Computer Beeps during Windows environment...

[Markoman01027]

Hey Guys,
Something strange occured to me today. I was searching for music on KAZAA, I have AIM open, and also I have POP-UP stopper. Suddenly my PC Speaker Beeps. It was like 3 short beeps, or I would say like 3 normal beeps.

I have scanned for Viruses, found none. I regularly run Scan Disk and Defrag.

Have not made any system changes.

Got 256MB of PC2100 DDR Memory(Crucial). Replaced the RAM cause I thought it was bad, cause it was giving me errors when I had WINXP, so I put in a stick of Crucial.

I am running AMD Athlon XP 1800+, 350 Watt Power Supply(Came with the PC Case), Got the MSI KT3 Ultra2 (MS-6380E) motherboard. Running Windows 98SE.

These beeps occured one time when I was installing Diablo 2 LOD. Also, I have good temps. Like 95* degrees F for CPU temp when the CPU has activity and when it is left on during the day.

Recently I have added a new CD-ROM. But I doubt that is the problem, because I got these beeps from my previous CD-ROM aswell..

What do you think it could be?

Thanks!

[Markoman01027]

I don't know what could the problem. But I don't think it is anything wrong with the hardware. I mean the system POSTS just fine.

Also, I went to take my PC to the repair shop to buy some case fans, and one of the PC techs told me that I have this thing in the back of the motherboard, where it has like 4 lights. If somrthing is wrong, then one of the lights will go out, and you have to look in the manual for the codes or whatever..Everytime I turn on my system and run win98se, I would go in the back of the motherboard to check out the colors, and I would get 4 solid greens, which is good..So after I got the 3 beeps, I went in there to check it out again, and I had 4 solid green.

Maybe the Power Supply is dying? Don't really know the Power Supply brand name. Because it came with my PC case.

[Markoman01027]

More Specs:
Sound Blaster Live 5.1
Netgear FA311
Nvidia Geforce 4 MX 440(Needed a video card for the system to run)

Primary Master: IBM 80GB 7200RPM ATA 100 Hard Drive
Secondary Master: Lite On 48X24X48

Drivers are all up to date.

I had Kingston RAM before and it was giving me trouble with WINXP. So I put in Crucial 256MB of DDR RAM PC2100, and went back to WIN98SE..

Any ideas? Is this normal for the MSI motherboard?

[Markoman01027]

Just an addition..this is a rare issue..hasn't happen for like 2 months..until this one time right now...

[GaryRouth]

Do you have anything set to sound an alarm? Although your system temps sound very good, if they are varying & you have your bios Hardware Monitor set to alarm at a fairly low temp = that might be it.

I don't recommend KaZaa under any circumstances. Nor KaZaa lite. Too much trouble. I'd uninstall it, run AdAware, The Cleaner, and maybe Search & Destroy - then perhaps RegClean 4.1 . . . just to make sure it's gone. Pc Speaker beeps are usually hardware, though - the only connection to KaZaa would be if the background activity it creates is adding a cpu load and creating heat when you aren't expecting it.

Might check around on the MSI site for anything that's up with your model. Read up on that diagnostic LED display - it may have a beep associated with an event [sounds like you have the one with 4 lights and the USB ports in the back]. And just to cover all the bases, look to see if you have a beep associated with a system event in your "Sounds" in Control Panel.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[Markoman01027]

I'll get rid of Kazaa. Since it puts spyware on my PC. I am gonna contact MSI about this on Monday. I don't have any set alarms for anything.
I checked on with my manual, and it didn't mention anything about beeps, and didn't say anything about four green lights, just different light combinations and their problem(s).

I will uninstall Kazaa, run Adaware, Virus Scan, run Search and Destroy, and offourse Regclean 4.1

Thanks Gary

[Markoman01027]

Gara,
I think I remember using Adaware, and it gave me a list of registry entries they found, so I deleted all of them. I rebooted and I went into safe mode. LOL

I dont know if Adaware caused it or anything. But that was a long time ago

[Markoman01027]

No, sorry that was Search and Destroy. I had Kazaa installed on my system, and it gave me like a whoe list of registry entries that it found. So I deleted all of them within the program, and when I rebooted, it sent me to Safe Mode. Not sure of what the problem was, but I needed to reformat anyways.

As it says on the top, use it on your own risk LOL

[Markoman01027]

Just not sure what type of registry entries that it finds to delete. Don't want to delete a wrong one, and end up in safe mode again LOL..

Gonna backup my registry right now

[Nuclear Krusader]

Four greens in the D-LED means everything is fine.

You don't have the Accesibility Options activated on Win98, do you?

And regarding file sharing, get WinMX if you can't live without a file sharing program.

