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Thread ID: 57847 2005-05-14 08:04:00 Unusual problem Myth (110) Press F1
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354997 2005-05-14 08:04:00 Hi,
Yesterday I installed a second hard drive into my system. When I put the system back together I got the long beep for bad memory.
Remembering this isnt the first time its happened, and that the fix was physically taking the RAM out and then reinstalling; I did that. After taking it out a couple of times the machine booted up fine.
Last time this happened I took it to my old tech and she basically ripped the machine apart looking for the prob. She eventually settled on it COULD be the USB controllers (rear mounted) shorting out the mobo. They were taken out, but not replaced.
There are no stability probs with this machine. I get no BSODs or anything similar (I check Event Viewer regularly). It boots up fine everytime (the case hasn't been opened). The only thing I connected/disconnected was the IDE cable.
The mobo is a P4MAM MSI, obviously the CPU is a P4 (socket 478 2.6Ghz). The harddrives are a Samsung 80GB(ma) and a Seagate 40GB(sl)
Any ideas whats causing the reboot after repair issue?
Myth (110)
354998 2005-05-14 08:08:00 Check the jumpers on the drives are set to Master and Slave etc

Check the BIOS for the drives to be detected correctly

Check that you haven't reversed the IDE cable in the 80 pin slot on the hard drive.

Check for loose cards, cables, connections, as something may have been bumped or worked loose.
EX-WESTY (221)
354999 2005-05-14 08:10:00 BIOS has been checked.
Jumpers are correct, as is the IDE (80 wire) cable (btw its a 40 pin slot :p)

Already checked all connections.
Myth (110)
355000 2005-05-14 08:11:00 A buggy BIOS? Look for a BIOS update. gibler (49)
355001 2005-05-14 22:17:00 The BIOS is going to be the absolute last fix if I can help it. Any other ideas? Myth (110)
355002 2005-05-14 23:25:00 whats the problem here ?

going by your post you fitted a hardrive, pc gave a long beep, you refitted the ram and now its going fine. so whats the problem ?
tweak'e (69)
355003 2005-05-15 00:16:00 When I put the system back together I got the long beep for bad memory.
Remembering this isnt the first time its happened, and that the fix was physically taking the RAM out and then reinstalling; I did that. After taking it out a couple of times the machine booted up fine. Is this normal? thats the query
Myth (110)
355004 2005-05-15 00:36:00 I wouldnt worry it might not have connected properly the first few times or there may have been a bit of dust on the contacts maybe :) Overdrive_5000 (4950)
355005 2005-05-15 01:07:00 fairly normall. if you bump the ram or leads while installing the drive it can happen. as long as it works fine now.....don't worry about it. tweak'e (69)
355006 2005-05-15 02:29:00 Any time you open the box you risk causing problems. If you move cables you are really looking for trouble. ;)

Connections were always the most unreliable part of "real" computers. In PCs, software is the weakest point, but connections will always cause problems.

So you've noticed that the 80 wire IDE cables still connect to a 40 pin header. :D The extra 40 wires are earth wires, alternating with the original 40 wires (some of which are already earths).
Graham L (2)
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