My PC powers on but that's about all!

I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
the fans and discs!)
Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
video or memory problems,
I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
swapped the memory cards around with no change.

Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?


Thanks
Nigel

"nandrews" wrote:

> I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
> the fans and discs!)
> Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
> about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
> etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
> video or memory problems,
> I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
> swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>
> Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?

How about a bit more detail? "a PC" could be a 1978 8086 running at a
blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain of sand
on Earth in 1/2 a second.

OK OK!

It's a Pentium P4 with 2GB memory.
But what more, that is relevent, would help diagnose this problem.
Afterall it is at it's very basic level that it is not working. The OS
is not involved, nor any peripherals.

Please advise

Nigel




On 9 Oct, 06:55, "MasterBlaster" <Nobodys.H...@My.Place> wrote:
> "nandrews" wrote:
> > I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
> > the fans and discs!)
> > Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
> > about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
> > etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
> > video or memory problems,
> > I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
> > swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>
> > Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?
>
> How about a bit more detail? *"a PC" could be a 1978 8086 running at a
> blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain of sand
> on Earth in 1/2 a second.

On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:18:12 -0400, wrote:

>On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:42:08 -0700 (PDT), nandrews
><> wrote:
>
>>OK OK!
>>
>>It's a Pentium P4 with 2GB memory.
>>But what more, that is relevent, would help diagnose this problem.
>>Afterall it is at it's very basic level that it is not working. The OS
>>is not involved, nor any peripherals.
>>
>>Please advise
>>
>>Nigel

Ok so the board doesn't have a backup bios like newer boards. What
you need to do *before* unplugging cards etc and *after* you discharge
your static electricity against the bare metal part of the case, is
unplug the computer from the wall and pull out the CMOS battery. It
will be a thin disk battery in a round socket, friction held by a
sprung prong. Just lever it out, remember its polarity, and leave it
out for 10 minutes. Then, replace it, correct polarity.

This will take your BIOS back to factory default. If you still get no
screen, no boot at all, then its something electrical. It won't be
your hard drive because you would still get a boot screen, I wouldn't
have thought it was a PCI card because they are detected generally
after BIOS. So, is your board dead or mostly dead? They are so
complex perhaps you are getting throughput to the LED but everything
else is dead? Do you hear hard drive spin up, or can you feel it? Are
there any other lights on the board, eg, the LAN input or an onboard
power led?

Give me a few more facts please and we can sort this out. I get paid
for this sort of thing, but only as a hobbyist.


thang

>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On 9 Oct, 06:55, "MasterBlaster" <Nobodys.H...@My.Place> wrote:
>>> "nandrews" wrote:
>>> > I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
>>> > the fans and discs!)
>>> > Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
>>> > about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
>>> > etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
>>> > video or memory problems,
>>> > I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
>>> > swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>>>
>>> > Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?
>>>
>>> How about a bit more detail? *"a PC" could be a 1978 8086 running at a
>>> blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain of sand
>>> on Earth in 1/2 a second.
>
>Beep codes are usually defined by the people who wrote the BIOS.
>Google that company and they will tell you what it means.
>
>As a very basic step, unplug everything but the CPU and the RAM and
>try that. It will usually whine about not finding the video adapter if
>there isn't one on the board then (one long and 3 short beeps). Plug
>in the video card and go from there. I keep a generic S3 card around
>for troubleshooting PCs since you don't need any fancy drivers. Get
>everything working, then plug in your go fast video and load that
>bugware driver, see how you do then.
>If you think your on board video is bad, see if you can disable it in
>BIOS and use a card.

Thang,

Thank you for your reply (and those from others) but you have come
closest to appreciating the situation and taking in the symptoms I
have described so far.

I will try the BIOS battery removal as you suggest.

I have looked for an onboard LED but can't see one. However the case
LEDs for power and disk, that are wired from the mobo, are lighted
(the power light is continuous and the disk is steady for about 10
seconds and then out).

The hard disk(s), consistent with the case LED, spins and chatters for
a few seconds.

As I have described before the CPU fan runs along with the PSU fan.

About 1 time in 10 when I power on the repeated long beep code sounds
(10 secs on 3 secs off).

I have swapped the memory cards about and removed each leaving the
other inturn in each slot.

I STILL have to check the PSU voltages and I must do that this
monring!