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

The changes made by AdAware don't usually lead to SafeMode, but Search and Destoy is a tad more aggressive (it's usually worth it, though). Usually a device driver needs to be reinstalled, or sometimes a repair install of IE & you're back in business. I've never had a problem with AdAware, so you could try that one first, then run the others, and save Search and Destroy for the last - you might not have to be that thorough.

Did you check the Hardware Monitor (or PC Health) in the Bios? Quite a few have a temp alarm on by default, so even if you didn't set an alarm - it might be set anyway (though if you run normally at 95 degrees Farenheight, you're a long ways from an alarm)

The only other thing I can think of for a beep might be something KaZaa might do to let you know when sharing files in the background - maybe a notification sort of thing (HyperTerminal, for example, will beep three times when connecting and disconnecting, if you ask it to by checking an option box in one of its setup screens)

Intriguing - let us know how it turns out.
. . . Gary

[Markoman01027]

Thanks for the reply Gary,
I am not worried about it anymore. I have 4 green LED's which means everything is running OK, and I am able to POST fine. Those are the two most important worries to me. I removed KAZAA, and I am gonna be running WINMX. Ran Regclean, and fixed all of it's registry problems it found. Gonna run Adaware later on, but I backed up my registry incase anything unusual happens after I am done with Adaware.

I am running LINKSYS router with 5 port hub. Since I am running that, I am not able to make a primary connection with WINMX, but a secondary connection with WINMX. KAZAA ran fine. Any ideas how I can make a primary connection with WINMX instead using a SECONDARY Connection with them?

I consider this problem solved. Nothing major. Will check in the BIOS for any alerm settings that I have not noticed that could be turned on.

Thanks for the reply Gary and Henry! LOL That Rhymes!

[Markoman01027]

Sometimes this would happen after I am out of standby mode. Do you think it could be bad RAM? I got PC2100 DDR RAM from CRUCIAL.

Any ideas guys?

[Markoman01027]

I don't know if it could be bad RAM. Because if it were to be bad RAM, my PC wouldn't post right.

[Markoman01027]

ok guys..I think I got it all solved..

Even though my PC posts fine, I still sometimes get 3 beeps during Windows environment. So I am telling myself, 3 short beeps means it is bad RAM.

So I begin to think even though it only beeps in windows, it could still faulty RAM.

As I would be playing UT2003, the game would lockup too.. That is another symptom of faulty RAM..

So Here I am talking to my friend online..telling him what are the symptoms and what I think is the problem..guess what he said? He experienced the same problem..downloading music with KAZAA would get him the 3 beeps, installing games would get him 3 beeps, running high required RAM programs. He said putting in a new stick of RAM will solve the problem.

So I am gonna order a new stick of 256MB of PC2100 DDR RAM for XMAS, and post back on the results.

[GaryRouth]

Still not sure how the three beeps would be RAM - that usually only happens at startup, since that sort of beep is usually part of a bios routine. Freezes and lockups and invalid page faults are often bad RAM, though.

Those symptoms are also common with overheating, too. Just to cover all the bases, try checking temps off and on for a few days, just to make sure - especially if you've just heard the beeps.
___
You know, I just re-read some of the earlier posts - where you mentioned that you previously had trouble with Kingston RAM and WinXP on this motherboard: I'd find it unlikely that both the Kingston and the Crucial were bad (though it is possible). I'd doublecheck on the motherboard itself, perhaps the power supply, and the cpu fan. Maybe run with the case open & work the box hard with a heavy load - watch to see if the speed of the cpu fan falters or if it stops at any point.

Should be interesting to see how it turns out.
. . . Gary

[and, just out of curiosity, did your friend have a motherboard like yours?]

[...and, hmm - try slower timings or "Timing By SPD" for the Bios setup for your RAM timings?]

[Markoman01027]

No, my friend had a different board. But he experienced the same symptoms.
The temps been always at around 95*F since I put in the HSF the Heat Sink. Goes up a few after I am done playing UT2003.
I am gonna contact MSI about this, to see if it is any motherboard problem related, see if they experienced this type of problem with their boards.
Got lifetime warranty on the RAM, so it doesn't hurt to try a new stick of RAM
Don't have too much money right now to start replacing parts..need to save up for my project car heheh

[Markoman01027]

I was told that my CPU and System temps were fine. The game has never locked up before, until now.
No, the cpu fan does not stop at any point

[Markoman01027]

But I think I am going to replace the RAM soon, and then I will post back on the results.
But I will check all connections to make sure they are fit in good, will clean the CPU fan, Case Fans. What is Timing by SPD?

[Nuclear Krusader]

Check the MSI forums before contacting customer support, coz they will try to blame everything but the mobo.

[GaryRouth]

SPD = Serial Presence Detect. In your Bios menu, it's under Advanced Chipset Features/RAM Timing Control/Configure Timing By= . . . here is where you can select "SPD". It allows your Bios to set the timings to the defaults which it finds when querying the module. "User" = means you set everything manually (which sometimes might be a bit too fast for the module).

