsu Siemens), but nothing else. it stops there, no beep though

switch off/on a few times, every time the computer manages to do more and more of the boot process before it freezes.

then i come to the where Windows XP should start loading. but then it just resets by itself. and know i get the "windows did not start successfully"-screen, and i choose normal boot. it resets by itself again. this happens about 2-4 times.

now finally windows loads. i go in and start a few programs, and everything is fine untill the computer resets by itself a couple of minutes later.

the next time everything works

You could have a RAM, power supply, motherboard or a number of other problems...

Please post the specs of your system so we know what you are working with. How old is it and what troubleshooting have you already done?

Consider pulling back to a barebones boot: just the basics and your floppy drive, but no hard drive or optical drives. Use a boot disk to see if it will boot cold. If it does, add a hard drive. If it boots, add another drive and so on... This will help to narrow things down. If it starts having the problem at one point, that drive or the power supply is most likely the problem.

What is your power supply and do you have another you could try???

Oh, and Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

well, i have
this (http://www.dfi.com.tw/Product/xx_product_spec_details_r_us.jsp?PRODUCT_ID=1211&CATEGORY_TYPE=null) motherboard
2 maxtor HDs (1x40GB, 1x80GB)
768 MB RDRAM (2x128MB, 2x256 MB)
P4 1.9 Ghz (no overheating problems, it runs between 20 and 30 degrees celcius, 68-86 fahrenheit)
GeForce4 Ti4600 video card
SbLive soundcard

plus some kind of network card and a fireware card.

my power supply's max power output is 250W, i guess that's not exactly too much, but i havent had any problems with it before, and i've used this setup quite some time without any problems.

the computer is.. i dont know, max 2 years old i think.

oh and i've tried an almost-bare boot, i unplugged the HDs and the PCI cards. it still beeped when i powered it on.

It almost seems as though something is needing to get warmed up to get things into gear...

Can you bench test the CPU fan?? If that baby is not spinning up it'll shut you down pretty quick...the on again, off again, could possibly eventually be freeing it up to spin properly...

That board uses the Award BIOS, and it sounds like you're describing one long beeeep at boot. With that info I found this GREAT WEBSITE (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/award.htm) that helps diagnose the problem :)

Great link sled...:cool:

Quite an exhaustive site, chock full of information...did you notice they also have their own Forum site?? :)

You might want to consider reseating the RAM stick a few times just to ensure good quality contact...

It has a forum also?? Well I hope people don't desert us here for that other place!!!

As the system has several sticks of RAM, you might also try booting with only one stick installed. It's possible that one (or two...) are bad. Work though them all, installing just one stick and then trying to boot, to identify the culpret(s).

i already checked that page, before i even knew about this forum. even my motherboard manual says that one long beep is because something's wrong with my memory. BUT IT'S NOT. my memory is 100% functioning.

someone suggested that the computer couldnt cold-boot because some contacts were loose, and that it would work after a while because the temperature inside had caused something to expand so the contacts functioned again. could this be a possibility?

electronic components expanding and contracting and the resultant connecting not connecting are absolutely a viable possibility...

Also, fans have a manufactuer listed hourly life-span...So, you might want to see if you can benchtest the CPU fan...

Also, you might want to seat and reaseat your RAM stick to ensure good contact...temps might have been just right to ensure good contact when you first ran the tests...

Originally posted by reking
my memory is 100% functioning.

How do you know that?

With a 250 watt power supply I wouldn't rule that out as a possible culprit. If you have 2 hard drives and presumably at least one optical drive, you are probably pretty close to the edge for the capability of the PS and it may simply be failing.

I agree, the PSU is too wimpy, especially with a GF4 Ti 4600 pulling juice from it.

Do you have an old PCI video card lying around to try?

Since you have RDRAM, I doubt if the system will do anything with only one stick...as I understand it, RDRAM requires installation in pairs.

First thing I would do is consider a heftier power supply. You say you have ran this configuration now for quite awhile, so it seems to me that the power supply has been overtaxed all this time and is finally giving up.

yes yes, RDRAM in pairs, i have that.

i know my memory is not faulty because i ran memtest86 and didnt have any problems

and how do i benchtest my CPU fan?

i can't remember how many times i've reseated those memory modules. my fingers got red because of all the pressing i did! when this first started happening of course i thought it was the memory, so i fiddled around with it and switched it with other pieces and stuff. but it wouldnt help

5 minutes after loading up windows it will also restart, after that everything is ok.

so you're sure this is my PSU? cause it's NOT my memory.

HELLLLPPPP!!!!11one

Had a read through this post & I reckon its difficult to say Exactly what it is.... (My bet would have been memory too!!)

Now is when that spare drawer of bits n pieces comes in handy. If you have one then cycle through all your hardware bit by bit until you find the problematic bit.

