3 long beeps on boot

[mar122999]

Hi. I sold a New computer system recently to a lady and I believe she may have jolted something loose in the inside. Here is the computer:

P4 2.66Ghz CPU
Asrock P4M266A Mobo
60Gb Maxtor HD
256Mb Infeneon DDR PC2100 RAM
PNY Geforce FX 5200 AGP VGA Card
Floppy
CD-RW
Windows XP

She took the computer home and placed an extra 512mb DDR RAM in herself that she purchase from a local store. She then called me and told me that the computer will not boot and the power comes on, then shuts off. I then told her to take out the extra RAM that she added and check to see if the PS is set on 230. Sure enough, the PS was set on 230 (not sure why she changed it). The computer now boots (it is still at her house), but it gives 3 long (about 2-3 seconds each) beeps on boot up and nothing happens after that (keep in mind that the system is now set up like I brought it to her...without the RAM). I told her to check the VGA slot (make sure that it is inserted correctly), and check the RAM stick connection. I'm not sure if she checked these correctly, but the problem still exists. I'm am going to take the system back and look at it myself. Any suggestions on what she could have accidently done (the PC was built from ground up with new parts and I have no idea why it is not working correctly considering I performed a 24 hour test before giving it to her)? Any advice?

[Gettinbye]

Normally I would say recheck the AGP card to make sure it's seated properly, but if the PS was switched to European power standards, chances are something got toasty. Might try a new stick of memory...I don't think you'd even get the beeps if the CPU was dead, so more than likely it's a vid card or memory problem...

[thekingofpain]

Try looking in the manual for the beep codes---
What bios is it?
Might find an answer here:
http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml

[mar122999]

The bios is AMI Bios. Do you think that the PS being set to 230 could have messed something up? I thought that the computer just doesn't boot, but it doesn't cause any problems.

[thekingofpain]

Dont worry about the power switch---no way can you get 230v from a 110v line---
Probably mem or video related---get your hands on it, should be a non-issue to fix...

[Bovon]

You will probably need to get back involved with it...being careful to inform the lady that the problem may have been created when she took it upon herself to install more RAM..and additional charges may be forthcoming (unless it is a relative/family friend...in which case, you are SOL!)

She may have swapped the positions of the RAM modules..or in the least, bumped the original stick to a point to where it is not seated down good in its socket.

AGP video cards are some of the worst to seat properly and keep seated..almost impossible to ship or transport a computer without reseating the video card after it gets to where it is going. But, I don't believe a video card will cause 3 long POST beeps.. that is almost surely RAM related problem

[mar122999]

Yeah Bovon. I should charge her if something is wrong, but she is the type of person that will not think it was her fault. Anyway, I thought it could have been a loose connection with my stick of RAM in there. She may have bugde it. I asked her and she swears that she never touched mine, but it is almost impossible sometimes to insert additional RAM without touching the old one. 3 beeps almost sounds like the computer is booting up and it is not reconizing any RAM inside of the system. I'll check that when I pick it up tom. I appreciate the advice!

[nukes]

Maybe she knocked one of the clips off the other stick. I'd take it back off her and have a look before she fudges something else up.
I don't reckon the PSU being set to 230 would mess it up though. Most modern (post 1993) ones I've worked with have been ok and have some sort of safety circuit - I've tried it on a few, you never know what sort of idiots are going to buy the PC.
Maybe she's zapped the RAM, or cracked the motherboard. It could be anything.
and yes, definatley charge her for it. It was fine when you gave it her, she's broken it. No warranty in the world (except some really expensive ones) cover that sort of thing. Its definatley not in her statutory rights.
3 beeps (or 1 short and 3 long) officially means something to do with the system bus not being properly syncronised as far as I remember. this normally means a dud card, damaged mobo/ram or badly seated components. Check all of these.

[mar122999]

I sure will keep that in mind. I will keep you posted tomm. Thanks for the help guys!

[mar122999]

Just to keep you updated. I just built another system similiar to the one below and I left the memory out. I tried to boot and got the same 3 long beep codes.

It must be a bad connection on the memory stick within the other system.