bad beep code at boot up

wsujosh · Post by **wsujosh** » February 23rd, 2005, 5:47 pm

I have a Biostar M7VIB mobo with Award bios. My problem is that when I boot up, it beeps continuously (without any breaks) sometimes for minutes before the computer starts. I’ve noticed that this doesn’t happen when I’ve been using the computer for a while; only when it starts up cold. From what I can find, for that beep pattern, something is either wrong with the mobo, the memory, or the video card. I have two different sticks of memory, so with my limited knowledge, after testing them each independently, I’ve concluded that it has to be the video card or the mobo. When I take the video card out, it gives me a different beep pattern. Is there anyone out there that knows what my problem might be? i tried to reset the cmos last night, but unfortunatly it still took 10 minutes to boot up this morning. please let me know if there's any other information that would help. processor: amd athlon, 1533 MHz mobo: biostar group m7vib bios: award software international 6.00 pg video card: nvidia geforce2mx 512 mb ram memory Thanks a lot.

xandersen · Post by **xandersen** » February 23rd, 2005, 10:15 pm

It sounds like a memory fault to me, and if you tried different sticks of usable RAM, that you know work, then your mobo may be going. I think that the different memory modules in the video card make up for some of the faulty RAM (if that is the case), so it gave you a different beep code. I would say to look up the different beep codes on the company's web site or other sites to see what they mean. I have an older Award Bios mobo and when mine beeps continously, it has only been because there was no RAM in the board. Post again if this is of no help, and Ill help you with the research X

Sumpin_Wong · Post by **Sumpin_Wong** » February 23rd, 2005, 10:46 pm

The March 2003 issue of Maximum PC has an artical in it called: Don't fear the beeper. The article is all about the beeps associated with BIOS (3 sperate bios systems are described).. The article says that a continuous beep is caused by faulty memory. The article recommends to remove all the memory modules and to clean the electrical contacts. Remove all the modules except for the first bank (closest to CPU) it's trial and error from here on out. If the first stick of ram doesn't work, mark it and move it aside.. and try the next stick. You're basically eliminating the bad stick(s). The artical says that if swapping the ram sticks out doesn't help.. replace the power supply and/or then the motherboard.

wsujosh · Post by **wsujosh** » February 24th, 2005, 1:34 am

Unfortunately I've tried different ram and that's not causing the problem. Also, after doing my research there's not a specific problem associated with the beep code that I'm experiencing. It could be the ram, mobo, power supply...etc ...thanks for the suggestions. I'm hoping it's the power supply. Anyways, maybe it's time to take it in somewhere.