Hi,
First, the specs:
Epox EP-8RDA3+ mobo
Athlon XP 3000+ cpu
3 sticks of RAM, totalling 1042MB:
GeIL Golden Dragon 512MB (2 x 256MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200)
GeIL Value Series 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200)
I bought the third stick of RAM a couple of years ago. Before that, I was running with just the pair of 256s, and I was having the same problems I'm having today.
I've been having problems with this configuration since I set it up. Problem is, sometimes when I boot up, the mobo will see the cpu as a 1050 series, so I'll be running severely underclocked. To get it to recognize the cpu as a 3000+ series, the FSB frequency needs to be set to 200MHz. I'll go into BIOS and make this change (not really a 'change' per se, as the BIOS setting is already on 200 when I get there), save and exit. The computer will reset, I'll see the video card boot up, then I'll get a black screen with a red warning window: "FLASH BIOS! WARNING DO NOT TOUCH POWER OR RESET KEYS" (paraphrased) The mobo will flash its bios, reset the computer and when it boots up NORMALLY it'll then recognize the cpu as a 3000+ series and boot normally. This would happen maybe once every month or two. I don't know why it would happen, but since it wasn't causing any problems, I just left it alone.
Now, for some reason, it is no longer booting properly. This time, the mobo saw the cpu as a 1050, so I went into BIOS for the same old trick. I set FSB to 200, saved and quit. Computer resets, bios gets flashed, then it recognizes the chip as a 3000+. But after that, it fails to boot. Sometimes it resets immediately, other times it gets to the part of the boot sequence where it tries to boot from RAID (but I have no RAID device). Either way, it ends up resetting itself and trying again. Eventually it resets and I just get a black screen, or worse, a black screen with blue garbles. At this point the computer won't boot at all. I have to open up the case and clear the CMOS data via jumper. Once I do that, I can set the FSB to 100 and the mobo will read the cpu as a 1050 again, and I'll at least be able to boot. If I try to set the FSB to 200, I get the same troubles.
Sometimes instead of trying to boot I'll get a black screen and a mobo beep warning: a high pitch and a low pitch alternating, holding each pitch for about half a second each. Sounds like an ambulance siren. Amazingly, the mobo manual has nothing about the beep codes. I can't find anything on Epox's site either (maybe I am looking in the wrong place?)
One more thing. The mobo has a physical jumper labeled 'JCLK' which is used to select the FSB of the CPU. There are two settings. One is 100/133 MHz, the other is 133/166/200 MHz (default). Normally I'd have it on the default setting. Right now I have it on the 100/133 MHz setting, since I am running the cpu at 100 MHz. If I try to run it at 200, I can't boot.
Whew, sorry to write so much, but I find that the more information I can provide from the get-go, the easier it is for knowledgeable folks to point me in the right direction... I'd love some help at this point. Can anyone make any suggestions?
Thanks..
Danny
First, the specs:
Epox EP-8RDA3+ mobo
Athlon XP 3000+ cpu
3 sticks of RAM, totalling 1042MB:
GeIL Golden Dragon 512MB (2 x 256MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200)
GeIL Value Series 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200)
I bought the third stick of RAM a couple of years ago. Before that, I was running with just the pair of 256s, and I was having the same problems I'm having today.
I've been having problems with this configuration since I set it up. Problem is, sometimes when I boot up, the mobo will see the cpu as a 1050 series, so I'll be running severely underclocked. To get it to recognize the cpu as a 3000+ series, the FSB frequency needs to be set to 200MHz. I'll go into BIOS and make this change (not really a 'change' per se, as the BIOS setting is already on 200 when I get there), save and exit. The computer will reset, I'll see the video card boot up, then I'll get a black screen with a red warning window: "FLASH BIOS! WARNING DO NOT TOUCH POWER OR RESET KEYS" (paraphrased) The mobo will flash its bios, reset the computer and when it boots up NORMALLY it'll then recognize the cpu as a 3000+ series and boot normally. This would happen maybe once every month or two. I don't know why it would happen, but since it wasn't causing any problems, I just left it alone.
Now, for some reason, it is no longer booting properly. This time, the mobo saw the cpu as a 1050, so I went into BIOS for the same old trick. I set FSB to 200, saved and quit. Computer resets, bios gets flashed, then it recognizes the chip as a 3000+. But after that, it fails to boot. Sometimes it resets immediately, other times it gets to the part of the boot sequence where it tries to boot from RAID (but I have no RAID device). Either way, it ends up resetting itself and trying again. Eventually it resets and I just get a black screen, or worse, a black screen with blue garbles. At this point the computer won't boot at all. I have to open up the case and clear the CMOS data via jumper. Once I do that, I can set the FSB to 100 and the mobo will read the cpu as a 1050 again, and I'll at least be able to boot. If I try to set the FSB to 200, I get the same troubles.
Sometimes instead of trying to boot I'll get a black screen and a mobo beep warning: a high pitch and a low pitch alternating, holding each pitch for about half a second each. Sounds like an ambulance siren. Amazingly, the mobo manual has nothing about the beep codes. I can't find anything on Epox's site either (maybe I am looking in the wrong place?)
One more thing. The mobo has a physical jumper labeled 'JCLK' which is used to select the FSB of the CPU. There are two settings. One is 100/133 MHz, the other is 133/166/200 MHz (default). Normally I'd have it on the default setting. Right now I have it on the 100/133 MHz setting, since I am running the cpu at 100 MHz. If I try to run it at 200, I can't boot.
Whew, sorry to write so much, but I find that the more information I can provide from the get-go, the easier it is for knowledgeable folks to point me in the right direction... I'd love some help at this point. Can anyone make any suggestions?
Thanks..
Danny