Continuous beeps,

[cowboybooter]

Hi everyone,

Intel chipset, socket 5 mobo with P100 CPU,
AMIBios V. 1.00,
S3 Trio PCI Graphics,
AWE64 ISA Sound,

Previously working well, suddenly froze, upon reboot PCSpeaker emits continuous, short beeps.

POST occurs normally, then 'bootable disk not found'

Tried different HDD, Bootable Floppy, Different CPU, all to no avail.


Any suggestions ?


Many thanx in advance.





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[eweruk]

Check your mobo manual for beep codes. Could be bad memory. When you get into BIOS, can you see the drive? What happens when you boot from bootable floppy??

[Juztyn]

Tell me what the beep code is, like 1 long 2 short, or 3 short and 2 long, something like that.....

[squeech]

Yes, the exact number of short beeps is very important as to what the actual problem is. If it is 1,2, or 3 beeps you are looking at memory trouble and the recommendation is to reseat the chips or switch 'em.

8-10 beeps is looking at BIOS problems, and you may need to try CMOS jumper, etc.

I agree with ewe, check the manual with your system first.

I too suspect the memory given the info above.

Let us know!

[paramufay]

Im gettin different interpretations here.

"POST occurs normally"
Ram has passed the test


"'bootable disk not found'
this is a strange one. no floppy disk drive or HDD failure message or invalid systems disk error. even memory failure would not give this message.

"Tried different HDD, Bootable Floppy, Different CPU, all to no avail

bios virus maybe? or a ide controller chipset failure.

[cowboybooter]

Thanx so far guys,

Mobo Manual not available, this is an old, second hand office machine bought by a colleague.

Continuous beeps are just that, they are short, and continuous, I counted 300 before I pulled the plug on the speaker.

Nothing happens with bootable floppy, although I get a floppy detected and working call, nothing happens with a win 98 startup / system / basic bootable floppy.

Last code on PCI POSTMortem board is 66. Then 00, passed POST!

IDE controller chipset failure - now that kinda makes sense, as it died during normal use.

Kinda sounds like a new mobo / case so far,

Thanx All, keep em coming.

[Edited for typo's, it's late]!

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[cowboybooter]

*bump*

I can count that far too.................LOL



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[Juztyn]

Sounds like mobo as well, especially with the IDE Chipset failure. Probably the IDE port...

[TOAD6147]

If you need a mobo for that system give me a PM

[cowboybooter]

Thanx again guys,

I tested this thing out all the way one piece at a time and POST boards counting every step, it would appear that the IDE controller is in fact , rogered!

Thank u for pointing me in that direction.

New mobo / case on order.



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[davidamarkley]

Wow, I'm impressed!! Those POSTmortem cards really work!

I might think about getting one of them...

Sorry to hear about your troubles though...

[paramufay]

I hope you havent thrown out a perficaly good mobo yet.

I now know what the problem is.

the bios has lost the information about the primary HD. or the mbr has been destroyed/corrupted.

enter the bios and check to see if the HD is listed as primary master.

If it is then a fdisk and a format and reload OS will cure the problem.

Its possible the hd bit the dust however when you tried a different HD I bet you forgot to reset the bios to recognize the new HD.

A buddy brought me a p133 today with the same beep beep problem. removing the HD stopped the beep.

I put in anouther drive to test with and got the "bootable drive not found" error. I finally dawned on me to set the bios to "auto" so the new drive would be detected. This worked, but the old drive would not be detected. Turns out it had a disk overlay program on it and something had happene to it and had to be put in a newer computer and zero filled,fdisked, and the WD ezbios reinstalled. then the "old" pc saw the hd and I reloaded win 98 and got him going.

[cowboybooter]

Wow, paramufay,

Although I have new case and mobo on order, I can always use those elsewhere, the old one is still sitting in colleagues garage, so I will call him and get another look at it.

Thanx for that,


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