[blythy]

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I'll start by listing the components I'm using:

AMD64 3400 CPU (Socket 754)
MSI K8T Neo-FIS2R
Ebuyer 1gb Value DDR Ram
ATi Radeon 9800XT
Maxtor 200GB HDD
Q-Tec 450W PSU

Ok, everything has been connected, when powered on everything comes on, graphics card, cpu, case fans, hdd. However I have a 'D-Bracket' and it hangs on the "Early Chipset Initialization" sequence, at the same time I get 3 short beeps from the motherboard. Nothing comes on the screen, but the graphics card keeps running, as does the hard disk drive.

I understand there could be many reasons, but any help will be appreciated, thanks

Edit: 3 beeps appear to be memory base error according to information on the MSI forums, could this cause the system to hang before POST and on "early chipset initialization"?

Edited by blythy, 26 April 2005 - 04:21 PM.

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Hi,

Try and clear the cmos then boot up and see if that helps
Ram could also cause that error so take 1 stick out then if no go try the other stick.
I am looking into that error more but there is a lot of info on it to sift thru so I will let you know if I find anything out.

Rick

[Doby]

Hi,

Try and clear the cmos then boot up and see if that helps
Ram could also cause that error so take 1 stick out then if no go try the other stick.
I am looking into that error more but there is a lot of info on it to sift thru so I will let you know if I find anything out.

Rick

[Doby]

Try reducing the ram to one stick as I said above and Press the reset button when it starts to hang at Early Chipset Initialization.

If this works go into bios and load the defaults and see if the system will load windows

There are known issues with your board and if you install the 2 stick of ram it may do this again so I will look for a fix and get back.

let me know if any of this works.

Rick

[blythy]

I'm only using the one stick of ram

I tried resetting, and clearing the CMOS but still no luck. I only have sd-ram in my old machine so I'm waiting on a friend to lend me some ddr to test that, I've read problems with the ebuyer ram.

Thanks for your help so far

[Doby]

Ok early chipset initialization occurs very early in the post, according to a msi tech it could be broken or unseated ram, notice I said broken not faulty if the ram were faulty yes you would get the beeps if it is broken you may or may not, I guess what he means by broken is physically.

I would try different ram next I think this is the problem because the reset trick did not work and others report it does with this error.

Rick

[blythy]

I'm probably going to have to wait until friday to test the ram, but I will post an update as soon as I have.

Out of interest, if it is the ram, what brand of ddr memory is reliable, yet a reasonable price? (NB I'm from the UK so prices may differe slightly)

[Doby]

Look here

[Hemal]

try using memtest86-

Installation
===============
Memtest86 is a stand alone program that cannot be executed under windows and must
be loaded from a floppy disk.

To install Memtest86:
- Extract the files from the zip archive
- Open the directory where the files were extracted and click on "install.bat".
- The install program will prompt you for the floppy drive and also prompt you to
insert a blank floppy.
- To run Memtest86 leave the floppy in the drive and reboot.

NOTE: After the boot floppy has been created you will not be able to read the floppy
from windows. This is normal.

also tigerdirect has a sale of 1 gig of memory pc3200 for 49.99 after rebate

[blythy]

try using memtest86-

Installation
===============
Memtest86 is a stand alone program that cannot be executed under windows and must
be loaded from a floppy disk.

To install Memtest86:
- Extract the files from the zip archive
- Open the directory where the files were extracted and click on "install.bat".
- The install program will prompt you for the floppy drive and also prompt you to
insert a blank floppy.
- To run Memtest86 leave the floppy in the drive and reboot.

NOTE: After the boot floppy has been created you will not be able to read the floppy
from windows. This is normal.

Will this be possible even if I can't get POST working? Tonight I'll be testing ram from a friends machine, and I'l also try mine in his, see what happens.

[Doby]

No if the computer won't post you won't be able to run memtest unless you do it in another computer

Rick

[blythy]

Well I tried some Dane-Elec memory (512mb DDR), and it worked fine, POST, and even into windows using friends hard drive.

Funnily enough, my memory worked in his computer without a problem, so I'll assume that the cheap memory isn't really reliable for newer CPU's (his isn't 64 bit).

Anyway, I will do a bit research into what memory to use for processor/motherboard so thank you very much for your help I'll try and get my money back if I can, not sure what chance I have since it works, but they don't have to know that right, if not I'm sure I could sell it.

Thanks again

[Doby]

Your welcome, yea that ram just wasn't compatible with you system get some corsair.

Rick