Hating computers :(

[ocue8ball]

This is my first post. Ive read through most the forums and couldn't find anything exactly like mine. If this is as easy as the other fixes im sorry to have wasted your time.

First Computer (my computer)
Asus 7v8x-x
1024 (PC2100) DDR Ram
AMD Athlon XP 2200+
Nvidia MX440 GeForce4 64mb (AGP 8x)

Second Computer (wifes)
Emachine (think its an asus mobo to fit the case)
512 (PC2700) DDR Ram (i think)
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
Nvidia MX440 GeForce4 64mb onboard video


My first problem was on my computer. I bought a new case and transfered everything over to the new case. When i went to start it up, i got no video and got the beeps. It was one long beep continously. I replaced the processor and the ram out of a my wifes wifes and bought a new video card (ATI 9200SE 128mb). Put it in, but still, no go. So i bought a new motherboard (same model) and low and behold it worked.

So I put my processor, ram, and video card in her computer. Everything worked well for a while. Then maybe 5hrs later she went to start up Counter-Strike (the 4th time) and it would crash to desktop. I went into bios and changed the Video Settings to read AGP instead of PCI. I restarted it and the computer wouldn't boot. It would give me no video and the one beep over and over again. I tried reseting CMOS but it didn't work. Im hoping i don't have to buy another motherboard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Whyzman]

Hello ocue8ball,
Welcome tohttp://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif Forums!

When initially assembling a system or troubleshooting my drill is the same, keeping the number of variables to the absolute minimum.

This is best done on a non-conductive surface such as a piece of cardboard on a table.

Connections from the case/power to the motherboard are accomplished outside of the case on the table.

Barebones is only the RAM, Video Card, Monitor, P/S 2 Keyboard...and of course the CPU>Heatsink>Fan...

See if you can make it through POST with this barebones approach...

Reboot, setting the BIOS to boot from floppy first...usually, the (0) choice, save and exit...shutdown.

If this worked add the floppy drive.

If the system booted again successfully, shutdown and reboot using a RAM tester such as: http://www.memtest86.com (http://www.memtest86.com/)...these are self booting.

If all is well, shut down and add the harddrive. If the reboot is successful recognizing the harddrive, I then shutdown and reboot using a floppy with the Harddrive's diagnostics (downloaded from the manufacturer's site)...these are also self booting...

If all systems are go, proceed to add an optical drive capable of loading your operating system...

The concept is to load one hardware device at a time which provides for troubleshooting as well as assembly of the computer.

[Mick_D]

Also check your PSU. Emachines usually put the smallest rated PSU they can get away with in their systems (200-250W). I suspect it could not handle the AGP card. I hope it didn't burn up your new mobo AND video card. Also check the emachines case for cooling. I've seen a lot that did not have any case fans only one PSU fan.

[Sylvander]

A couple of extra ideas that occur to me are:

1. The BIOS is expected to control the attached hardware, and the BIOS's hardware configuration settings must match the attached hardware.
[You changed the motherboard (and its BIOS). Are you sure it was identical?]
e.g. Force updating the ESCD so that all the attached PCI hardware has appropriate resources allocated at startup.

2. The operating System must also be set up for use with the attached hardware before any attempt is made to load the OS and expect it to control the hardware [via the drivers and the BIOS].

[ocue8ball]

Eh. I was on late last night after dealing with that thing all day.

Computer #1 = New mobo, new gfx card, cpu and ram from computer #2. Works fine. (The only reason i put this in was because at first it sounded like the same problem)

Computer #2 = Orginal mobo. Gfx card, processor, ram from computer #1. Worked til i changed the bios to AGP.

Today I did take it out of the case and put on card board. I reset cmos and only had Ram, CPU, Fan. It has onboard video so i turned it on. Nothing. Took one stick of ram out and reset cmos yet again and i got to the motherboard logo (emachine logo). After a couple seconds the motherboard started clicking. So i turned it off. Tried it again, it did the same thing. I hooked up the floppy drive and only the PSU and CPU Fan turned on.

Im guessing you are right about the PSU. Maybe it can't handle more ram and an AGP card. I will replace that later and keep you guys posted.

Thanks for the replies btw.

[saphalline]

After a couple seconds the motherboard started clicking.
Please explain further. The mobo made noise??

[ocue8ball]

I believe so. Everything is so close together im not exactly sure what made the noise. Im pretty sure it was the motherboard, ram, or processor.

[ziba-june]

WHen you do all these tests, do you have your keyboadrd connected?

[ocue8ball]

I think i had it connected once.

[Gothmog]

After a couple seconds the motherboard started clicking. So i turned it off.

hi, this is to address the clicking noise you mentioned. I have experienced a steady clicking noise before right before my HD died. It was similar to a loud clock tick. It started while i was operating normally and then about one full day after my comp campe up "OS not found" and the drive was garbage. i recommend backing up any important files you have on the drive and monitoring it if the noise persists and is coming from the drive. In my case Maxtor was quite nice about replacing the drive for free since it was only about 2 years old.

