Beep Code Help

After years of being able to fix and maintain my own system I finally have met my match.

I have always relied on what the screen is saying with helping me through the problem. I get nothing on the screen and thinking it was my monitor I swapped to a different one and nothing.

The computer is a work station and worked before it was stored away. Now I get nothing and not sure what it is.

After some research I found out that the beeps I was hearing was NOT normal. DUH. Unfortunately what the beeps tell you depends on the Bios you have.

I have a IBM NetVista 8315-11U Intel Tower PC but could not seem to find the info is it is amibios, awardbios or PhoenixBios.

The beeps are this....3 long beeps it seems.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ok.

By taking out the ram and putting it back in I now get.

Long, Short, Short Beeps.....

I found this site....

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

That has IBM beep codes so since this is an IBM I will assume it is the corrects bio-beep codes.

The other site I was on....

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/nonworkingcomponent/ht/beepcodestb.htm

Didn't show anything regarding IBM only beep codes...sigh...

Video (Mono/CGA Display Circuitry) issue?????

I replaced the video card with another card I have and still the same code.

That is the best I have.

 

Is this a working graphics card?

I suspect a RAM issue but i would check for busted / leaking capacitors on the graphics card(s) first

Busted capacitors on video card:

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7719/img186wr.jpg

 

No busted capacitors but thank you for the image because it gives me something to check on my other cards.

I tried another graphics card...graphic cards I have...

And still the same beep codes.....

Then after sitting for a while I get two short beep codes.

Unfortunately I cant refer to screen.

 

If the computer has been sitting for a long time, the CMOS battery may have run down and set everything back to default and if the computer has an onboard video card, it will try to use that. If it does have onboard video, remove your video card, plug into the onboard video connector and see if you get something.

Not sure if this is your problem but check this.

http://www.fixya.com/support/t625413-netvista_agp_slot_disabled

http://www.fixya.com/support/t451716-screen_not_light_up

Here is your manual. See page 108 a 1-2 code is Video Rom Search Failed.

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/netvista_pdf/24p2969.pdf

 

Swapped the battery with another computers and still nothing. However one thing DID change.

Long, short, short beeps. Then a slight pause followed by the two short beeps.

Before it took a good minute or two following before the beeps.

http://www.fixya.com/support/t625413-netvista_agp_slot_disabled[/QUOTE]

The computer worked before and the card was in the AGP slot so my guess is that at sometime the Bios was upgraded to support the AGP slot.

I could put a graphics card in another slot but not sure which slot.

 

You probably only have one AGP slot so if you do put in a card, it would have to be a PCI card. What happens if you set the BIOS back to default.

According to the manual a 1-2-2 beep code is DMA initialization failed - System Board.

Does the computer have an onboard graphics chip?

 

How do I do that? When I google it I get a number of solutions and none are the same.

See I don't know because I don't know what bios I have and not sure how I find out what I have without a screen. I am sorry I have never had an issue like this. Every bios 1-2-2 means something different.

I guess I do because that is exactly what the rear of mother looks like except the little image next to the slot shows what what looks like a printer image.

 

The manual I linked to is for the IBM Netvista 8315 so I would assume the beep codes are correct.

If you have the blue video connector (1) in the I/O plate like this. Then I would take out your AGP card and set the BIOS to onboard video. See if that works for you.



You would need a PCI video card like this. But it would be slow. I would not bother if the onboard video does not work.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139174

 

In your previous post you stated

This is what my I/O plate looks like.

Were you trying to attach an image? Or is yours similar to my picture?

If you remove the AGP card, just make sure you enable onboard video in the BIOS.

 

I would take out your graphics card, enable onboard video in BIOS and then hook up your monitor to the VGA connector in the back of your computer. I can't tell very well but I think one of the blue connectors is the female VGA connector or I may be mistaken and they are both serial ports.

 

They do look like two DB9 / serial ports.

 

Those are serial ports and I was following this image and assumed it was the purple one but I think they meant to point at the VGA port and confused me.

I don't believe I have on-board graphics now.

 

Thanks thisisu, I must be going brain dead. I can see the nine pins. Definitely not 15.

The pink is actually a parallel port.

Edit: Sorry, I am pretty much out of ideas on this. Hopefully somebody on the board can give their thoughts.

 

That is what I thought but when you asked if I had On-Board I googled it and found that image so I said yes.