Thanks again
Nigel




On 11 Oct, 05:19, thang ornithorhynchus <th...@spitzola.com.org.net>
wrote:
> On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:18:12 -0400, gfretw...@aol.com wrote:
> >On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:42:08 -0700 (PDT), nandrews
> ><nandrews1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> >>OK OK!
>
> >>It's a Pentium P4 with 2GB memory.
> >>But what more, that is relevent, would help diagnose this problem.
> >>Afterall it is at it's very basic level that it is not working. The OS
> >>is not involved, nor any peripherals.
>
> >>Please advise
>
> >>Nigel
>
> Ok so the board doesn't have a backup bios like newer boards. *What
> you need to do *before* unplugging cards etc and *after* you discharge
> your static electricity against the bare metal part of the case, is
> unplug the computer from the wall and pull out the CMOS battery. *It
> will be a thin disk battery in a round socket, friction held by a
> sprung prong. *Just lever it out, remember its polarity, and leave it
> out for 10 minutes. *Then, replace it, correct polarity.
>
> This will take your BIOS back to factory default. *If you still get no
> screen, no boot at all, then its something electrical. *It won't be
> your hard drive because you would still get a boot screen, I wouldn't
> have thought it was a PCI card because they are detected generally
> after BIOS. *So, is your board dead or mostly dead? They are so
> complex perhaps you are getting throughput to the LED but everything
> else is dead? *Do you hear hard drive spin up, or can you feel it? Are
> there any other lights on the board, eg, the LAN input or an onboard
> power led?
>
> Give me a few more facts please and we can sort this out. *I get paid
> for this sort of thing, but only as a hobbyist.
>
> thang
>
>
>
>
>
> >>On 9 Oct, 06:55, "MasterBlaster" <Nobodys.H...@My.Place> wrote:
> >>> "nandrews" wrote:
> >>> > I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
> >>> > the fans and discs!)
> >>> > Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
> >>> > about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
> >>> > etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may pointto
> >>> > video or memory problems,
> >>> > I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
> >>> > swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>
> >>> > Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?
>
> >>> How about a bit more detail? *"a PC" could be a 1978 8086 running at a
> >>> blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain of sand
> >>> on Earth in 1/2 a second.
>
> >Beep codes are usually defined by the people who wrote the BIOS.
> >Google that company and they will tell you what it means.
>
> >As a very basic step, unplug everything but the CPU and the RAM and
> >try that. It will usually whine about not finding the video adapter if
> >there isn't one on the board then (one long and 3 short beeps). Plug
> >in the video card and go from there. *I keep a generic S3 card around
> >for troubleshooting PCs since you don't need any fancy drivers. Get
> >everything working, then plug in your go fast video and load that
> >bugware driver, see how you do then.
> >If you think your on board video is bad, see if you can disable it in
> >BIOS and use a card.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thang,

I have now tried those things. Removing the CMOS battery for a few
mins and checking the PSU voltages.
All the voltages are there and there was no change in the boot-up
i.e., there was none!

I have gone further and taken it to two repair shops.
The first inserted a diagnostic card and that encouragingly made it
boot up normally! But he wasn't able to read anything useful from the
card. I wasn't confident in his diagnoses and took to another shop
where they spent a while swapping out components, but with no success.
So both said it must be a motherboard fault.

Of course it should be possible to diagnose the fault on the board,
but maybe the cost in time outweighs the cost of a new board.

Any further info would be gratefully received.

Nigel
P.S. I assumed the diagnostic card was supplementary to the
motherboard and would be able to diagnose the fault, but it seems it
effectively replaces the motherboard (which is surprising seeing that
it just sits on the bus) and so the fact it made the PC boot was to be
expected.



