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    Startup problem... long-short sound pattern, but no beeps...

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by eqmassa, Jul 7, 2007.

  1. eqmassa

    eqmassa Notebook Enthusiast

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    (This isn't notebook-related, but it is XP-related, and this forum has always been really helpful)

    I started defrag on my desktop computer and left the house. I got back 2 hours later and something strange was happening. The computer was powered off (no lights on but the red motherboard light) and it was emitting a long-short sound pattern. The thing is, the sounds were NOT beeps. I’ve troubleshot motherboards before and am not sure what this sound was. It sounded kind of like a “static electricity”-type sound effect, long-short, long-short, long-short, very deliberate and well-spaced.

    I was at a loss, so I turned off my surge protector (i.e. unplugged the computer), waited a few minutes, and then turned it back on. Everything was normal. I’m pretty worried/confused. Any tips? (I'm running an AMD Athlon 2500+ Barton core processor on an Abit NF7-S mobo with 1024mb Corsair RAM... all about 4 years old)
     
    eqmassa, Jul 7, 2007
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  2. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    I would check all fans in your system and make sure they are clean, especially the CPU and video card fans. Next, I would reseat all PCI cards and memory.

    You might also want to write down the long/short sounds - you could be receiving a signal from aliens. ;)
     
    kegobeer, Jul 7, 2007
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  3. Padmé

    Padmé NBR Super Pink Princess

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    Maybe you had a power surge while you were away.
     
    Padmé, Jul 7, 2007
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  4. eqmassa

    eqmassa Notebook Enthusiast

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    I use a surge protector... would this have happened anyway? I guess I should've checked to see if my monitor was powered off too...
     
    eqmassa, Jul 7, 2007
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  5. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    A surge protector does not stop 100% of voltage surges. Microprocessors are very susceptible to slight variations in voltage, so it's very possible your monitor would show no signs of a spike, whereas your computer could be beeping at you.
     
    kegobeer, Jul 8, 2007
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  6. gerryf19

    gerryf19 I am the walrus

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    i doubt this has anything to do with an electrical surge.

    Could the PC been asleep or hibernating (check power management settings in control panel) rather than truly off?

    Could a cable have come in contact with a fan?

    I would not worry about it unless it happens a second time.
     
    gerryf19, Jul 8, 2007
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  7. kanehi

    kanehi Notebook Deity

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    Have you researched the beep codes? Have to know your BIOS maker and see what they are. Could it also possibly because you had your computer set to turn off at a certain inactive time while it was defragmenting?
     
    kanehi, Jul 9, 2007
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  8. kegobeer

    kegobeer 1 hr late but moving fast

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    The OP stated that they were not beeps, and the system was not running a POST, so there would be no beep codes to check.
     
    kegobeer, Jul 9, 2007
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