Random loud beeping coming from HP a1640n

[PlastikSpork]

I have an HP Pavilion a1640n. Specs: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00768103

The following items have been added from stock version.

Windows 7 Professional
Upgraded to 6GB of RAM
Added 2T Seagate HDD

A week ago my wife tripped the circuit breaker in the living room which shut off my HP, which I use for a media center PC. I restarted the computer and Windows would boot to a black screen with only the mouse pointer visible. Windows ended up doing start up recovery and disc error checking on reboot with a successful boot after error checking. The next day it would boot to black screen once again. I tried to running HD error checking with no success, then I tried to restore to a previous restore point but I was getting an error. I ended up just re-installing Windows.

Occasionally ever since re-installing Windows I will hear loud beeps coming from what I believe is the HP computer (every 30 to 60 min). I've heard 4 short very loud beeps and 2 short very loud beeps while the computer is up and running. The beeps are so loud that I would almost compare them to a smoke detector. I've done HDD error checks with SpinRite (no unusual sounds coming form both HDD), I've even done error checks on the RAM with Ultimate boot CD and everything is running normal with no errors.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Smoove910]

download and run memtest through a couple passes...
http://www.memtest.org/

[paul878]

What happens to the computer when you hear the beeps, reboot? shutdown?

[PlastikSpork]

Originally Posted by paul878

What happens to the computer when you hear the beeps, reboot? shutdown?

Nothing happens. Computer runs normally, CPU max temp is no more then 108 F or 42 C

Smoove910 I am running Memtest right now.. I will let it run over night and report findings tomorrow.

[Bubbaleone]

Your mobo has an AMI BIOS. If your description of the beeps you hear is accurate, it's probably bad RAM.

2 short: Memory parity error = A memory parity error has occurred in the first 64K of RAM. The RAM IC is probably bad

4 short: System timer failure = The system clock/timer IC has failed or there is a memory error in the first bank of memory

Per Smoove910's suggestion; run memtest to determine which stick/s need to be replaced.

[PlastikSpork]

Originally Posted by Bubbaleone

Your mobo has an AMI BIOS. If your description of the beeps you hear is accurate, it's probably bad RAM.

2 short: Memory parity error = A memory parity error has occurred in the first 64K of RAM. The RAM IC is probably bad

4 short: System timer failure = The system clock/timer IC has failed or there is a memory error in the first bank of memory

Per Smoove910's suggestion; run memtest to determine which stick/s need to be replaced.

According to HP website and BIOS POST Screen http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...002_USEN&lc=en

I have Award BIOS, not AMI

[paul878]

Where is the beep coming from? inside the computer? speaker?

[PlastikSpork]

Originally Posted by paul878

Where is the beep coming from? inside the computer? speaker?

Sounds like from it's coming form the internal speaker.

[paul878]

hmm, that might be some kind of alarm.
run the hardware diagnostic and see if anything shows up.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...roduct=3245028

[PlastikSpork]

Originally Posted by Smoove910

download and run memtest through a couple passes...
http://www.memtest.org/

Ran Memtest86+ v.4.20 through the night with no errors what so ever.

I also ran HP's Hardware Diagnostic Tools with every test passing.

[paul878]

Originally Posted by PlastikSpork

Ran Memtest86+ v.4.20 through the night with no errors what so ever.

I also ran HP's Hardware Diagnostic Tools with every test passing.

You have a strange problem, I look at the Hp maintenance manual, but couldn't find anything useful. Pop the cover off and take a look inside see if all the fans are spinning.

[PlastikSpork]

Originally Posted by paul878

You have a strange problem, I look at the Hp maintenance manual, but couldn't find anything useful. Pop the cover off and take a look inside see if all the fans are spinning.

All fans are spinning.

At exactly 3 pm it beeped 2 short beeps and then again at exactly 4 pm the computer beeped 4 times. I went into the CMOS settings and returned everything back to default settings. I waited at 5 pm to see if it would beep again and nothing so far.

Edit: 6pm beeped 2 short-pause-2 short

[Smoove910]

Here's what I was able to find... verify by checking the BIOS, and physical connection for the following:

2 short beeps Floppy diskette or compact disc not detected

4 short beeps Flashing failed (checksum error, corrupted image, etc.) <--- this could be an issue since it's possible a power surge can very well corrupt the BIOS

My recommendation would be to check the floppy connection (power/data cable) and verify it is seen within the BIOS. If it is, not sure why it's beeping. Overall, you may need to reflash the BIOS with the latest/greatest for your motherboard. Good Luck!

[paul878]

He said he is getting these beep while the computer is running, not at post.

[PlastikSpork]

SOLVED!!!!

I figured out that if I changed Windows time to right before the top of the hour that the computer would beep again at the top of the hour. So I started systematically shutting down programs until the beeping stopped.

Then I realized that I have a Clock Gadget from addgadget.com. I use this gadget to let me know the up-time of my computer. After terminating that gadget the beeping finally stopped. This is very frustrating because before I reformatted my computer I had this same exact gadget running for months and it never beeped before. I don't know if there was an update that made the top of the hour beeping a default setting but how F'ing annoying and here I thought my computer was taking a dump on me. I feel like a total dumb a$$!

Thanks everyone for the help.

[paul878]

LOL, so it was some kind of Alarm.