CDS PC -No boot past POST - Beep Codes

I am working on a friend's computer, so I don't have any history on it, other than he said "it would shut down unexpectedly, and now won't start at all".

Its a California Design Systems tower - CDS-P9000
According to the label inside:
Pentium IV 2.4 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 256 MB RAM DDR PC2100
ASUS P4PECDS-MBP4P800 MoBo
Award BIOS - CDS-MBP4800

When turned on, fans run, and then it gives 1 long beep, pause, 6 short beeps.

Here are steps I've taken:
1)Swapped the RAM with a known good from a running PC
2)Pulled all ribbon connectors off MoBo,
3)Pulled video card out and disconnected everything from the back except for Keyboard.

Restart after each of these steps gives the same results.

If I pull the keyboard plug and restart, I get one long beep.

I checked the CDS site, can't find any beep codes. Checked Computerhope, limited info on Award BIOS codes.

Would appreciate any suggestions (prefer not to hear -boat anchor!)

 

Sounds to me like a bad power supply.

 

Thanks. I'll try swapping that out.

 

Swapped out the Power Supply with a new one. No Change to the POST codes.
Its either 1 long and then 6 short, or, 2 very short that sound like 1 long and then 6 shorts.

 

Re: CDS PC -No boot past POST - Beep Codes ???

I see that quite a few people have viewed this post.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

thanks,
John

 

You've done all I would have, better solid problem rather than flakey. I'd be thinking MB replacement or new PC unless you can switch out the CPU and hope you don't burn that one.

 

Thanks for the advice. I guess I'll keep tearing into it until its completely toast. Nothing to lose!
Have a good day
John

 

First off, reset the bios by shorting the the jumper on the mother board used to reset the bios.

Second, 1 long and a bunch of short beeps means video card failure.
In order for the computer to get past the boot sequence, you have to have these connected, processor, memory, keyboard, and video card. Try this out.
If it still gives you teh same beep swap the video card out. If that doesn't work then the motherboard is probably bad. Specifially, the AGP slot. Another thing you can try is find an old PCI video card and give that a whirl.

Usually if the processor is bad the computer won't even get into POST.

 

Thanks very much! I will try these steps tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I have a PCI card in my parts box.

 

I've never been able to get PC2100 RAM to work with a fast processor, 2.4 Gig in this case being what I define as fast.

I like the video card idea though, it would eliminate that as a failure mode. I keep several PCI video cards just for this.

 

I tried the PCI card swap last night, and that didn't work. Although I'll try again tonight and test the card first to assure that its good.

Took a quick look at the mobo and couldn't see the ROM reset. Is there a typical spot to find this? Will pulling the battery do the same thing? (I already did that to check that its at 3V)
Thanks,
John

 

How many RAM chips to have installed? If more than one remove them all except one. Then reboot. If you get the same beep (and it doesn't boot of course) try that RAM chip in a different slot. Repeat with your other RAM chips this will eliminate both a bad chip or a bad slot.

 

1 stick of 256 MB RAM. I did try that (shifting to each of the four slots) and it made no difference.

I am going to do more detailed RAM testing tonight and will post results.
thanks for the suggestion
John

 

Re: CDS PC -No boot past POST - Beep Codes -Final Solution

Just thought I'd write back and thank everyone for their help and suggestions.

Finally went out and bought a USB keyboard to replace the PS2 KB I was using. Rebooted and everything worked fine.

Best I can conclude is that the KB Controller on the Mobo is bad, and the USB bypasses this.
Thanks again,
John