2 Short 1 Long beep at startup

[Clayman1000x]

I'm working on this CQ5000 desktop and when I try to boot it I get the error beep codes - 2 short and 1 long - I know the list shows :Unable to initialize video or video card required but not installed: I have the monitor hooked up to the motherboard connector. When it doesn't boot, I reseat the ram stick, or put the stick in the other socket, I can get it to boot. Is there a fix for this or is the motherboard toast?

[wb2001]

As you stated it boots with RAM only in a certain slot, that likely means you'll need to test each RAM module "one at a time" in that slot.  If all work, it's the second slot to test.  Put a module in the good slot, and try a module you also know as good in the second slot.

[Clayman1000x]

Did all that already, I only have one stick available to me. The stick started out in the slot furthest from the cpu, wouldn't boot, beeping, took out the ram, reseated it, booted up, went to restart, won't boot, beeping again, took ram out of that slot, installed in other slot, booted, redoing this again and again, each time reseating the ram. So it will boot regardless of slot, but not consistently. I also ran memtest86 on this stick from Ultimate Boot cd, said it was fine, but it booted, so it had to be doing ok. I started it up this morning after work, first try booted up to UBCD disk, restarted and wouldn't boot, beeping again, pulled power cord, pressed start button and held it for 20 sec, did it a couple of times before it booted. I'm kinda lost here with this.

[wb2001]

What is the product code/number on that unit.  There's 42 models in the CQ5000 series.

[Clayman1000x]

CQ5500Y

System # BQ472AA-ABA

Serial # [Personal Information Removed]

I was wondering if a video driver update would help

[Clayman1000x]

It is still not powering up properly, can't get it to boot at all now, even took out a pci card jut in case, still didn't boot. i'm thinking it has got to be the video chip on the motherboard.