On 11 Oct, 10:05, nandrews <nandrews1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Thang,
>
> Thank you for your reply (and those from others) but you have come
> closest to appreciating the situation and taking in the symptoms I
> have described so far.
>
> I will try the BIOS battery removal as you suggest.
>
> I have looked for an onboard LED but can't see one. However the case
> LEDs for power and disk, that are wired from the mobo, are lighted
> (the power light is continuous and the disk is steady for about 10
> seconds and then out).
>
> The hard disk(s), consistent with the case LED, spins and chatters for
> a few seconds.
>
> As I have described before the CPU fan runs along with the PSU fan.
>
> About 1 time in 10 when I power on the repeated long beep code sounds
> (10 secs on 3 secs off).
>
> I have swapped the memory cards about and removed each leaving the
> other inturn in each slot.
>
> I STILL have to check the PSU voltages and I must do that this
> monring!
>
> Thanks again
> Nigel
>
> On 11 Oct, 05:19, thang ornithorhynchus <th...@spitzola.com.org.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:18:12 -0400, gfretw...@aol.com wrote:
> > >On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:42:08 -0700 (PDT),nandrews
> > ><nandrews1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> > >>OK OK!
>
> > >>It's a Pentium P4 with 2GB memory.
> > >>But what more, that is relevent, would help diagnose this problem.
> > >>Afterall it is at it's very basic level that it is not working. The OS
> > >>is not involved, nor any peripherals.
>
> > >>Please advise
>
> > >>Nigel
>
> > Ok so the board doesn't have a backup bios like newer boards. *What
> > you need to do *before* unplugging cards etc and *after* you discharge
> > your static electricity against the bare metal part of the case, is
> > unplug the computer from the wall and pull out the CMOS battery. *It
> > will be a thin disk battery in a round socket, friction held by a
> > sprung prong. *Just lever it out, remember its polarity, and leave it
> > out for 10 minutes. *Then, replace it, correct polarity.
>
> > This will take your BIOS back to factory default. *If you still get no
> > screen, no boot at all, then its something electrical. *It won't be
> > your hard drive because you would still get a boot screen, I wouldn't
> > have thought it was a PCI card because they are detected generally
> > after BIOS. *So, is your board dead or mostly dead? They are so
> > complex perhaps you are getting throughput to the LED but everything
> > else is dead? *Do you hear hard drive spin up, or can you feel it? Are
> > there any other lights on the board, eg, the LAN input or an onboard
> > power led?
>
> > Give me a few more facts please and we can sort this out. *I get paid
> > for this sort of thing, but only as a hobbyist.
>
> > thang
>
> > >>On 9 Oct, 06:55, "MasterBlaster" <Nobodys.H...@My.Place> wrote:
> > >>> "nandrews" wrote:
> > >>> > I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
> > >>> > the fans and discs!)
> > >>> > Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
> > >>> > about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc..
> > >>> > etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
> > >>> > video or memory problems,
> > >>> > I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
> > >>> > swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>
> > >>> > Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?
>
> > >>> How about a bit more detail? *"a PC" could be a 1978 8086 runningat a
> > >>> blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain ofsand
> > >>> on Earth in 1/2 a second.
>
> > >Beep codes are usually defined by the people who wrote the BIOS.
> > >Google that company and they will tell you what it means.
>
> > >As a very basic step, unplug everything but the CPU and the RAM and
> > >try that. It will usually whine about not finding the video adapter if
> > >there isn't one on the board then (one long and 3 short beeps). Plug
> > >in the video card and go from there. *I keep a generic S3 card around
> > >for troubleshooting PCs since you don't need any fancy drivers. Get
> > >everything working, then plug in your go fast video and load that
> > >bugware driver, see how you do then.
> > >If you think your on board video is bad, see if you can disable it in
> > >BIOS and use a card.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:00:48 -0700 (PDT), nandrews
<> wrote:

>Thang,
>
>I have now tried those things. Removing the CMOS battery for a few
>mins and checking the PSU voltages.
>All the voltages are there and there was no change in the boot-up
>i.e., there was none!
>
>I have gone further and taken it to two repair shops.
>The first inserted a diagnostic card and that encouragingly made it
>boot up normally! But he wasn't able to read anything useful from the
>card. I wasn't confident in his diagnoses and took to another shop
>where they spent a while swapping out components, but with no success.
>So both said it must be a motherboard fault.
>
>Of course it should be possible to diagnose the fault on the board,
>but maybe the cost in time outweighs the cost of a new board.
>
>Any further info would be gratefully received.
>
>Nigel
>P.S. I assumed the diagnostic card was supplementary to the
>motherboard and would be able to diagnose the fault, but it seems it
>effectively replaces the motherboard (which is surprising seeing that
>it just sits on the bus) and so the fact it made the PC boot was to be
>expected.

If it is an electronic fault, that is, the circuitry, you need a new
mainboard. However, if you have access to another machine, and decent
download speeds, get your hands on Hirens Boot cd which has many many
BIOS, CMOS etc diagnostic pre-boot routines (assuming you can access
your own BIOS so as to configure your bootup from CD before HD or
floppy/usb). You may find a decent diagnostic which informs as to the
fault.

