Loud beeping, flashing red light, loud fan comes on at startup, I think I broke my puter! Help!

[TY965]

I took a break.

Paul,

I think you were right about the memory sticks being difficult to seat properly, because I moved the Desktop again yesterday and noticed something rattling around in there.  I opened it and sure enough the stick had fallen out  I didn’t try to replace it yet, I don’t think I want that beat stick anymore. 😊  I still have the two brand new DDR3-SDRAM DIMMS, but I wanted to check with you first about a possible problem I noted when going over the exact specs, to make sure I bought the right kind.

According to Guide:

5 Red Light Flashes per second suggests memory problem.

 I installed 2  4GB DDR3 DIMM’s  with all the right stuff below, except for possibly the x8 aspect that is not supported.  I have no idea about CAS latency  or  mandatory JEDEC……  It doesn’t give that much information on the package or memory stick.

For proper system operation, the DDR3-SDRAM DIMMs must be:

• industry-standard 240-pin
• unbuffered non-ECC PC3-8500 DDR3-1066 MHz-compliant

The DDR3-SDRAM DIMMs must also:

• support CAS latency 7 DDR3 1066 MHz (7-7-7 timing) and CAS latency 9 DDR3 1333 MHz (9-9-9timing)contain the mandatory JEDEC SPD information
• DIMMs constructed with x8 and x16 DDR devices; DIMMs constructed with x4 SDRAM are not supported

 NOTE: The system will not operate properly if you install unsupported DIMMs.

I had everything correct on the new DIMMs except for what I just read on the bottom line of print on the stick.  it says:  2rx8    It has 8 digits  and then  “x8”   Not sure what that means

What do you think?  Do you think one or both will work in my PC?  I don't want to break anything else!!

 That could have been the main problem all along….  ??

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

All I know is that is is extremely difficult to find the right memory that will work in your PC.

I has to be low density, non-ECC, 1.5V and 1333 MHz or 1066 MHz.

I know that this memory will work, and anything else, unfortunately I wouldn't know.

This is what I have in my HP 8000 Elite CMT, which is basically the same model as yours, but has a slightly different Intel series 4 chipset and supports RAID.

Patriot Signature 4 GB PC3-10600 (1333 MHz) DDR3 Desktop Memory PSD34G13332 at Amazon.com

[TY965]

Yes, mine is the same as yours, except for that one niggling (  x8  ) thing.  I guess I can't do any worse than I already have.  I will try just one of them for now.  I wish there was some "tip" to getting the DIMMS seated properly.  I messed around with that thing for awhile and both latches were still up when I discovered the stick on the other side of the PC upon opening.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Usually, you have seated the memory correctly if the tabs lock in place by themselves and not by the user pushing them in place.

You really have to mash down on it.

If you are sure you seated the memory correctly and the PC still beeps, if you did not buy the exact same memory as I posted, you may want to try it out, because I know it will work.

Close only counts in dancing and horseshoes, or hand-grenades if you prefer.

[TY965]

Well, dagnabit, I still had to push the latches in place, but I must have gotten them, (two new DIMMS) seated  because when I turned the PC on, there were no red flashing lights and no beeping sounds.  I decided to hook up the monitor and when I turned it back on, the monitor said no signal, (like it did in the very beginning of all this) and to check the cables.  I tried the other monitor too, and it said the same.

I decided to inspect the Graphics card more closely.  There is a small chip out of one of the gold pins and two small holes in the red plastic , between the ridges.  I wonder if that could be the reason it didn't work? 

Also, I wonder if the internal graphics card, that you said I had, might need a driver update or something?

I am going to check out another Dell AMD Radeon PCIe Card.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You can remove the graphics card and try to hook it up directly to the display port or VGA port outputs on the back of the PC.

If the onboard graphics works you should get a signal with or without a driver.

[TY965]

Paul!!

      I just left a long, very detailed message to you and I was unable to post it because I was told it had an HTML in it, which I don't think it had, but also I was told that I had a previous  auto-saved message  and did I want to "load or discard."  I couldn't remember what that message might be, but I wanted you to get all the pertinent details, so clicked load.  I had no idea that would remove my entire previous message!!!

I wonder........  is there any way I can get that message back or do I have to type it all over again??

[itsmyname]

@TY965 -- when you get the "you have HTML" message, the HTML has been removed. Review what is remaining, edit it, if you want, and then click "Reply".

Also, watch: (1) A Beginners Guide: Upgrading Your PC's RAM - YouTube

The first part is the part that you should watch.  No, that is not me in this video.  🙂

If you did not "copy-and-paste" that long message into Notepad / Wordpad / Microsoft Word before you clicked "load", that long message is not retrievable.

[TY965]

I have replaced RAM many times before.  My current Desktop has been a bit of a problem.  I wish it were as easy to do as they show you in your provided video.  Access to the memory slots is much more difficult in mine.  There is no room for my fingers.  The memory cards have to be pushed down hard.   I thought they were in when they weren't.  I have to push the latches up manually whether they are in successfully or not.  I am resourceful, however and found a way to get them to work this time.

I have never had to do anything like copy and paste a comment before posting it on any other platform.  I also had never used a board where they "auto saved" but kept that "save" somewhere else, or just removed something from my comment without permission.  I was somewhat shocked to read that they had.    In my opinion, the owner of the board has the right not to allow the comment itself, tell the person why they won't give said permission and then give that person options.  They should never just arbitrarily remove anything from a person's individual comments.  But, what do I know??  I just believe in Freedom of Speech and Justice. 

I thought I was adding my previously saved comments to my new one.  Just a thought, maybe there could a little  warning box added to the questions as to whether someone wanted that previously saved message and tell them that if they click on it they will lose their current message!    Makes perfect logical sense to me.

[TY965]

It looks like it might be the on board graphics that are the problem now because I have not had a graphics card in there for months.  I have been relying on the on-board graphics all this time and I think that is what suddenly just stopped working.  I wonder if a driver download would help, but until I can get it up and running somehow, I would not be able to download.

     I have been pretty busy since we last communicated. 

After purchasing both cables, I have tried both the DP to DVI & DP to HDMI ports, (as you suggested) on the monitors with those particular ports and received the messages “No Signal” and “HDMI not activated No Signal” 

I also bought, one at a time, two refurbished Desktop PC’s from eBay and both proved to be defective to the point that I could not even turn them on.    I don’t understand my luck.  I have found refurbished PC’s to work just fine in the past.  And, we all know that things can be fixed.

I started to get the impression that my apt is where “Old PC’s come to die,” because, until this afternoon, I had 3 dead desktops in my living room. One has been returned and I am waiting on the shipping label for the other.  So, I am back to square one.  I also ordered another graphics card, identical to the first, but hopefully not damaged.  I have not given up on the hope that I will someday fix my current PC, but also continue to look for another refurbished Desktop with Win 7 OS, but similar to the ones I show below:

HP Business Class Windows 7 Pro Intel Dual Core 3GHz 500 GB DVD WiFi 8GB Desktop,                    (purchased Sept 12)

HP Elite 8200 SFF Desktop PC Quad Core i7 3.4GHz 16GB RAM 2TB DVD WiFi Win 10 Pro,                 (purchased Sept 18)

Do you have any suggestions as to what to look for in a used refurbished HP Desktop?   What should I look for as a sign of a good reliable one?  I purchased the one with Win 10 (though I hate win 10) on it because it was an Elite 8000 series and remembered that you had one you were very satisfied with.