I am sorry. As stated I do not have an on-board graphics so not sure if I shout reset the bios to default but when googling it I see a jumper cable method and someone also saying to press f8 which I know wont do that.

 

I know this may sound redundant but make absolutely sure the RAM is seated properly. By the way, how many sticks of RAM are in the system? Try to get it to POST with just one for the time being.

 

Thank you for all your help. Let's hope someone does have any idea. Do you think I should get a pci graphics card and try that. I might be able to get one cheap on ebay?

 

Before you do that, did you reseat the RAM modules as thisisu suggested. I would also go into the BIOS and set everything to default. I am still concerned about those beep codes. A new card may not help.

 

When you first suggested it may be the RAM I did a number of things...

First I reseated the RAM and still had the same beep.

Then thinking one stick may be bad I tried booting with one stick and then the other and got this....

LONG, LONG, LONG

The other two slots are filled with these and I think they are just fillers but not sure.

 

So should I try to reset to the default Bios.

Maybe someone could send a link to a procedure that actually works because the internet has a lot of different procedures.

 

First, you tried the computer with one stick of RAM. I would move that stick between RAM slots and try the reboot each time. Then try another stick and do the same thing.

Now that I think about it, you probably already set the BIOS to default when you replaced the CMOS battery so that will not be necessary. When in BIOS there should be a menu saying what key to push to set the BIOS to default.

 

I will try the ram in different spots.

I can't see the bios because nothing appears on the screen unless there is another way I don't know of.

Thank you.

 

OK.

Here is an image of the setup.



This combination gives me this beep code.

Long Short Short

Any other combination or only putting 1 or 2 or 3 gives me a different beeping code.

Long Long Long

 

Hi,

Nothing much to add just a few things to try.

I haven't use an AGP card in quite a while but the ones I did have needed a power cable attached--so I'm just mentioning to make sure if your needs power to be sure the cable is attached.

On setting CMOS to defaults unplugging the machine and removing CMOS battery for a minute or two is sufficient so if you had the machine unplugged when swapping batteries you have set BIOS to defaults. BTW, I think your BIOS is Phoenix according to this thread.

Does your keyboard flash when trying to boot?

You might try starting with no video card and see if you get the same beeps. You might also try with no RAM to see if you get the same beeps. (With no RAM the beeps should be different.)

My guess is the same as tgell's early one where it sitting unused drained the battery and some setting in BIOS went to defaults that is not seeing the AGP card. It is unusual for something like that to happen when the board has no onboard video but I still think it makes the most sense. Testing with a PCI card would be ideal but I don't know if it is worth buying one just for the test unless you can get it cheap. You'd have to get a fairly low-end card to run on what is probably a low wattage power supply.

 

I looked at the AGP card and there is nothing on it to connect a power cable.

Done. No Change.

It easier for me to describe the beeps because I can make no sense of numerical system.

Long. Short. Short. (PAUSE) Short Short

Yes

Same Beeps

With no ram or only one stick you get 3 LONG beeps.

I don't mind buying one off ebay if the price is right just to check it and see. Worst case scenario I put it back on for sale.

Just figured I would exhaust my options before buying new memory or cards.

 

I just dug through the garage and some all computer stuff and found a Diamond Monster 3D II 3dfx Voodoo2 12MB PCI.

Do you think this will be ok to test it on.

 

I'm guessing that is 128mb which is perfect. That would help rule out the AGP slot as being bad or turned off.

I'd set the memory to the original configuration since we can't seem to match-up beep codes with anything definitive.

 

Ok...

Well sadly...the same exact beep code which I guess is a good thing by ruling out the AGP but still keeps us guessing.

 

I'll think about it but I'm not sure what to suggest. You tried the PCI without the AGP installed?

Maybe keep the HD and CDROM and Floppy disconnected (Just pull power or data cable from each) and try with the PCI and just one stick of RAM in the slot closest to the center of the motherboard. Try two different sticks of RAM one at a time.

I can't really decipher this error code guide but assuming it is going in order of execution your problem is one of the steps between initializing the keyboard and displaying the copyright notice. http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm#08

It is possible that the PCI card was discarded because it was bad. Just to be sure as to a power connection on those cards does either have a fan? The power connector is just a couple of pins along the edge. Does your power supply have that small connector?

 

Yes.

I unplugged everything....cd and floppy from the start. The only thing connected is the HD.

