19 thoughts on - Beeps And A Slow Boot

• Michael Hennebry wrote:
  google search: MSI K9N SLI Platinum Series manual got me to MSI’s page, and support under the pic got me to manual….

  <http://www.msi.com/support/mb/K9N_SLI_Platinum.html#down-manual>

  mark

• I have the manual. I should have mentioned that the manual does not have the beep codes.

• Asus and the like don’t make BIOS, they get it from AMI or Phoenix or whatever. It will usually say in POST screens or in the setup itself;
  failing that, it might be etched on the chip itself.

  In my experience, though, 97% of problems whose symptoms include beep codes are memory issues. Well, maybe that’s a contrived figure, but it is enough that I’d look for spare memory first and a beep code reference after.

  –Pete

• http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

• Also good.

• Usually, memory sticks just need to be removed and reseated, not replaced. The gold plating is supposed to prevent oxidation of the contact surfaces, but it can wear off (0.4 microns should be good for 100
  insertion/removal cycles, though), or even be so porous as to allow oxidation of the underlying surface (typically nickle-plated copper) to
  ‘creep’ through the gold… the process of removing and reinserting
  *should* ‘wipe’ the contact surface[s] clean again.

• codes enough

  Just to reiterate : *no matter what* the book says the beep code is, the actual problem is usually memory.

  Sometimes you have to run memtest for days before it sees anything. Sometimes, you just need to open the chassis, clear out the fuzz, and reseat the memory. If you’re that adverse to cracking the case, I’m guessing you’re due for it.

  –Pete

• Michael Hennebry wrote:
  
  
  1. How many processors on the m/b? I don’t mean cores….
  2. If 1, take out *all* DIMMS but one, and boot. then add them back in.

  mark “no, no, I’ve never done it on that Dell server last Wed….”

• Darr247 wrote:

  Alternatively, get a #2 pencil, and lightly (not really hard) run the eraser over the pins. Wipe it clean of any rubber, then reinstert.

• I’d rather not take days to confirm a problem that POST found in under two minutes. Unless POST is magic (WHAT was I supposed to do to the goat?), there should be some software out there that could do the trick.

  I did crack the case in February. It arrived without a hard drive and I did a transplant from the dead body of its predecessor.

  Said predecessor was my first computer. The first time I cracked its case, I zapped a video card installing a new hard disk. I haven’t cracked cases very often. My success rate is about 75% . To me, the rat’s nest of expensive things is scary.

  All that said, reseating would seem less error-prone than replacing.

• Could you suggest memory test software that might find in a few hours what POST found in less than two minutes?

  If (more likley when) I crack the case, I’ll try the above program after reseating.

• Michael Hennebry wrote:

  Sorry, don’t have one. But since POST finds it – doesn’t it tell you? –
  crack the case, and start removing memory. Make sure you don’t have a static charge, though unless you’re somewhere cold, or the a/c’s set to cryogenic, you shouldn’t have a charge, and just carefully take out DIMMs from the (one?) bank, and rePOST.

  mark

• Never install anything while PC is plugged into power socket.

• Never have. Also, I won’t stick a knife into a toaster unless I’m holding the power plug in the same hand.

• If you’re concerned about static charges damaging components here are some steps I’d follow in that situation:

  When the PC is plugged into the AC line, its chassis SHOULD be grounded via the ground wire in the AC cable. However, just having the PC turned OFF doesn’t mean that there’s no power inside the case, given the
  “soft” switch that’s used to control the on/off state, so you don’t want to pull RAM out unless:
  1. the power cord is disconnected (which means the chassis is NOT ground), or
  2. your PS has a small switch on the back, outside the case, that you
  can use to completely shut off the power (many do, but not all). If
  you can do this, the chassis should remain as ground.

  So, if you can verify #2 above, all you gotta do is make sure you grab bare metal on the chassis, tightly, before you touch any of the internal components, RAM, whatever. This will drain off any static charge you may have and make it safe to handle RAM, etc.

  If you can’t do #2, then I suppose next best is:
  –turn it off
  –touch the metal case to discharge yourself
  –remove the cover
  –touch the case again to make sure you’re static-free
  –pull the AC plug
  –wait a minute for internal circuitry to lose charge (if there are LEDs
  on the motherboard–to, e.g. indicate RAM power, and some motherboards
  have such LEDs–wait until they go completely off.)
  –then mess with the RAM/etc.

• I service PC’s for 14 years (professionally), and never had anything zapped. And I do not use anti-static wrists. So it is strange to hear that you had part zapped on first opening. That is all.

• Given my track record, you can see why I’d like to be really sure it’s necessary before cracking the case.

• Cracking the case shouldn’t be feared, I’ve done it many times, and I’ve almost never damaged anything.

  Recommendations:
  Unplug it (I’ve seen this in previous posts), it used to be better to leave it plugged in pre-ATX, given ATX’s always powered on to some extent, it’s best to unplug it completely.

  How much static charge you have doesn’t really matter, as long as you have the same charge as the equipment you are working on. Be very aware of this, you want to make sure to keep your charge equal to the equipment you are working on. This is the function of anti-static bracelets. Assuming you don’t have one, just keep one hand on the chassis of the computer while you work, or touch the chassis often. And don’t move around in such a way as to build up charge, and if you do, touch the chassis again. I/O card have chassis too, it’s the hanger bracket. Anti-static bags also also a way to equalize charge with the component inside the bag, just by holding on to the bag. If you have to lay a part down on a table, lay it on a anti-static bag.

  Be careful, don’t use too much force. If something seems to take a lot of force, your probably not doing it right.

  Dust can cause you many problems, keep the dust out of the equipment.
  Make sure connectors are free of dust before connecting them. Canned air is good for this purpose.

  Work slow and careful, be sure of what you are doing. If something takes longer to use a little extra care, then it takes longer.

  Fear of cracking a computer case can actually itself result in damage to expensive parts. I’ve inherited plenty of equipment because of problems caused by dust.

• Fred Wittekind wrote:

  Additional suggestion: unplug, *THEN* push the start button and hold it in for at least 8 sec. One thing I notice when I start that is that the LED
  on the NIC lights, then goes out. That way, you’ve completely discharged everything.

  Got that from an FE a couple years ago…. and I’ve opened the case and replaced stuff on an HBS (technical term, Honkin’ Big Server), worth
  $20K++, with .25TB of RAM (and my mind still SEGV’s every time I say that).

  mark