Hi people, I bought a new PC less than two weeks ago (Intel Core 2 Duo, 2gb's of RAM, motherboard: Intel D946GZls (essential series desktop board)). I used it for about a week or so, but last thursday, when I was gonna turn it up in the morning, it wouldn't boot, the motherboard beeped 3 times and wouldn't boot no matter what I did, so I turned the energy regulator off, turned it on again, and this time it did boot. The machine was working fine the whole day, but in the afternoon, I was working on ubuntu and listening music (doing simple stuff), and the machine got frozen, so I had to press the reset button, but this time it didn't boot for serious (it beeped 3 times at every attempt to boot, but did nothing else). I read the motherboard manual and it says these symptoms (machine doesn't boot and the mobo beeps 3 times) are likely to be a memory problem; but how in the world a machine with 2 gb's of RAM has a memory problem? (don't want to think the 2 memory modules have burnt in such a short time). I open the case and checked the memory modules and they seemed to be properly attached to the mobo (didn't want to take them out and attach them again because the PC is still under warranty).

So, since the machine is still under warranty, I took it to the store yesterday (friday), but they told me I have to wait until next monday. The problem is, I don't trust these people from the store very much (first they had gave me a defective monitor and when I told them to change it, they came with a funky story, telling me I had to go to to Samsung to change the monitor (after a while, they gave me a new monitor)). So, what do you people think might have happened? (don't want them to come with funky stories again).

Oh, and something that might or might not be related, I'm not sure: last wednesday I installed Debian on this machine, but I didn't set the time properly (wanted to set it to local time), and later, after some upgrades and a dist-upgrade to lenny/sid, the system's clock got misconfigured and I noticed a message when turning debian off telling me the system's clock couldn't be set, and something about a time out waiting for /dev/rtc...

So, could this be a silly issue that could be fixed by taking out the CMOS battery for two minutes and attaching it again? (I really have no clue why this happened).

Regards, and thanks in advance for your answers.

This isn't a Linux problem, but..

The "memory problem" isn't no enough memory. It's bad or improperly seated memory. I would try just taking the sticks out and putting them back in. Read your motherboard manual for how. Clearing the CMOS is another option that might help.

Hi AlucardZero, thanks for clarifying this to me. Well, I guess I have to wait until next monday to see what they come up with...

The motherboard may need an update BIOS because other sites does have memory problems.

When you take out the memory modules, make sure the computer is not connected to the outlet. The reason for this the memory and other components can be damaged because of stand-by current. Also when discharging the BIOS, make sure the computer is disconnected from the outlet.

The number one of all computer problems is the power supply. If you buy a bad power supply or it came with the chassis, it is very likely will give you problems. I recommend power supplies from either Seasonic or Eneramax that has a universal voltage ranging from 100 volts to 240 volts and power factor controlled.

BTW, What do you mean energy regulator? Is it an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) or a line conditioner?

Hi Electro, I'll try and update the BIOS when they give me my machine back. By energy regulator I mean not an UPS, but a line conditioner, I guess (you know, these things that you connect to a single, external power supply, and have like 6 or 8 power supplies at the rear which protect the computer against power downs and ups (on the main current stream, I mean), but don't have an internal battery (like an UPS)). But I've been using this line conditioner for about 10 months with another machine without problems.

And about the power supply, I don't know if it came with the chassis because I didn't assembled this PC (I ordered it at the computer store and they assembled it).

Regards, and thanks for your answer!

My experience with computers stores is they will put the cheapest piece of junk power supply in the machine that they can get away with that will power the system, if you can I would get a good quality brand name as has already been mentioned to put into your machine it will save you many problems in the long run.

Hi, they finally gave me the machine back. At the store, they say they tested it and it was working perfectly, so I'm not sure what might have happened. As for the power supply, it came with the case/chassis, I guess, because it's a 'Majestic PC, model ATX-500W-PN' (the same brand as the case/keyboard/mouse combo). I'm about to buy a PSU, but I have a couple of questions: at the store they have some PSU's which battery duration is of 10 minutes, but I thought there were PSU's that could last for hours after a power down, am I right? (what's the longest it can work after a power down?). And the other question is, what could happen if the power supply that came with the case is not a good one? Is there any chance that it can burn some of the computer components? (I think I've been using these type of power supplies for years without problems, so far).

