Question Computer beeps at startup

[GamingKhajiit]

When I turn on my computer, it gives off 6 beeps and doesn't boot up. The screen stays black. So i have to restart it multiple times until it finally boots up. This can sometimes take 10 trys before it boots up.

I have a Z170 Pro Gaming Motherboard from Asus and I saw that the beep code means a:

Keyboard controller Gate A20 error.

I'm not sure what that means, since I've had this keyboard for a while and it's plugged to an USB port at the back.

Is there something else to this error or a way to fix it? It's annoying to start up the computer everyday.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

What happens if you boot without the keyboard connected?

 

[Darkbreeze]

It means, that most likely you either have an expansion PCIe card that has failed or the motherboard has failed. But there could be other reasons.

Do you have an expansion card installed other than the graphics card? Where is your keyboard connected? Via USB or are you using a PS2 keyboard?

As thatvietguy said, try booting without keyboard connected and see if you still get beeps. If not, try connecting it to a different USB port or try a different keyboard.

 

[GamingKhajiit]

It means, that most likely you either have an expansion PCIe card that has failed or the motherboard has failed. But there could be other reasons.

Do you have an expansion card installed other than the graphics card? Where is your keyboard connected? Via USB or are you using a PS2 keyboard?

As thatvietguy said, try booting without keyboard connected and see if you still get beeps. If not, try connecting it to a different USB port or try a different keyboard.

I still get beeps without the keyboard connected and I have no expansion card besides the GPU.

 

[Darkbreeze]

What are your FULL hardware specs including CPU model and exact power supply model?

 

[GamingKhajiit]

What are your FULL hardware specs including CPU model and exact power supply model?

My Specs:

CPU: Intel Core I7-6700K 4.00Ghz
Motherboard: Asus Z170 Pro Gaming
RAM: 8GB RAM
GPU: MSI RTX 3060 Ti
PSU: Seasonic M12II 850W Bronze Plus
Storage: 512mb SSD and 1TB HDD
OS: Windows 10 Home

 

[Darkbreeze]

Ok, so remove the graphics card, connect your display cable to one of the outputs on the motherboard that use the CPU integrated graphics and see if you still have the same problem. You will need to COMPLETELY remove the graphics card from the motherboard, not just unplug it from power and video cables.

 

[GamingKhajiit]

Ok

Ok, so remove the graphics card, connect your display cable to one of the outputs on the motherboard that use the CPU integrated graphics and see if you still have the same problem. You will need to COMPLETELY remove the graphics card from the motherboard, not just unplug it from power and video cables.

Ok. So i did that and it's still the same. In fact i think it just died. I cant start it up anymore. It just beeps. This is now serious because i depend on this computer for my job. Is the motherboard dead? Oh and there is no visual output from the motherboard.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You removed the graphics card COMPLETELY from the motherboard?

You connected the display cable to the output on the motherboard?

Now try disconnecting the power cable from the PSU or flipping off the switch on the PSU. Then remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard for five minutes. During that five minutes press the power button on the case continuously for thirty seconds. Afterwards, reinstall the CMOS battery. Plug the PSU cable back in or flip the switch back on. With the display cable connected to one of the motherboard video outputs and the graphics card still removed from the motherboard power the unit back on.

If you still get no display, try reinstalling the graphics card and try again. If you still get no display then you either have a faulty monitor, a faulty monitor cable or a faulty motherboard.

 

[GamingKhajiit]

You removed the graphics card COMPLETELY from the motherboard?

You connected the display cable to the output on the motherboard?

Now try disconnecting the power cable from the PSU or flipping off the switch on the PSU. Then remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard for five minutes. During that five minutes press the power button on the case continuously for thirty seconds. Afterwards, reinstall the CMOS battery. Plug the PSU cable back in or flip the switch back on. With the display cable connected to one of the motherboard video outputs and the graphics card still removed from the motherboard power the unit back on.

If you still get no display, try reinstalling the graphics card and try again. If you still get no display then you either have a faulty monitor, a faulty monitor cable or a faulty motherboard.

