PC Won't start - LONG beep...

[Lavondyss]

I've about had it, and unfortunately, I think I'm becoming the typical male my mother always warned me about. I hate to ask for directions!!! Anyway, on to the point. I'm piecing together a computer from spare parts I had in the closet. I've built about a dozen computers in the past 11 years, and this is the first time I haven't been able to figure out what's going on. Here's the specs:

Amd Athlon 1ghz
256mb pc100 sdram
2 1gig hdd's
300w ps
32mb voodoo3 video card
15" pos monitor

The motherboard is getting power, but when I turn it on, I just get a 5 second beep, then it shuts down. Jumpers seem correct, everything seems in order. Any suggestions? Anything will help. It's not worth it for me to take it to a repair shop. I'm building it for my dad for father's day, and I'm a broke college student (his first computer!) Thanks, and let me know if there's more info I need to provide!

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Not sure where I'm goin' in life... But I'm here, and I'm happy!!!

speeding_101@hotmail.com

[pentachris]

Hi Lavondyss.

Sounds like video card. Make sure it's well seated. Because of the extended distance from the AGP slot to the end of the board, they often torque up out of the slot as you tighten that screw to the chassis.

If it's snugly in the slot, look at the memory. Make sure it's well seated.

Still nothing? Try each of them in another computer.

Post back either way. Someone will assist further if it's still a no go.

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Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

[This message has been edited by pentachris (edited 06-03-2002).]

[CPU Trubble]

One way to find out what the problem is to find out what the beep is symbolizing. It is a POST code, so find out what BIOS you have and search for its POST codes (ie. American Megatrends POST codes). On the site, it should give all of the meanings for the various warnings. Then try to fix the problem using the information.

***However, I am pretty sure that on most BIOS' a long beep symbolizes a video card problem, but just check to make sure.

[ranchdog]

Trail along here and kick out a couple of things...

Using a IGhz CPU. The Mboard may be late enough in
design that the fan for the heatsink has to have an
RPM sensing wire also. And the fan plugged into the
correct fan header on the Mboard. As a side note, some
of the "screamer" fans can't be used on the Mboard fan
header as they draw much to many amps.

Please be certain that the Mboard isn't shorting out
to the case. (after installation)

Clear CMOS by using the jumper on the Mboard or removing
the CMOS battery for a few minutes.

And... Re-seat everything a few times.


Luck.

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I spent a lot of money on women... liquor... motorcycles.
The rest I just wasted.

[old_kid]

Hey Lav:

If it were me:

Doesn't sound like you have Motherboard book - Start there - track it down on internet if need be - but get it.

From there - make sure what you are putting in there is compatible with MB.

Now to Mueller and his recommended procedure - put together system with cpu only - power up - see what happens. POST should give a no memory code.

Then add Memory, POST should give a no video code

Than add video - if ok it should load BIOS and stop when it can't find a boot disk

Then install Keyboard & drives (maybe drives one at a time) - shutting down and powering up after each (wait at least 30 seconds between shutdowns )- looking to ID and isolate each piece of hardware as you install it

If you got this far - and everything looks ok - go into CMOS and verify settings and accepting default values for now as long as all is being recognized.

Hopefully you have ferreted out any culprits causing problems and are able to proceed to installing OS

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Old dogs CAN learn new tricks

[MagooUK2]

I have had 2 similar faults this year, and both were due to trying to use a different sound card than one supplied with the MoBo (ie bought MoBo with bundled soundcard, but tried to put a different PCI soundcard in). Same long beep, and subsequent power down.

Perhaps your is similar ? Old_kid's advice would uncover this too, but it may ring a bell with you if perhaps you'd forgotten that the MoBo came with a soundcard - esp as you say the PC's been put together out of spares.

Good luck !

[Paleo Pete]

I'll go with the video possibility too...

The best way I know of is to start out bare bones. That means motherboard, memory, CPU, video card, keyboard. Yes you can start without keyboard or video card, but it's actually an unneccesary step. Reseating the video card a few times should sort that out. Reseat the memory too. If you still get no video and a long beep, the only way to prove the card is good or not is to try it in another motherboard.

Have you plugged in or unplugged any components while the computer was plugged in but not completely turned off? I ask because some cases do not have a main power switch, and if that is your case type, it MUST be unplugged before adding or removing any cards. The AGP slot still has power running to it when plugged in, if no main power switch is present. I fried an AGP card by removing it while plugged in, the case had no main power switch and I forgot to unplug it.

Check the CPU also, make sure it is installed correctly and has good contact. I'm leaning toward video card, but it's always a good idea to check every connection.



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If your nose runs and your feet smell...
You're built upside down!
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[Lavondyss]

Thanks guys!!! I'm going to give all of this a shot today, and I'll let you know what the outcome is! Again, thank you for your advice!

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Not sure where I'm goin' in life... But I'm here, and I'm happy!!!

speeding_101@hotmail.com

[Lavondyss]

Alright. I did some research... and here's what I've reached. I dissconnected everything... I Started with just the power supply and the mother board in the case. No ram, no video card, no drives, NOTHING! And I still get the Long Beep. I went through, and installed all the components one by one, and still the same thing. Then I did some research about the motherboard. ECS K7VZM with the AWARD BIOS. I checked out the POST codes, and it appears the only one there really is, is the Video POST code for mine. Here's the direct info:

Beep - Currently the only beep code indicates that a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information. This beep code consists of a single long beep followed by two short beeps. Any other beeps are probably a RAM problem. http://www.compguystechweb.com/troubleshooting/bios/award_errors.html

This doesn't sound very technical, but it's all I could find. I'm just getting one LONG beep, and then it shuts itself down. Here's the next step I took:

Checked the Jumpers AGAIN!
And I found something rather mysterious. Nothing new though. The Manual for my motherboard shows a jumper to switch from 100mhz to 133mhz, but that jumper is nowhere to be found on my motherboard. I have 256mb PC100 ram, and if it's not switched, this could be a RAM issue. But as far as I can tell, I have no way to switch it.

ANY more help would be greatly appreciated. I'm learning alot just by the previous advice, and greatly appreciate it!!!

THANKS!!!

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Not sure where I'm goin' in life... But I'm here, and I'm happy!!!

speeding_101@hotmail.com

[Anubis]

This sounds very much like my Asus KTVia166 MB when it died. It would do the exact same thing, one long beep except it didn't shut down.. I would have to do that myself. The cause of this was the fan for the AGP/Via 166 chip controller had stopped spinning sometime, have no clue when... well eventually it died.

That being said, I doubt its your RAM since you stated that you got the one long beep even after yanking everything off. To be honest it sounds like that motherboard is hurting. Can you exchange it? As far as your manual and actual MB being off check and see what your MB actually is and what the manual is for... many times they'll do a blanket and cover 2-3 MB's in one manual.

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I can feel the wheel, but I can't steer
When my thoughts become my biggest fear
Ah, what's the difference, I'll die
In this sick world of mine

[Anubis]

Something else I just thought of, it could also be your power supply. Is it new? If possible get a known good(preferably out of PC that was just powered up) and try using that power supply on the motherboard. It would be somethin else to try before swapping the MB.

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I can feel the wheel, but I can't steer
When my thoughts become my biggest fear
Ah, what's the difference, I'll die
In this sick world of mine