Need help with PhoenixBios POST code "3d".

[dani9678]

I got my diagnostics POST card recently and used it on a Compaq Presario S5300NX that freezes at the boot just as the display comes on with a constant beep. The POST card gave me a 3D error code. The lower left corner of the computer monitor shows ver. 3.12. I don't know if that is the version of the PhoenixBios or what. I looked up the code for a version 4.0 which says "Load alternate registers with CMOS values". Does anybody have any ideas as to what is going on? thanks

Matt
Jacksonville, FL

 

[daship]

Thats why post cards are a waste. You still dont have the skills or tools to fix the error.

You need a new motherboard if all other troubleshooting failed.

 

[dani9678]

Well, I was just trying to take care of an "I o U" for a buddy who I owed money by trying to diagnose and fix his computer. As for the " You still dont have the skills or tools to fix the error"(which I could have done without and it didn't help any), I am currently in the process of studying for my CompTIA certification and certainly trying to learn the skills and get the tools for the job but I just want to get my foot in the door to begin with. I also figured that this would help me develop the skills that are needed. I like to work on computers in my spare time and I bought the POST card to add to my diagnostic tool collection in hopes that it would help narrow the problems down. As for the part about replacing the motherboard if all other troubleshooting failed, what else do I look for? I can't test the processor and RAM because I don't have another board that uses the same processor nor RAM. Is there anybody else that could tell me what the code is referring to exactly? Has anyone else run into this problem before? When you turn the computer on, the screen loads and the only thing that is displayed is the Compaq name in the center of a red background and in the lower left corner is listed "ver 3.12. My guess is that is the bios version. After the screen loads I get a constant steady beep with no pause between and continues until I turn it off. I unplugged everything in the end and nothing changed.

 

[henric]

Can you enter BIOS setup?
If you can,try to load default settings.
If not,try to clear CMOS by manual.

 

[dani9678]

Apparently the keyboard portion never gets loaded by the time it locks up. It freezes right after the display portion loads and continues with a steady beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep until I shut it off. I removed the battery and let it sit awhile with the power cord unplugged to help clear any stored voltage. There are no jumpers on the board for reseting CMOS. The board model number is P4G533-LA.

 

[henric]

Are you sure system hung at checkpoint 3D?As i know,before 3D ,video BIOS and keyboard are still not initialled.So how did monitor show any image?To prove it,you can compare the checkpoint that had showed on your diagnostics card before 3D with the description on phoenix BIOS checkpoint and beep codes specification to see whether the diagnostics card works fine on your mother board.
Beep is often caused by some hardware problem.
Maybe you can try the following scenario without CMOS battery:
-Remove any unnecessary devicesci cards,hard disk and other peripheral equipment.
-Try insert only one DIMM into slot A1.

 

[dani9678]

If the video comes before the keyboard then I guess it is hanging somewhere between the video and keyboard because the screen will display the Compaq logo with a red background. I have had everything but power (of course) disconnected with the battery removed after sitting over night to be sure that every bit of power was drained, which I had the power also disconnected from the computer at that time. I also removed the only expansion card which is an ethernet card and left one stick of ram installed which brought it down to 256MB and I disconnected all drives from the board. I still get the same problem. I turn the computer on and I get a couple or more of really fast beeps. The beeps are so close together that there not your normal short beeps. I then get one long steady beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep until I turn it off.

 

[dani9678]

please help

 

[dani9678]

Anybody have any ideas aside from replacing the board?