Failure to boot up

[orgrace]

I tried to add 32MB of memory to my system. When I powered up I heard a few beeps and nothing happened. After experimenting with different combinations of memory, and hearing the beeps a few more times, I went back to the original configuration. When the system powers up, the CD_Rom light goes on, the fan works and I can hear the hard drive working. That's that...it never gets to the screen. The system is a Packard Bell 166 with 32MB of memory. Thank you for your help.

[Randy_tx]

The RAM you have installed may not be seated correctly. Have you installed RAM before? If not, you will probably need some help if it is SIMMS RAM ie 72 pin. It is a bit tricky to get it in correctly and by your post, it appears it is not seated and thus the "beeps" and no startup. It can only go in one way.......you might check THIS site by going to the bottom of the screen and pushing the PC GUIDE button and looking up RAM. Because you have to place it in the simms slot at a 45 degree angle and then push it up to get it in securely, you might want to "see it done" rather than have someone try to talk you through what it "feels" like when it is securely installed.

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I'm putting a new Fat32 partition in my Head Drive...hope it speeds me up.......

[Paleo Pete]

Count the beeps and let us know. Often a bad RAM connection will give you 8 beeps, my board uses one continuous beep. Depending on your BIOS it might use a different beep code.

PC Guide BIOS Beep Codes (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/index.htm) might help.
Memory Module Installation Procedure (http://www.pcguide.com/proc/physinst/ram.htm)

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[orgrace]

Originally posted by Paleo Pete:
Count the beeps and let us know. Often a bad RAM connection will give you 8 beeps, my board uses one continuous beep. Depending on your BIOS it might use a different beep code.

PC Guide BIOS Beep Codes (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/index.htm) might help.
Memory Module Installation Procedure (http://www.pcguide.com/proc/physinst/ram.htm)



Paleo Pete:

I didn't explain correctly. The beeps I heard were at the time the new memory was installed. After I replaced it with the old memory, no beeps sounded. No boot up has occured since then. Thank you.

[BigBlue66]

Hmmm, thought I posted a reply but don't see it. Forgive me if there is a double post from me. Anyway, you will probably have to clear the CMOS in order to get it to boot. Check your motherboard manual to find out how to clear the CMOS.

Additionally, make sure that the new memory is the same as the old memory. Parity errors will usually result in a no-boot situation. That is my first guess. Make sure that if the old memory is non-parity or vice versa, that the new memory is the same.

My next guess is as Randy suggested. Memory slots that have never been used can be a little stubborn. Make sure the new memory is fully inserted and that the little clips that hold it in place look the same as the clips that hold the old memory in place. In other words, make sure the clips have come over onto the new memory chips correctly. Additionally, make sure the new memory sticks are oriented in the slot the same way as the old memory sticks. If all the memory is single-sided, make sure they are all in there in the same direction.

Good luck.

Big Blue 66


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