Computer won't boot

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:28:31 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:28:31 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Antares 531" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/

"Antares 531" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:28:31 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.

I just started it up cold again and the continuous beep is back. I did
several re-boots using the power button on the computer case and it
didn't quit.

Then, I did a shutdown clicking on the Start Turn off computer
Restart sequence and it came alive in fine shape. I used this computer
for several minutes and it seems to be doing fine. In fact it seems a
bit faster than it used to be. Maybe something that is needed isn't
loading or some such???

This seems to indicate a BIOS setting error but I'm not smart enough
to figure out what it might be. I did have to reset some of the BIOS
things after the first set of problems, but these resettings were
minimal...set the mouse double click for bringing it out of
hibernation...set the boot sequence for CD first, hard drive second,
etc.,

Any ideas as to what BIOS setting might be messed up.

Thanks, Gordon

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:28:31 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.

I just started it up cold again and the continuous beep is back. I did
several re-boots using the power button on the computer case and it
didn't quit.

Then, I did a shutdown clicking on the Start Turn off computer
Restart sequence and it came alive in fine shape. I used this computer
for several minutes and it seems to be doing fine. In fact it seems a
bit faster than it used to be. Maybe something that is needed isn't
loading or some such???

This seems to indicate a BIOS setting error but I'm not smart enough
to figure out what it might be. I did have to reset some of the BIOS
things after the first set of problems, but these resettings were
minimal...set the mouse double click for bringing it out of
hibernation...set the boot sequence for CD first, hard drive second,
etc.,

Any ideas as to what BIOS setting might be messed up.

Thanks, Gordon

On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:02:34 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

"Antares 531" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.

Thanks, glee, for your insights into this set of problems. The
processor fan is the one that came with the processor, and it has
always worked well.

After doing a re-boot using the mouse click sequence StartTurn off
computer...Restart everything seems to work as it should. But, if I
use the power button on the computer's case to turn the computer off,
then start it with a mouse double click or with this same power button
I get the CPU fan erratic behavior and the constant beep sound.

I'm speculating that I may have made some bad settings in the BIOS
yesterday when I activated the mouse double click as a means for
starting the computer. I also set the boot sequence to 1. CD, 2. Hard
drive, 3. floppy drive. I don't see how this could cause any problems,
but maybe I inadvertently set something else into an unworkable state.

You may be right about the power supply being the cause of at least
some of the problems, but I can't figure out why it will operate for
an extended time without any beeps or other indicated problems, the
throw a hissy fit when I re-start the computer.

Gordon

On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:02:34 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

"Antares 531" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.

Thanks, glee, for your insights into this set of problems. The
processor fan is the one that came with the processor, and it has
always worked well.

After doing a re-boot using the mouse click sequence StartTurn off
computer...Restart everything seems to work as it should. But, if I
use the power button on the computer's case to turn the computer off,
then start it with a mouse double click or with this same power button
I get the CPU fan erratic behavior and the constant beep sound.

I'm speculating that I may have made some bad settings in the BIOS
yesterday when I activated the mouse double click as a means for
starting the computer. I also set the boot sequence to 1. CD, 2. Hard
drive, 3. floppy drive. I don't see how this could cause any problems,
but maybe I inadvertently set something else into an unworkable state.

You may be right about the power supply being the cause of at least
some of the problems, but I can't figure out why it will operate for
an extended time without any beeps or other indicated problems, the
throw a hissy fit when I re-start the computer.

Gordon

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:06:53 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:


I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.


I don't mean to claim that the whole computer needs to be replaced,
but it sounds like the fan (or perhaps the power supply) should be
replaced.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:06:53 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:


I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.


I don't mean to claim that the whole computer needs to be replaced,
but it sounds like the fan (or perhaps the power supply) should be
replaced.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:08:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:06:53 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:


I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.


I don't mean to claim that the whole computer needs to be replaced,
but it sounds like the fan (or perhaps the power supply) should be
replaced.

Ken, I'm increasingly convinced that you and others who have suggested
this are right. I just went through a lengthy process of shutting down
and restarting several times, by every available method, but was not
able to duplicate the problem.

This problem occurred only once, when I first started the computer
this morning. I'm now thinking it may be a thermal problem such as a
cracked circuit on the motherboard, or maybe a thermally unstable
connector somewhere. I'll keep messing around with it and hope to
narrow the problem down a bit.

I keep this computer in a nice warm room that doesn't get cooler than
about 65º at night and stays at 71º throughout the day. It's not like
I was leaving the poor thing out in the snow all night then expecting
it to spring back alive with no problems come morning!

I do power this computer down when I don't anticipating using it for a
while. That is, I don't just put it into hibernate or sleep mode. I
shut it down, completely.

I'm guessing that the computer would beep if something causes the CPU
fan to stop, not the other way around. That is, it isn't some other
problem that causes the beeping and also causes the fan to stop.

Still, I can't figure out why the fan keeps trying to start. It goes
through an endless sequence of on for about 2 seconds then off for
about the same length of time. The beeping doesn't synchronize with
the fan's on/off cycles, but runs in parallel, so to speak.