Ok. So i removed the battery, held the button, etc. I did everything as you asked. When i started the pc up without the card there was no visual. When i installed the gpu again, i had visual again even though the monitor was plugged to the motheboard. But i still have the beeps although i was able to start the computer.

Does this mean that the problem lies with the motherboard?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, at least you got it back to working, so that's a good thing.

I think the FIRST thing you should do at this point is to either test or replace the CMOS battery. Your system is plenty old enough to have a weak or dead CMOS battery, which is a CR2032 coin type battery located on the motherboard in between the first and second x16 PCIe slots.

I have already been seeing several Z170 boards with weak CMOS batteries displaying problems over the last year or so and given that these boards are now like 7 years old, this should not come as a surprise to anyone that we are beginning to see some of them with this problem especially since the batteries they use in them might have themselves already been sitting around for a year or two prior to installation in these boards at the factory. So, try that first. You can get a new one at most any batteries plus, Walmart or other locations that sell a fairly decent selection of batteries. Do not confuse it with CR2023, as both types are sold and they are not the same. You want CR2032 and try to make sure you don't get one that is already weak or dead because these are not typically very fast movers from stores or warehouses.

Testing is a good idea, even if it is a brand new battery.

 

[GamingKhajiit]

Well, at least you got it back to working, so that's a good thing.

I think the FIRST thing you should do at this point is to either test or replace the CMOS battery. Your system is plenty old enough to have a weak or dead CMOS battery, which is a CR2032 coin type battery located on the motherboard in between the first and second x16 PCIe slots.

I have already been seeing several Z170 boards with weak CMOS batteries displaying problems over the last year or so and given that these boards are now like 7 years old, this should not come as a surprise to anyone that we are beginning to see some of them with this problem especially since the batteries they use in them might have themselves already been sitting around for a year or two prior to installation in these boards at the factory. So, try that first. You can get a new one at most any batteries plus, Walmart or other locations that sell a fairly decent selection of batteries. Do not confuse it with CR2023, as both types are sold and they are not the same. You want CR2032 and try to make sure you don't get one that is already weak or dead because these are not typically very fast movers from stores or warehouses.

Testing is a good idea, even if it is a brand new battery.

Thanks. I will do that. And yeah, this computer is old, I built it around 7 years ago so about the time this motherboard was brand new, and over time I made some upgrades like the GPU and SSD. Hopefully it's just the battery I need and not a whole new motherboard. 😛

 

[Darkbreeze]

Could go either way, but I'd definitely try the battery first and go from there. If that PSU is as old as the rest of the system, replacing it with something new with a more modern platform would be a really good idea as well.

 

[GamingKhajiit]

Could go either way, but I'd definitely try the battery first and go from there. If that PSU is as old as the rest of the system, replacing it with something new with a more modern platform would be a really good idea as well.

It is. But so far it hasn't given any issues, is there anything I can do to check if it's still in good shape?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Any M12II that is already 7 years old (And the PSU is likely even older since those M12II units were manufactured and released in like 2013-2014, and then discontinued in favor of newer models like Prime and Focus shortly after in 2015-2016.) should be replaced. Those units had a five year warranty and when the manufacturer believes a unit is only believably reliable for five years and sets that as the warranty, I don't argue with them and set that as the amount of time I am willing to use said unit with any still reasonably valuable hardware and definitely with any new hardware.

Considering those were manufactured, at best, 8 years ago, and weren't built with the same highly efficient platforms that are common now, they simply can't be trusted to last ten years like most of what is "good" that's out there now or was built since maybe 2017.

You CAN of course test it to see that it is still electrically functional but the results of such a test, without highly specialized equipment, may not be telling the whole story. Mostly home testing is only good to tell us "definitely bad" and rarely does it tell us "definitely good". So, it's worth doing if you want confirmation first, but I wouldn't even bet my pocket change on the results reliably being trustworthy. It's a good place to start though if you have a volt or multimeter.