Have a look at the board. If you see a capacitor with froth on the
top, the board is unserviceable (recent boards have japanese caps,
which are very reliable). It may be cracked, check to see if any
screws have impacted any circuitry. Have a look at the connectors
from the power supply - jiggle them and ensure that they are snug.
Look at your graphics card if it is PCI and make sure it is snug. Etc

Let me know how you go.

thang
>
>
>
>On 11 Oct, 10:05, nandrews <nandrews1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> Thang,
>>
>> Thank you for your reply (and those from others) but you have come
>> closest to appreciating the situation and taking in the symptoms I
>> have described so far.
>>
>> I will try the BIOS battery removal as you suggest.
>>
>> I have looked for an onboard LED but can't see one. However the case
>> LEDs for power and disk, that are wired from the mobo, are lighted
>> (the power light is continuous and the disk is steady for about 10
>> seconds and then out).
>>
>> The hard disk(s), consistent with the case LED, spins and chatters for
>> a few seconds.
>>
>> As I have described before the CPU fan runs along with the PSU fan.
>>
>> About 1 time in 10 when I power on the repeated long beep code sounds
>> (10 secs on 3 secs off).
>>
>> I have swapped the memory cards about and removed each leaving the
>> other inturn in each slot.
>>
>> I STILL have to check the PSU voltages and I must do that this
>> monring!
>>
>> Thanks again
>> Nigel
>>
>> On 11 Oct, 05:19, thang ornithorhynchus <th...@spitzola.com.org.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:18:12 -0400, gfretw...@aol.com wrote:
>> > >On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:42:08 -0700 (PDT),nandrews
>> > ><nandrews1...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > >>OK OK!
>>
>> > >>It's a Pentium P4 with 2GB memory.
>> > >>But what more, that is relevent, would help diagnose this problem.
>> > >>Afterall it is at it's very basic level that it is not working. The OS
>> > >>is not involved, nor any peripherals.
>>
>> > >>Please advise
>>
>> > >>Nigel
>>
>> > Ok so the board doesn't have a backup bios like newer boards. *What
>> > you need to do *before* unplugging cards etc and *after* you discharge
>> > your static electricity against the bare metal part of the case, is
>> > unplug the computer from the wall and pull out the CMOS battery. *It
>> > will be a thin disk battery in a round socket, friction held by a
>> > sprung prong. *Just lever it out, remember its polarity, and leave it
>> > out for 10 minutes. *Then, replace it, correct polarity.
>>
>> > This will take your BIOS back to factory default. *If you still get no
>> > screen, no boot at all, then its something electrical. *It won't be
>> > your hard drive because you would still get a boot screen, I wouldn't
>> > have thought it was a PCI card because they are detected generally
>> > after BIOS. *So, is your board dead or mostly dead? They are so
>> > complex perhaps you are getting throughput to the LED but everything
>> > else is dead? *Do you hear hard drive spin up, or can you feel it? Are
>> > there any other lights on the board, eg, the LAN input or an onboard
>> > power led?
>>
>> > Give me a few more facts please and we can sort this out. *I get paid
>> > for this sort of thing, but only as a hobbyist.
>>
>> > thang
>>
>> > >>On 9 Oct, 06:55, "MasterBlaster" <Nobodys.H...@My.Place> wrote:
>> > >>> "nandrews" wrote:
>> > >>> > I have a PC which fails to boot (fails to do much at all except spin
>> > >>> > the fans and discs!)
>> > >>> > Occasionaly when I turn it on it makes a tone The single tone lasts
>> > >>> > about 10 seconds with about a 3 second pause, then 10/3, 10/3 etc.
>> > >>> > etc. I can't find that decoded anywhere tho' I suspect it may point to
>> > >>> > video or memory problems,
>> > >>> > I have swapped the video card for a good one with no change. I have
>> > >>> > swapped the memory cards around with no change.
>>
>> > >>> > Can anyone advise what this tone might mean?
>>
>> > >>> How about a bit more detail? *"a PC" could be a 1978 8086 running at a
>> > >>> blistering 5mHz, or last week's model that can count every grain of sand
>> > >>> on Earth in 1/2 a second.
>>
>> > >Beep codes are usually defined by the people who wrote the BIOS.
>> > >Google that company and they will tell you what it means.
>>
>> > >As a very basic step, unplug everything but the CPU and the RAM and
>> > >try that. It will usually whine about not finding the video adapter if
>> > >there isn't one on the board then (one long and 3 short beeps). Plug
>> > >in the video card and go from there. *I keep a generic S3 card around
>> > >for troubleshooting PCs since you don't need any fancy drivers. Get
>> > >everything working, then plug in your go fast video and load that
>> > >bugware driver, see how you do then.
>> > >If you think your on board video is bad, see if you can disable it in
>> > >BIOS and use a card.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -