ever heard this beepcode?

[rip_1956]

Trying to build a new PC for family member. Got a good(?) deal at Microcenter on a mobo/cpu bundle for $49 after rebate. This is an AMD Duron 1600 and a MachSpeed V2DP mobo w/KM266pro chipset, onboard everything, etc.

Once I got it built, it locks up intermittantly, followed by continuous high-low-high-low beeping (sounds like a British police car siren). Sometimes occurs right after booting, sometimes not for a long time afterwards.

Manual is no help. Website states high/low beep indicates "cpu overheating, check cpu fan cable". I don't believe it, if I reboot immediately the bios shows 30 degrees C .

They (machspeed) do not offer support. Wish I knew that before buying. Oh well...

Any clues what that high low beep might be?

[rip_1956]

Add'l info I forgot to post:

Phoenix Award BIOS v6.00 PG
256mb DDR pc2700 RAM
Supercase case w/300 watt PS
Thermaltake TR2 cpu cooler

Trying to load Win98SE :rolleyes:
(not for me...)

Had it running Mepis LiveCD, **** Small Linux, Feather Linux, etc just for fun and to exercise the hardware. It locked up a few times running these also.

<edit>
That would be 'Darn Small Linux'.


Sorry.
</edit>

[BipolarBill]

It's CPU or CPU fan. Be sure that the fan is connected to the right header. Be sure that the CPU heat sink is flat and flush.

[rip_1956]

Thanks bpb !


My earlier assertion that the temp was at 30C was wrong. After another go at Win98se installation :rolleyes: , when it wanted to reboot, I noticed that the temp was now 46C. And this in my somewhat chilly basement. At this point took your advice. I popped off the heatsink and turned it over. The factory thermal paste was not smudged. I replaced it with some white silicon paste I had, reseated it, and no more lockups.
I

Appreciate it !

[fizur2002]

sounds to me like your cpu HS was not fitting tightly enough onto the CPU to get good contact, check to make sure that its not loose and that its snug feeling.

[rip_1956]

Originally posted by fizur2002
sounds to me like your cpu HS was not fitting tightly enough onto the CPU to get good contact, check to make sure that its not loose and that its snug feeling.

Exactly.
When I first mounted the processor/heatsink, it felt solid. This mobo did not allow easy viewing from the side, so I could not see if there was a gap or not.

When I took off the heatsink last night I could see that it never made contact. No paste from the heatsink was on the cpu. I applied my own paste and test-fitted it, and I saw the paste was smudged, indicating contact. Working fine now.

Interestingly, I never had this problem with other boards from Asus, Soyo, Biostar or MSI....

[fizur2002]

do the retaining clips give you a little bit of a fight when you are putting them on?

[rip_1956]

Yes they did. Like most others I have worked with, it felt that I was one little slip away from breaking them off. That made me hesitate to pull the HS off when BPB said to check if it was flat and flush. Glad I did check though. Now it's working fine.


Are all heatsinks that difficult? I have only worked on AMD setups, so I don't know if Intel systems are easier.

[fizur2002]

they are all that way, the only diff with intel HS is that you dont have to worry about chipping or scratching the core. The same goes with AMD 64 chips too.