yo computer repair people

[Tri-ZNate]

I need a little help. In my computer repair class we got one of the teachers old computers to tinker with and see if we can get it running again. Ok here is the issue.

When started it beeps 3 times. No more which would indicate ram and no less. My teacher though it might be ram so I took a stick out of another computer, tried it and it still beeped. I put the stick back in the other computer and now it beeps 3 times. I later learned the computer I took the memory from (a computer which I had running earlier) now needed a graphics card and it is good now. I cant ever remember reading anything in my reapair books that said 3 beps equals anything. Any ideas?

[ScottZJ]

If its one long and 2 short beeps then your video adapter has failed. You might try be reseating the card or move it to another PCI slot (if that old sucker has them hehe).
2-3 regular beeps usually mean memory error and need to replace or reseat the memory.

[bigredhead]

Look for the motherboard model number and do a google search on " Beep codes " different brands sometimes have different beep codes.

Compaq's will beep 8 times on a shot video card and the numb lock light will flash for example.

Do you get Anything at all on screen what so ever ?

Some of these old machines need RAM in matching pairs, and you may even have to adjust jumpers on the board according to the ram you have.. parity or non-parity etc..

How old is this thing exactly ?486, 386 ? 8086 ? or pentium ?


http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

Check that link for the beep info.

[Tri-ZNate]

yepm one had a bad piece of ram and one had a bad AGP slot. My diegnosis PEBKAC :lol: