jimmycaps -
Apr 28, 2011 at 02:09 PM - Latest reply: djsmurf101
Posts Friday January 9, 2009Registration date
April 30, 2011
Last seen
- Apr 30, 2011 at 11:47 PM
Sorry this is a long post. I'll try to save people time by giving the short version first. I am having problems rebooting. I can get the fans and lights to come on, but there is a series of long beeps that are ongoing. I thought it was a RAM problem, but it appears that the computer may be destroying my RAM
Here is the long story:
I have a HP pavillion a1450n. Over the last four years, about once per year I go on vacation and leave my house a little bit cooler than normal (about 55 degrees). While I am gone, I have my computer shut down. When I return, I find that the computer won't power up. I usually get it to work by blowing warm air with a blow dryer on it. Over the years I have learned to not turn the machine off.
Well, the other day, I noticed our internet was out. I therefore, went to restart via windows and instead of restarting the computer shut down. Then when I tried to turn it on, I got the similar symptoms that I have had in the past. Absolutely no power (no lights, no fans, no beeps). I therefore tried blowing some warm air on it as usual and no results. I ultimately opened the computer up and cleaned the dust out of it. I also unplugged the RAM and then seated it back firmly.
Eventually, I got the power to come back, but when I did, it wouldn't reboot. Instead, I got a series of constant long beeps. I looked it up on google and saw that this was normally a RAM problem. I have two 1GB DDR ram sticks that are original to the machine. By trial and error, I was able to find that when i used one specific stick it would boot up normally, but if the other one was in, it would not. So, I put the good one in and kept the computer running. When I returned home today, I found that the computer was frozen so I restarted it. When I restarted it, it wouldn't reboot even with the good RAM in it.
I'm wondering if this RAM is now bad too? What could be the problem?
CAn you tell me the manufacturer of you BIOS if you know it (Pheonix or Award in most cases), the numbers of beeps and their nature (long or short beep).
Hello,
Unfortunately, I do not know who makes the BIOS. The beeps are long in nature and last about 1 second and come every 2-3 seconds. They don't stop.
From what I read on other forums for HPs, it normally signals a RAM problem. What I can't understand is why I could get it to work with one of the two 1GB RAM sticks and then 24 hours later, I'm back to the beeps.
I have bought another 1GB of RAM that is in the mail currently, but I'm afraid that the computer will ruin that RAM.
Check if you do not remove a component (jumper). If the problem still persist or appear, I suggest you go see a qualified technician to try to see exactly where the problem may be located.
I recieved 1 GB in RAM today and the computer is back up and working!!!!!
It's a little bit slower than it was when it had 2GB, but the RAM was definitely the problem. Obvioulsy, I have some kind of power supply issue also, but that has been there for years and it only affects me when I turn the computer off.
My last question is why would 2-1GB sticks of RAM go bad all of a sudden? I want to buy more RAM, but I am afraid that the computer is going to burn it all up and make them useless like it did my previous two sticks.
You might want to take it someone so they can have a look at it, the most common issues that cause RAM to fail are ESD (electric Static Discharge), not being placed in the ram slots correctly, bad PSU (power supply units). However ram can just go bad though it does not happen often. Was the ram the stock ram or something you had upgraded? You might of just had a bad batch, though it is odd they both died around the same time.
It then worked for 24 hours, then froze, and when restarting, the computer started beeping again.
I tried to take it out again and it didn't work.
Thanks
Good Luck!
I recieved 1 GB in RAM today and the computer is back up and working!!!!!
It's a little bit slower than it was when it had 2GB, but the RAM was definitely the problem. Obvioulsy, I have some kind of power supply issue also, but that has been there for years and it only affects me when I turn the computer off.
My last question is why would 2-1GB sticks of RAM go bad all of a sudden? I want to buy more RAM, but I am afraid that the computer is going to burn it all up and make them useless like it did my previous two sticks.
What do you all think??
Thank you.