It does seem that once the motherboard gets warmed up a bit it is
stable, but when it has cooled down for an extended period of time
this thermal problem may crop up. I'll check this out a lot before I
throw the computer in the dumpster.

Gordon

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:08:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:06:53 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:22 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:


I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon


Almost certainly something is failing. I don't believe in flukes.

This old computer reminds me of the old story, "The Deacon's
Masterpiece." I think it is about to the end of its life, although it
is just a bit more than two years old.


I don't mean to claim that the whole computer needs to be replaced,
but it sounds like the fan (or perhaps the power supply) should be
replaced.

Ken, I'm increasingly convinced that you and others who have suggested
this are right. I just went through a lengthy process of shutting down
and restarting several times, by every available method, but was not
able to duplicate the problem.

This problem occurred only once, when I first started the computer
this morning. I'm now thinking it may be a thermal problem such as a
cracked circuit on the motherboard, or maybe a thermally unstable
connector somewhere. I'll keep messing around with it and hope to
narrow the problem down a bit.

I keep this computer in a nice warm room that doesn't get cooler than
about 65º at night and stays at 71º throughout the day. It's not like
I was leaving the poor thing out in the snow all night then expecting
it to spring back alive with no problems come morning!

I do power this computer down when I don't anticipating using it for a
while. That is, I don't just put it into hibernate or sleep mode. I
shut it down, completely.

I'm guessing that the computer would beep if something causes the CPU
fan to stop, not the other way around. That is, it isn't some other
problem that causes the beeping and also causes the fan to stop.

Still, I can't figure out why the fan keeps trying to start. It goes
through an endless sequence of on for about 2 seconds then off for
about the same length of time. The beeping doesn't synchronize with
the fan's on/off cycles, but runs in parallel, so to speak.

It does seem that once the motherboard gets warmed up a bit it is
stable, but when it has cooled down for an extended period of time
this thermal problem may crop up. I'll check this out a lot before I
throw the computer in the dumpster.

Gordon

"Antares 531" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:02:34 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

"Antares 531" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard
that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light
flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this
old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on
after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short
bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was
it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically
designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.

Thanks, glee, for your insights into this set of problems. The
processor fan is the one that came with the processor, and it has
always worked well.

After doing a re-boot using the mouse click sequence StartTurn off
computer...Restart everything seems to work as it should. But, if I
use the power button on the computer's case to turn the computer off,
then start it with a mouse double click or with this same power button
I get the CPU fan erratic behavior and the constant beep sound.

I'm speculating that I may have made some bad settings in the BIOS
yesterday when I activated the mouse double click as a means for
starting the computer. I also set the boot sequence to 1. CD, 2. Hard
drive, 3. floppy drive. I don't see how this could cause any problems,
but maybe I inadvertently set something else into an unworkable state.

You may be right about the power supply being the cause of at least
some of the problems, but I can't figure out why it will operate for
an extended time without any beeps or other indicated problems, the
throw a hissy fit when I re-start the computer.

Gordon,
If you are "turning it off" with the button on the case, and then
starting it by double-clicking the mouse, you are NOT turning it off,
you are putting it to sleep or in hibernation. Did you configure in the
BIOS for the button on the case to hibernate when pressed briefly, and
to turn off if held down for 5 seconds?

I assume when you actually shut down completely, you are using the
Start Shutdown menu in Windows...correct? When it is shut down that
way, a mouse click will not start the computer....you have to start it
using the button on the case. Is that the way it is configured?

Is the ONLY time you see the fan start and stop and start again, when
you have it sleeping or hibernating, and you wake it? Is that also the
only time you hear the beep?

If you TOTALLY shut down, so the mouse will not start it, do you hear a
beep or see the erratic fan behaviour at start up?
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/

"Antares 531" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:02:34 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

"Antares 531" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:25:25 -0600, Antares 531
wrote:

I have an older computer with a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L motherboard
that
I home-built a few years back. I recently built a new computer and
have been keeping the old one alive until I get the new one all
checked out and settled in.

Yesterday the old computer wouldn't boot. It makes a BEEP about one
second long during the boot process but won't go any farther. The
drive lights flash and the monitor goes through its first sign of
lighting up, after I turn the computer on, but this is as far as it
goes. The monitor goes black and the activity lights on the front of
the computer flash a few times, then everything stops.

I've tried using the original Windows XP Pro installation disk, and
also a second boot disk that I slipstreamed with SP3 on it. Neither
boot disk will initiate a start-up process. The CD drive light
flashes
a few times then quits and nothing more happens after the BEEP.

Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Thanks, Gordon

I finally got the above problem resolved and for a day or so this
old
computer worked very well. But, this morning when I turned it on
after
being shut down overnight I got a continuous beep. Everything seemed
to be working okay but the beep didn't stop.

I opened the case and noticed the CPU fan was running in short
bursts
of about 2 seconds then stopping for about the same length of time.
This continued until I shut the computer down and re-booted...cold
boot. After this, the fan ran constantly and there was no more
beeping.

This computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor E6750, LGA 775 Pkg
2.66 GHZ, 4MB L2 Cache, 1333 MHz FSB.

