Go to http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/BIOSBeepCodes.asp, which is one of many sites listing beep codes. Need to know what BIOS you have, Award, Phoenix, whatever to determine what it means. I ran a google search for "bios beep codes" and got a lot of hits, many for different BIOS's. Leigh Jennings <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >Hi > >The Problem: >Sometimes on startup instead of the single Beeeep which always precedes a >normal boot >it goes Beeeeep Beep Beep Beep (long short short short) and the screen >stays black. in fact the main monitor stays in sleep mode. > >Other indicators are: >3D games (Grand theft auto, Diablo II) started seizing up after a few >minutes and particularly when things got busy. Sometimes the screen would >go all weird colours. (there may have been a beep involved there too). I >haven't tried gaming for a while. > >My system is: >AMD Athlon 2400+ >500meg DDR Ram >Asus A7N 266 VM Motherboard >Raedon 9200 series (128meg RAM) Video >Creative SB Live! sound card >Realteck RTL8139 (A) PCI fast ethernet adapter >Firewire card (unknown) >NOTE: I use the digital video output to run a second CRT monitor via an >inline adapter. this has never caused a problem before. > >What have I tried? >Reboot, Reboot, Reboot, Reboot, Reboot, Reboot, sometimes I need to turn >off the ups and leave it for a minute or two before it will boot >properly... sounds like heat to me but all fans are working ok. >I thought the video card might be getting hot but the heat sink is barely >warm to the touch. (I've not tried this during gaming though) There is no >fan on this video card. > >The only reliable way I can make it fail is via gaming but it has failed at >other times. I cant see any usage pattern there though. > >I am tempted to go and buy a new video card (it could do with an upgrade >anyway) but I'm worried it may be something else altogether. flaky ram >perhaps? > >Any suggestions would be greatly apreciated >Leigh > > __________________________________________________________________ Switch to Netscape Internet Service. As low as $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at http://isp.netscape.com/register Netscape. Just the Net You Need. New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download visit our download web page at: http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml