hi...back with a PC problem...
I have a pc running XP and when I boot it up all I get is loud beeps...as if it trying to do something and cant...almost from when I press the button

Thast not good right...oddly enough it was working fine earlier..
eventually it get to the F1 or F2 to run set up choices?

Any idea of the size of stick I need to beat it with?

The beeps are important. That is the BIOS telling you what the problem is. Count the beeps & the spaces.
See attached link: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000607.htm

Foale

Harry is right about the beeps. You should do that first.

The fact that you eventually got to the setup options suggests that it is an intermitent fault which could be difficult to track down. If counting the beeps doesn't work then first of all check that all the fans are working OK. After that, try removing the memory and replacing one stick at a time. You could download an image for a boot CD memory tester and check the RAM properly. It could also be a fault on almost anything else in the machine.

The hard disk is most likely OK at least until the machine crashes during use. Now would be a good time to mont it on another machine and copy your data. If you get it running, run Belarc Advisor to give you a list of what is installed.

May I add...?
I would hesitate to suggest someone that doesn't know what the "beeps" mean should undo the case and remove bits......for a modest fee you can get a PC-clinic to look at the computer.
(some can diagnose over the phone, if you can interpret the screen results).
Just be sure you don't have any porn on the HDD (only joking), but more important any private letters, details of shareholdings, bank account etc.
It might cost a bit(50?)... to get an expert's view; but by undoing things willy-nilly you may suffer far greater loss.

However, this problem sounds odd - is the monitor correctly firing-up with the PC - so why aren't you getting a screen-message ( Like "Operating System not found"...etc.)......I still thiink it needs an expert's view, that's safest.

On the matter of security I would always suggest an External HDD for your files - and then create a duplicate to be stored somewhere else, in case there's a theft, etc. Ideally these external drives should be password protected, encrypted so anyone running them gets garbage.

FWIW...I store family photos on an external HDD (and on CD's mostly monthly)...not being too sure which method is best for long-term...Anyone have views on this...I don't trust manufacturers when they tell me the CD/DVD will last 100-years....how do they know?

Any time traveller will tell you they are wrong.

May be sensible to get one of the back up "imagers" such as "Acronis".

I use external hard drives and back up weekly.

Though next desktop I will put 2-3 harddrives. They are cheap enough now.

hangon

I take your point about taking the PC to an expert, but many people on this thread have found that though they are not technically minded, they are capable of replacing some components in a PC. I would suggest that most here ask for advice because they don't want to pay an expert and/or they do not entirely trust them. If Foale where to take his machine to an expert, he may well pay 50 and have it diagnosed and fixed perfectly, they may open it up, disturb the fault and return it as fixed only for the fault to reappear or they may use it as a selling opportunity.

As regards long term storage, I agree that external disks are probably the best though you should really use 2.5" ones as they are more robust. I've never had a problem with the 3.5" ones but have read of cases where someone trashes their disk by knocking the desk.

It's been a while since I looked into it, but last time I checked, CD-R was guaranteed for 18 months to 2 years, though they clearly last longer. DVD's will last longer as the media is sandwiched between plastic and hard drives are good for at least 15 years so long as they are stored properly and so long as you can find a SATA interface.

The best medium is said to be REV drives, said to be good for 30 years. Paper is also good but I would not count on the longevity of printer inks.

As far as I know, the 100 year claim for CD/DVD refers to the commercial pressings and is probably wishful thinking.

I would not trust important data to SD cards or USB flash drives at all.

Hangon, I absolutley disagree with your first paragraph. If you take the time to learn how something works, you will then be able to fix it yourself for free in future & also be able to help others (Isn't that why this board exists?). Same goes for your car, your washing machine etc. Obviously there are tasks which are too complicated for the DIY'er, but always paying for someone else to get you out of trouble is no way to develop your knowledge.

sometimes it is an easy fix,twice this has happened to me,
the first one was the graphics card had so much dust etc it stopped the fan from working,
so a good clean and to the rest of the fans fixed the fault,
the second one was the CPU cooler had fell off,artic cooler 64 i think,
the next tower i get will have a window,lol

Well, it seems we almost agree Harrycat ( see 2nd last comment,). - I still think that uninitiated shouldn't touch a pc until they don't know what they are doing. Only when the fault is understood should anyone start removing bits. It may appear as though the fault is "fixed" but it will reappear - or worse, create another.

