New Computer Won't Start!

[dannyaa]

I just bought an AMD 1.2GHz Tbird w/ABIT KT7A-RAID motherboard, and scavenged all the parts from my old Pentium III system. Here is my config:

ABIT-KT7A RAID motherboard
AMD Athlon Tbird 1.2GHz
128MB unbuffered SDRAM (from PIII)
Creative TNT2 32MB Ultra
27 GB DMA/66 HD and a 80 GB ATA/100 HD connected with ATA cables to the same IDE controller through one cable
Creative 6x DVD and decoder card
Pyro Firewire card
Netgear Ethernet LAN card
Creative AWE32 SB

Ok so I plugged in all this stuff. Fan is plugged into right spot, everythings tight, etc... I hit power, it powers up, and then it makes a long beep, pauses a few seconds, makes another long beep, pauses, another long beep, and it keeps doing that.
It does this before the system even does anything - the monitor doesn't even get a signal yet. I have tried a different video card in the machine, it still didn't work. I have tried unplugging every card in the machine except the video card, still didn't work. I tried unplugging the hard drives and booting from a floppy. It still didn't work. So I can't do anything.
Does anyone know what the problem could be? Maybe the RAM from the Pentium III isn't compatible? Could I have a defective motherboard or processor? Please help!!

 

[TheSandman]

Check your mobo manual to see what those tree long beeps mean.

SANDMAN

 

[Guest]

Should have a beep error code in the new motherboard manual.


Take Care.
Yes,I know I'm immature, but my goal is insanity!

 

[Guest]

The problem is the Graphics card!! i got the same motherboard and from the sounds of what u said the same problem.. MAKE SURE the Graphics cards is completely in the socket.. maybe the motherboard is too low in the case (I had Same prob!!)..

Fidle with it.. Raising the motherboard slightly and pushing firmly fixed the same problem for me .. good luck

Thnx for your time,

Jon

 

[dannyaa]

Strangely enough, I searched my ABIT KT7A-Raid manual and maybe I am blind but it doesn't seem to have anything telling what the beeps mean. BTW, its not three beeps, it just keeps doing it forever.
jonfielden, I will try fiddling with the motherboard when I get home to make sure it is completely in the slot, but when I was doing it before, it seemed to be in their really good. I tried this with my TNT2, which used the AGP slot, and an older STB card, which uses a PCI slot, and it really seemed to be in good and it would not go! But I will try some more.
Do you guys think it could be the RAM? I did an experiment, and plugged everything in, and then just took out the RAM so there was none in the system. It did the same thing. Now that doesn't tell me that it is the RAM but thats just a piece of info.
Do you think I could have a defective mobo/processor? They seemed fine. Or is that kind of unusual/unlikely. I sure hope so I don't want to go through the hassel of returning and reinstalling it all.

 

[Guest]

This sounds much more like a RAM problem to me although you will lose nothing by wiggling the graphics card into place a bit.
I had a similar problem with an A7V as t'birds don't like CAS3 ram. You will need to replace it with CAS2 RAM or the system refuses to start.
Ed

 

[Guest]

I had a similar prob with KT7A and 1.1Ghz athlon. Mine was grfx related but I would check the card is seated properly. Also I think pauls unofficial KT7 faq have a description for the beeps and alos many other things that it could be related to http://www.icrontic.com/faqs/kt7faq/kt7faq.htm

I would try with only the grfx card installed and 1 HD. You could try getting some ram from somewhere but I don't think the KT7 requires CL2 aand it will work with CL3. THe KT7 has some issues with certain sound cards so I would definitly remove this to start with.
Good Luck

 

[dannyaa]

alright thanks for the tips guys
I had already ordered some RAM from crucial speciffically for this board, best quality, and it should be here tuesday; I was using PIII RAM temporarily while I was waiting for my new RAM to arrive.
I did try unplugging everything but vid cards and it still wouldn't go. I'm hoping its a RAM problem, and I will try the video card to make sure its in there and take a look at that website you gave me, overclocKING.
I will tell you what the problem was once it is up and running. Thanks again.

Danny

 

[Guest]

"INTEL" NO PROB!!!

 

[dannyaa]

"INTEL" RIP-OFF

I do have a Pentium III 450 but I decided that since an AMD 1.2GHz @ 133FSB is not only in most situations signifcantly faster than 1.5GHz pentium as well as significantly cheaper, to go the AMD route

 

[Guest]

I got one of those too.
Now what???

O ya! Check your power supply your gonna need atleast 300 for that setup?

 

[Guest]

This may seem dumb, but this is my solution.
After a couple of seconds from powering up (pressing the power button) press the reset button on the front of the case and see if you get a Bios signal.
I had a new system and during my initial installation, I had a hell of a time restarting the computer if I had to power cycle by pressing the powerbutton for 3 seconds. I went through this two week period of unplugging the power cord for 10 seconds after a crash in order to restart the computer while I first got it running and configured.
I don't know if this is an issue with the abit kt7 board, but thats what I have also.

 

[Tempus]

I have a feeling it is a problem with your power supply. My reasoning is that if it doesn't do anything, then it must not be getting its fair share of power. AMD recommends a 400W power supply, but a 300W should work. Do you know what the wattage of your power supply is? Maybe it is slightly disconnected.

- "That's no moon, it's Rambus!"

 

[Guest]

Three long beeps--

RAM problems. Did you plug in your RAM correctly? Take it out and plug it back in again.


One long and two short -- video card problems.

Sometimes the 168 pin dram doesn't sit correctly.

 

[phsstpok]

jjkka already posted the answer.

FYI, Eric's BIOS POST codes, http://webenet.net/~ntuser/


Includes beep codes but there are only two codes for Award BIOS. Repeating beeps = memory problem. One long and two short = video card problem. Everything else will be a text message.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 02/06/01 00:19 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[kal326]

Make sure your soft menu III is set to the right CPU speed in bios. If this is not done the machine will not want to restart after saving and exiting bios setup or at other times. Check abits faq about this one. It might be part of your problem