Stop the beeping

[babygotback9700]

I am TRYING to build this new puter. I got all the hardware installed but when i power it up it just beeps at me. i was told that it was the memory but i boutght new memory but it still beeps. It has a EPoX motherboard an i am using mushkin512mb 2100 memory is it compatable? Or what else might i try?

[Budfred]

Welcome to

What are you getting other than the beeps, is there anything on the monitor? Is there a pattern to the beeps? Different beep patterns can tell you what is wrong if you look up the BIOS codes for your BIOS. Have you tried a minimal boot, no drives with only keyboard, video, CPU, power, and one stick of memory? Please tell us more about what you have done so that we can have a better idea of what the problem might be.

[setoguro]

Try reseating the memory a couple times it may not be getting all the way in. Also try it out in a different slot.

[ski]

Install/connect only the power supply, MB, CPU, memory, video card, monitor, case speaker, and power button, and make sure the power supply's voltage selector switch is set to the correct voltage and the PS connection to the MB is securely seated.
Then, try a different monitor.
If there's a display, then replace your monitor.

If there's no display with a different monitor, then check the CMOS battery for the correct voltage(3V).
If that's ok, then make sure the 'Clear CMOS' MB jumper is not in the 'Clear' position.
If the jumper is in the proper position, then turn off the power, disconnect the power cord, and clear CMOS either with the MB jumper or by removing the CMOS battery for at least 30 minutes.
If no luck with the above, then place the MB on a piece of cardboard. If there's now a display, then the MB is shorting out when installed in the case. Check for a loose screw, standoff, etc., inside the case, and also remove any standoffs which do not line up with MB holes. If none is found, then remove all MB screws and metal standoffs, and install paper washers(manila folder paper works good for this) between the MB and the screws/standoffs.



If there's no display with the MB placed on a piece of cardboard, then proceed with the following:

(A)MB Has LED's-
(1)If the MB standby LED does not light up when you turn on the power supply's switch, then check the wall outlet, surge arrestor, and power cord for the correct voltage.
(2)If the voltages are ok for the items in (1) and the MB standby LED still does not light up, then then slightly raise the PS main power connector out of the MB connector a little. If the MB LED lights up, then either the PS or the MB connector is bad. If the MB light still does not come on, then the PS or MB is bad. Swap these 2 items out to find which one is bad.
(3)If MB light comes on, but the PS fan, other fans, and other lights do not work when the 'Power On' button is pushed, then make sure the computer case power button's wires are securely connected to the correct MB terminal(POW-ON, Power On, etc.), and that the wires are not shorting out(bare spots). If that's ok, then remove the power button's wires from the terminal, and momentarily short out the MB terminals with a screwdriver. If the fans and lights now work, then the 'Power On' button assembly is bad.
(4)If the fans connected to the MB and all other lights do not work when either the 'Power On' button is pushed or the MB 'Power On' terminals are shorted, then the MB or PS is bad. Swap them out.
(5)If all fans and lights work when the 'Power On' button is pushed but there's no display, then test the following PS leads on the back of its MB connector making sure the connector is installed on the MB and system is powered up with the 'Power On' button:
yellow wire and a black wire- +12V
red " " " " - +5V
orange " " " " - +3.3V
If these voltages are not up to spec, then the PS is bad.
(6)If the PS voltages are ok and there's no display, then either the MB, CPU, memory, or video card may be bad. Make sure the correct memory type is being used, remove and reinsert the memory a few times making sure it's firmly seated, install the memory in different slots(some MB's require that their memory slots be populated starting with slot 4 and not slot 1), and make sure the video card is firmly seated(some video cards need an extra firm push to seat properly). If still no display, then swap out the MB, CPU, memory, and video card to find out which one is defective.

(B)MB Has No LED's-
(1)If the PS fan, other fans, and lights do not work when the 'Power On' button is pressed, then check the wall outlet, surge arrestor, and power cord for the correct voltage.
(2)If the voltages are ok for the items in (1), then then slightly raise the PS main power connector out of the MB connector a little. If fans and lights work, then either the PS or the MB connector is bad.
(3)If the fans and lights still do not work in (2) when the 'Power On' button is pushed, then make sure the power button's wires are securely connected to the correct MB terminal(POW-ON, Power On, etc.), and that the wires are not shorting out(bare spots). If that's ok, then remove the power button's wires from the terminal, and
momentarily short out the MB terminals with a screwdriver. If the fans and lights now work, then the 'Power On' button assembly is bad.
(4)If the fans and lights do not work when either the 'Power On' button is pushed or the MB 'Power On' terminals are shorted, then the MB or PS is bad. Swap them out.
(5)If all fans and lights work when the 'Power On' button is pushed but there's no display, then test the following PS leads on the back of its MB connector making sure the connector is installed on the MB and system is powered up with the 'Power On' button:
yellow wire and a black wire- +12V
red " " " " - +5V
orange " " " " - +3.3V
If these voltages are not up to spec, then the PS is bad.
(6)If the PS voltages are ok and there's no display, then either the MB, CPU, memory, or video card may be bad. Make sure the correct memory type is being used, remove and reinsert the memory a few times making sure it's firmly seated, install the memory in different slots(some MB's require that their memory slots be populated starting with slot 4 and not slot 1), and make sure the video card is firmly seated(some video cards need an extra firm push to seat properly). If still no display, then swap out the MB, CPU, memory, and video card to find out which one is defective.