I am glad you can decipher it either. I had no clue which is why I started this thread. Should I just go down the list from that item and fix each one till its fixed?

No. I am not a hoarder I probably upgraded it at some point and kept it around in case the other broke. Then time has passed and I forgot I had one till I looked.

No Connector for sure.

 

I'll think about it overnight see if I missed anything. I know your manual seems to indicate the Phoenix BIOS but I found this that matches more to the sounds you are hearing although it is not very comprehensive. http://www.technick.net/public/code/cp_dpage.php?aiocp_dp=guide_beep_codes#IBM

It came from a thread where the guy just kept playing with the RAM and got things to work. http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f210/customers-ibm-netvista-atx-beeping-428495.html

 

Thanks.

I have a couple of noob questions.

There are four memory slots. Because removing any of them gives a completely different beep code are we safe to assume the memory is ok.

Based on what I see in the manual....two of the slots are not used and just filled but that is necessary.

I have just never seen a system that requires all the slots to be filled but getting the different beep codes leads me to believe that they with board it is required.

Just trying to decide if I should by memory.

 

I do not want to highjack you conversation with sach2 but if the RAM slots are different colors, have you tried placing one module in each color? One in each color closest to the edge of the board.

I think your beep codes are going to be different than what is in the manual because the manual shows only 2 RAM slots for your motherboard and you have 4.

 

The slots are the same color. It is the ram that is different color from the slots with those filler pieces in the other photos.



I have tried nearly every combination. It always gives me the same beep code.

Long Long Long

....with anything but all four sticks in place.

 

I am pretty much at a loss on this. Sorry.

 

Well I think I figured it out to a certain degree.

First the model number on the case is not what motherboard I have.

After Tgell making note that the manual doesn't show the two slots for memory I decided to take the whole thing apart and piece by piece back together and see what I find. After figuring out what motherboard I had I also found that this has RIMM memory which....

When installing or replacing RIMMs, take the following information into consideration:

I don't think I have sticks that match exactly in every way that is required by the board causing all these strange beep codes.

Thanks everyone for all your help but I think this desktop will be scratched for the time being until I decide to get memory or move on.

 

Interesting about the C-RIMMs. I never heard of them.

If you ever figure it out, post back. I'd be curious if it turned out to be a memory or video problem in the end.

My own guess is still some video problem. Since all four memory sticks gives a different beep code and it appears you need four sticks for the memory to be recognized, I think the different beep code relates to video after the four memory sticks are accepted as a valid configuration. Again, just my interpretation.

 

I will...

I am pretty sure it is the memory only because I received the same code with or without the video card. The only time we received a different beep code was when a stick was removed.

Here is a link I found with the complete construction of the motherboard but if you skip to the memory part they explain it also.

http://www.hls-systems.com/html/d850gbal_p4_system.htm

This is the link I quoted....

http://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-4S8MCT

Thanks guys again for your help. This site is amazing with so many people offering help for free.

 

I definitely don't have the answer.

I'm reading it as when you have the four sticks in, the memory is an acceptable configuration so it goes ahead and makes the basic checks such as keyboard then goes to video card and doesn't find one and gives your long and two short beeps.

When you have the memory in any other configuration you get three long beeps. I read the three long beeps as a memory problem.

So once you have the memory in an acceptable configuration then you get the same error with or without a video card because either way it is saying it isn't finding the video card. Whether it is a slot problem or a setting in BIOS would be my question. Again, I could be misreading things.

Did you come across a model number for your motherboard in your reading? I'm just curious if searching the MB model number and AGP might bring up anything useful.

Edit: This won't fix your problem. If you get a chance would you try just one RAM module and one of the Fake RAM modules (RIMM-C) to see which error code you get? I'm curious if that type of RAM has to be in pairs or if one stick and one fake stick would be considered acceptable. So one real, one fake and two slots empty. Not a big deal.

 

Actually you are probably right.

I was reading the different beeps as two different problems with the memory. One code was saying that a stick was missing while the other code was saying something was wrong with the memory.

I guess because I have so many cards and tried lots of different ones and then when thought maybe it was the AGP slot I installed a PCI card and got the same beep code I assumed it can't be the slot or the cards.

But thinking about it the PCI card may never have been taken so its giving me the error because of no card is in the AGP slot.

I guess till I get another motherboard or memory it will be guess work.

Will keep you posted.