Please help, computer will not post!

[jaydub]

Ok, I've had this system for a few weeks and has been running fine. It's a gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R with E2160 processor. Got home today windows was locked up, powered off and back on and it won't post. All of the fans run, drives spin, no post though.

I pulled out both sticks of RAM, powered on, and it beeps 3 times, then many times (kinda long beeps), so I know the mobo notices no RAM. If I put in stick #1, that stick does the same, 3 then many beeps. If I put in stick #2, it doesn't beep, but also doesn't post. If I have the "no beep" stick in (stick #2), and pull the video card I still get no beeps, so the mobo doesn't seem to notice that the video card is missing.

The mobo manual on bios beep codes is useless, as is the website. I see nothing about 3-many beeps. According to them a missing video card should give "1 long, 2 short" beeps, but I get nothing of the sort.

I'm severely puzzled. The two sticks of RAM give two different results, neither of which posts. I also tried them in both channels 1 (yellow) and 2 (red), same thing. I've tried resetting bios with the "no beep" stick but still no go.

Any clues, please?

[mak1skav]

If i was in your position i would try another PSU to secure that i don't have problems with my PSU.
Can you try another VGA from some of your friends?
If nothing of these work then i think maybe it's your mobo.

P.S. If you are a heavy overclocker check your CPU too.

[jimmyz]

ram is dead. are you completely powering down and unplugging psu before removing them? how much voltage were they being fed? sounds like 1 stick is not being recognized at all and the other is not getting enough juice to boot.

[jaydub]

Thanks for the responses. Here are the specs:

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R
Intel E2160 Dual Core 1.8Ghz
Antec Earthwatts EA430 430W
Patriot Extreme PC2 6400 LLK (2x1Gb)
ATI X600SE 128MB (bare bones card)
TR Ultima 90 cooler
WDC 400AAKS SATA
Cooler Master Centurian

I had the CPU oc'd to 3.0Ghz and running stable for a few weeks. The ram is 2.2v spec'd, and I had it running at 2.3v, 5-4-4-10 @ 1065Ghz, so it was OC'd a bit too. The video card is probably about the lowest powered PCI-E available, doesn't even have an aux power supply, so I'd be surprised if the PSU was being stressed too much by that. Shouldn't the Antec 430w be able to power some moderate OC's with very little req. from the video?

[update] - I just punched the power button this morning, after sitting all night, and it posted! This was with RAM stick #2, the one that wasn't beeping, but also wasn't posting. I had reset the bios several times last night but the dang thing wouldn't post, but the first thing this morning it does, without even touching it?!? I would conclude that I have at least 1 bad stick of memory (#1), but why would sitting overnight allow it to post? Seems as though I've read about this symptom before, where it only posts after sitting for 8-10 hours, but I don't recall the resolution.

Any other clues?