Woe is me...

Condolencies for your PC. :cry:

Thanks for the information, it shouldn't make much difference though, as I can't understand half of what's posted anyway. :badgrin:

Man, how many times do we have to tell you to quit putting ketchup on those microchips, ya damn Yankee !

Good luck with getting it fixed, beard-guy, being computerless sucks...

Have you tried connecting it to a different monitor? Just in case that's the problem.

If it's not, it could be the video card. Or something more internal than that, but hopefully not.

You are technology's Doors.

I think technology hates everyone. Traffic lights hate, no matter if I'm supposed to be with the flow of traffic I'll always get the red light. I think its rigged.

If we assume that this is not a trivial error, like a broken D-Sub cable or a graphics card that's been unplugged, usually, these beeps are a way for your computer to tell you there is something wrong that prevents the bootstrap to complete. Some motherboards even supply a chart where you can match different beep sequences to different error codes. So, say two beeps pause one beep could mean "Failed to overclock". Not all motherboards do this, though.

My motherboard doesn't like my new RAM memory, somehow it thinks that it should overclock. So, when I start it up, I get a blank screen, but, if I have speakers connected to the motherboard's built in soundcard, it says, in a distorted voice, "Overclocking failed". I just reboot it, and everything is fine. This happens every time I start the computer. So, I have to boot it twice each morning. Not a big deal.

If you have installed new RAM in your computer, or have spare, you could try to remove some of it and see if that helps.

You mean the fancy glass ones that automatically slide open while reciting haikus ?

They can do that ocasionally. It seems to be random.

It usually means that the ipod needs to be reset, the details are on the apple website.

This may or may not be useful, it depends if you use your computer that doesn't work with your ipod or not.

Ah, yes, then it's probably trying to tell you something. If you write down the pattern, and find out what mark/model motherboard you have, the exact meaning should be possible to find on the internet. I can help you with that, if you can see what mark and model your motherboard is.

I think we can leave the RAM theory for now, since we seem to be able to get more information from the motherboard.

Just for information, RAM memory looks like this:


And is held onto the motherboard by clamps, white in this picture:


But leave the RAM where it is, for now.


So, what we need now is to find out what kind of motherboard you have.

Your computer should fit in one of the following three categories.

a) If you have a pre-built PC from Dell or HP for example, these computers have a model name (usually printed on the front of the chassi), and from that model name we can find out what kind of motherboard you have.

Here's a picture of a Dell Dimension 3100, with it's Dell logo clearly visible on the front:


b) You have a custom "kit" PC built from seperate parts, perhaps assembled by a friend or a local store. Then we need to open it up (or locate old reciepts!) to see what motherboard you have.

Motherboards look like this:


The layout of your motherboard may vary. Printed on this surface, somewhere, is the mark and model. On some models, the text is easily found, and on some you have to look for a while to find it. This text can be very small!

If you want, since I've noticed you're very good with photography, you can take a picture of your chassi, then open up the chassi and take as detailed as possible a picture of your motherboard. I might be able to find out what kind of motherboard you have in that case.

c) You have a mac. Can't help you there, I'm afraid.

NOTE! Some computers are hired, and sometimes these are sealed so that your warranty is forfeit if the seal is broken. Don't open up your computer if this is the case!

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOTE! Unplug all wires connecting to your computer before you open it up. Most important, of course, is the power cord, but do all just to be safe. Also, if you're really unlucky, static electricity stored in your body can fry the circuits. I've never seen this happen, but just to be safe, if you have water based radiators in your house, you can touch them to ground yourself and hopefully discharge static electricity. Even though, try to touch as little as possible inside the chassi, especially the motherboard, which can be very sensitive. As long as you open up the chassi and only take a careful look inside, you (and your computer) should be fine.

Finally, if you feel this sounds too technical, difficult or boring, just don't do it, get someone to help you instead.

Strange really, I have always left the main power plugged in, but switched off at the mains, so that I could earth myself through the PSU...

It always is a surprise to me, how few people dare to open up the case of a PC, let alone get down and dirty in there. I always say to people - If you have played with Lego or Meccano as a kid, you have the mechanical ability to build one

It may not work, but they could!

All the best with your respective quests for computerised perfection

Yes, that's a good idea, I just don't want to see a post from Rinso's mum in a week saying "Curse you, Jonas, it took me hours to clean up the monkey barbeque, and also, my son is dead!". So, I think we're better off with the unplug-everything-approach.

Call me a coward.

I've electrocuted myself once and I don't hope to do it again. I did a very stupid thing and got what I deserved. I think it took me about 10 seconds to get away from the chassis, but then again, during those panicky moments, it's hard to estimate time, it might just have been a second. My muscles were gripping tightly around the thing due to the electricity surging from my one hand to my other and my hands refused to let go of the chassis.

I came loose by pulling the chassis so hard the power cable came loose. My hands were bleeding after that, from the cut marks I got by gripping the chassis so tightly. I also had burn marks in my hands. With only a small scar on my left thumb left now, I got away with only being frightened, hurt and ashamed of my stupidity.

I have this prejudice about British homes that wall-to-wall fitted carpets are very common. Another prejudice is that you often wear shoes indoors. Am I completely wrong here? I believe these factors increase the chance that you're statically charged.

I've only ever been in one British home, and that had wall-to-wall carpets even in the bathroom! Yuck!

I realise that my sample data might not be big enough to make a good estimate on British flooring, though. :-D

I like my carpet. It means I can stumble about my room when I'm bleary-eyed and getting dressed on winter mornings without my feet getting cold.

But bathrooms should never be carpeted.

I remember a French (nationality) English (subject) teacher of mine, totally mad, who loved everything English so much... Once I visited her house and went to use the bathroom. She had assimilated the fact that the British have carpet in their bathrooms. But as usual she had gone a little over the top. Duck-poo green carpet [b:6b8980a9f8]everywhere[/b:6b8980a9f8]. Floor, walls, ceiling, and matching mats and loo-lid-cover. **shudders**

All this has of course nothing much to do with computers.

once upon a time when i was very young we had carpet in our bathroom. it was a patchy sort of rust color.

dad ripped it all out and put tile down as soon as he could. i have one of the extra tiles in the bottom of some jewelry box or other. i don't know why.

Haha! :-D

If you believe in goblins you could even make that your entry for the photo competition