soundcards are physical

dobro

dobro

Well-known member
I got my soundcard four years ago, and a new problem with it is starting to crop up - the contact with the MB isn't perfect, so sometimes the whole computer dies, and I have to get inside the tower and wiggle things around and try to bung the soundcard in really tightly.

I don't know if this is a usual problem with older cards, or whether it might be Singapore's climate (imagine a greenhouse) and its corrosive effect on gear. Anybody?
 
Hope humidity is affecting the motherboard and the copper connectors are getting corroded. Use a little metal brush and shine it up gently. May help a bit.
 
I wouldn't use a metal brush.

Take the card out though and look at the contacts, do they appear corroded? It may not be the soundcard, could be any of the cards, check them all.

If any of them appear dirty, you can clean the contacts with a lint free cloth and a little alcohol (on the gold contacts, don't drink it), preferably 99% isopropyl alcohol. Pick up a can of compressed air and blow out the slots at the same time.
 
It's definitely the soundcard. When the computer alarm bell starts ringing and the screen goes black, I power off, pull the soundcard out of its slot and reboot. The computer starts up no problem.

I looked at the contacts but they don't appear corroded. I buffed 'em up with my teeshirt, but I'll consider that isopropyl alcohol thing and the compressed air if it happens again.

I'll even erase 'em. :D

Cheers, y'all.
 
Alarm Bell?

Where is the sound coming from, is it part of some temperature warning software or bios setting? Does it do this at random or after a certain length of time?

What happens if you just reboot without pulling the soundcard out?

So many questions... :D
 
Gee, I thought all computers had bells. :D

Whenever hardware in my computer dies or goes wrong, two things happen - the monitor goes black, and the tower starts making an alarm sound immediately. Now some folks would describe it as a BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP... etc, and there are some who would probably describe it as more of a DING DING DING DING DING DING DING, but it doesn't really matter, cuz however you describe it, it means the same thing - the computer isn't going to work until I make some positive changes with the physical side of it.

What I've learned how to do is disconnect one thing at a time until I find where the problem is.
 
Look really close (might need a magnifying glass) at the connectors on the MOBO. Specifically at each end of the connector. I'm afraid you'll find a hairline crack at one end or the other. I see it pretty often on older test equipment I repair. Only solution is to replace the connector. If you have to do that take my advice - use cutters (dikes, side cutters, whatever) to completely break the plastic connector apart before desoldering any pins. This reduces the thermal mass while you are desoldering. Heat the solder side of each pin and remove with needlenose pliers from the other side. Then desolder the pad/platethru hole. If you do this it's unlikely you'll lift pads, runs or pull out the board platethru's.

If it's a recurring corrosion problem I would replace the connector anyhow. It could also be the connections in the MOBO connector have lost their "springiness." Again, replace the connector.

DD
 
Does your case permit to seat the card without pushing it back or forth in the pci slot???

I do know of some pc's where I had to force the the metal backplate that holds the cards with a bloody big screwdriver in order to release all tension on the cards.
 
"1. Does it do this at random or after a certain length of time?

2. What happens if you just reboot without pulling the soundcard out?"

Sorry, Emeric. I'm back on the case now.

1 It happens as soon as any hardware stops being recognized by the operating system.

2 If I reboot without pulling the soundcard out, the alarm bell starts up again.
 
That's a weird one. Usually the alarm means something is overheating. I've never had an alarm go off because of a soundcard failure. The computer usually doesn't care if the soundcard is in there or not. The video card is the only really essential card for booting up.
 
Alarm = PC's native speaker...

Just pull your RAM out of it's slot... turn on your PC... BEEEEPPP... BEEEPPP... BEEEEEPPP

And with some mobo, it will sound allert when something is wrong with your PCI cards. When I got my Delta 66 burned several months ago (It smokes by power failure, I can tell by the blowed smelly chip) my PC gave me the same allert.

;)
Jaymz
 
"That's a weird one. Usually the alarm means something is overheating. I've never had an alarm go off because of a soundcard failure. The computer usually doesn't care if the soundcard is in there or not. The video card is the only really essential card for booting up."

Hmmm... maybe it happens that way with my system because with my soundcard, I have to disable Windows sounds, so maybe that makes the soundcard a more essential element of the bootup. Dunno, I'm just blowing ideas here.
 
the alarm sound is actually an error code based on a certain number of long and short beeps. check with your motherboard manufacturer to see how to interpret your particular error code. that could potentially help you figure out exactly where the problem lies.
 
bleyrad said:
the alarm sound is actually an error code based on a certain number of long and short beeps. check with your motherboard manufacturer to see how to interpret your particular error code. that could potentially help you figure out exactly where the problem lies.
Click to expand...

I'd be crazy enough to actually peruse the list of error codes (again) but then again I can find interest reading train schedules.

Most of the time it'll read like this:

Two Short Beeps, Three Long Beeps: Your Computer is Fucked.
One Long Beep, One Short Beep: Your Computer is Fucked.
Two Long Beeps, a Pause and Two More Long Beeps:
Your Computer is Fucked.

:D
 
it may be a ram issue, ram errors give a beep code sound when a system starts, now, as far as "during" or while running i can't say...

cpu is the same way when it starts going bad, may not be the sound card, test it on a different system to tell...

if it's good it may be your board or another factor involved...

audio does require quite a bit of memory if you use enough tracks in a mix, maybe your ram is used up and the system just errors out, try and check your resorces before it crashs...

just a thought... maybe heat related...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top