Think my computer is ill. Plz Help.

[Flatboy]

Hi Guys, I wonder if anyone can provide some light to what on earth has just happened to my PC. I have a bad feeling that my motherboard has just become very ill! I am sorry if this is a long post, but I want to provide detail.

I recently purchased the following hardware:

EVGA 680 I Mobo Rev 2
Q6600 cpu @ 3 GHz (big fat fan and runs stable nice and cool)
4 Gb OCZ DDR2 Ram (2 x 2 Gb sticks)
500 Gb Western Digital Caviar HDD
BFG 8800 GTX OC at Stock
Soundblaster X-Fi Fatality Extreme Gamer Pro
650 Watt Good quality Power supply (cant remember make)
Vista 64 Premium

Basically, all was fine for about 3 weeks until today. I installed COD2 and tried to run the multiplayer. I was taken to the menu screen, and the sound was all distorted and crackling. I decided to quit out and shut down, and when I restarted the computer would not post! Blank screen, no monitor signal, and a beep, followed by what sounded like 2 short beeps (hard to tell). The Mobo shows FF on the Motherboard display thingy. I cannot access BIOS. It is hard to tell if windows is loading behind the blank screen.

I tried to start a couple more times without success (fans all working everwhere!). Then I tried again, and Windows Vista loaded fine. However there was no sound. I went into sound settings and tried to test the sound. I again got a distinct crackling noise.

I removed the sound drivers, and turned the computer off and removed sound card. I noted that all temps were fine on gfx card and cpu. I tried to reboot, but it again failed to post. It seems that it fails multiple times, but will start completely randomly (and infrequently), especially if I leave it off for a while or change some part of the hardware. I did manage to get to BIOS once and everything was as it should be.

Right, I have done the following to try to establish what is wrong. Please note that nothing has helped, and my computer continues to not boot. Can’t even get to BIOS.

1) Have reset the CMOS
2) Have tried another graphics card (worked once getting into windows, then stopped working after that) Sounded like 1 bleep followed by 3 short bleeps (again V hard to tell as they are so close together)
3) Have tried my 8800 gtx in friends computer = worked fine thank god
4) Have taken stick of ram out and tried all ram configurations possible.
5) Have taken x-fi sound card out
6) Have tested x-fi sound card in mates computer = runs fine with sound!
7) Have tested all cables, and made sure things are connected properly.
8) Have disconnected HDD
9) Have disconnected CD/DVD drive

Does anyone know what might be wrong? May I guess that this may be the Mobo, and I wonder if the Pci slots are knackered as bothe the gfx card and sound card appeared not to work, but both worked on someone elses computer?

Any help would be appreciated. All was purchased from OCUK.

Thanks

Ben

 

[melbourne720]

Strip back to the minimum - PSU, mobo, CPU, memory, gfx - will it post?

If No, then remove the graphics card, what beeps do you get?

 

[Windle]

2 beeps on an EVGA mobo means your Parity Circuit or ram is boned. Try and confirm this.

1 short DRAM refresh failure

2 short Parity circuit failure

3 short Base 64K RAM failure

4 short System timer failure

5 short Process failure

6 short Keyboard controller Gate A20 error

7 short Virtual mode exception error

8 short Display memory Read/Write test failure

9 short ROM BIOS checksum failure

10 short CMOS shutdown Read/Write error

11 short Cache Memory error

1 long, 3 short Conventional/Extended memory failure

1 long, 8 short Display/Retrace test failed



Detailed explanations:

1 short: DRAM refresh failure
The circuitry used to refresh the DRAM has failed.

2 short: Parity circuit failure
This relates to parity checking. The circuitry used to check the parity bit on system memory is failing.

3 short: Base 64K RAM failure
There was a problem with accessing the first 64Kb of memory. Swap out each memory stick to try and see if you can bypass the problem. Try swapping between various slots too. This error occurs if the motherboard is also failing so if none of your RAM works then the motherboard might be at fault.

4 short: System timer failure
The motherboard is toast (some timer or other on the circuit is failing)!

4 short: System timer failure
The motherboard is toast (some timer or other on the circuit is failing)!

