HELP - Mysterious Beeps

A few weeks ago I started a new build. The specs were

Lian Li PC101-B
AeroCool zerodba 620W Power Supply
Asus P5N-E SLI Motherboard (nVidia 650i)
Intel Q6600
Tuniq Tower Heatsink/Fan
G.Skill DDR2-800 4GB kit (2x2GB)
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640MB
Creative X-Fi Elite Pro
Samsung SpinPoint 500GB HD
Lite-On DVD Burner

Let me preface by saying this would be my fifth or sixth system build, so I basically know what I'm doing, though I'm no expert. I get the thing put together and am greeted with no video and a beep code (1 long, 3 short followed by a pause, and another short).

I unplug everything but the essentials (Mobo, proc, video, ram) and still get the beep. I do some research online and discover that the beep code points to either a video or RAM problem (though probably video). The video theory is reinforced when I take out the video card completely and it still makes the same beep, whereas if I take out the RAM it makes a different beep.

I bring down the video card and RAM from my roommate's computer (another build of mine I did last April), plug them in, and get the same beep code. At this point I'm thinking it's the motherboard, because I know the components work, so I RMA it and send it back to NewEgg.

They replace it, send it back, and I build again with the new board. Same beep. I take my video card up to my roommate's computer to make extra double sure that it's working, and it is.

I put in a RMA on the motherboard again, this time for a refund, and then go to MicroCenter to get a P35 based motherboard instead. I got the Asus P5K (I didn't want to go with Asus again, but they didn't have any other P35 boards). I build the thing up, and I get the same beep code. AGAIN.

At this point I'm at a loss. I've never had so much trouble with a build, and I feel like I'd give anything just to get it to work. As you can tell by the components, this was not a cheap machine, but right now it sits as so much junk on the floor of my basement.

Any help would be incredibly appreciated.

Oh man, I have never felt so dumb. The problem was that the PCI-Express power cable wasn't fully plugged in at the power supply. It was my first time working with a modular PSU, so I guess it didn't occur to me to check. Hopefully that's a lesson to people out there, as it has been to me. (I write this from my bitchin new computer).

I usually do something dumb most times I do maintenance on my system, and I've done it countless times.

crashinghero said:

Oh man, I have never felt so dumb. The problem was that the PCI-Express power cable wasn't fully plugged in at the power supply. It was my first time working with a modular PSU, so I guess it didn't occur to me to check. Hopefully that's a lesson to people out there, as it has been to me. (I write this from my bitchin new computer).

Click to expand...

Hmmmm......lol....easy mistake to make...

I found this out during my own build....lol.

Nothing quite like it is there, after spending all that time and money getting everything together, the time comes to switch it on and....NOTHING...............arrrgghhhhh......

Normally no VGA power supply gives a single continuous beep, which sounds almost like the comp is screaming at you.....lol.

The emotions are awful....

PANIC - "OMG its not working" - DISBELIEF -"its got to work" - RESIGNATION - "OK where do I start to fix it" - FRUSTRATION - "Not this, Not that, what is it..??" - IMPATIENCE - "When is that RMA coming..??" - TREPIDATION - "OK lets try it now" - PANIC AGAIN - "OMG not again whats that noise" - RELIEF - "Oh I know I havn't plugged that cable in" - ELATION - "Oh Thank F**K for that its working"

And thats before you even install Windows.....lol.....when the whole process starts all over again, when you can't get this device to work, or that device to work and you need to get this driver and that driver.....

Anyway happy to hear you got it sorted....well done....live and learn eh...!!!