Are you overclocking? That board comes with the Fuzzy Logic overclocking tool. If you are, try going back to stock speeds and see if the beeps stop.

Are you using PC Alert III? that program sounds alerts for temps, fan speed, and voltages.

Did you enable Boot Sector Virus Protection (a very good idea if you haven't)? This, too, will beep if it detects anything attempting to modify the boot sector or partition table of the hard drive.

It's a beeping world on motherboards these days, eh?
. . . Gary

[hmmm...in case I haven't yet recommended scanning for viruses, it's always a good idea when KaZaa has been around. Could have been viruses trying to get to your boot sector. . . ]

[Markoman01027]

I have Boot Sector Virus Protection Disabled, No the CPU is not overclocked, and No I am not running Fuzzy Logic, aswell as I am not running PC ALERT III.

I just ran the quick-test of DocMem, and the tests showed the memory passed.

Will try that thing in the BIOS, and post back on the results.

Anymore suggestions?

[GaryRouth]

I added trying virus scans in an edit to the earlier post - it's always a good idea anyway.

If it turns out to be the RAM, and you get an explanation of how the beeps are related, I'd be interested in hearing how: this is something I haven't come across before. All the pc speaker beeps I've ever heard have been bios codes. Any possibility that the beeps are coming from your modem's speaker? That's where HyperTerminal beeps 3 times on connecting or disconnecting: I'm wondering if KaZaa allowed such connections in the background. . .

Looks like I'm going to learn something new with this one.
. . . Gary

[Markoman01027]

Gary, I do not have a modem installed. I am running on DSL. About the BIOS thing with the SPD, I went in there to check it out, and it is put on SPD instead of USER.

I have ran a Virus Scan to check the MBR and it has not found any viruses in MBR aswell as throughout the whole system.

I removed Kazaa, and did a Regclean and I would still get the 3 beeps, one time I got it during the use of WINAMP(Latest version).

Anyways. I will run a more advanced version of the Dockmemory test sometime tomorrow, and post back with the results.

Will buy a new stick of RAM when XMAS comes around, and post back with the results.

I am almost positive that putting in a new stick of RAM Will do the job. Although, I am a little bit doubtful as it is a Crucial RAM chip. But any RAM chip can go bad regardless of what company it is made by.

[Markoman01027]

Gary,
I know 3 beeps means that the RAM is faulty. That is why I suspected the RAM to be faulty even though I got 3 beeps during windows operation, and from speaking to my friend about it, who had got 3 beeps from downloading music, installing games, etc and the fact that my sytem would lock up while playing UT 2003 even though my system and cpu temps are fine.

The question that bothers me. Why did it beep in Windows? Why wouldn't it beep during POST?

[Markoman01027]

With the D-Bracket LED system that comes with my motherboard, based on reading the manual, the system would hang if it would find the memory module to be damaged or not installed propery, and I would get 3 red and 1 green.

So I am not sure if it is a damaged module or not. Maybe the BIOS finds the memory to be OK, but when Windows tries to use it, it doesnt find it to be OK..I am not sure ..

[Nuclear Krusader]

It is possible for bad memory to fail only on certain tasks though, such as intensive 3D apps.

[GaryRouth]

If it does turn out the Crucial isn't working at it's default speeds, they are pretty good about returns and replacements. I guess I've never worked on a system with memory that worked well enough to keep going while getting errors from within Windows. Usually I'd see system freezes, invalid page faults - that sort of thing. But I might just have been lucky. Since this is the 2nd set of memory with problems, I'm wondering a little about the slots on the motherboard. Both that Crucial and the earlier Kingston were on the recommended list for that board on the MSI website, too. Might just be luck of the draw.

Hard to wait to find out, isn't it? "Curiouser and curiouser" - Lewis Carroll, Alice In WonderLand
. . . Gary

[Markoman01027]

I just got off the phone with Crucial. I am getting the RAM replaced. They also suggested to flash my BIOS if replacing the RAM does not solve the problem.

Thanks for all of your help guys! Hopefully this will work out.

[Markoman01027]

Gary,
Maybe my RAM slots are bad. Is it OK to put the new RAM in Slot #2 incase Slot #1 is bad? I have heard it is best to put it in #1, as BIOS counts the first bank of RAM. I have also heard that it would give you problems if you put in just one stick in a second slot, as second slot is used for memory expansion.

Will receive the RAM sometime next week, and will post back within a few days if I encounter any symptoms of faulty RAM or those 3 beeps. If I do, I will flash my BIOS to the latest revision, and then post back on if I encounter anymore problems. If I do encounter anymore problems, things will have to point with the motherboard

Henry you were right, MSI would start blaiming the RAM and not their motherboard LOL