The Prognosis is GRIM

  • Thread starter Thread starter rayc
  • Start date Start date
rayc

rayc

retroreprobate
On boot up my dedicated recording computer has the single 1 sec long then repeated after a second then repeated etc .
I understand that translates as motherboard gone to mother or something similarly terminal.
Fortunately I've backed up all the projects & bundles to an external HDD.
it is/was a p3 from early 2000 so I presume its time had come.
Any remedies for the above that would be cheaper than cobbling together a replacement from 2nd hand parts?
 
Have a look at something like the Asus Commando motherboard, http://pcpacific.net/product_info.php?products_id=3103 and pick up a core2, a gig of ram and a video card. Use your existing case & ps, and plug in your drives & cd/dvd. That lot would set you back around $600 here in NZ, so probably about $500Aussie. Pretty reasonable entry to century 21 daw technology. Welcome aboard Ray you'll love it here :D

edit: actually this mobo http://www.pcpacific.net/product_info.php?products_id=2605&osCsid=337da8e074653f51e1ad75e472702d4f might suit.

You lose the heatpipe cooling, some Raid features, a pci slot & firewire but it's $100 cheaper
 
um, look up the beep codes for that mainboard/bios? If it was a mainboard failure it stands to reason that it would not beep now would it
 
altitude909 said:
um, look up the beep codes for that mainboard/bios? If it was a mainboard failure it stands to reason that it would not beep now would it
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. I've had boards die that could still indicate what their own problem was. Of course, the beep code indicated "general board failure" according to the literature, since, as the board was fried, it couldn't figure out what was wrong with itself - it just knew something was wrong. e.g. I had a MB that the EIDE bus died on, and the board started beeping that there were no IDE drives connected when all the ribbons and drive jumpers were set properly, and in place. It knew something was wrong, and was at least somewhat close, but still off.

However, you should still look up what that beeping pattern DOES indicate - it could just be that a drive cable came loose, or the processor fan died and is now overheating, etc etc.
 
cusebassman said:
Not necessarily. I've had boards die that could still indicate what their own problem was. Of course, the beep code indicated "general board failure" according to the literature, since, as the board was fried, it couldn't figure out what was wrong with itself - it just knew something was wrong. e.g. I had a MB that the EIDE bus died on, and the board started beeping that there were no IDE drives connected when all the ribbons and drive jumpers were set properly, and in place. It knew something was wrong, and was at least somewhat close, but still off.

However, you should still look up what that beeping pattern DOES indicate - it could just be that a drive cable came loose, or the processor fan died and is now overheating, etc etc.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I have never seen it myself though

here is a good resource:

http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm
 
Sounds like it could be dead RAM. Most other dead component codes will give a horrible screeching beep on P3 boards.
 
If he were really lucky it would be a bad lithium cell.

I just had one go out on my aging a7n8x mobo.

But they had bad batts to begin with.

And I don't know that cmos settings would lead to beeps...
 
+1 to the RAM...
Try switching out that RAM, there is a good chance that could be what it is.
 
cusebassman said:
Of course, the beep code indicated "general board failure" according to the literature, since, as the board was fried, it couldn't figure out what was wrong with itself - it just knew something was wrong.
Click to expand...

I'm like that, too. The next time I get sick enough to go to the doctor I'm going to tell him I have a general board failure when he asks what's wrong. Nothing a little morphine couldn't cure.
 
ez_willis said:
I'm like that, too. The next time I get sick enough to go to the doctor I'm going to tell him I have a general board failure when he asks what's wrong. Nothing a little morphine couldn't cure.
Click to expand...

Its really the best way to avoid confusion and get in and out as quickly as possible :)
 
Thanks folks,
I've also had a suggestion that I might take out the 1st RAM stick & move the rest up one as the 1st stick is usally the one to go in an catastrophic RAM event.
I'll give the RAm & battery a look in - I'm resigned to replacement though - the comp is almost a decade old & has had had a hard life before being retired to DAW land.
Bullshit - I'll suss out tho links ta.
 
rayc said:
Thanks folks,
I've also had a suggestion that I might take out the 1st RAM stick & move the rest up one as the 1st stick is usally the one to go in an catastrophic RAM event.
I'll give the RAm & battery a look in - I'm resigned to replacement though - the comp is almost a decade old & has had had a hard life before being retired to DAW land.
Bullshit - I'll suss out tho links ta.
Click to expand...

Could also be a bad PSU. That's probably more likely to fail than a motherboard. If the supply voltage is low, lots of things can misbehave. Check with a voltmeter, and if the voltages are below about 98% of their rated value, I'd try a different supply. Ideally, they should be 99%, but you can usually get away with more.

Note: I'm not sure how to check the low voltage lines unless you jumper the power supply on. Probably easier to just borrow somebody's supply and try swapping it in....
 
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