New build, three short beeps, not booting?

[detection]

Hi all,

I just finished my new build and tried getting it up and running. When I turn it on I see the ASROCK boot screen, then it tries to boot but freezes. During this time I hear three short beeps. I can't seem to get a solid answer one what the three beeps indicate on my particular setup but I believe it's a RAM issue. I tried one stick, both sticks in two different configurations, and each time it's three short beeps.

Is there a way to test if the RAM is fault if I don't have another computer to test them in? Is it possible it's not the RAM? (I hope it's not the motherboard...)

This is my build (plus an old OEM wifi card).

Appreciate any help. Thanks!

 

[sid_90]

Hi all,

I just finished my new build and tried getting it up and running. When I turn it on I see the ASROCK boot screen, then it tries to boot but freezes. During this time I hear three short beeps. I can't seem to get a solid answer one what the three beeps indicate on my particular setup but I believe it's a RAM issue. I tried one stick, both sticks in two different configurations, and each time it's three short beeps.

Is there a way to test if the RAM is fault if I don't have another computer to test them in? Is it possible it's not the RAM? (I hope it's not the motherboard...)

This is my build (plus an old OEM wifi card).

Appreciate any help. Thanks!

Well u have guessed it correctly abt the RAMs. Could also possibly be bad DIMM slots on the motherboard. So hope it helps...
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000996.htm

 

[plywrlw]

The fastest ram supported by that motherboard is 1866, three beeps means the motherboard isn't detecting the ram at all

 

[detection]

The fastest ram supported by that motherboard is 1866, three beeps means the motherboard isn't detecting the ram at all

Shoot, I swore I saw 2400 was supported. I initially had 2133 RAM in my PCPartPicker list and it said it was compatible too. Shouldn't it still run, just at the lower speed?

Also, I was able to get into the UFEI setup screen and it listed the RAM... so it must have detected something? I also tried enabling XMP and setting it to 2400 but no dice.

 

[detection]

Well, strange new update...

I switched the RAM around a few more times. Ran MemTest86 through two passes with no errors, so I tried booting one more time; this time the beeps sounded like maybe 3-4-3? -- but it booted. (I'm using an SSD from my previous PC that I didn't reformat yet, so it booted right into Windows and adjusted to the new components). I zipped around for a few minutes, and then BLACK. Everything just shut off. Didn't turn itself back on.

Now I don't know WHAT the heck is happening, but I haven't tried turning it back on yet. I'll have to continue troubleshooting tomorrow.

Thanks for any more help.

 

[plywrlw]

It should run at a slower speed but ram can be tricky. For peace of mind its usually easier to buy some from the list officially supported by the motherboard. There are two very similar mobo's, one ends in pro4 and one ends in dgs, only the dgs version supports 2400Mhz.

Have you also checked your temps and is the motherboard definitely mounted in the chassis ok (i.e. no extra stand offs and no overtight screws?) Bread boarding out of the case first can be very useful with a new build.

 

[detection]

Motherboard seems to be okay. Checked all the connections, mobo itself feels secure.

I've learned a couple new things today.

1. I am still able to boot to Windows 8. I can get in, zip around, like it's a normal computer. I got Core Temp installed and it looked like my APU was running a little warm... but not hitting the max. The last time it shut off I was running WEI, so I tried again and it shut off at the same time again--while running the "assessing CPU performance" part. I watched the temps during the WEI and it sat about 65-66 until right before the crash where it shot up to 75--max being 70. (This crash also kills the internet in the whole house for about five minutes...)

2. I'm not able to boot to a disc. I have the Windows 8 disc in my drive, and when I try to boot to it it either freezes or cycles back to the ASRock logo. When I boot into my current Windows Install I can view the disc's contents but not run them.

Still getting three beeps through all of this. Still at a loss. Is it my APU? Motherboard? Something else?

Thanks again for your help.



ETA: Strangely enough, when I chose "Re-run the assessment" instead of "Refresh now" for the WEI, it did not overheat the APU or crash the PC...

 

[plywrlw]

This is going to be tricky to solve as it could be ram, processor or motherboard. Are you able to bread board your cpu, mobo and one stick of ram out of the case on a wooden table or piece of sturdy cardboard and see if it will enter the bios without issues and monitor behaviour and temps for a while?
Are you still within the 30 day returns window? (assuming you're in the States)
Do you know anyone with compatible parts or a local PC store that will test your individual components for a small fee?

 

[detection]

Sorry to disappear, and thank you again for your help.

I'm so reluctant to take everything apart but if I have to I suppose I don't have a choice. Before doing that, I'm attempting to disconnect components one by one while in the case to see what happens.

- Unplugged SSD, HDD, optical drive from mobo. Booted. Got to BIOS, three beeps.
- Unplugged wifi card. BIOS, three beeps.
- Took out RAM. No BIOS, three beeps.
- Uplugged the SSD, HDD, optical drive power cables from PSU. Here's where it got interesting... BIOS, no beeps.
- Plugged each stick of RAM back in one at a time. BIOS, no beeps.
- Plugged JUST the SSD back in (drive with Windows 8 installed)... no beeps, flash of BIOS, then "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key" error message--even if I hit F11 at boot and select the drive (which the BIOS does recognize).

So that's where I'm at now. I still can't seem to figure out what my mobo's beep codes mean, so I'm not sure if no beeps is a better sign than three. Not sure what's up with the boot error either, as I was able to boot into Windows 8 before even with 3 beeps.

ETA:

Continued testing stuff... Swapped out the BD drive for a CD-RW drive... Now even when I have everything plugged in, NO beeps. BIOS shows. But it won't boot up to Windows 8 on my SSD, and won't boot to the disc either. In both cases it shows the Windows logo, but locks up on the loading wheel.

ETA2:

So it decided to boot??? It was giving me the Windows 8 repair screen thing... so I "repaired" and it booted into my current install. It does see my CD-RW drive and the disc inside it. Going to see how it runs for a little, test some reboots to make sure it's not some anomoly, then try getting a fresh Windows install going again.

ETA3:

It just wasn't happy trying to boot to a disc. But I tested a DVD and that played no problem so for the most part the drive works. Currently doing my fresh Windows install from a USB drive instead, which booted no problem.

ETA4:

Fresh install running great so far. However, Core Temp is sitting around 65 degrees when all I'm doing is browsing in Chrome, playing music in Spotify, and letting Dropbox sync in the background. I've seen some mentions that these APUs don't report temps correctly, but it feels hot to the touch (still have the sides of my case open and can touch the backside of the APU). Could the APU be the problem all along? I did not apply thermal paste of my own as it looked like there was some on it. Is the stock heatsink that bad? Something else?

Sorry for so many edits, just figured I'd keep anyone reading in the future up to date. Thanks again.