Newsgroup: it.comp.hardware
Titolo: HELP - EMERGENCY!!!

I have a long story, which I'm going to tell I hope very quickly.
I have the following configuration:
ASUS P5A rev. 1.04 bios 1008-003
64 MB PC-100 + 32 MB EDO
AMD K6-300 MHz (4,5 x 66,7 Mhz)
ATi RagePro AGP2x 8 MB
and other cards.
I have the following problem: the computer refuses to boot very often. I
press the power button, everything spins up but I hear no beep and the
screen remains blank (the monitor doesn't even turn on). Pressing the reset
button many times (or a few, it depends) makes the computer start normally
with a beep and everything. Once the computer boots, everything works
normally. No strange hangs, all expansion cards are working no problems
whatsoever.
I was told by many people that this problem may have to do with a failing
power supply. Well, I bought a new power supply today (235W) and I still
suffer from the same problems.
So what can it be else? The graphics card, the motherboard? I don't want to
bring the whole computer to service because I will pay a lot of money. I
would like to localize the problem by myself (with your help of course!!!).
I can just say that all the voltages, temperatures are normal and that 3d
games work flawlessy.
Sometimes it even happened that the computer hung while showing the bios
screen, or made some beeps with the screen off.
I changed RAM, and the problem remains, so I can exclude the RAM of being
the problem. I also flashed the bios, thinking that it might have corrupt,
but with no results.
PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!
Thank you VERY MUCH!!!
Sebastian

Try it without the mixture of memory, since you have a difference in not
only types but speeds.
[ U R A N I U M } <bingo...@NOSPAMticino.com> wrote in message
news:7vfljl$t83$1...@pollux.ip-plus.net...


You may also want to check your hard drive cables... One broken wire
there can do this.
* Sent from RemarQ 
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The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!

You can't mix PC100 memory and EDO expecting that vintage of M/B to work.
It isn't good to continually hit reset,  as you may damage components on the
M/B,  or power supply.  Some older M/B's can;t use new PC100 memory with 64M
chip modules on the DIMM.
Jon A. Schoen
http://polkcity.net


The main problem I have is that the hangs on boot are random.
I once tried to put in a pci video card (as I don't have any other agp
cards) and then inserted the other cards one by one. I didn't have any
problems there, and even after replacing the pci video card with the
original agp on the system worked fine again for days. Then it started again
to play these jokes.
The only thing I can tell is that once booted up I have no problems
whatsoever. My system works fine, 3d games work, sound, tv, scsi card, modem
work and the hard drive works perfectly too. The computer just hangs on
boot... the screen goes blank and nothing happens (most of the times) or the
computer hangs while loading the bios screen, or the screen goes blank and I
hear some beeps (1 long, 2 medium and then many short ones, I think those
don't stop).
In the meanwhile I put again the PCI card inside (Matrox MGA Millennium
4mb). The computer didn't lock up yet, but you know, this happened also with
the AGP card.... this problem really sucks as it is random. I can't keep
this pci card inside all the time, as another machine needs it... so I might
bring the machine to service, but who knows how many horus it will them take
to find out the problem?
Sebastian
[ U R A N I U M } <bingo...@NOSPAMticino.com> schrieb in im Newsbeitrag:
7vfljl$t83$1...@pollux.ip-plus.net...


Have you tried with a new CPU, my system behaved similary when my K6-2-400 went
bad
/L


Defective videocards can cause trouble like this
[ U R A N I U M } <bingo...@NOSPAMticino.com> wrote in message
news:7vfljl$t83$1...@pollux.ip-plus.net...


Many thanks to everybody or sharing his knowledge.
As my problems are random it is difficult to tell, once replaced a piece, if
the system will work good for the next days. As I don't have any onther agp
board here I will return the system to my dealer. The motherboard is still
under guarantee, and if it's the cpu I will be happy anyway to get a new
k6-III. If it is the graphics card, I will get a new one + k6-III.
Thank you very much again
Sebastian
PS My system is running fine since this morning.... damn thing!


Thanks guys for all your suggestions.
Well, I actually found out it was the bios chip. I once did a hot swap
flashing for another motherboard, and when I put the original bios chip back
in in my motherboard I forgot to, hum... hem... (sorry, this is very
embarassing) push it in firmly. The chip was actually hanging there by
miracle. Now the pc works fine, I booted and rebooted tons of times. Damn,
I'm such an idiot. I'm going to open a bottle of champagne now and get 64 mb
ram on tuesday.
Thanks again and many greetings
Seba ;-)


 Pablo

--
Please respond with all of this email
Thank You

I had my power go out, due to an earthquake, in the middle of flashing my
bios.
The image of "DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER" was stuck in my head due to the
instant darkness.
Worst of all it was a replacement chip for my old bios that was killed by
monkey.b or some virus.
All within 3 days.
Argg.
[ U R A N I U M } <bingo...@NOSPAMticino.com> wrote in message
news:7vi00j$5ae$1...@pollux.ip-plus.net...



Ever thought of changeing the "toc" in your Email address to "lucky" ?
John.
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