OT Computer help

My computer seems to be on its last legs (of course it has to break down
during the holiday /). The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter). Can anyone make a diagnosis based
on this? I'm thinking the on/off button may get caught somehow when I
press it. This morning and yesterday, I tried several times, turning the
puter on, getting the beeping sound, and turning the puter off, then on
again, before the beeping stopped. If it's the on/off button, I suppose
there's nothing to do but get a new CPU?

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 11:41:07 +0200, Marina
wrote:

My computer seems to be on its last legs (of course it has to break down
during the holiday /). The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter). Can anyone make a diagnosis based
on this? I'm thinking the on/off button may get caught somehow when I
press it. This morning and yesterday, I tried several times, turning the
puter on, getting the beeping sound, and turning the puter off, then on
again, before the beeping stopped. If it's the on/off button, I suppose
there's nothing to do but get a new CPU?

Stuck key, defective keyboard, or defective keyboard controller (on
the main board) - unlikely, but possibly, a loose keyboard connector
or defective cable. Borrow a keyboard from somewhere to replace yours
for a test - if that fixes it, you need a new keyboard; if it doesn't
you have a major problem with the system unit itself. Look for a
stuck key first.


T.E.D. )
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.

Marina wrote in news:32st5aF3q0t5fU1
@individual.net:

The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter).

As Ted says, try another keyboard. They're pretty cheap now. I saw one at
the local PC Club for $6. I've worn the type off of many of my keys and am
shopping for one myself. Mine's a Memorex moisture-resistant that I picked
up for about $15 a couple years ago.

Do the beeps have a pattern? The BIOS will attempt to report errors by
using beep "codes", sorta like Morse code, and if you can identify the
pattern, it might be something we can look up. What make and model? Your
manufacturer probably has a beep code list.

ScratchMonkey wrote:

Do the beeps have a pattern? The BIOS will attempt to report errors by
using beep "codes", sorta like Morse code, and if you can identify the
pattern, it might be something we can look up. What make and model? Your
manufacturer probably has a beep code list.

The beeps don't have a pattern, they're just short and come in quick
succession. As I said, it sounds like when a cat stands on some key they
shouldn't be standing on. My keyboard is a Logitech, but I'm getting
together with some others to order Kinesis keyboards (not available here
in Finland, so have to order them from abroad). I'll have to fetch a
keyboard from work to check if that's the problem. I wonder though,
since the problem goes away by turning the puter on and off a few times
(not interfering with the keyboard).

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Marina wrote in news:32tsnjF3rblq7U1
@individual.net:

the problem goes away by turning the puter on and off a few times
(not interfering with the keyboard).

So it could be a heat/cold problem. Make sure the computer's clean inside,
no fur piled up on the fan filters, etc. Make sure all the fans turn easily
and the bearings haven't siezed. (Fans seem to be the worst part of any
computer. They're the things that fail first.) Perhaps reseat anything in a
socket, as those can "walk out" from temperature cycling, and heat will
expand metal things (like component and socket pins) to make better
contact. (Be sure to ground yourself before touching anything inside. Don't
want to zap anything.)

99% of failures are mechanical, and 90% are connectors and cables. So pay
special attention to those.

Marina wrote:

My computer seems to be on its last legs (of course it has to break down
during the holiday /). The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter). Can anyone make a diagnosis based
on this? I'm thinking the on/off button may get caught somehow when I
press it. This morning and yesterday, I tried several times, turning the
puter on, getting the beeping sound, and turning the puter off, then on
again, before the beeping stopped. If it's the on/off button, I suppose
there's nothing to do but get a new CPU?

Hmm...a couple of things come to mind. If you see nothing coming up
on the screen as it's booting up, check the monitor cable. It may have
come loose. That can generate a particular type of beep error code,
although at that point it's usually the video card itself that's the
problem.

If you see text on the screen as the machine is booting, check
the keyboard. You may very well have a stuck key, loose cable, dying
keyboard, or, less likely, a failing keyboard controller. Usually, if
you let the machine keep booting, it will eventually give you a
"keyboard error" message. If the beeping is rapid, then a stuck key is
possible. If the beeping forms a pattern, it might actually be a
"POST error code", though these usually keep the machine from booting
at all, and it sounds as if you can get yours to boot eventually.

Hope it starts behaving soon!

Purrs and best fishes -

Chris, Tripper, Katie, and Hazard

Sorry I cannot help you, so all I can do is send best wishes for your
computer to start working again. Purrs from Soncek.
--
Polonca & Soncek

"Marina" wrote in message
...
My computer seems to be on its last legs (of course it has to break down
during the holiday /). The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter). Can anyone make a diagnosis based
on this? I'm thinking the on/off button may get caught somehow when I
press it. This morning and yesterday, I tried several times, turning the
puter on, getting the beeping sound, and turning the puter off, then on
again, before the beeping stopped. If it's the on/off button, I suppose
there's nothing to do but get a new CPU?

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

On 2004-12-22, Marina penned:
My computer seems to be on its last legs (of course it has to break down
during the holiday /). The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while it
is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It sounds
exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or some other
key other than a letter). Can anyone make a diagnosis based on this? I'm
thinking the on/off button may get caught somehow when I press it. This
morning and yesterday, I tried several times, turning the puter on, getting
the beeping sound, and turning the puter off, then on again, before the
beeping stopped. If it's the on/off button, I suppose there's nothing to do
but get a new CPU?

A lot of times, a clicking sound is the hard drive, which is definitely bad
news. A clicking sound could also be a fan, though. Most fans run $3-$5, so
that wouldn't be so bad. If you're comfortable with opening up the computer,
you might do so (while it's powered down!) and watch while the computer boots
up. Your ears might be able to pinpoint the sound more exactly, and if it's a
fan you may be able to see one of the fans "hitching" noticably rather than
spinning smoothly.


--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!

ScratchMonkey had some very
interesting things to say about OT Computer help:

The latest problem is, when I turn it on, while
it is warming up, it starts making a clicking sound as if a key was held
pressed down and then it starts this intermittent beeping sound. It
sounds exactly as it does when Nikki stands too long on an arrow key (or
some other key other than a letter).
As Ted says, try another keyboard. They're pretty cheap now. I saw one at
the local PC Club for $6. I've worn the type off of many of my keys and am
shopping for one myself. Mine's a Memorex moisture-resistant that I picked
up for about $15 a couple years ago.

My current one was $5 at Fry's.

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

Thanks everyone for your replies. I tried unplugging the keyboard this
morning before turning on the puter, and there was no clicking or
beeping. So it would seem that the trouble was with the keyboard. Then I
plugged it back in while it was booting, and everything works fine. If
I've understood you all correctly, it may just have been the keyboard
cord that was loose? Anyway, I'm getting me an extra keyboard so I won't
be stranded during the holidays. Couldn't do without my rpca fix every day!

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki