intermittent failure to boot, award bios audio code is -..

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b_crowell67

I have a three year old homebrewed machine that I'm very happy with in
most ways, but it has intermittent problems booting. I think the
problem
developed within the last year, so maybe it indicates something has
been
damaged by a power surge or something...?

Most of the time it boots fine, but maybe one time out of three, it
fails with a -.. (long-short-short) audio code. If it fails once, then
typically it fails a bunch more times before getting out of its rut
and booting successfully. The bios is Phoenix-Award BIOS 6.00 PG,
and apparently -.. is "video adapter failure." The mobo is an ECS
L4VXA2, and the video card is a GeForce2. The power supply is a
pretty good quality Antec 380 W supply (80 PLUS), and the machine only
only draws a peak power of 169 W during booting, so I don't think that
should be the issue. (I recently upgraded from a cheap 300 W supply to
the more efficient 380 W supply, and it doesn't seem to have had any
effect on the problem.)

Am I right in interpreting this as a problem with the video card? If
so, is there anything I can do other than just replacing the video
card? I'm interested in keeping power consumption low, and don't do
any gaming, so I don't want to get the latest, greatest video card.
Actually, if I can't solve this problem, I'm thinking of building a
new, lower-power-consumption system with a mobo that has integrated
video.

TIA!

-Ben
 
I have a three year old homebrewed machine that I'm very happy with in
most ways, but it has intermittent problems booting. I think the
problem
developed within the last year, so maybe it indicates something has
been
damaged by a power surge or something...?

Most of the time it boots fine, but maybe one time out of three, it
fails with a -.. (long-short-short) audio code. If it fails once, then
typically it fails a bunch more times before getting out of its rut
and booting successfully. The bios is Phoenix-Award BIOS 6.00 PG,
and apparently -.. is "video adapter failure." The mobo is an ECS
L4VXA2, and the video card is a GeForce2. The power supply is a
pretty good quality Antec 380 W supply (80 PLUS), and the machine only
only draws a peak power of 169 W during booting, so I don't think that
should be the issue. (I recently upgraded from a cheap 300 W supply to
the more efficient 380 W supply, and it doesn't seem to have had any
effect on the problem.)

Am I right in interpreting this as a problem with the video card? If
so, is there anything I can do other than just replacing the video
card? I'm interested in keeping power consumption low, and don't do
any gaming, so I don't want to get the latest, greatest video card.
Actually, if I can't solve this problem, I'm thinking of building a
new, lower-power-consumption system with a mobo that has integrated
video.

TIA!

-Ben
Click to expand...

Sounds like it's the mobo, my first suggestion would be to clear the
CMOS, and go from there. If it's doing "long-short-short" it doesn't
sound like it would be the memory. Could be processor or video. See if
you can find a video card that is cheap but will work. You can
generally find these for nearly $50 or lower. If you end you with a
new card and the system still doesn't work, you'll at least be one
part up on the new low power machine! ;)

Jeff
 
Sounds like it's the mobo, my first suggestion would be to clear the
CMOS, and go from there. If it's doing "long-short-short" it doesn't
sound like it would be the memory. Could be processor or video. See if
you can find a video card that is cheap but will work. You can
generally find these for nearly $50 or lower. If you end you with a
new card and the system still doesn't work, you'll at least be one
part up on the new low power machine! ;)
Click to expand...

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the advice!

Ben
 
Ben Crowell said:
Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the advice!

Ben
Click to expand...

Your PSU can give errors and intermitten problems too. That would be my next
move after the video. (actually it would be my first move because I have
good PSUs around, but no video cards..........:-)

Ed
 
Ed said:
Your PSU can give errors and intermitten problems too. That would be my next
move after the video. (actually it would be my first move because I have
good PSUs around, but no video cards..........:-)

Ed
Click to expand...
I recently replaced the power supply (just to get more efficiency), and
it didn't affect the problem.
 
Ben Crowell said:
I recently replaced the power supply (just to get more efficiency), and
it didn't affect the problem.
Click to expand...

Hi folks,

I am no guru or anything, but I have a similar problem with my machine.

Every three or four months or so, I get a "Disk boot failure" message during
startup, during post when BIOS looks for HD.

Turns out that my problem seems to be a loosening of the HD ribbon cable on
the mobo. Just push on it a bit to seat it tighter and the failures go away
for another 3-4 months.

Don't know if it is a weak spot on the mobo or a bad ribbon or what. Just a
little push on the mobo connector.

Just wanted to add to the conversation.

Thanks,
Dennis
 
Hi folks,

I am no guru or anything, but I have a similar problem with my machine.

Every three or four months or so, I get a "Disk boot failure" message during
startup, during post when BIOS looks for HD.

Turns out that my problem seems to be a loosening of the HD ribbon cable on
the mobo. Just push on it a bit to seat it tighter and the failures go away
for another 3-4 months.

Don't know if it is a weak spot on the mobo or a bad ribbon or what. Just a
little push on the mobo connector.
Click to expand...
Probably a bad connector on the ribbon cable.
Replace it with a new one.
 
Dennis said:
Hi folks,

I am no guru or anything, but I have a similar problem with my machine.

Every three or four months or so, I get a "Disk boot failure" message during
startup, during post when BIOS looks for HD.

Turns out that my problem seems to be a loosening of the HD ribbon cable on
the mobo. Just push on it a bit to seat it tighter and the failures go away
for another 3-4 months.

Don't know if it is a weak spot on the mobo or a bad ribbon or what. Just a
little push on the mobo connector.

Just wanted to add to the conversation.
Click to expand...

Hi Dennis -- interesting idea, I hadn't thought of the possibility of a
loose cable. In the interim. I've ended up rebuilding the machine with a
new mobo and cpu anyway.

-Ben
 
Ben Crowell said:
Hi Dennis -- interesting idea, I hadn't thought of the possibility of a
loose cable. In the interim. I've ended up rebuilding the machine with a
new mobo and cpu anyway.

-Ben
Click to expand...

I take it that you never discovered what the problem was.
Also, sounds as if the new parts have restored your machine to working
order. Sorry you had to spend money to correct this issue.

I have been lurking in this group and a few others for about a month now, as
I am considering building a new machine myself. Trying to get a little free
advice. Just couldn't resist adding my 2 cents when I read the post.

Good day and hope all is well.
Dennis
 
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