Beep codes

[David M]

I am starting up a new computer for the first time. The board is an Asus A8N-SLI Delux. The manual on page 3-1 says to look below for BIOS beep codes When I look below the page is blank as if the manufacturer decided not to include the beep codes. I am getting 5 beeps by the way and neither of the video cards are producing an image. Neither in DVI nor in S-video.

It's a watercooled CPU so the fan power plug is not connected to the board (there is no CPU fan). I dont know if this makes a difference.

The diode on the mobo is green, the front and rear cooling fans are turning, the fans on the graphics cards are turning and the small fan over the chipset is turning.

The water through the waterblock over the CPU is flowing (Koolance)

I went to ASUS but could not locate the beep codes for this board...even after doing a search under "A8N-SLI beep codes"

Specs: The CPU is an AMD 3500 Winchester, HDD's are 4 WD Raptor 74's, 2 sticks of Corsair 1024 Ballistix, 2 6800 Ultras

What might I try?

Thanks

[spyder003]

Originally Posted by David M What might I try?

Do you have the Voice Reporter on and speakers plugged into the onboard sound? That will tell you what's wrong.

Edit - One other thing... Do you have the EZ selector card set for two video cards?

[EzyStvy]

Welcome to BIOS Central*

BIOS means Basic Input Output System. BIOS is actually firmware, the software that is programmed into a ROM (Read-Only Memory) chip built onto the motherboard of a computer. BIOS is what makes the system run an initial Power-On Self-Test of the computer, initialize circuits, load the boot program from the boot disk, and then handle low-level I/O to peripheral controllers such as keyboard and display.


http://bioscentral.com/

[David M]

The voice reporter is not talking. I have the speaker plugged in though.

[David M]

I do understand what the BIOS is. Isnt it the BOIS that creates the beeps via the speaker?

BiosCentral does not have beep codes for Asus boards...thanks though

[foghat46]

If that's an AMI BIOS, according to my sheet, 5 beeps is a processor error, possibly a bad one or one that's not installed properly.

[David M]

Its an Nvidia Chipset. Does this include the BIOS?...an Nvidia BIOS?

How do you find out who made your BIOS?....I just assumed its Asus.

[foghat46]

No, BIOS will come from, most likely, either Award or AMI, and I seem to remember one buying the other out. It should say in the mobo manual or on the box what the BIOS manufacturer is.

[Wolf_10]

I wonder if the fan connector is looking for a fan connector from the cpu heatsink, maybe you can hook one up ( and just hold onto the fan in your hand and start up the machine) just to see if you get the same 5 beeps.

After that, you might want to find out your bios manufacturer, probably AMI or phoenix, and find out what the codes mean.

Beyond that, you may have to back up, remove all the extra hard drives and video cards, do an out of box set up, etc, until you get a single beep. GL

[spyder003]

Not sure if you saw where I edited my post above, but do you have the EZ Selector card set for two video cards? Do you have your monitor hooked up to the card in the blue slot?

[David M]

I just checked the user guide which says under BIOS features: 4Mb Flash ROM, Phoenix-Award BIOS, PnP, DM12.0, WfM2.0,SM Bios 2.3

Thanks

[foghat46]

If you're not getting anywhere, go the standard route. Take the mobo, power supply, one stick of memory, and one video card out, assemble them on a non-conductive surface (NOT the bag the mobo came in-they are conductive by design), hook up the monitor to the vid card, and see if it boots.

[foghat46]

OK, a Phoenix-Award BIOS. Check these out:

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading...beep-codes.htm

http://www.computerhope.com/help/phoenixa.htm

See if these help.

[David M]

Ok....I just tried plugging a cpu fan into the fan connector on the mobo. I also connected the monitor DVI and S-video cables into the graphics card in the blue slot.

no screen image yet. I do get a single beep at startup and then 5 beeps about 30 seconds later.

[David M]

I just noticed the 5 beeps go away with the cpu fan plugged in. Stil no screen image or talking

[foghat46]

Some more data:

http://www.amptron.com/html/bios.beepcodes.html

http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml

I've got a sneaking suspicion it's a memory problem.

[David M]

Is my next step to take it out of the case and connect up the PSU, the CPU fan and configure it back to one card and one stick of RAM?....or should I wail till Monday and call ASUS and see what they have to say?....Its quite a process pulling this mobo in and out of the case.

I don't understand why a mobo should be pulled from the case...but it seems to be the thing to do for trouble shooting.

Also, the CPU is not heating up....is this a sign the CPU is dead or is there another reason why the CPU is not getting warm? Either its dead and voltage is getting to it...or its okay and voltage is not getting to the CPU...thats my thinking at least.

How common is a dead brand new CPU right out of the factory sealed box?

[spyder003]

Yes, the next step is to troubleshoot it out of the case. The reason you do that is to rule out a grounding problem. You also want to cut it back to the three main components, vid card, processor, and RAM.