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Video Problems

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I'm working on a computer. Turned on the computer and no display. I didn't try a new monitor just assumed it was the video card. Went and put a new pci video card in and still no display, but I received a beep code this time. I pulled the video card out and I still got the beep code.

Here are the specs on the box:
Dell Dimension e310
Pentum 521 (2.8GHz) Processor
512MB PC2-4200 DDR2 Memory
80GB 7200rpm SATA Hard 16x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
AC'97 Audio
Intel GMA 900 Graphics with 128MB Shared Memory
17" E773 Dell CRT Monitor
v.90 56Kbps Modem and 10/100 Ethernet
Six USB 2.0 Ports
Windows and Word Perfect 12 Word

Jason

10 replies

by snuffy09

Do you have another power supply you can hook up to test? Your current one may be shot, or dying.

by jczekala

6 beeps total. 2 & 3 are together 1, 4, 5, & 6 seem equally spaced apart.

by slayer_

That sounds like frantic beeping, and I remember that frantic beeping means your RAM is bad.

by unhappyuser

Have you reseated the memory? Try reseating the simms or leave the minimum in. One may be bad or may just need to be reseated.

EMD

by peconet tietokoneet

Beep Code Description / What to Check
1-1-1-3 Verify Real Mode.
1-1-2-1 Get CPU type.
1-1-2-3 Initialize system hardware.
1-1-3-1 Initialize chipset registers with initial POST values.
1-1-3-2 Set in POST flag.
1-1-3-3 Initialize CPU registers.
1-1-4-1 Initialize cache to initial POST values.
1-1-4-3 Initialize I/O.
1-2-1-1 Initialize Power Management.
1-2-1-2 Load alternate registers with initial POST values.
1-2-1-3 Jump to UserPatch0.
1-2-2-1 Initialize keyboard controller.
1-2-2-3 BIOS ROM checksum.
1-2-3-1 8254 timer initialization.
1-2-3-3 8237 DMA controller initialization.
1-2-4-1 Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller.
1-3-1-1 Test DRAM refresh.
1-3-1-3 Test 8742 Keyboard Controller.
1-3-2-1 Set ES segment to register to 4 GB.
1-3-3-1 28 Autosize DRAM.
1-3-3-3 Clear 512K base RAM.
1-3-4-1 Test 512 base address lines.
1-3-4-3 Test 512K base memory.
1-4-1-3 Test CPU bus-clock frequency.
1-4-2-4 Reinitialize the chipset.
1-4-3-1 Shadow system BIOS ROM.
1-4-3-2 Reinitialize the cache.
1-4-3-3 Autosize cache.
1-4-4-1 Configure advanced chipset registers.
1-4-4-2 Load alternate registers with CMOS values.
2-1-1-1 Set Initial CPU speed.
2-1-1-3 Initialize interrupt vectors.
2-1-2-1 Initialize BIOS interrupts.
2-1-2-3 Check ROM copyright notice.
2-1-2-4 Initialize manager for PCI Options ROMs.
2-1-3-1 Check video configuration against CMOS.
2-1-3-2 Initialize PCI bus and devices.
2-1-3-3 Initialize all video adapters in system.
2-1-4-1 Shadow video BIOS ROM.
2-1-4-3 Display copyright notice.
2-2-1-1 Display CPU type and speed.
2-2-1-3 Test keyboard.
2-2-2-1 Set key click if enabled.
2-2-2-3 56 Enable keyboard.
2-2-3-1 Test for unexpected interrupts.
2-2-3-3 Display prompt "Press F2 to enter SETUP".
2-2-4-1 Test RAM between 512 and 640k.
2-3-1-1 Test expanded memory.
2-3-1-3 Test extended memory address lines.
2-3-2-1 Jump to UserPatch1.
2-3-2-3 Configure advanced cache registers.
2-3-3-1 Enable external and CPU caches.
2-3-3-3 Display external cache size.
2-3-4-1 Display shadow message.
2-3-4-3 Display non-disposable segments.
2-4-1-1 Display error messages.
2-4-1-3 Check for configuration errors.
2-4-2-1 Test real-time clock.
2-4-2-3 Check for keyboard errors
2-4-4-1 Set up hardware interrupts vectors.
2-4-4-3 Test coprocessor if present.
3-1-1-1 Disable onboard I/O ports.
3-1-1-3 Detect and install external RS232 ports.
3-1-2-1 Detect and install external parallel ports.
3-1-2-3 Re-initialize onboard I/O ports.
3-1-3-1 Initialize BIOS Data Area.
3-1-3-3 Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area.
3-1-4-1 Initialize floppy controller.
3-2-1-1 Initialize hard-disk controller.
3-2-1-2 Initialize local-bus hard-disk controller.
3-2-1-3 Jump to UserPatch2.
3-2-2-1 Disable A20 address line.
3-2-2-3 Clear huge ES segment register.
3-2-3-1 Search for option ROMs.
3-2-3-3 Shadow option ROMs.
3-2-4-1 Set up Power Management.
3-2-4-3 Enable hardware interrupts.
3-3-1-1 Set time of day.
3-3-1-3 Check key lock.
3-3-3-1 Erase F2 prompt.
3-3-3-3 Scan for F2 key stroke.
3-3-4-1 Enter SETUP.
3-3-4-3 Clear in-POST flag.
3-4-1-1 Check for errors
3-4-1-3 POST done--prepare to boot operating system.
3-4-2-1 One beep.
3-4-2-3 Check password (optional).
3-4-3-1 Clear global descriptor table.
3-4-4-1 Clear parity checkers.
3-4-4-3 Clear screen (optional).
3-4-4-4 Check virus and backup reminders.
4-1-1-1 Try to boot with INT 19.
4-2-1-1 Interrupt handler error.
4-2-1-3 Unknown interrupt error.
4-2-2-1 Pending interrupt error.
4-2-2-3 Initialize option ROM error.
4-2-3-1 Shutdown error.
4-2-3-3 Extended Block Move.
4-2-4-1 Shutdown 10 error.
4-3-1-3 Initialize the chipset.
4-3-1-4 Initialize refresh counter.
4-3-2-1 Check for Forced Flash.
4-3-2-2 Check HW status of ROM.
4-3-2-3 BIOS ROM is OK.
4-3-2-4 Do a complete RAM test.
4-3-3-1 Do OEM initialization.
4-3-3-2 Initialize interrupt controller.
4-3-3-3 Read in bootstrap code.
4-3-3-4 Initialize all vectors.
4-3-4-1 Boot the Flash program.
4-3-4-2 Initialize the boot device.
4-3-4-3 Boot code was read OK.

