PC boot problem

Hi,

I've had my PC running fine for a couple of years now. It's a P4 2.6Ghz, with an Epox 4PEAD motherboard, and running windows XP with a GF4 graphics card.

However, lately it's been having problems booting up.

It occurs at different stages of booting, and sometimes a beeping alarm sounds.

The post code that it freezes on when booting varies.

b0 (or is it 60?) and C3 are the most common.

Others include 41 and 66

I have tried different RAM, and a different graphics card, but the problem still
occurs.

If I reset it 3-5 times, I usually get a clean boot.

Sometimes it doesn't even make it to the ram check, so I'm thinking it isn't the hard drive.

I've checked all the connections, and everything is plugged in nice and tight.

Are you able to offer me any advice to help me narrow down the problem, so that I can replace the appropriate part?

 

Firstly welcome to MG.

Can you tell us the BIOS version you have? This is usually dispalyed immediately on boot up. ie is it an Award BIOS or a Phoenix BIOS or something else. I ask because the codes for each of the different BIOS'es are different.

 

Yea, Welcome to MG.

Try replacing the battery on the motherboard. If you can measure the voltage it should be greater than 3 volts.

Studio T

 

Thanks for the welcome.

I am pretty sure it is Award BIOS. (From memory... I'll double check when I get home).

 

Replacing the battery huh? What does the battery do? (Unfortunately I don't have anything to measure the voltage with....)

 

The CMOS battery is a small round flat battery about the size of a nickel held in a circular retainer on the motherboard. The CMOS battery enables the BIOS chip to retain it's data and programming that allows it to get the computer up and running when it's turned on. It typically lasts for 3 to 5 years but sometimes they do fail sooner than that. Once that happens the battery's voltage starts to drop and the BIOS data and programming start to get scrambled which can lead to difficulty booting and ultimately to not being able to boot the system up at all. In addition it's the CMOS battery that powers the motherboard/BIOS clock/calendar when the system is shut down so that your operating system can retrieve the correct date and time from the motherboard when the system boots up.

And the good news is CMOS batteries aren't very expensive -- can't remember what the last one I bought cost even though it was only a few months ago, but think it was about $5 US. Make sure you notice which way the battery is inserted in the socket before you remove it. Supposedly inserting a CMOS battery upside down can cause it to explode! I think the positive side of the battery (indicated by a "+" sign) is usually facing up -- at least it's been that way on every CMOS battery I can recall checking.

I think most CMOS batteries are the same variety/model number, but probably best to take it along with you to Radio Shack or Best Buys or wherever just to be sure you get an identical battery.

Once you put the new battery in you may find that you'll have to go into your BIOS and reset some settings as well as reset the BIOS clock/calendar to the correct time and date -- especially if you remove the old battery to take along with you.

 

Ok (but as far as I can ascertain there is no code 66 for an Award BIOS.).

But apart from the beep codes what is the sequence of beeps ie 1 long 2 short

 

Well, I changed the battery, but it's still the same.

As for he "beep sequence", it's pretty much just two different tones, for the same length repeated. Sounds more like and alarm. DOOOO doooo DOOOOO dooooo etc.

To confirm the bios, it is: Pheonix Award BIOS v6.00PG

Well, now it's pretty much narrowed down to:

MOBO or Processor or Power supply.

Unfortunate. Especially if I have to change the mobo. Cause I'm not sure I can get one (Socket 476) these days. which means I'd have to buy a new processor, and if I'm getting a new MOBO, might as well get a PCIE one, which means new graphics card....

sigh...I've had so many PCs in my life, and this is the first one that died before I wanted to throw it out...

 

Try another power supply and make sure the ram and V card slots are clean

 

OK so now you have a good battery, and presumably a POST card?

A couple of the codes mentioned refer to memory check and this is where I would look next. C3 in particular refers to the first and most heavily used segment.

You can try swapping memory modules about if you have more than one, try one at a time, and download a memory tester from the memory section of MG.

Be aware that software memory testers have major limitations in revealing faulty memory.

Studio T

 

The sounds emitted by the bios ie continuous long short beeping is ram failure (or issues).

The module could be defective or the slot problematic. You say that you have tried other Ram but the problem persists so perhaps the slot has become defective.

In the first instance have tried putting the ram into another slot. You did not say that you had tried this previously.

Personally, I would also be very tempted to do a bare bone boot ie mobo, cpu, ram & vga (removing / disconnecting all other peripherals and pci cards)

Good Luck

 

From your description of the beep sequence I would agree with risk_reversal that you have a RAM problem but I would expect to see an error code like 2C or 2E rather than any of the codes you described (which appear to be just where in the POST sequence the PC has reached).