InvisibleMan

OK i took my pc apart yesterday to clean up, rearrange, put AS5 on the cpu. Put it back together and it doesnt boot up - no screen and has a constant beep. Any ideas? gone through all the error codes but ive no idea, buggered m/b?

D16GER

What do you mean by constant beep? Is it all the same frequency? Or high/low? Long/short?

And what motherboard?

EDIT - if it is a constant beep of the same frequency(in an endless loop) it is almost definately memory.

I would suggest you remove the memory and reseat it.

InvisibleMan

its a constant high pitched beep. I left the memory in when i took the m/b out so ive no idea why it would have been effected but ive reseated it anyway

jpor

iTrader: (1)

I go with D16GER on that. If not a constant beep but you get 1 long and 2 short or 1 long and 3 short then it's the video card not seated properly. Have a look here to get an idea about your noise:

http://www.sysopt.com/tutorials/article.php/3552501

D16GER

What sort of mobo do you have? What CPU?

Are you sure you applied the AS5 correctly and reseated the heatsink properly?

InvisibleMan

abit ai7 p4 memory & video card ok, i friggin hope they are else im going to have to start all over . i suppose i could take off the heatsink again but looks ok & put another blob on the cpu. the beep is jsut one long high pitched beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeep

D16GER

take a look here

It gives some info on the beep you describe. As I thought it may well be something to do with the memory.

More info here too

It certainly seems to be memory related. If you have 2 sticks installed, can you remove 1 and try the other and vice versa?

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Usually RAM.

1) Remove the RAM and re-seat, making sure it is pressed in firmly.

2) If that fails, clear CMOS.


M

InvisibleMan

yeah done that. hadnt even touched it, left them on when i took the m/b out. have reset the cmos as well.
what about grounding the m/b, if its touching the case, is that going to short it? and can you have it running if its sitting open on a table?
As ive no spares its really fcked me off as ive no idea which bits gone wrong or why as i was so damn careful

D16GER

What did you use to clean it?

Did you use any anti-static devices (wrist band etc)?? These are a must!

Are you absolutely certain you didn't damage any capacitors? They are easily damaged!

You can if you like take the whole lot out of the case and run it whilst on a table. This is the only way to be sure nothing is shorting.

Oh and while we are here, can you please list the whole PC spec? It will help diagnosis.

And 1 last thing, what do you mean by 'rearrange'? Exactly what did you rearrange?

InvisibleMan

the m/b does actually have a led displaying the boot sequence, it goes through various codes so m/b ok? the memory has leds which flashes afaiks normally so memory ok?
it finishes off at Code 25 (well at which point i switch off as next door dog starts barking to the high pitched beep...
Code 25 is:

Early PCI Initialization:
-Enumerate PCI bus number.
-Assign memory & I/O resource
-Search for a valid VGA device & VGA BIOS, and put it into C000:0

maybe its the video card?

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

If the motherboard was shorted then when you pressed the power button the fans would spin for a second, then stop - that's it.

It's possible that the RAM socket is faulty - have you tried other sockets? If you have more than one stick, have you tried one at a time? have you tried holding in the "insert" key while booting (not all motherboards use that feature though)?


The fact that you quote a code suggests an Epox m/b. I used to have that issue, and I'm trying to remember the cure. Please note that there is a VERY specific way to remove and refit the RAM:

1) Power down
2) Switch off at the mains (or the PSU power switch if it has one), but do not unplug
3) Press the power button - the fans should spin for a second
4) Remove the ATX power header plus any auxilliary connecters, auxilliary first
5) Remove the RAM.

6) Refit the RAM. Press REALLY hard. For best effect, remove the motherboard to do this bit
7) Refit m/b if necessary
8) Reconnect any auxilliary power connectors
9) Refit the ATX header
10) Switch on at the mains and power up.

And yes, by all means remove and refit the gfx card - but follow the above procedure. Try without the retaining screw - sometimes fixing this pushes the rear edge of the connector low enough to break the connections at the other end of the slot.


M

InvisibleMan

Its an Abit m/b & the fans stay on so it must be ok.
Im just raiding the works cupboard & ive found some ddr333 memory which should work & a crappy S3 Virage gfx card. something to try tonight.
Ive read about the "insert" key, i'll see what happens but at bootup one would be expecting something on the screen...

D16GER

Just for info, all the insert key does is reset the bios to it's default setting. It's almost the same as moving the CMOS jumper or removing the battery.

InvisibleMan

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCUUUUUUUUUUUUKKKK KKKKKKKK

I cant believe it i missed the obvious, looking too deeply again....Its the friggin power supply to the gfx card! i dont think i connected it, i forgot they need power to them these days......b0ll0cks!

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

lmao

InvisibleMan

yes i am a prize nonce i was thinking well it is a year old now, it needs upgrading anyway.....

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

We've all been there mate. Friend of mine made the schoolboy error of plugin his cpu fan into the chassis fan header and suprisingly blew his mobo rather than the CPU due to overheating

Worst I've done is put a floppy in the wrong way round and not realised until the case was all screwed together

Oh and I installed an old version blackice on XP, which made it BSOD randomly, and I didn't realise it was the cause for months

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Not quite: it moves it to failsafe default, which is not aways the same. For instance, "default" will usually autodetect the RAM and set the speed accordingly, "failsafe default" just lowers the settings as far as they will go.

M

Drunken Bungle Whore

As Mrs IM I'd like to personally thank anyone and everyone who has helped to fix this problem (assuming it will now be fixed). I haven't dared set foot anywhere near him for the past few days and meals have been pushed along the carpet towards him on a very long pole (making sure they're not too hot in case he feels the urge to throw them!). Believe me, it's not just the computer that's been beeping....


Oh - the cat thanks you too!

InvisibleMan

yup the beepings stopped from it & me. Got a bit of a Hal.dll situation going on now but im sure that shouldnt be too much of a problem