Thanks in advance.

I take it you mean UPS (a battery backup) if so then they will usually last 5-30 minutes for a consumer version depending on how much power the machine/peripherals attached to it will draw. If concerned about longer battery running times then you want the highest Volt Amp (VA) rated one you can buy, the higher the VA rating the longer it will run for a given load/draw (watts) of power taken from it by your machine. For the generic power supply question you can see spikes/drops in the voltage delivered at all times putting stress on the parts in the machine this can damage them or cause random problems like memory errors. Yes when it fails there is the chance that it will take other parts of the machine with it therefore costing you extra money possibly data loss if it kills the hard drive and you did not have it backed up.

Hi again, yes, I meant UPS (guess I have to study some technical english, lol). Thanks for your advice regarding the power supply, I guess I'll buy a new (good) one in a while.

Regards.

Since the computer ran ok at the computer store, I suggest get an outlet tester to make sure the outlet at your place is properly wired and grounded. If it is not, have a licensed electrician fix it.

Beyond just testing the outlet (which is a good idea) you also might want to consider the heat and humidity at the location where the computer is sitting. It is the cold season where you are, so this might not be a problem, but keep in mind that computers don't like to get too hot.

Hi, sorry for the looong delay, I was on a vacation travel and came back some days ago. Well, I think I found what seems to be the source of the problem: a defective RAM stick. Some weeks ago, when I took the PC to the store, they gave it back to me and said it was working perfectly (in fact, when I brought it home it was normal again)... then, like two days ago, when I was gonna turn the PC on in the morning I heard the three annoying beeps and it just won't boot. I opened up the machine, checked that the modules were properly attached to the slots (even took them out and attached them again), but nothing, the machine didn't boot. So I removed one of the modules and leaved the other one on the first RAM slot; this time the machine did boot without problems (only thing was a BIOS message telling me the firmware had detected a memory decrease). After that, I turned off the machine and changed the memory sticks and this time it didn't boot, so I guess this memory module is defective? (too bad I had no more warranty since I had to open the case in order to install my wireless card when I bought the machine). What puzzles me is that it seemed to work randomly; one day the machine booted the second day it didn't, then it would, etc. Any ideas? I mean, is it possible that a defective memory module works one day and the other day doesn't?

Oh, and about the sticks, they're both 1 gb and 667 ghz (I guess, the label only says 1gb, 667).

Thanks for your suggestions, recommendations and advices.

it probably used a different part of the memory and then it used the part that is defective or something like that

hmmm, I see, thanks for clarify this to me... then I guess I'll have to spend more extra money on another memory module :[

The reason more than likely is that the memory is just at the 'edge'. Hence it sometimes works and sometimes does not. Temperature can influence this behaviour as well.

From experience
1)
In my first job (working in an independent testhouse):
One specific pin on hundreds of microcontrollers was damaged due to static electricity during the production process at the manufacturer. Testing those microcontrollers resulted in some failing the tests and some passing. Repetetive testing however resulted in more microcontrollers failing the tests till 100% failed after a while. During this repetetive testing, it was found that the input leakage (a parameter of digital devices) on that specific pin increased after time.
2)
At home:
My girlfriend's computer was hit by lightning over the phone line. The internal modem did no longer work and the audiocard was damaged in such a way that the computer did not boot. I took the audio card out after which the machine worked again. I also took the modem out as a non functionla modem is useless.
After a while she was getting some intermittent video problems and eventually I had to replace the video card as well.
Also, a peripheral that was connected on the serial port when the lightning struck started giving intermittent problems as well till it eventually died. This was a bloody expensive lesson as one can by two absolute top class PCs for the price of that peripheral.

The lesson: static electricity can kill slowly.