CPU or Mobo?

[ticcan]

I have been having problems with a PC i built, one mobo failed, system worked fine for a few months with a new one.

After much messing around the problem seems to be the CPU or the mobo. When i unplug everything and leave just the RAM installed (i have tried 2 diff RAM) and switch on i get 1 long beep pause another long beep and thats it, CPU keeps running but nothing else happens

Mobo is Asus A7V8X-X
Cpu isAthlon XP 2000 266FSB

Is the problem likely to be the CPU or Mobo?

[Cricket]

Can you explain what the problem is exactly? I don't understand what you're saying in your post...with nothing but RAM installed you get those beeps...but the CPU keeps running?

:) Cricket

[ticcan]

I kept unplugging things to see if that made a difference, so i got to the point where the only things connected to the mobo are the RAM and the CPU. I switch it on, CPU fan powers up, i get one long beep a pause another long beep, CPU fan keeps running but nothing else happens

[Powersuppy]

http://usa.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V8X-X&langs=09

[Cricket]

I kept unplugging things to see if that made a difference, so i got to the point where the only things connected to the mobo are the RAM and the CPU. I switch it on, CPU fan powers up, i get one long beep a pause another long beep, CPU fan keeps running but nothing else happensBut what is the original problem? What made you do all that in the first place? Is it that you turn on the computer and nothing happens?

:) Cricket

[ticcan]

As far as i can remember - its not my pc and problems started quite a while ago - one day it just started doing this.

When i switch it on it just does a long beep, pause, long beep (i cant find that beep code anywhere)

[Cricket]

Oh...it's beeping when you start it up. Need the complete system specs if possible, including the make and wattage of the power supply.

Is this a home built computer or a name brand one?

:) Cricket

[ticcan]

Yeah, press power, CPU fan starts up, BEEEEEEEEEEEP pause BEEEEEEEEEEEP, CPU fan keeps going, nothing else happens

Home built, Power supply is 400w, came with the case so dont have any more info on that

Sapphire Radeon 7000 AGP 64MB
Sony 16x48 IDE BLACK DVD-ROM
Excelstor 80gb 7200rpm ATA100 - I tried a different one which made no difference
Alps 1.44 Silver Floppy Drive

[Cricket]

Have you tried clearing the CMOS yet?

I'd swap in a compatible power supply just to rule out a faulty power supply.

If the problem continues, do you have another AMD processor you can swap in to test with?

What about RAM? Do you have spare RAM you can swap in to test with?

:) Cricket

[ticcan]

Yeah i cleared that numerous times. I dont have another power supply to try it with, or processor. I have different RAM that i have tried to no avail.

This weekend i was going to buy a new CPU or Mobo, and was hoping someone could shed some light on which one was most likely to be the problem so i wouldnt be wasting any money.

One additional thing, when i installed the CPU some of the paste you put instead of the thermal pad got onto the top of the processor, i posted that on here when i made it and noone seemed to think that was a problem.

[ticcan]

Anyone like to venture an educated guess?

[Cricket]

Did the thermal compound get on the little resistors or little circuit tracks on the surface of that Athlon?

Try removing the heatsink and see if the compound got onto those little things around the CPU die/core. If it did, try cleaning it up really good with alcohol and clean rags.

:) Cricket

[glc]

A looping long beep is a memory problem - missing, not fully seated, or defective - or a broken memory slot.