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Computer just … died

Started by Katta Apr 30, 2003 at 3:00 PM 46 replies 1.2k views

Original Post

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:00 PM

I’m in trouble now. I was browsing my site, I clicked on a link and Mozilla crashed. Talkback turned on, and I filled it out. It sat forever, doing nothing. I tried to open Word, and I got an error. So, I ctrl-alt-del restarted. The computer shut down, and didn’t restart. I hit the button, and the fans initialized. It then sat for a few seconds, all the lights came on, the CD drive whirred, then, instead of simply beeping and continueing on with the boot, it beeped really loud, and long, then it beeped again. A microsecond later two lower toned beeps came out of it. Then, it just sat. All the lights were on (CD, HD, Power), but nothing else happened. The monitor didn’t light up, nothing. I tried it again, same thing. So now I’m worried. If anyone has had the same experience, please tell me. I’m going off to search VirtualDR.com for help. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Help me fill my webdesign forums up! centerstation_net

Raduprv

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:09 PM

Open it, and see if maybe some boards are lose, etc.

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Korvan

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:17 PM

Your motherboard manual should have a section telling you what those bleeps and bloops mean. I''d guess your video card may have come loose as that has happened to me on several occasions.

Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:20 PM

Will open up

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Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:21 PM

Thanks, I''ll check that manual too.

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TSwitch

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:25 PM

Overheated? While its open make sure your fans are working okay, not vibrating or sputtering or even not working at all.

Another thing might be a tripped fuse of some sort. ...Just throwing it out there.

Fat kids are harder to kidnap.

Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:33 PM

Fans sounded like normal before it died, meaning, deafening.

I opened it up, on casual examination nothing seems to be loose.. but it''s dusty like you wouldn''t believe. I''ll blast it with canned air now...

I glanced through my mobo manual, didn''t see anything about beeps.

Here''s my specs.
Copied from confirmation email sent to me
1 barebones;xp1800oem; Barebones PC Kit - AMD Athlon XP 1800
1.44MB 3.5” Floppy Drive
40GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
AOpen H600A Mid Tower - w/Front USB
Sound Blaster Live! 5.1
Basic Keyboard
Upgraded CPU Cooler ( 17 CFM - 60mm )
Warranty - 1 Year
Shuttle AK32L (PC133 & DDR)

I added…
Geforce2 MX graphic card
384 MB RAM (PC133)
56K Modem
Networking card

I’ve had it since October of last year.

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Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:48 PM

Ok, I blasted the bugger with canned air like there was no tomorrow. Dust, dust, dust. It was thick with dust. Nothing was loose, and I popped the RAM out to see if it was melted or something. Nothing was wrong with that.

The CPU fan has always vibrated a bit, however it’s been a little worse as of late. With the cover off it really sounded loud. I pushed it on all four corners, and that helped. However, I have no experience with installing a CPU or fan…

Ok, when I booted with the cover off, it did something different. All the lights stayed on, but it only beeped once. One long, angry beep, repeated every five seconds or so.

I’m paging through the manual now.

Raduprv

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:49 PM

When it boots, does the lights on the keyboard lit?
If they do, wait for like 50 seconds, and rpess the NumLock key. See if the light turns on/off.

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Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 3:53 PM

Ok. A guy from the virtualdr site said to take the video card out, and put it back in, so I''ll try both.

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Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:00 PM

Ok, I removed the video card, and put it back in and fired it up. No change, just a long angry beep every five seconds. The keyboard lights fail to come on too.

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Leffe

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:01 PM

My computer randomly reboots, BSoDs, and sends lots of talkback to Mozilla

And guess whaT!! I just cleaned my comupter this monday(the inside, that is), there was a lot of dust

I would suggest that you press some funny keys when it is booting, keys like del, f* and maybe ctrl-[break|c|2]? And why not Ctrl-A,B-C,D-E-F,F8-Home,Del, that usually does nohting, but you could at least try.?

cowsarenotevil

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:07 PM

Try leaving it off for an hour. Maybe something is overheating and''s still hot.

-~-The Cow of Darkness-~-

Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:14 PM

Heh, perhaps. I did a little search for BIOS beep meanings, I''ve got BIOS by Award, that''s all the manual will tell me. Ah, yes, it says I have AK32 BIOS ROM, and some built in utility.

Anyway, my first google came up with Award BIOS returning anything but a long and two short beeps for RAM problems. I''ll do some more googeling, then try removing one stick of ram at a time. If that fails, I have a 64MB stick laying around somewhere from my old computer... I hope it''s compatable.

Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:39 PM

I have two sticks of RAM, one 128 MB by Simple, and a 256 MB by Kingston. I swapped both out, back and forth from slot to slot, doing every combination, no change. Just one long beep every five seconds.

I have a stick of 64MB 100mhz RAM, but I don’t think it would be smart to put it in, the MB supports 2100 and 133, not 100.

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Raduprv

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:51 PM

http://www.electrocution.com/beep.htm

Seems to be your CPU...

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Drevay

Apr 30, 2003 at 4:57 PM

*cringes*

Oi, that''s not good. =(

"Few creatures of the night have captured our imagination like vampires..." Godsmack
DigiCode - My solo company in progress.

Unspoken Magi

Apr 30, 2003 at 5:00 PM

Do you have a surge protector? It could''ve surged in the time you shut it off and turned it back on. Stranger things have happened.

[Enter the Unspoken Realm]

Katta

Apr 30, 2003 at 5:09 PM

Yeah, I''ve got a surge protector. All our computers have a surge protector.

Raduprv, the CPU beep listed there was a repeating High/Low, which I take to mean High then Low then High...

I just get a beep . . . . . beep . . . . . beep . . . . . beep

Same tone, every five seconds, evenly spaced. I left it on for about thirty seconds, no change in tone, or pace.

Unspoken Magi

Apr 30, 2003 at 5:16 PM

quote:
from http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

AWARD BIOS BEEP CODES

The following are Award BIOS Beep Codes that can occur. However because of the wide variety of different computer manufacturers with this BIOS the beep codes may vary.

Beep Code Description
1 long, 2 short Indicates a video error has occurred and the BIOS cannot initialize the video screen to display any additional information
Any other beep(s) RAM problem.

If any other correctable hardware issues the BIOS will display a message.

[Enter the Unspoken Realm]

[edited by - Unspoken Magi on April 30, 2003 6:20:42 PM]

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