Busted Hardware

[Throtlemonkey]

My PC is busted and I have no idea how it come to happen, one day it worked perfectly the next it won't even boot all it does is beep three time's. Can a virus do this to a computer, have I blown a major component or is this an in built thing so I'll have to buy a new computer every 3 years ? I would value some advice from someone who is a little more computer savy than myself if anyone can help.

[FL310]

Listen to the beeps carefully again. The number of beeps indicate the problem:

1 = DRAM refresh not working
2 = Parity circuit not working or parity status bits are not cleared when parity is disabled
3 = First 64k memory test failure
4 = System timer is not counting properly
5 = Processor register tag test failure
6 = 8042 keyboard controller Gate A20 error
7 = Processor exception error encountered
8 = Display memory R/W test error (non fatal)
9 = ROM BIOS checksum error
10 = CMOS shutdown register Read/WRITE error

with the code and the fault you can now proceed to a more precise search. If it is the 3....that sounds unfortunately like motherboard, or even like the processor internal cache....

[Evo7]

ISTR that a long beep plus two short beeps normally means that it has failed to initialize the video BIOS. If those are the three beeps you are hearing (rather than, say, two long and one short) then it might be worth checking to see if the video card is firmly plugged in. If it seems OK then try swapping it for another one.

[ 06 January 2002: Message edited by: Evo7 ]</p>

[Throtlemonkey]

Thanks for your help, i'll open her up and push the cards around a bit and swap the ram aound in the slots and crosss my fingers, and if that fails i'll take it to a shop for a new mother board. ASFKAP I'm posting from the laptop but its an old slow ****** (p1 133) with no cd, does the job though, what is "safe mode" ?

[fradu]

Re safe mode

Safe mode is when windows is opened with your PC using only a minimal amount of system files, and software drivers i.e. no sound
This will allow you to then sort out any problem that your PC has from within windows.
You then restart your PC and let it reboot itself.

99% of the time Safe Mode will work...

[FL310]

If, and that is the question, if these beeps are audible at start-up, it is a very serious fault which prevents the BIOS from loading...no way to ever reach the Windoze arena to select safe mode...

[scroggs]

And the beep codes vary with the BIOS manufacturer and date of manufacture. Check the Moicrosft Knowledge Base or the website of your BIOS manufacturer to determine the meaning of the codes on your computer.

[Throtlemonkey]

Problem solved thanks, pulled the ram out to find the slots were covered in dust, hence the three beep memory test failure, cleaned em up and now everythings back to normal.