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From: bwb@sei.cmu.edu (Bruce Benson)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Re: How to reset CMOS configuration that prevents booting? (PC)
Message-ID: <0006.9006061301.AA19134@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 5 Jun 90 17:49:46 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1.BITNET>
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Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu

CCBOBVER@uqvax.decnet.uq.oz.au writes:
>> manner that the machine will no longer boot; when I reset it, it goes
>> beep-beep-beep pause beep-beep-beep...
>
>	The three beeps seem to indicate a memory error.  You may have
>	done some unintentional mods to your memory configuration on the
>	motherboard.  Any PC will not boot if it either finds an error in
>	the first 16KB of RAM or cannot locate it as this is usually where
>	it tries to load the startup BIOS.

Just within the last 5 days my Zeos 386 w/AMI Bios has started this same
pattern of three beeps.  The AMI documentation says this means an error
in the first 64K. A few other facts:

  - seems to happen when I first boot the machine after being off many hours
  - repeated cold boots eventually resulted in a successful boot
  - replacing all simms (4mb) had no affect on the problem (but I do
    now have a total of 8Mb of memory, good excuse to buy!)
  - using the hardware reset switch clears the problem immediately
  - the only system changes in this period was to add an internal MNP modem

I am still playing with the problem, but anyone with more insight into the
meaning of the 3 beeps, or why the reset switch would work differently than
power on/off, please offer up your insights.

* Bruce Benson                   + Internet  - bwb@sei.cmu.edu +       +
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