A22e w/WinXP unexpected shutdown / beep codes?

[so2]

Upgraded an A22e 2655-45U PIII 850mhz w/320MB to WinXP a few weeks ago when installing a new Hitachi 30GB hard drive (original drive died). A few days later, machine started hanging and shutting itself down, sometimes rebooting automatically, but mostly - just freezing up (screen may remain frozen or go black).

A series of beeps sounds each time the freeze occurs: 3-1-4-3 beep pattern.

I've done the following:

- update Win/XP to SP2
- tested with different memory unit combinations
- unistalled IBM updates and software listed for A22e after going to Win/XP

I've googled all over for this beep code, including multiple pages on IBM's site. No luck in finding that specific series of beeps. Indications are that the problem might be a DIMM or System Board. I've read various posts here and on other laptop sites about heat issues, reseating the CPU, memory modules that go, etc.

Does anybody have a clue what the 3-1-4-3 beep pattern indicates?

Thanks for any help.
so2 (Steve)

[sirlarry07]

I also have the a21e 2655 , but 700mhz....according to specifications...this model will not accept greater than 256mb RAM. nor greater than 20gig HD....Are you sure your specs will allow this....There have been posted several problems with xp ...do you have a legitimate copy of XP,,,,,if not then that is your problem...with the upgrade 2......LStrick

[so2]

Thanks for the info, SirLarry07.

Specs say 512MB RAM max and it came with a 30GB hard drive which was replaced with a similar Hitachi/TravelStar drive. The XP copy is legitimate.

Amazingly, after trying all sorts of updates and driver reinstalls, and just before I totally gave up on it, the machine quite shutting down and has been on its best behavior for over a week. It quit "shutting down" right after installing a Logitech mouse driver.

I have not given up on this machine yet. It seems to be working fine.

Thanks again for replying to my query.

so2 (Steve)

[karn]

Hello so2,

I found (somewhere) else someone else having similar probs, except this person finally managed to fix their problem

They were installing a 40gig Hitachi, this is what they did they first loaded Windows 98 and to the hard drive and partitioned the hard drive in to 4 partitions.

Then they loaded up WinXp upgrade onto the TP,

The install did'nt go quite completely unhindered, (apparently they had to do some hard re-boots along the way of the install)

But after 3.5 hours of staying at it and persistant effort their FULL Xp install was complete and they claimed that their TP had been flawlessly running for over 5 months

Try that suggestion, it worked for them, why not you