Boot Problems

Hello fellow geeks!

I am helping a friend out and I think I have a hardware problem maybe one of you might recognize.

The computer I'm working on is a Pentium III 500mhz. Here's what I've had happen:

I turn on the machine and I get steady 1 second "beeps" that are very steady. If I left it that way it would just continue to "beep". I then shut it off (Hold down the power button for 3 or 4 seconds) and turn it back on maybe 3 or 4 times (waiting each time to see if it continues the boot process) and then I finally get the POST and it boots. It's almost like it needs to be warm before it will boot because after I get it to boot it's fine and I can restart and shut down and restart. But if I let it get cold, I have the same problem. The beeping sounds like it's coming from the motherboard rather than the speaker on the front of the case.

It did have Win98 and I've now successfully loaded WinXP Pro but regardless of the O.S. I have this problem. Obviously it's in the CMOS of the chip or somewhere before it gets to Windows.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

JimU

 

I agree -- it's likely a hardware problem. The beep codes can help identify which subsystem is misbehaving.

You didn't identify the BIOS in your system. Each manufacturer has its own beep code set. Once you know who made your system's BIOS, go here. There is more info here that might be useful.

Given what I saw on those pages, you might want to make sure that all of your expansion cards are firmly and properly seated in their slots. Also make sure that they are properly held down by the screw on the bracket.

Your description suggests a possible flaky contact somewhere. While you're checking the expansion cards in your system, remove each partway from its slot and re-seat it. That will sometimes remove any grunge/oxidation that may have accumuated on the contact surfaces and allow the contact to pass signal voltages without difficulty.

If you have another power supply unit around, you might try substituting it for the one that is there. You may have a flaky PSU, or one that is on its last legs. If that's the case, don't wait for it to die before you replace it. PSU's have occasionally been known to take motherboards with them when they die.

 

here is another site which hosts all system beep codes. It has helped me out many times.

http://kb.indiana.edu/data/afzy.html?cust=955518.92742.30

 

sounds like a memory problem with beeps like that.

 

THANKS EVERYONE!

I believe we've solved it and you were all correct. It is a 'bad' ram stick. Athough the 'bad' one was 256, I had an old 64 dimm chip I tried and "bingo" it worked. NO MORE BEEPS! Except of course for the POST beep.

You guys are great.

Thanks again.

jnulr

 

just wondering, when you put the 64 stick in did you put it in the same slot? If you put it in a different slot then maybe the 256 stick is not bad but the slot is.

Rick

 

Doby,

Yes! I did replace the test module in the same slot. But, good thought as I didn't consider that. Thank you.

jnulr