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Installed RAM and now I get 3 long beeps and no visual.

Discussion in 'Questions and Answers' started by TheAnswer385, Jul 30, 2009.

  1. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    I installed RAM and now I get 3 long beeps and no visual.

    I have another pc from 2003 and I was just going to give it some more RAM to let it run smoother. It had a 256mb DDR stick in, so I added a 512mb DDR stick in the empty slot. when I go to turn the computer on I get nothing from the monitor and the PC beeps 3 semi long times. Ive put things back to the way they were and still getting the same issues.

    Any way to fix this?

    I have tried-
    Moving the Ram in the other spots
    Tried the other 512 by itself tried both by them self and in diff spots
    The graphic processor is on the Motherboard so I cant take it out and put it back in.
    Took out the Cmoss battery to try to reset to factory settings
    Made sure I pushed EVERYTHING in nothing is loose.
     
  2. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    Make sure the memory is seated completely in the slot.
     
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  3. unluckyluciano

    unluckyluciano For My Hero JetsSuck

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    a couple of things:
    1) make sure its seated right, although I'm pretty sure if it wasn't your read out at the beginning just wouldn't be right.
    2) make sure your motherboard can handle that much ram.

    thats off the top of my head.
     
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  4. PeaTearGriffin

    PeaTearGriffin Season Ticket Holder

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    Does the speed of the RAM match?
     
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  5. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    well either way I took it out and Im getting the same issues.
     
  6. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    When you power up the box, press and hold say the F5 key, the box should beeeeeeeeppppp....then maybe it will go into the Bios.

    If you have time, look up the make and model of the pc and see which key is supposed to let you go into the system Bios, sometimes it is FN.

    Or, if you have the case off it, simply remove the round battery and let it sit for an hour or so, reinstal the battery and boot it up.

    By removing the battery the system will "Reset" to it's from the factory settings and your original memory will work (or should)
     
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  7. anlgp

    anlgp ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

    If you've put things back to the way they were it should work. :confused2:
     
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  8. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Non technical, but putting ram with a different speed then what the motherboard normally looks for could have semi crashed the bootup sequence, the motherboard is stuck on the wrong speed ram and won't recognize the older ram because it is looking for the faster ram,

    Taking out the Cmoss battery or simply unplugging the box for a day or three should allow the motherboard to reset to the factory settings.
     
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  9. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    will do
     
  10. #1 fan

    #1 fan Well-Known Member

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    i'm pretty sure both sticks have to be the same amount of megabytes, but i could be wrong.

    i.e. two 250 mb sticks or two 525mb sticks.

    i might go with just the 525mb stick and see if it boots.
     
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  11. DaFish

    DaFish Well-Known Member

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    It depends on the motherboard. Some MB's will allow you to mix and match.

    If this is an issue even when you take the new stick out, then I would say you bumped something else loose during the install. I would check all connections including power ones. I would also make sure you didn't knock a graphics card or other type of card loose from the PCI slots.
     
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  12. #1 fan

    #1 fan Well-Known Member

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    windows can be funny about allowing two different sticks as well. also, i'd google search the three long beeps, or check the motherboard's manual, because the pc speaker will tell you what the problem with booting is.

    i.e. 3 long beeps = one thing, where 2 long beeps = something else.
     
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  13. DOLBET

    DOLBET Active Member

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    Thats exactly right. You will need to look up motherboard's manual to find out what the beeps stands for (or look up in internet). The motherboard will makes the sounds to let you know what is wrong and each sound means something like 2 short beeps equals bad processor, 2 long beeps equals memory is bad, and 2 short beeps and 1 long beep means not enough power and so on.....
     
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  14. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    Ok i put the battery back in and im still getting the same effect.


    I will look into the beeps


    Edit: Ok, i figured out the 3 beeps were because I didn't have my keyboard plugged in due to me just testing it, and not plugging it in. Plugged it in and and no beeps this time but still no visual..??

    I also tried 2 diff monitors

    I also check many times to make sure everything was plugged in tight and nothing was out of place.
     
  15. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Have you tried googling your model of pc along with something like:

    Pc name added memory won't boot
     
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  16. PeaTearGriffin

    PeaTearGriffin Season Ticket Holder

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    Do you have a separate video card or is the graphic processor on the Motherboard?
     
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  17. DaFish

    DaFish Well-Known Member

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    Beeps are usually a BIOS issue. This is happening before Windows is even in the equation.

    If it was a Windows issue, it just would not recognize the additional module after boot. When you go to Start>>>Control Panel>>>System, it would just show the module it recognized.

    Either that or you would get a BSOD or would just stick when Windows started loading.

    The way I am understanding this is that the machine is not passing POST.
     
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  18. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    I dont see one so it must be on the motherboard.
     
  19. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    [​IMG]

    here is this if it helps any.....I made sure everything was pushed in. It still beeps too so it must be something other than the keyboard. Its a Gateway model from 2003. I dont have any manuals because I got it from someone else.
     
  20. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    http://support.gateway.com/s/Manuals/Desktops/8508895.pdf

    this is the computer

    Gateway 300s desktop

    [​IMG]

    I have tried-
    Moving the Ram in the other spots
    Tried the other 512 by itself tried both by them self and in diff spots
    The graphic processor is on the Motherboard so I cant take the graphics card out and put it back in.
    Took out the Cmoss battery to try to reset to factory settings
    Made sure I pushed EVERYTHING in nothing is loose.
     
  21. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Dafish is right, your box is not passing POST (power on self test)

    Here is what I've found for accessing the Bios on your box:

    Your 3 beep issue:

     
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  22. TheAnswer385

    TheAnswer385 Stay Low Run Free

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    I don't know I tried some of that stuff...The computer is in like new condition because the older lady that had it before me never really used it.

    Tried to get the Bios to pop up with no prevail(not sure if I did it right)...Im about to say its shot for no dang reason.
    Ive added RAM to other computers and it never game me any issues...its just annoying. I will probably never touch the inside of another computer again.

    thanks all for the help if you have any other suggestions feel free to post em.
     
  23. PeaTearGriffin

    PeaTearGriffin Season Ticket Holder

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  24. USArmyFinFan

    USArmyFinFan Maximum Effort

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    Only with Bus ram, DDR they can be different
     
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  25. USArmyFinFan

    USArmyFinFan Maximum Effort

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    When you turn it on, does the monitor light go green at all?
     

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