[SOLVED] I am getting no diagnostic beep upon startup (new system build)

[OldManTryingToLearn]

Core V21 Case
ASUS B450M-A II motherboard
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processer
128MB RAM
ASUS graphics card

Upon startup I expected to see a BIOS display, I get nothing.
Bought everything at Microcenter with help from floor staff - I expect it's all compatible/correct.
First - there's not speaker in my case - so I don't know how one is supposed to hear diagnostic beeps, I have headphones plugged in.

One issue, I am almost certain I have all the front-panel leads connected correctly to my motherboard, however: there are two buttons on my case, one small, one large. I suspect the larger of the two is power, is the smaller reset? Holding either for a few seconds does not power off or reset the machine.

Main thing is - I need to hear the diagnostic beeps to see what the system is detecting. Any ideas? I have an old two-wire case speaker, but the case/speaker connector on my mobo has four pins...

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[kanewolf]

Core V21 Case
ASUS B450M-A II motherboard
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processer
128MB RAM
ASUS graphics card

Upon startup I expected to see a BIOS display, I get nothing.
Bought everything at Microcenter with help from floor staff - I expect it's all compatible/correct.
First - there's not speaker in my case - so I don't know how one is supposed to hear diagnostic beeps, I have headphones plugged in.

One issue, I am almost certain I have all the front-panel leads connected correctly to my motherboard, however: there are two buttons on my case, one small, one large. I suspect the larger of the two is power, is the smaller reset? Holding either for a few seconds does not power off or reset the machine.

Main thing is - I need to hear the diagnostic beeps to see what the system is detecting. Any ideas? I have an old two-wire case speaker, but the case/speaker connector on my mobo has four pins...

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Without a case speaker you won't hear any BIOS beep.
Your "128MB RAM" is odd. Do you mean 128GB ? If so, try with just one DIMM.

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

Without a case speaker you won't hear any BIOS beep.
Your "128MB RAM" is odd. Do you mean 128GB ? If so, try with just one DIMM.

Thanks for the quick response - so.. I read Tom's basics, and quickly corrected a problem (such a noob). I had failed to connect the CPU power, so now I am getting power to the speaker, and.. the power button does in fact turn the system off when I hold it down. Yes, 128 GB of RAM. So, probably best that I work through all the No POST issues before pursuing this further.

FWIW I got three beeps.

 

[Nemesia]

128GB of RAM? Are you editing stuff?

What is that ASUS graphics card?

What is your PSU brand and model?

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

• I went with 128GB of RAM because I intend to use this as a SQL Server to manipulate large datasets
• It's DDR 4 PC4-288000/DDR4-3600, 32GB X 4 (that's the max this mobo will take)
• Since all I'll ever do with the display is use a terminal window, etc., I went with a simple ASUS Geoforce GT 170 graphics card, 1GB ram
• PSU: The mobo calls for a 350W unit, I installed a EVGA 500W (80+ certified) PSU

 

[kanewolf]

• I went with 128GB of RAM because I intend to use this as a SQL Server to manipulate large datasets
• It's DDR 4 PC4-288000/DDR4-3600, 32GB X 4 (that's the max this mobo will take)
• Since all I'll ever do with the display is use a terminal window, etc., I went with a simple ASUS Geoforce GT 170 graphics card, 1GB ram
• PSU: The mobo calls for a 350W unit, I installed a EVGA 500W (80+ certified) PSU

Was the ram a single set or two 64GB sets?

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

Was the ram a single set or two 64GB sets?

it's four - modules (DIMMS?)

 

[kanewolf]

it's four - modules (DIMMS?)

Yes, but did you buy 1 part number (a 4 DIMM set) or 2 part numbers (two 2 DIMM sets) or 4 part numbers ?

 

[Nemesia]

it's four - modules (DIMMS?)

The question is if you bought 2 64GB RAM Kit or 1 128GB RAM Kit.

Did they all come in the same RAM KIt or 2?

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

It looks like I bought 2, 64GB kits. Each kit has two modules. Now that I've slowed down and read a bit, and paying attention.. I'm getting one long beep, then two short beeps == memory... which you are already 'on to'

 

[Nemesia]

Can you please remove all sticks from the system and only put 1 stick in the A2 slot and test. If it doesn't work try each stick.

Make sure the RAM is properly seated too.

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

So... I removed all the sticks, put ONE in, and I'm almost certain that previously, I had NOT seated them correctly. So I worked up to having all four back in, and now I get a single beep at POST - so definitely making progress

 

[OldManTryingToLearn]

So... I removed all the sticks, put ONE in, and I'm almost certain that previously, I had NOT seated them correctly. So I worked up to having all four back in, and now I get a single beep at POST - so definitely making progress

OK, now I see BIOS messages on my display - I believe I am off and running, or at least ahead of where I was. Thanks so very much for your concern, and help.

 

[Nemesia]

OK, now I see BIOS messages on my display - I believe I am off and running, or at least ahead of where I was. Thanks so very much for your concern, and help.

The 1 long and 2 short beep was a RAM error and unless they were bad sticks it was just a seating problem Installing RAM you have to push until you hear clicks.

Is the system running good now?

Don't forget to turn on the XMP profile in the BIOS to on after Windows is installed. XMP on and manually set the speed to 3200MHz. If 3200MHz doesn't stick because you're using 4 sticks and it put more stress on the memory controller compared to 2 sticks try 2933MHz. It should stay at that speed.

Have fun with the new system!

 

[kanewolf]

The 1 long and 2 short beep was a RAM error and unless they were bad sticks it was just a seating problem Installing RAM you have to push until you hear clicks.

Is the system running good now?

Don't forget to turn on the XMP profile in the BIOS to on after Windows is installed. XMP on and manually set the speed to 3200MHz. If 3200MHz doesn't stick because you're using 4 sticks and it put more stress on the memory controller compared to 2 sticks try 2933MHz. It should stay at that speed.

Have fun with the new system!

Since we know the OP bought two sets of DIMMs, I would recommend some stability testing with MEMTEST at stock memory speeds and if you enable XMP.

 

[Nemesia]

Since we know the OP bought two sets of DIMMs, I would recommend some stability testing with MEMTEST at stock memory speeds and if you enable XMP.

True. I would still just turn on XMP after installing windows and the drivers and see if it works. OP might get lucky with the mixing RAM. Sometime it work sometime it doesn't. You have to try tho to know.

 

[kanewolf]

True. I would still just turn on XMP after installing windows and the drivers and see if it works. OP might get lucky with the mixing RAM. Sometime it work sometime it doesn't. You have to try tho to know.

Since the purpose of this build is a SQL server. Stability is paramount. "Wasting" 6 to 12 hours with MEMTEST, is worthwhile compared to compromised data.