Is this an indication of something in the process of failing or was
it
just a fluke of some sort?

Thanks for your insights, Gordon

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically
designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.

Thanks, glee, for your insights into this set of problems. The
processor fan is the one that came with the processor, and it has
always worked well.

After doing a re-boot using the mouse click sequence StartTurn off
computer...Restart everything seems to work as it should. But, if I
use the power button on the computer's case to turn the computer off,
then start it with a mouse double click or with this same power button
I get the CPU fan erratic behavior and the constant beep sound.

I'm speculating that I may have made some bad settings in the BIOS
yesterday when I activated the mouse double click as a means for
starting the computer. I also set the boot sequence to 1. CD, 2. Hard
drive, 3. floppy drive. I don't see how this could cause any problems,
but maybe I inadvertently set something else into an unworkable state.

You may be right about the power supply being the cause of at least
some of the problems, but I can't figure out why it will operate for
an extended time without any beeps or other indicated problems, the
throw a hissy fit when I re-start the computer.

Gordon,
If you are "turning it off" with the button on the case, and then
starting it by double-clicking the mouse, you are NOT turning it off,
you are putting it to sleep or in hibernation. Did you configure in the
BIOS for the button on the case to hibernate when pressed briefly, and
to turn off if held down for 5 seconds?

I assume when you actually shut down completely, you are using the
Start Shutdown menu in Windows...correct? When it is shut down that
way, a mouse click will not start the computer....you have to start it
using the button on the case. Is that the way it is configured?

Is the ONLY time you see the fan start and stop and start again, when
you have it sleeping or hibernating, and you wake it? Is that also the
only time you hear the beep?

If you TOTALLY shut down, so the mouse will not start it, do you hear a
beep or see the erratic fan behaviour at start up?
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009
A+
http://dts-l.net/

On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 14:54:52 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

"Antares 531" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:02:34 -0500, "glee"
wrote:

(snip)

The processor fan should be spinning continuously...it may go at
variable speed depending on the load on the processor, but it must not
ever stop spinning while the computer is on.

The fan *may* have a built-in temp sensor to determine the speed at
which it needs to spin,and that or the fan itself may be failing.
Regardless, the CPU fan should be replaced by one specifically
designed
for that processor family,and for the heat sink it is installed on.

I still have not been convinced from your last thread, that the PSU is
free of defects either.

Thanks, glee, for your insights into this set of problems. The
processor fan is the one that came with the processor, and it has
always worked well.

After doing a re-boot using the mouse click sequence StartTurn off
computer...Restart everything seems to work as it should. But, if I
use the power button on the computer's case to turn the computer off,
then start it with a mouse double click or with this same power button
I get the CPU fan erratic behavior and the constant beep sound.

I'm speculating that I may have made some bad settings in the BIOS
yesterday when I activated the mouse double click as a means for
starting the computer. I also set the boot sequence to 1. CD, 2. Hard
drive, 3. floppy drive. I don't see how this could cause any problems,
but maybe I inadvertently set something else into an unworkable state.

You may be right about the power supply being the cause of at least
some of the problems, but I can't figure out why it will operate for
an extended time without any beeps or other indicated problems, the
throw a hissy fit when I re-start the computer.

Gordon,
If you are "turning it off" with the button on the case, and then
starting it by double-clicking the mouse, you are NOT turning it off,
you are putting it to sleep or in hibernation. Did you configure in the
BIOS for the button on the case to hibernate when pressed briefly, and
to turn off if held down for 5 seconds?

I assume when you actually shut down completely, you are using the
Start Shutdown menu in Windows...correct? When it is shut down that
way, a mouse click will not start the computer....you have to start it
using the button on the case. Is that the way it is configured?

Is the ONLY time you see the fan start and stop and start again, when
you have it sleeping or hibernating, and you wake it? Is that also the
only time you hear the beep?

If you TOTALLY shut down, so the mouse will not start it, do you hear a
beep or see the erratic fan behaviour at start up?

Glee, I just checked this. I turned the computer off using the
StartTurn off computerTurn Off sequence, then left it off for about
5 minutes. Then, without touching anything else I double clicked my
mouse's left button and the computer started up, normally.

This computer is running Windows XP Pro with SP 3 installed. Also, I
set the BIOS settings such that I can use the mouse to start the
computer.

I'll do some more checking on this but I think I can shut down using
the computer case power button, holding it for more than 5 seconds,
then use the mouse left double click to start it again.

The beep sound was there when I started this computer after lunch. It
had been powered down for an hour or more, giving it enough time to
cool off. This reinforces my thinking that this is a thermal problem,
but I have no idea how to locate it other than one by one replacement
of parts.

Why would only the CPU fan be erratic if this is a power supply
problem? I think all the fans are powered by the same output from the
power supply.

The fans probably have some kind of sensor that sends a signal to the
CPU if the fan stops or fails. I set the BIOS such that any fan
failure would produce a warning signal to me.

So, is the fan actually failing, or is the fan sensor failing, or is
the fan power supply failing or is there a thermal problem on the
motherboard???

Gordon