pc beeps

[metalheaduk]

(sorry, Im not sure were to post this)

 

Hey,

 

My PC doesnt want to start up. It makes loud beeps wen I turn it on. As fa as im aware, it is a hardware problem.

 

I recently installed 2GB of extra ram then took it out due because my sound started to play up. After few days I put it back in again and I had no problems since.

 

This morning when I woke up my PC wouldn't turn on, it just made loud beeps. I opened up my PC and made sure everything was plugged in properly then removed my new stick of ram and inserted the old one. I then turned it on again and it had no problems again..... for 30 minutes anyway. The whole screen went black and the light on my mouse turned off completely, but the PC sat there like everything was all right. So I forced a restart and my PC began beeping again. This is where im up too now.

 

Any ideas are welcome

 

Thank you,

James.

[Dalo Harkin]

Seems it started when you added the RAM

did you check that the RAM is the same speed etc as the old RAM or did you switch/upgrade the RAM rather than add to it.

 

Depending on what the RAM is, it may need to be 'setup' within the BIOS to its correct voltage and speed settings

[metalheaduk]

Hey,

 

Thanks for the help. Iv tried all 3 of my ram sticks (512mb came with the pc, I brought a 2gb stick like 1 year ago (no problems) and I also have this new 2GB) on their own, in each slot. The 512 and the first 2gb gave me the same beeps but the new 2gb worked for few hours then the screen went and it doesn't work again.

 

Iv also tried taking out everything that isnt essential (mouse, keyboard and PCI network adapter. No difference.

[Dalo Harkin]

so you have:-

1x 512MB and 2x 2GB sticks

 

depending on how old the MOBO is then 4GB may be more than it can handle.

do you know what the MOBO make and model is?

are all 3 of the sticks the same as in PC3200 (DDR400) or PC8500 (1066 DDR2)

If for example you had 2x PC3200 and then 1x PC2700 then all 3 sticks would run at the lowest speed and some MOBOs cannot handle it.

 

With more RAM you sometimes need to up the voltage supplied to them too.

Try the sticks one at a time in each port to check that they are all ok, sometimes its not the RAM, but the DIMM slot (what the RAM inserts into) I have had a few DIMM slots go bad on boards before now.

[metalheaduk]

Iv tried each stick of ram in each slot but nothing. Iv also tyied reseting the battery and jumpers but that didnt work.

 

Thank you.

[Dalo Harkin]

Has this now been resolved?

[metalheaduk]

No but im going to call out tech guys.

[Dalo Harkin]

Right take out all the RAM sticks and check what it says on each label.

It will give speed (PC3200/DDR400) or (PC8500/1066) etc etc

timings - 5-5-5-15

Voltage 1.8V

 

If all of these do not match on all 3 sticks then you need to either let the MOBO do the calculations (this is not as accurate or reliable as you setting them manually)

when you have more than 2 sticks of 'matching' RAM the DIMMS require more voltage.

like I said its not uncommon for one DIMM socket to fail and without knowing what make and model the MOBO is then we cant see what speed RAM it supports

[metalheaduk]

I understand what you mean, but surely the 512mb stick would work on its own? It came with the PC.

[RandyL]

You have Vista or 7 and it came with 512mb of RAM? This seems an unlikely combination.

 

Why did you add or change memory? Was there a problem? The last post suggests the memory or cables or slots have failed as well as earlier posts.

 

However running a check at someplace like crucial might not hurt.

 

I'm not about to second guess Dalo Harkin on these issues as he knows more than me. I'm just asking.

[metalheaduk]

It was vista home basic when brought and came with the 512mb stick. A quick look online says that 512mb is the minimum for home basic.

 

I added the 1st 2gb stick to speed it up. It was really slow as you can proberly imagine. I then added the 2nd 2gb stick to make it a little more faster and able to support 64-bit if I decide to install it.

 

I would try a crucial scan but my PC doesnt stay on long enough.

[Dalo Harkin]

BUT it should run with one or two of the sticks installed.

 

I suspect that one is dead or dying (theory would suggest the oldest 512 stick, but dont bet on it :D)

 

Try the sticks one at a time independantly in the slots until it boots to the BIOS, from there at least you can get into windows.

 

I honestly think your maxing the RAM limit on the board.

 

Pop the CMOS and try the newest stick on it's own