Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

OldPC, trying to install Linux.

Options
2»

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,289 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121851287#Comment_121851287

    Maybe some other connector (possibly faulty?) that you accidentally touched while replacing the battery and cable was made right for a short while?

    Worth a look anyway. Disconnect and reconnect any other connectors in those areas and retry booting.

    You must be close now... 🙂

    Not your ornery onager



  • Options
    #33
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,734 ✭✭✭niallb


    Turn it on and off 10 times from the power switch and it might well start up a bit once or twice. I had this happen with a batch of Dell 2400s many years back. First time I'd seen failing capacitors in a power supply. You could rule it out if you can replace the power supply.

    Any other "dead" computers in the house?



  • Options
    #34
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121851732#Comment_121851732

    Unfortunatly no, I'm lucky not be be diviorced with all the "stuff" I hoard.



  • Options
    #35
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,734 ✭✭✭niallb


    Ah well - get as many brownie points as you can while taking this one to the recycling center!

    Try finding something smaller to set up linux on.



  • Options
    #36
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    Just a quick question, could Ram sometimes work and sometimes not ? Surely it's Kaput or not.

    PC rebooted, downloaded Win 10 updated and then would not restart.

    Thanks.



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    LambshankRedemption
    Registered Users Posts: 6,545 ✭✭✭LambshankRedemption


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854134#Comment_121854134

    RAM can cause all manner of intermittent and strange behaviour if not correctly seated, or damaged in some way.



  • Options
    #38
    smuggler.ie
    Registered Users Posts: 4,127 ✭✭✭smuggler.ie


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854134#Comment_121854134

    I dont get it - you started thread with statement that HDD is gone(drive/OS/common-factor problem) and you trying to boot into linux USB and failing(BIOS/hardware, except HDD/common-factor problem).

    Are you now booting into to original HDD and expecting to work?

    For me troubleshooting is usually a process of elimination - remove/replace suspected faulty component and see if it resolve.

    THE question: (and get rid of HDD first) are you able to boot into linux(or any other) USB and sustain stable, even if its dog-slow, session, without crash or error, that might indicate other hardware at fault?

    history of boards 2021




  • Options
    #39
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121854849#Comment_121854849

    I thought the Hard disk was the original problem, but advice from the Boards led me to believe that Ram might be the problem. It's a very old PC, had not been used for a while and I was wondering if installing Linux might give it a boost, but I can't access the Bios. I think I'LL just recycle it.

    Thanks



  • Options
    #40
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    Just as a follow up and it might be of use to someone. It seems I was wrong about the 3 beeps which as posted here signal a Ram Problem. It now seems that it is a checksum problem and it would be 6 beeps with a slight gap between beep 3 and 4. six beeps are not on any Fault charts.

    If I leave it turned on, it goes through the startup 6 beeps and stops. If however you leave it on, (and I am more stubborn than knowledgeable), it might boot up. A couple of days ago I came back to the room to see the attached screen.

    Boot Start.jpg

    I did nothing differently to get this screen. It shows

    Error: Cmos checksum error-Defaults loaded.

    It also allowed me to enter the bios setup.

    I changed HALT ON to no errors as well loading the defaults.

    I changed the CMOS battery, but no change.

    Any more ideas anyone.

    Thanks

    Dave



  • Options
    #41
    Noemi Whispering Schoolwork
    Posts: 0 ✭ Noemi Whispering Schoolwork


    4 beeps during boot process is a timer failure, you’ll need to troubleshoot your motherboard. Make sure there’s enough ventilation, is fan working, no blocking of air ducts etc. You may have several coincidental problems, like RAM or a “master problem”.



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #42
    LambshankRedemption
    Registered Users Posts: 6,545 ✭✭✭LambshankRedemption


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121912488#Comment_121912488

    What happens when you press F1 for Continue? Its detecting your USB stick now.



  • Options
    #43
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 7,125 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Try test or replace the CMOS battery cell - usually a CR2032 coin cell. Usually when that's low the CMOS settings aren't retained and loads defaults. The cell should be greater than 2.6v, if memory serves me.



  • Options
    #44
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,289 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121913153#Comment_121913153

    OP says a few posts up that they replaced the battery.

    Not your ornery onager



  • Options
    #45
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 7,125 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121913523#Comment_121913523

    Ok, didn't see that. 😊



  • Options
    #46
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    It's starting more frequently now, but anything requiring a restart fails.

    Is Bios corrupt?

    I can only get into it by pure chance and then when you have to restart, I am caught again.

    New CMOS battery by the way.

    Thanks.



  • Options
    #47
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,734 ✭✭✭niallb


    Good to hear there's progress.

    Have you entered the BIOS and made any changes?

    Set the date and time to be correct and then save and restart.

    This is just to see if it can actually remember any settings at all.


    Was there any corrosion or leaking around the old battery when you took it out?

    Sometimes there's a piece of adhesive plastic on the bottom of the batteries that needs to be peeled off before you insert it.

    It's safer if somebody eats it, but it also allows you to fit a battery before storing it without depleting it too much. Just a small suggestion and it depends on the brand of battery you chose.



  • Options
    #48
    spaceHopper
    Registered Users Posts: 3,991 ✭✭✭spaceHopper


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121851287#Comment_121851287

    Check to see if any expansion cards have moved in their slot and are shorting out the PCI/PCIe bus.



  • Options
    #49
    Shoog
    Registered Users Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭Shoog


    CMOS memory can go bad and it would fit your description. If so then the board is toast.

    If you want to mess with Linux any number of cheap Single Board Computers are a great way into experimenting with the Linux OS, Raspberry PI is one option but there are far better ones out there for about the same money.



  • Options
    #50
    daphil
    Registered Users Posts: 304 ✭✭daphil


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915997#Comment_121915997

    Partial success.

    I have managed to install Linux Mint from A DVD iso file, it would not work with a USB stick. Thr old PC bounds along on Linux, however I have no guarantee it will boot at any given time.

    Thanks for all the advice given by various posters, will keep trying to figure out why it only boots when it feels like it, but It proves a point to me that older PCs and some that fail the Windows 11 standers still have life in them.

    Thanks all

    Dave



Advertisement