Computer Building Problems

[hatzitaskos]

Hello, I just finished building my new computer, but I'm getting problems when trying to boot.

It's an AMD 3500+ 939 pin, on an ABIT AV8, with 1GB (2x512) of PC2100 RAM, a RADEON 9700, a 160GB Hitachi SATA HD, one CDR and one DVD drive, and a floppy, all in a Thermaltake Xaser V case.

I was turning the computer on at various points in the assembly, and the M/B seemed to complain just fine (for lacking a CPU, RAM, etc). Once I was done plugging in everything, when I tried to boot, the speaker would just not stop whinning. The boot process seemed to proceed, but the speaker would continuously beep.

Consulting the motherboard manual, the only condition that seems to cause this constant beeping is POST code 0E:
"Test F000h segment shadow to see whether it is R/W-able or not. If test fails, keep beeping the speaker"

That makes no sense to me. It seems that the test fails; what does that mean, and what can I do about it?

So, anyway, then I figured I'd unplug the speaker and try to look at the BIOS utility. I turned everything off, unplugged the speaker, then turned the computer on again, but ever since, speaker or not, it starts up, commences the beeping, and then turns itself off automatically after a few seconds.

Any ideas? Thanks,
Kostis

 

[KoZLop]

maybe its your ram? It's kinda slow and may not support the CPU clock.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Continuous high pitched beeps without the case speaker could well be the cpu overheat alarm as it uses the mobo speaker.
It could also be the reason for the auto shutdown.
Remove and reseat heatsink.
Is the thermal paste showing an even contact across the cpu area.
Is the heat sink fan plugged in and spinning. I've only forgot that once.

Luck......

 

[hatzitaskos]

Well, I guess it might. I'm going to try each stick individually, and different positions, etc. But it should be supported... AV8 is supposed to support 266.

But, anyway, has anybody else encountered a situation where the AV8 shuts down automatically?

 

[hatzitaskos]

Tigerbiten:
Well, it may be something to that effect. The XaserV case has the Hardcano, which connects all case and CPU fans to it rather than the M/B. As far as I can tell it isn't letting the M/B know there are any fans. Could it be beeping because it thinks there is no CPU fan? Then again, how would non-fan cooling solutions work?

As for real temperature, the CPU should be pretty cool. The thermal paste seems fine, and I've applied the Thermalright SLK-948U with a Thermaltake 90m fan on top. Plus the room is fairly cool and the processor has been off. So the only possibility along those lines should be that it thinks it's warm...

 

[Tigerbiten]

Plug an old heat sink fan into the mobo's heatsink fan's header.
If its the auto-shutdown due to no HSF then that should get you into the bios to disable that setting.
Plus the alarm should tern off so you will quickly know if your on the right track.

Luck..........

 

[hatzitaskos]

Hi,

I plugged in one of the spare case fan signals into the M/B cpu fan, and left the actual HSF on the Hardcano. That fixed the autoshutdown problem, and in fact everything seems to be working fine. But the incessant beeping is still continuing... I checked the M/B temperature settings, and it says the processor is at 28 degrees, below its beeping point. So I'm kind of puzzled as to what may not be enough of a problem to stop the booting and working of the computer, but enough to warrant continuous beeping...

K

 

[4keatimj]

Constant beeping is usually RAM, and it could be what is is in this case. That speed RAM should run alright, but you will want to check your jumper and BIOS settings to make sure that you aren't overclocking the RAM so far that it is damaged or fails to work, whether you meant to OC it or not.. Check your mobo manual to see if that RAM speed is compatible with your chip, because it may well not be, or you need to change FSB settings to make it compatible with your processor.

 

[hatzitaskos]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

The RAM is two sticks of 512MB each, PC2100 at 266. The M/B manual says it should be compatible with them, and when I boot the memory check seems to go fine. Is there a chance the default M/B BIOS settings are expecting higher than 266 memory and that's the problem? I'll check that, but I'm not too knowledgeable about those things. As for the FSB, what would I need to change exactly? (Or rather, not exactly, but if possible please tell me what more or less I am looking for.)

Thanks,
Kostis

 

[Tigerbiten]

Ok.
Halfway there.

To check out your ram run the latest version of Memtest86.

Another outside posibility.
Has your vidio card got a secondary power connector.
If so is it attached.
My 6800GT will beep at me if I dont plug the molex in.
But then again it will not post without the extra power.

Luck.........

 

[4keatimj]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

The RAM is two sticks of 512MB each, PC2100 at 266. The M/B manual says it should be compatible with them, and when I boot the memory check seems to go fine. Is there a chance the default M/B BIOS settings are expecting higher than 266 memory and that's the problem? I'll check that, but I'm not too knowledgeable about those things. As for the FSB, what would I need to change exactly? (Or rather, not exactly, but if possible please tell me what more or less I am looking for.)

Thanks,
Kostis

Well, check the mobo to see if the FSB speed is at 266, and that the mobo itself is detecting it at that speed. If you can, run memtest to check for speed/defective modules. That will give you the best indication.
Also check your vid card as Tigerbiten suggested. Its an outside chance, but it could be the problem.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Its an AMD FX/64 system.
As such it does not have a FSB.

If your not sure then try loading the bios fail-safe options.
That should set all your settings at their slowest / safest state.
Once you've fixed the problem then reset it to optimal.

Luck.........

 

[4keatimj]

Its an AMD FX/64 system.
As such it does not have a FSB.

If your not sure then try loading the bios fail-safe options.
That should set all your settings at their slowest / safest state.
Once you've fixed the problem then reset it to optimal.

Luck.........

Well if that is true then maybe getting some PC3200 RAM is the best option, as long as it gets rid of the beeping.