5 short: Processor failure
The CPU is returning an error, or the motherboard cannot use the CPU properly. IMPORTANT NOTE: Don't confuse "processor failure" to mean "processor is dead"... if your CPU is dead the system shouldn't even power up at all, so it could possibly be a short, or a problem in a component that is interfering with the system. The processor might not be functioning properly or the motherboard might be having some problems (compatbility between components need not be outruled), but the processor is not "dead".

6 short: Keyboard controller Gate A20 error
The Keyboard controller is not working. This controller controls the keyboard and also the A20 Gate that access the HMA (High Memory Area).

7 short: Virtual mode exception error
The processor can't complete it's test of virtual mode.

8 short: Display memory Read/Write test failure
The motherboard cannot write to the frame buffer of your video card. Something is either wrong with the video card, with the video card memory, or the motherboard. Btw if the system continues to boot this is not unusual: this is not a stop error code.

9 short: ROM BIOS checksum failure
The ROM (read-only memory) that stores the BIOS code has failed its checksum error. This checksum is used to ensure that the BIOS code is correct each time you boot up, and the error likely means that the BIOS code has been corrupted somehow. The code is stored usually on a BIOS chip that can often be replaced. Some motherboards even have what is known as a "Dual Bios" system which will allow you to use a second BIOS chip in case of the first having failed.

10 short: CMOS shutdown Read/Write error
Unlike the ROM BIOS checksum failure, the CMOS shutdown failure indicates that the user BIOS settings somehow cannot be accessed by the motherboard. This usually indicates something is wrong with the motherboard.

11 short: Cache Memory error
The motherboard cannot verify the secondary L2 cache.

1 long, 3 short: Conventional/Extended memory failure
Conventional/Extended memory failure means that the system is reporting an error with the DRAM sticks that you have installed in your system. The most likely problem is either fault RAM, or improperly seated RAM (try reseating the RAM or moving it around to different slots).

1 long, 8 short: Display/Retrace test failed
The video card retrace has failed. This is usually a problem with the video card, or with the motherboard.

 

[Delvis]

I think my system had 1 long followed by 3 short beeps.

And just like you the system would boot up fine occasionally, then other times just not want to boot at all and just give me the error beeps. However i didnt have the sound issue.

Turned out to be my motherboard that was faulty sadly. So replaced that and now all is working fine atm

And as you said my pci-express ports just failed to stop working in the end...Cause my graphics card worked fine in another pc.

 

[Flatboy]

Thanks for the help, it is much appreciated!

I will try this when I get back home from work, and I will take note of the various beeps. Has sounded like one long and 2 or 3 short tbh, but it very hard to tell.

I have been in contact with OCUK today and they have asked me to bring the Mobo and ram in for testing. I must say, their customer services have been very good. I will also attempt to borrow some ram off a mate to test in my system. He is a bit twitchy about it as his graphics card ram heat thingies usually fall to bits if he touches his computer in the slightest. This usually leads to him becoming extraordinarily upset, and becoming bizarrely re-obsessive about CPU/GPU temperatures. Nonetheless, it would most certainly be a relief if it is just the ram, as I will not have to take my computer completely apart.

It is also worth noting that the computer will post and load windows, but very infrequently. When it does work, it appears to be completely fine. It seems (inexact science I am afraid) that if I change something in the hardware, it works once or twice, then stops working at all. For example, when I put another gfx card in, it worked about 3 times, then stopped working. I changed the ram around, and it worked once, then not again. It may also be that if it has been off for a while, it may work once. However, I have not tested enough to draw a conclusion on this.

I will have a mess with it tonight and report observations.

Thanks again

Ben

 

[Flatboy]

Strip back to the minimum - PSU, mobo, CPU, memory, gfx - will it post?

If No, then remove the graphics card, what beeps do you get?

Will not post when stripped back. Have taken gfx card out, and it beeps one long followed by 2 or 3 short. Same as when the gfx card is in i think.

I have now taken it to bits and will take the mobo and ram into ocuk tomorrow for testing.

Thanks for Help.