A PC problem - Advice Welcomed

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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:02 pm

A 4 year old Packard Bell which I named after my cat, has decided to misbehave. As regulars here will remember, I'm a computer pillock. Idiot proof instructions are too complicated for me. So if you bear that in mind with any possible advice it would be helpful. And no, I do not want to go on safari to the miracle PC fixing camp.

My computer restarts itself intermitantly. Regardless of what is being done on it. It could be 2 minutes or 30 it freezes for a second or two and will restart itself just like the restart buttun has been pressed.

When it is started or restarted as above the switch on beep sometimes lasts for more than a second or two and the fan is working, but nothing shows up on the screen. Not the welcome screen, nothing. It's like the lights are on but nobody is home if you know what I mean.

Any guesses as to the problem, solutions and probable expenses would be welcome.

Also, if anyone knows of a self build PC website for the true PC prat (i.e. me), I'd be grateful as well.

Cheers all

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:19 pm

First thing I'd check would be the temperature.
Is it running hot?
Check inside to make sure that everything's not clogged up with dust.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:22 pm

^ One beep for about a second?

Lol... From my crocked memory one beep is a memory problem. I tap my noggin which sometimes helps. Wink

Try taking the memory out and re-seating it. I always advise taking a vacuum and soft brush to a wayward pc before you do anything. Dust is the cause of most non hardware problems.

Re: building your own. I'd advise finding a good independent and getting them to do it for you. I built one years ago and it's a hassle. Fun, but a hassle. Wink

You crack a processor, it's over before it starts. Shocked

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:56 pm

windypops wrote:

I always advise taking a vacuum and soft brush to a wayward pc before you do anything.

I do the same thing with my car. If it makes an expensive sounding noise, I vacuum out the inside.

I should probably add: that strategy has yet to allow me to avoid the mechanic, but I live in hope.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:12 pm

Check that the processor fan is not clogged with dust and is indeed spinning, also remove memory, clean contacts and replace. Same with video card. I have had all these cause your problem.
MIB

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Sounds like you are getting a "beep code" from your BIOS (POST).

Looks like the codes depend on what version of BIOS your Motherboard is running.

First, lets find out what version your BIOS is. Start the computer and as it boots up start tapping F1. See if it enters the BIOS (It will probably be a crappy looking screen with a bunch of options). Look at the top for the version of your BIOS. If F1 does not get you in, restart and try F2, and then DEL. Those are the three listed keys to get into your BIOS for a Packard Bell.

Code:

Packard Bell® F1, F2, Del

Once you write down the version, get out!! You can really bork things up by messing around in there. There should be an option to "Exit BIOS" (or something similar).

Once you have the version of the BIOS, reboot and Google Packard Bell+BIOS+(your version)+beep codes.

You should find something like this...but the codes will vary, depending on what version you are running.

Edit: Here is a link to most beep codes you may encounter.

http://www.pantherproducts.co.uk/Articles/Motherboard/BIOSbeep.shtml

Code:

Packard Bell - AMI BIOS Beep Codes

Note - The AMI BIOS beep codes are a series of evenly spaced beeps, not a pattern of long and short beeps as in Phoenix BIOS beep codes.
Beeps Error Message Description
1 Refresh Failure The memory refresh circuitry on the motherboard is faulty.
2 Parity Error Parity error in the first 64 KB of memory.
3 Base 64K Memory Failure Memory failure in the first 64 KB.
4 Timer not Operational Memory failure in the first 64 KB of memory, or Timer 1 on the motherboard is not functioning.
5 Processor Error The CPU on the motherboard generated an error.
6 8042 - Gate A20 Failure The keyboard controller may be bad. The BIOS cannot switch to protected mode.
7 Processor Exception Interrupt Error The CPU generated an exception interrupt.
8 Display Memory Read/Write Error The system video adapter is either missing, or its memory is faulty. This is not a fatal error.
9 ROM Checksum Error The ROM checksum value does not match the value encoded in the BIOS.
10 CMOS Shutdown Register Read/Write Error The shutdown register for CMOS RAM failed.
11 Cache Error/External Cache Bad The external cache is faulty.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:21 pm

Quote:

I always advise taking a vacuum and soft brush to a wayward pc before you do anything.

Works on wayward husbands too.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:07 pm

You called your cat 'packard bell'?

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:40 pm

Temperature - carefully remove any dust with a vacuum, check the cooling fins twice,
- or -
Power supply - many people (including most PC outlets) spend a fortune on the latest CPU, cool graphics card, fast RAM, ... to eventually power it all by the cheapest and crappiest power supply they can find,
- or -
RAM - if there are two RAM thinggies inside, try removing one and, if the problem persists, swap it with the other one.

If it's a temperature problem, try getting into the BIOS (see PF's post) and see where there's any menu item saying "PC health" or something similar. Maybe it displays the temperatures and corresponding thresholds there. Temperature problems often occur more frequent once the PC has been running for a while.

The easiest way to check whether the power supply is faulty is to replace it. I can elaborate on that upon request.