AMI BIOS Beep Codes:

1 short: DRAM refresh failure:
The programmable interrupt timer or programmable interrupt controller has probably failed

2 short: Memory parity error:
A memory parity error has occurred in the first 64K of RAM.? The RAM IC is probably bad

3 short: Base 64K memory failure:
A memory failure has occurred in the first 64K of RAM.? The RAM IC is probably bad

4 short: System timer failure:
The system clock/timer IC has failed or there is a memory error in the first bank of memory

5 short: Processor error:
The system CPU has failed

6 short: Gate A20 failure:
The keyboard controller IC has failed, which is not allowing Gate A20 to switch the processor to protected mode. Replace the keyboard controller

7 short: Virtual mode processor exception error:
The CPU has generated an exception error because of a fault in the CPU or motherboard circuitry

8 short: Display memory read/write error:
The system video adapter is missing or defective

9 short: ROM checksum error:
The contents of the system BIOS ROM does not match the expected checksum value.? The BIOS ROM is probably defective and should be replaced

10 short: CMOS shutdown register read/write error:
The shutdown for the CMOS has failed

11 short: Cache error:
The L2 cache is faulty

1 long, 2 short: Failure in video system:
An error was encountered in the video BIOS ROM, or a horizontal retrace failure has been encountered

1 long, 3 short: Memory test failure:
A fault has been detected in memory above 64KB

1 long, 8 short: Display test failure:
The video adapter is either missing or defective

2 short: POST Failure:
One of the hardware testa have failed

1 long:
POST has passed all tests

by slayer_

System make a short beep when you first start them up, you telling me this is due to an error? Every system I've ever owned has done this.

by jczekala

Thanks everyone for their help. Ended up being a bad ram slot.

Jason

by slayer_

be sure to mark helpful posts as helpful so others can benefit from the responses.

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