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View Full Version : Black Screen, no boot...possible causes and solutions


mjc
02-05-2002, 11:46 PM
While digging up some info for another post tonight i came across some info that may not just pertain to the Abit boards it was written for but some of the may be common to other vendors KT266 boards:

The info can be found here (http://www.viahardware.com/faq/kg7kr7/kg7kr7faq.htm)

Some highlights:



AGP driving control
If you get it wrong, the graphics card won't boot, and you'll be left with a black screen. The only way to remedy this is to temporarily use an old PCI graphics card, change the driving control setting, and then reboot



Certain brands/sizes of registered ECC PC2100 RAM can cause problems...and any memory problems can lead to a no boot/ failed Post situation

For problems after POST and booting into Windows...often the VIA 4in1 can be found to hold a large part of the blame....try the latest

For AGP problems, it seems that in order to get 2x and higher you need to install the 4 in 1 dirvers in Turbo mode....

If you just built the machine and swapped hardrives...with a previous install of Windows on them and now can't boot but are getting "inaccessible boot device" or "drive not found" or similar errors...The problem lies in the IDE driver. If you've installed the bus mastering IDE drivers for another chipset, Windows cannot boot with those...try a fresh install.

Award BIOS beep codes:
There are a number of beep code you may experience:

No beep at all - this means your motherboard is dead, either due to a defective or underpowered power supply, poorly seated CPU or RAM, or a dead-on-arrival board
One beep - board is working fine
One long beep then machine shuts down - faulty, improperly installed or missing CPU
1 short(Beep) System booting is normally
2 short(Beep) CMOS setting error
1 long - 1 short(Beep) DRAM ERROR
1 long - 2 short(Beep) Display card or monitor connected error
1 long - 3 short(Beep) Keyboard Error
1 long - 9 short(Beep) ROM Error
Long(Beep) continuous DRAM hasn't inset correctly.
Short(Beep) continuous POWER supply has problem
A two-tone siren, generally caused by overheating or out of specification voltages.
Four beeps then machine shuts down. This is because these version of the BIOS will shut down your machine if no fan tachometer signal is detected on the fan header. Make sure you attach a fan to the FAN1 or FAN4 header.

No POST floppy light always on...... Your floppy disk cable may be connected the wrong way round. Try reversing it. If this doesn't help check the floppy drive ribbon cable


There is plenty more...if you are running one of the ABIT boards this was written for and are experiencing problems...check it out, if you are running a KT266 board by another vendor....check it out some of the problems may be common to the chipset and not just the board.....



------------------
mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

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

George Hallam
04-30-2008, 03:06 AM
A two-tone siren

I remember getting that a long time ago :rolleyes: that what bought me to the forum :D

SufferWell1396
04-30-2008, 02:47 PM
LOL 6 year old thread.
Oh and its the same for me, my old Packard Bell 486 was giving me BIOS beeps.
does anyone remember that thread? it was my first one, i believe it was called "Packard Bell Problems :(".
mjc and Saph were major helpers in that thread, and thats what kept me here.

mjc
05-01-2008, 01:15 AM
Good grief...this is 'archaeological posting', if anything.

George Hallam
05-01-2008, 08:50 AM
it was my first one, i believe it was called "Packard Bell Problems :(".
mjc and Saph were major helpers in that thread, and thats what kept me here.

this one ;)

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=46194

omg three pages was it a BIG Packard Bell Problem :p

haha i just read this from your old thread (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=46225)

well i have an old power supply, so i decided to take that out and put it in my computer to cool my Intel Pentium Celeron processor, will that be ok?