[SOLVED] Non-stop beeping. Beep,Beep,Beep,Beep,Beep,Beep,Beep

[mraikes]

Customer dropped off a custom built desktop, 3 or 4 years old, saying they thought it was overheating and shutting down. Sure enough, turn it on and after booting normally and running a few minutes - boop - it would shut down.

Cleaned it up, blew it out, replaced thermal compound, put it back together and started it up. Immediate continuous short beeps. But it boots normally while beeping. Windows loads, everything works great, doesn't overheat or shut down. The beeping starts the instant the power button is pressed, no delay. If I had cotton stuffed in my ears I'd think everything was perfect. But the beeping never stops. No patterns, delays or interruptions, just continuous short beeps.

I've removed and reseated everything (including the CPU), jockeyed the memory sticks between the slots. No change. Computer runs great . . . but the beeping makes me want to stick a nail in my eye.

At this point, I don't have a single though left in my head but "beep-beep-beep-beep".

Anyone encountered this before?

 

[GTP]

Go into the BIOS and turn off the warnings for CPU temp, case open status, etc.
You could try also raising the temp threshold for the CPU.
Hope it works for you!
Depending on the BIOS you may have to do the CTRL-F2 thing to get the Advanced settings.

Edit: I normally set Intel CPU temp to 65 deg and AMD to 75 deg.

 

[NYJimbo]

Maybe you dislodged something during the blow out and its shorting something out now. I've had loose screws get jammed under motherboards after a clean out.

Did you disconnect the keyboard and mouse and turn it on, could be a weirdo unrelated to the work you did.

 

[PBComputer]

Why not try it just on the bench? No case. And rebuilt from there

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Customer dropped off a custom built desktop, 3 or 4 years old, saying they thought it was overheating and shutting down. Sure enough, turn it on and after booting normally and running a few minutes - boop - it would shut down.

Cleaned it up, blew it out, replaced thermal compound, put it back together and started it up. Immediate continuous short beeps.

Constant beeping on power on hmm did you check the bios to see if it was reporting something odd with the voltages?

 

[mr m]

X2 on NYJimbo.s idea to swap keyboards. It could be as simple as a stuck key. Also see if their is some type of chassis intrusion alarm. You can disable it in the BIOS/uEFI.

 

[Markverhyden]

If it was a stuck key on the KB you'd usually see something funny going on when you open notepad, etc. Was the date and time correct when it booted up? In addition to the above, did you reset bios - pull the battery, move the jumper, let site for a while, and move it all back? Per chance is the OEM Acme?

 

[Diggs]

Try booting off of one stick of memory at a time. You may find a bad one.

 

[mraikes]

TL-DR Thanks for all the suggestions, and it's the power supply.

Last night, after checking the bios for warnings (couldn't find any options there), removing everything (again) and reinstalling it - checking for seating, shorts, loose screws and still getting the beeps - I went to bed and dreamed of big trucks chasing me in reverse.

Woke up this morning and thought more about the beep being instantaneous with the power button - and swapped out the power supply. Problem solved. Computer happy . . . and quiet.

 

[NYJimbo]

Problem solved. Computer happy . . . and quiet.

Victory ! Now you can go drinking !!

 

[timeshifter]

I know you've already solved this, but for future reference...

Isn't there a way to locate the source of the sound? There's a tool called a mechanic's stethoscope, I think they were developed for automotive uses, but seems like you could use one for computer repair. Anyone ever tried one?

Here are some on Amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_s...efix=mechanic's+ste,aps,168&crid=HU4SSOROZB9M

 

[mr m]

Thanks for following up.

 

[Diggs]

- I went to bed and dreamed of big trucks chasing me in reverse.

Was Van Damme in your dream? (So cool and remember - it's a semi done in reverse....)

 

[Altster]

went to bed and dreamed of big trucks chasing me in reverse.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.................I can understand that for sure!

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

I know you've already solved this, but for future reference...

Isn't there a way to locate the source of the sound? There's a tool called a mechanic's stethoscope, I think they were developed for automotive uses, but seems like you could use one for computer repair. Anyone ever tried one?

Here are some on Amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_14?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=mechanic's+stethoscope&sprefix=mechanic's+ste,aps,168&crid=HU4SSOROZB9M

He does not need to locate the sound as the only thing that beeps on a computer is either the system speaker or the actual speakers....well 99.9% of the time.

I have actually never heard of a mechanics stethoscope that knowledge may come in handy one day for something else.

 

[HCHTech]

I use one of those scopes to listen to hard disks we put in the hot-swap bays of our diag machines. I don't hear as well as I used to and when it's mounted in a machine, I can't easily tell if a noise is coming from the machine or the drive.

 

[GTP]

You can make a "bush mechanics" stethoscope with a metal rod or even a long screwdriver. Put one end on the noisy part and the other end in your ear (carefully please!)

 

[glennd]

You can make a "bush mechanics" stethoscope with a metal rod or even a long screwdriver. Put one end on the noisy part and the other end in your ear (carefully please!)

Yep that's what I do. Learnt that from a mechanic. Put the handle end against your ear tho...

 

[GTP]

Yep that's what I do. Learnt that from a mechanic. Put the handle end against your ear tho...

Lol...