For what its worth - memtester probably wont show a problem as to run it.. the PC has booted up fine in your case. On the occasions when it doesnt boot up that could well be due to a memory problem! Can you try the memory in another PC? Happy Testing :)

i dont know anyone else with a RDRAM motherboard.. but i tried switching my ram modules out with continuity bricks (if you know what that is, it's RDRAMs response to nothing), but i still have the problem.

also, if i leave the PC on for a while and let it beep.. i can come back later, turn it off then on again, and it'll work.

so my guess is either
A) something expanding by the warmth inside making my PC work
B) PSU is screwed/old/??? and needs to be replaced

in the case of B) i guess i can try removing absolutely everything unneccesary from my PC and try to start it

You can't be sure that it is the power supply without testing it and stripping down the power consumers won't really do that. If it is failing, it might not work even with it stripped down or it might. Until if fails completely, there is no way to know for sure without using a voltimeter to test it or trying a different power supply to see if the problem goes away....

i see... well i'll have to read a bit about PSUs because i've never took one out or put one in before..
and now my computer has started restarting when i play games (it might have been Unreal Tournament 2003's fault, but i doubt it)...

It is actually pretty straightforward to swap a power supply:

1. Unplug the system completely. Disconnect power plugs, note where they were since you need to reconnect the new ones.

2. Unscrew the power supply in back of the case, gently push into the case while holding the back of the supply carefully so that it doesn't drop down on the motherboard.

3. Pull the power supply out of the case and set it aside.

4. Put the new one in the way in reverse of the way you took it out.

5. Screw it back into the back of the case.

6. Reconnect the plugs.

7. Plug in the system and try it.

whyzman suggested bench testing the cpu fan? How is that done?

lilgoomer

ok, i just installed a new 350W power supply.. but nope. still won't work. anyone have any idea what this could be?

EDIT: my hard-drive LED is constantly on... i dont know why

Have you tried a barebones boot again???

For the LED being on, with a floppy drive that usually means the cable in on upside down. Check your cables to see if that might be a problem...

The HDD LED being on all the time is likely something to do with the Front Panel connectors incorrectly connected to the motherboard. Maybe nothin to do with the problem!

but when i unplug the HDDs it doesnt light up anymore

From your Very 1st post in this thread:

Quote: i turn off and on again once more, this time it works.

Your hard drive is obviously connected OK as otherwise it wouldnt boot up at all. If you take out the HDD then its quite likely the LEDs will go out :rolleyes:

To recap & reign this in a little...

As I understand you have done no swap out of things like memory? Software tests are never exhaustive & you really should look to swap out the emmory with some from elsewhere.
Same applies to the other components. Have you used slyvanders flowcharts? They will be of use also & are easily available through this forum.

wait, the LEDs are on even when there are no HDDs connected.

ok i checked the diagram:
the pc is not dead, POST works, i check the beeps at www.computerhope.com, monitor display is not correct, main leads are OK: MONITOR FAULTY.
this isn't the case here. my monitor is ok. so what am i doing wrong?

how can i find out if my output voltages are correct?

It will usually give you info about the voltages in the BIOS, but if I understand you correctly you don't have access. That said, a voltimeter is about the only other way. I guess you could install the PS in another computer and check the BIOS there (if it runs), but that is more hassle than using a voltimeter. Of course, if it didn't run it would be a pretty good clue that it is a faulty PS....

i have just installed a new PSU, and the same thing happens.
anyway, i tried to remove everything connecteded to the motherboard except
-power supply
-AGP video card
-memory (every memory slot has to be populated, that's how RDRAM works)
-keyboard

i unplugged IDE cables and power cables to the HDDs and optical drives.
it still won't work, the beeping that i hear means that something is wrong with the RAM.
i've tried switching the RAM bricks around, still no luck. i have 3 pairs of RDRAM bricks, that's 6 total. they have to be installed in pairs, and my motherboard has two pairs of memory sockets (thats 4 in total), so unless two of my pairs of memory bricks are damaged, something has to be wrong with my motherboard...
remember that the computer used to work even when i had this problem.. it doesnt seem to work anymore now though

Well you have ruled out quite a few things now.

Its got to be something that is still connected. Keep doing swap outs if you can until you find the faulty bit. Dont add anything back in until you have it working again. This is when that box full of spares comes in so handy!

Good luck.

Edit - Maybe you will need to visit your local PC shop now if you dont have spare parts like memory & cpu's knocking about. :( They may be willing to test it for you.

I understand you have a new PS, but you asked: "how can i find out if my output voltages are correct?" and I was trying to respond to that.

Have you tried the barebones with only one pair of RAM at a time? Have you tried the barebones out of the box with one pair of RAM at a time? I agree with Inka, you have some more testing to do. You can certainly assume it is the motherboard and move on, but that isn't clear from the info you have provided and you may still be able to get this thing working with some more experimentation. In particular, if you haven't tested out of the box on a nonconductive surface, it could simply be a short circuit messing you up....

im almost quite sure its the graphics card. happened to me once, what i did was i took it out and dusted some put it back, everything went a ok. i think its because the graphics card is the first thing the pc looks for when booting. hope it helps :)

Just re read this thread and if I understand what is being said, this computer will boot after so many trys or will it? The mention of the hd light staying on is what happened to me with a corrupted bios chip.