A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

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rmplayer1
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A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#1 Post by rmplayer1 » Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:02 pm

I have a a31p which will not boot. I get one beep, then three beeps then another three beeps and then a binal beep and lights flicker but then nothing. Initially the bios would come up indicating the date was incorrect. The computer would boot after the date was changed, until finally the CMOS would not come up. I replaced the cmos battery but to no avail.
Any ideas?
Yours truly
rmplayer

ajkula66
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Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#2 Post by ajkula66 » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:31 pm

According to HMM, it's the DIMM or system board. You likely have one bad RAM slot.

Try swapping your RAM around.

Good luck.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

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rmplayer1
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Victoria BC, Canada

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#3 Post by rmplayer1 » Sat Aug 22, 2009 8:32 pm

Thanks, Both RAM chips will work alone but now the Windows screen comes up and hangs or allows the F1 or F12 keys to function only to find that they both hang. I had thought the BIOS might be corrupted. I wonder if the BIOS chip can be changed or upgraded or if I will need a new motherboard.

ajkula66
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Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#4 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:41 pm

BIOS chip can't be changed or upgraded.

You obviously do have one bad slot...

Try removing your mini-PCI card (if there's one installed), your hard and media drives, and your battery and then start the machine using just the AC adapter. See if it still hangs then...

Report back the findings.

Good luck.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

rmplayer1
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Victoria BC, Canada

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#5 Post by rmplayer1 » Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:41 am

I removed the pc card, the dvd and floppy drives. battery, and hard drive. Yesterday the Windows 2000 window would occasionally appear, today nN\othing comes up anymore.

ajkula66
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Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#6 Post by ajkula66 » Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:58 pm

My assumption is that your GPU has started detaching itself from the rest of the board.

Have you tried hooking it up to an external monitor?
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

rmplayer1
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Victoria BC, Canada

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#7 Post by rmplayer1 » Mon Aug 24, 2009 7:58 pm

I haven't tried the external monitor yet but will tonight. There may be a problem since I can't get into the CMOS and am unsure if the settings need to be changed for the external monitor vs the laptop monitor. Are you familiar with the 1get39ww bios?

ajkula66
SuperUserGeorge
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Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#8 Post by ajkula66 » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:33 pm

Fn+F7 should take care of that...when you turn the machine on.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

rmplayer1
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Victoria BC, Canada

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#9 Post by rmplayer1 » Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:35 pm

Hello Bill,
I tried the external monitor and it worked twice showing the Widows 2000 screen, though the keyboard would not respond to either F1 or F12. Now neither the laptop monitor or the external monitor will come up. It is tempormental that way and will usually beep on the second attempt unless you move the DIMM. Is there a timer of some sort or what do you suspect is malfunctioning?

ajkula66
SuperUserGeorge
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Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:28 am
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Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#10 Post by ajkula66 » Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:03 pm

You have a motherboard problem.

It may be that the bad DIMM slot is affecting the operation of the entire machine, or that the GPU has started detaching itself.

Your A31p needs professional help.

Likely a new motherboard.

Good luck.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

rmplayer1
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Victoria BC, Canada

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#11 Post by rmplayer1 » Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:51 pm

Hello Bill.
I was wondering, what is a GPU?

ajkula66
SuperUserGeorge
SuperUserGeorge
Posts: 15739
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:28 am
Location: Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania

Re: A31p beeps three times but then stays idle.

#12 Post by ajkula66 » Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:08 pm

Bill... :?:

GPU is your graphic card
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

AARP club members:A31p, T43pSF

Abused daily: T61p

PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

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