Whenever you're handling your computer's innards, avoid static electricity. In a non-professional environment, this means:
Touch the bare metal of something connected to ground (e.g. radiator), avoid any plastics inside the PC that don't belong there (e.g. toothbrush), and when you remove a part preferably place it on the metal bottom of the PC case or similar.
The trouble with static electricity is that it can either destroy something right away, or damage it just enough to introduce another intermittent problem that never occurs when you're looking for the cause.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:50 pm

Worked for me...

@ iMike, no, he named his PC 'Tiddles'!

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 5:59 pm

So your dog's called packard bell then?

I did manage to fry a couple of pc's 'BA' (Before Apple). Same thing both times - dust clogging the CPU fan. Also had a power supply go bad which resulted in the computer randomly shutting down.

Edited 'cos I can't read properly

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:08 pm

Although at 4 yrs old, you may find you get a lot more computer for your dollar if you choose to replace it!

If you get a vacuum cleaner inside there, *KEEP IT AWAY* from the fans, unless you specifically block the fan with a pencil or something. The airflow from the vaccum can spin the fan creating back-EMF which the boards in the box are not expecting to protect against.

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

When you open the pc do some of the capicotors look like the two at the bottom - yours might be blue Laughing

but it sounds more like a case of swollen capictors.

This time of year in the uk heat would shut a pc down, mines running warm, but it wouldnt give a ominous beep code. Even dirty connectors in the ram wont give the motherboard beep code. (memory will give 2 sharp beeps)

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:36 pm

manbiteslion wrote:

If you get a vacuum cleaner inside there, *KEEP IT AWAY* from the fans, unless you specifically block the fan with a pencil or something. The airflow from the vaccum can spin the fan creating back-EMF which the boards in the box are not expecting to protect against.

Done it.
Did it.
New Motherboard!
If that's the right term..
Thankfully my mate has a shop and he knows what he's talking about. Keeps rolling his eyes and sighing at me!

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:42 pm

Seriously? There aren't any diodes in there?

Also, apparently one beep is a motherboard problem assuming that information isn't ancient (it probably is - I saw a couple references to SIMMs while looking for that).

I'm going to guess overheating as well. If it still happens after you've cleaned out the dust, try starting it up with the case open* and see if all the fans are spinning up.

* Yes, it's safe to do this - just like starting a car with the hood open, as long as you don't go sticking your fingers in things you'll be fine.

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:16 pm

I don't know anything about errant beeps and such, but I DO know what static electricity from vacuuming will do. Mad

My dog sheds her thick undercoat twice a year, so we're always battling fluff, and of course it heads right for the fans. I fried a perfectly good motherboard some years ago in my quest to dislodge said fluff. Evil or Very Mad

I needed a new computer anyway (it was pretty old, but still worked well), but I felt no joy in the purchase 'cause I'd borked it up in the first place. Sad

Good luck sorting your troubles out, Dio.

@D11, swollen capacitors? Oh my. Embarassed

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:23 am

Tried turning it off and on again? Very Happy

I remembered a dead internal CMOS battery can cause weird problems at start up. They last about four years. Try inserting a new one, CR32 I think.

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:32 am

Sometimes the easiest and most obvious approaches get buried under all the sophisticated trickery.

Free comprehensive memory test:
http://www.memtest86.com/

Download ISO image, burn to CD, boot from CD, watch status screen for a few hours.

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:39 am

^^^^
Good advice Bankster, but you are dealing with Dionysius here and I quote

Quote:

I'm a computer pillock. Idiot proof instructions are too complicated for me.

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:58 am

Good point.

Dionysius, if you like I can offer to burn a CD on your computer via some kind of remote support thinggie.

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:35 pm

Thanks for the offer Bankster, but how would I do that?

As for naming the computer, no her name wasn't Packard Bell and the dog's name was Gemma. I won't say the cat's name because I use it as the basis for my passwords. It's the only way I remember them.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

music man wrote:

Good advice Bankster, but you are dealing with Dionysius here and I quote

Quote:

I'm a computer pillock. Idiot proof instructions are too complicated for me.

Dang, I advise you to buy a new magic box, with the internets installed. Very Happy

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:51 pm

I need a portable magic box too, my Sony Vaio has been refusing to charge the battery. A replacement was no good at all, and now the original has reached 0% I'm getting a 'this is the wrong battery, please hibernate and change it' on top of anything I try and run.

Pressing Ok shuts it down, I just cant get it to run on the mains. SNAFU Sad

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:33 am

^ Removing the battery altogether normally helps.

@Dionysius, I'd connect to your computer (with your permission) so that I can see your screen and move your mouse around, and download&burn the CD for you. There a various programs that allow you to do this. I have UltraVNC and DeskShare at my disposal, and Windows has some built-in "remote assistance" thinggie.

Do you know how to burn an ISO file to CD?

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 8:34 am

I know I'm going to catch heat for saying this, but four years is about the life of an average PC. I mean the life where you are not continuously fixing and replacing parts. I have gotten six years with no problems for my last high end PC. Hard drive took a dump along with both optical drives which were replaced free. I misses an new video card by three weeks.

I would just buy a new PC or at the very least take it into the shop and let the pros see if it can be fixed.

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