Our data is far more valuable than the cost of having a PC fixed . . . . . and what beep code came out of this enquiry? - seems to have gone quiet!.

+your advice was correct, with the beep-link. - It was the following reply that concerned me. OK?

Foale - Hope it's fixed now...do tell - - -

Seymour Clearly:

Your sparkies should NOT be running the network cables in the same conduit channel as the mains cables. They must be in a different channel, otherwise it is a breach of the wiring regs. Physical proximity is not the issue, insulation is, so office conduits usually have three channels for mains, network and phone.

IE keeps opening IE windows for pop adverts alot recently??? did the usually stuff virus check and spyware but nothing found?

Norton Security has also started to tell me product key is not right today, so need to find a good Free Firewall/Virsus/spyware checker all in one wud be best

Also got Zonealarm Security Suite 7.0483
SuperAntiSpyware
Avasti 4.8

You're a bit late Dezzer. Plasterboard's gone on now!! Just have to live with it. Anyway, it's for the kids bedrooms, and I haven't got the router end wired through yet.

Thanks anyway :-)

thanks for the advice guys will have a look a bit later...encouraged that someone said my HDD may not be at fault...

amazingly very uptodate with back ups and so only 3 days data at risk...
pics etc safely backed up elsewhere...

A bit of feedback fwiw - my ASUS eee has arrived and set up. It came with XP, Star Office (the Sun equivalent of Open Office I think) ppt viewer, msn and skype preloaded. I thought the lack of an optical drive would be a problem. Not at all. I've just copied installation discs to a usb stick and installed Office and other things easily and can now have all my presentations on the 80gb hdd plus calendar and contacts. 1gb ram seems to cope fine. The display is small of course but clear enough and the keyboard/touchpad are little different to my main machine for ease of use.
I've also eset nod antivirus preinstalled - never heard of it but it is working fine and I suspect I'll be asked to pay after a trial period in which case my AVG will replace it.
Battery life is incredible - all morning yesterday as a trial while I set it up.
All in all at 225 delivered a wonderful buy for use in my lecturing and taking to Spain.

kernow,

I've been tracking the eee since it was announced.

As I need to use some Windows photographic software that probably does not work with Linux I've not been tempted yet.

Which particular spec is yours?

You mention the 80gb hdd. Presumably that's a USB add on? Does that not use quite a bit of battery power?

TP

TP - the hard drive is integral with 80gb on the 904 and if it does use a lot of battery I've not noticed - at least 4 hrs almost continuous use yesterday.
I was in favour of giving linux a go as a blow against the Gates empire. Open Office looks very good but like you I have one app. (my internet dongle) which only runs on windows. I still considered installing linux in dual boot but all the articles I read suggested this could cause issues that this amateur couldn't understand let alone solve :-(

TP

Your asking a lot to run graphics applications on a small processor. One with the Intel Atom processor you would be better but the Windows versions of those are getting expesive.

I've just bought the Linux Version of the Acer Aspire 1. It is a very capable machine for 210 but I'm not sure if I'd want XP on it. I've installed rdesktop which means I can run power hungry programs on my main desktop. I'm not sure whether rdesktop can handle 24bit colour though.

Kernow

If you like the Linux apps then checkout Portabkeapps.com it is a suite of free stand alone apps that run on Windows. Most of the common Linux apps are there and they don't need installing so they don't slow your computer when your not using them.

Opt,

I'd use a solid state hard drive laptop primarly to download pictures from a tethered camera. To do that I need the Canon USB interface driver to work (and how I'd find out whether that does under Linux is anyone's guess) and also a programme that links and displays the images called DLSR Downloader

I'd then use it for holidays as my e:mail and web contact device - but here I am sure the Linux equiv of Portable Apps will do all I'd ever need.

TP

TP

Yes, I see you need Windows.

Be very careful with solid state drives in general and particularly with the EEE.

Most SSD are not optimised for Windows, and apparently the 16GB EEE 900 series has a fast 4GB drive with the OS on and an incredibly slow 12 GB for everything else. The Windows machines must be different, but be careful.