Question Built PC beeps intermittently. Some beeps are short others very long

[Gabina]

I built my computer some time ago. I've evolved it whenever something went bad or an upgrade was needed. Most recent evolution was a new power supply and 16 GB of RAM. Lately (for more than a year really--even before the new RAM) I've been hearing these loud beeps coming from inside the case. Not beep codes as I've ever recognized. They don't seem to have a pattern. Sometimes they are short, sometimes they are 10 seconds long or more. They're quite loud. It's maddening when it happens. The computer runs, I'm using it right now. The beeping eventually stops but it can start any time. I have Cupid CPU-Z but I'm not sure what to look at in it. I've saved the report as .txt but that doesn't seem to be allowed in attachments here.

The beeping doesn't happen whenever I do any particular thing. It's totally random. It can be after my computer's been up for days or just after a reboot. It beeps when I'm in Windows 10. It doesn't beep on POST in any way that's abnormal. Those beeps have to be trying to tell me something's wrong but I just can't seem to find what it is.

CPU-Z tells me my processor is AMD FX-4130
My motherboard is Gigabyte Technology Co ltd, GA-78LMT-USB3 (Hard to read but I think that's what it says)
BIOS Award Software International Inc., version FA
16 GB of DDR-3
Graphics: ATI Radeon 3000
My present keyboard will not allow me to get into the BIOS but I might be able to find one that can somewhere in my basement.

 

[UsandThem]

It could be any number of things.

Random issues are the toughest to figure out, so you will need to test the RAM, CPU, GPU, motherboard, etc. And unless you have extra components laying around, it might be easiest taking it someplace to diagnose.

The components (GPU, CPU, and motherboard) are rather old, so if you are able to figure out what's bad, you should be able to replace it with used component pretty cheaply. It could be a good time to grab a new(er) PC, as even the entry-level $350 models will be significantly more powerful.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If cleaning + dusting and possibly re-pasting the CPU doesn't help, consider a new PC:

[OOS] A couple of Intel 6-core Acer Recertified PCs under $400 on ebay, and an upgrade video showing how to upgrade PSU + GPU.

(Note: These are from the official Acer Recertified Store on ebay.) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-Aspire-TC-Desktop-Intel-Core-i5-9400-2-9GHz-8GB-Ram-1TB-HDD-Windows-10-Home/254522946521?epid=14037207393&hash=item3b42bff3d9:g:incAAOSwYrZeVUPf...

forums.anandtech.com

But chances are, "random" beeping, is a BIOS alarm of some type, assuming that you have a beeper speaker attached to your mobo, which means, that you either are having overtemp (check temp warning settings in BIOS, possibly they are set too low), or stuck/slow CPU or chassis fan (if chassis fan alarm is enabled in BIOS).

I would give the CPU heatsink a through dusting with a can-o-air, and if the bearing is starting to go (it was on my friend's GF's PC, after 3 years of continuous usage on an FM1 rig using a stock-style AMD heatsink, though it could have been a Chinese knock-off of the stock heatsink), then replace it. (Edit: By "it", mean the HSF assembly, not the whole PC.)

 

[VirtualLarry]

or just after a reboot.

That's probably low CPU fan RPM, then. Because CPU temps would drop during a reboot, and therefore, unlikely to be overtemp alarm.

 

[Gabina]

I'm weighing my options about a new computer. I have 3 hard drives (partitioned into more drives) in there with files I'm afraid to lose or having to go through the trouble of copying them over. My writing, for example, sits on the same physical drive as Windows 10.

On the other hand, I have had another problem since I put Win 10 pro on this computer. I can't RDP to it without a STOP error causing the computer to reboot. This annoys me as I like being able to remotely computer my computer. (I an use VNC.)