[ski]

The single repeating beep you mentioned in your 1st post indicates that there may be a RAM problem.
Did you try reseating the RAM, and inserting it in different slots?
Did you run memtest86 to test each RAM module individually as suggested by Whyzman?

[ocue8ball]

hi, this is to address the clicking noise you mentioned. I have experienced a steady clicking noise before right before my HD died. It was similar to a loud clock tick. It started while i was operating normally and then about one full day after my comp campe up "OS not found" and the drive was garbage. i recommend backing up any important files you have on the drive and monitoring it if the noise persists and is coming from the drive. In my case Maxtor was quite nice about replacing the drive for free since it was only about 2 years old.

Ok. Thats good then. Whenever i didn't have my hard drive hooked up at that point.

The single repeating beep you mentioned in your 1st post indicates that there may be a RAM problem.
Did you try reseating the RAM, and inserting it in different slots?
Did you run memtest86 to test each RAM module individually as suggested by Whyzman?

I did insert the ram in a diffrent slot. When i did that it booted up once. Thats when i got the clicking noise. It never made it past the Emachines logo (motherboard logo) though.

How do i run the memtest86? I can't get past the motherboard logo. Can't get into bios or anything. After the logo came up once it hasn't come up since. I tryed the PSU and its a no go. Still doing the same thing. Maybe my motherboard or processor???

[ski]

Memtest runs from a floppy.
Disconnect the HD, and the system should be able to run the test.

[ocue8ball]

Memtest runs from a floppy.
Disconnect the HD, and the system should be able to run the test.

Ive never heard of this, can you tell me where i can find the procedures to do this? Like what needs to be on the floppy and where i get it from?

[Whyzman]

Here's the link I sited above...

http://www.memtest86.com/

Follow the directions for the download which is put onto a floppy disk.

As ski pointed out, make sure you've disconnected the harddrive. The floppy download has the files to make the disk self-booting and will access the program to run the test...

[novitiate]

This is my first post. Ive read through most the forums and couldn't find anything exactly like mine. If this is as easy as the other fixes im sorry to have wasted your time.

First Computer (my computer)
Asus 7v8x-x
1024 (PC2100) DDR Ram
AMD Athlon XP 2200+
Nvidia MX440 GeForce4 64mb (AGP 8x)

Second Computer (wifes)
Emachine (think its an asus mobo to fit the case)
512 (PC2700) DDR Ram (i think)
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
Nvidia MX440 GeForce4 64mb onboard video


My first problem was on my computer. I bought a new case and transfered everything over to the new case. When i went to start it up, i got no video and got the beeps. It was one long beep continously. I replaced the processor and the ram out of a my wifes wifes and bought a new video card (ATI 9200SE 128mb). Put it in, but still, no go. So i bought a new motherboard (same model) and low and behold it worked.

So I put my processor, ram, and video card in her computer. Everything worked well for a while. Then maybe 5hrs later she went to start up Counter-Strike (the 4th time) and it would crash to desktop. I went into bios and changed the Video Settings to read AGP instead of PCI. I restarted it and the computer wouldn't boot. It would give me no video and the one beep over and over again. I tried reseting CMOS but it didn't work. Im hoping i don't have to buy another motherboard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


This may or may not help. Like you I have limited experience troubleshooting computers but I've already had a problem with a computer containing the same mobo that you mentioned.

In my case I simply wanted to add RAM memory. The machine containing this mobo did not accept the new RAM, and wouldn't even work when I replaced only the old RAM in its original slot. It was fully and correctly seated, and I tried it in the other slot too. I cleaned the slot out with comresssed air, in case that was a factor. (I tried the new memory in a different computer and it worked just fine).

I had the same problem as you described (single repeated beeps, indicating a memory problem, and no video). I have since heard that that particular board had a problem with recognising new components. Perhaps it has problems with reinstallations too. You solved the original problem with your own computer by replacing the mobo which would confirm that the problem was with that mobo not dealing well with some changes.

You mentioned that your wife's computer maybe also had an Asus mobo but didn't say which one. Your post is now an old one but if you're still around the site please let me know if you ever solved your problem. It sounded to me as if you maybe also needed to replace your wife's motherboard, although that was just what you didn't want to do. Like you I had successfully upgraded my own computer and hit problems with my wife's which, in my case, are still pending.

I'd also be very interested in any comments other posters may have regarding this problem.

[Whyzman]

Hello novitiate...

Your concern and desire to help are duly noted! :) The thread you have taken such painstaking time to respond to is well over a year old...usually, if we haven't heard back from the original poster providing us a solution that worked, you can pretty much bet they've solved the problem one way or the other and moved on...