Windows 7 Dell laptop beeps on start up and then freezes

[ianlawton]

Hi everyone

I am having a major problem with my laptop (Dell inspiron 1520). The laptop starts up, whe the dell logo disappears I get some very quick beeps (there must be about 8 beeps in total). I then get a boot manager screen which shows windows 7 at the top, and windows memory diagnostic in the tools section at the bottom. When I press enter it goes to the password screen and then after entering the password it seems to boot up as normal. I can probably get 2 - 3 minutes use out of my laptop before everything freezes. From this point I cannot do anything and have to tur the computer off by the switch. This is all it does in a constant loop. I have tried everything I can think of but still the same issue.

A couple of weeks ago my daughter spilt a little water on the keyboard. I mopped it up but next time I booted it up again the beeping noises started on start up. I removed the memory stick from under the keybpard and noticed there was signs of water damage. I removed the memory stick and the beeps on start up continued every time I booted the laptop up. But everything worked. Last Friday I was browsing the internet and that is when everything froze.

I have tried to restore to an earlier date but it won't let me complete the restore. I have run the various disk repairs that are offered when pressing F8 at the dell logo screen but to no avail (it doesn't seem to find any issues). I really just want to get my files/photos off and then try and reinstall windows but as explained my computer won't stay on long enough for me to be able to do anything.

The computer will stay on in safe mode, however, it will not load in safe mode with networking. Could it be something to do with wifi? Reason I say this is I have been reading various threads and this has been suggested as a possible issue for one person's similar problem.

I'm sorry if I haven't provided all the information that might be needed, if anyone can help I would be most grateful. If any more info is needed then please let me know. Thanks in advance.

 

[kemical]

Hi Ian,
I posted a beep guide many moons ago here:

Link Removed

According to this guide the beeps are telling you that the display memory is defective.

A more definitive test would be to run memtest (the windows app just doesn't cut it really):

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

 

[ianlawton]

hi, and thanks for a speedy response. I have come across the beep guide before but the beeps are so quick I am struggling to make any sense out them. I forgot to mention above that I have installed a new memory card already and I have the same problem. I've just booted it up again and it seems I have 7 beeps in total. EDIT - i have rebooted on different occasions and the beeps range from 6 to 8!

 

[ianlawton]

I've just rebooted and it seems that there is no network connection found on my laptop anymore. Perhaps this is why I can't boot it in safe mode with networking. I haven't unistalled anything at all. Would this perhaps point to the problem?

 

[kemical]

Ian is the lappie under warranty or insured at all?

 

[ianlawton]

Hi

No it isn't under warranty, although I am sure they wouldn't cover accidental damage anyway. I spoke to a couple of repair places yesterday and was pretty much told the same from both of them, that there is likely to be further water damage which is causing the problem. It is currently being stripped and inspected by them so I'll see what they have to say. thanks for the responses.

 

[kemical]

Please let us know the outcome.

 

[ianlawton]

Hi. Well......my laptop went in for repairs and it seems that I still have a problem. They stripped the laptop to check if there was any damage to the motherboard which there wasn't. They have reinstalled windows, and now every time I boot the laptop up I get 3 beeps, but at least it does not freeze now and I can use the computer. I also get the windows boot manager every time I boot up and it asks me to select an operating system - there is only one to chose from which is 'windows 7 (recovered).' I was getting this before when the problems started with my laptop.

1) Any idea's why I am getting this and is there any way I can remove this so it boots straight into windows?
2) Also, from the bios beep codes guide, the 3 beeps means '3 short Base 64K memory failure- A memory failure has occurred in the first 64K of RAM. The RAM IC is probably bad.' What does this mean and how can I rectify it? It has a brand new 2gb memory card in there (I have switched between an original 1gb card and this new 2gb card and still the same 3 beeps).
Thanks in advance.

 

[kemical]

Hi Ian,
try running the Windows 7 repair option. You'll need to boot from the 7 disk but instead of installing choose 'Repair' instead. Hopefully that should cure the start-up ills.

If your still hearing beeps relating to memory and the memory has been replaced then it could down to the mainboard itself. Have you tried contacting Dell support in this situation?

 

[ianlawton]

Hi Kemical, Thanks for your continued help. I shall try the repair option now, I haven't been in touch with Dell support yet but that will be next on the list if nothing else works. Thanks again, I'll post an update.

 

[kemical]

Great. I'll pop back in a little while and see if you've updated..

 

[ianlawton]

......well, the installation disk will not allow me to repair. Perhaps its because it is the windows 7 upgrade disc (from vista) and not full disc. I don't know. I also cannot get access to dell chat as I live in the uk, I am not paying a premium phone line to speak to dell.
I ran the pre-boot system assessment (or whatever its called) and that came up with something interesting, there was a hard drive error showing as error code 2000-0146. I am now thinking I have a problem with my hard drive. I know this is a dell specific error code and may not be answered on here. I am in the process of swapping hard drives, reloading vista (as that was the os that came with my laptop and hence I have the correct discs). I'll then see how that boots and the upgrade to windows 7. Unfortunately at the moment I am trying to sort out a spare hard drive that I have but its saying this is a gpt partition and won't let me do anything, once I've got through that problem then I'll try that out. I am hoping this will solve everything.

 

[ianlawton]

ok, update to the above. I have reinstalled windows vista to a 'new' hard drive and upon boot up I get the beeps and same windows boot manager asking me which os I want to proceed with (again there is only one option but this time vista). So I think can safely say that it is not a hard drive issue.
One thing, when I was getting the problem at first (when I first posted the problem) I was getting the boot manager, at the bottom of that screen there was a windows memory diagnostic which I could select and then that would test the memory (this always came up with no problems detected). When my laptop went into the shop to get 'fixed' the windows boot manager would still appear but the memory diagnostic wasn't there. When I installed vista on the 'new' hard drive it booted with the windows boot manager and the diagnostic appeared again. Is it possible that the shop could have somehow disabled this diagnostic from appearing at the windows boot screen? Its just strange how it was always appearing when my laptop started having problems but when it went into the shop it disappeared. I've paid these guys £100 so far to strip my laptop and check for damage, back up some (and I mean only some) of my stuff and I still have a faulty laptop.

 

[kemical]

When you re-installed did you remove the external HDD? If not, try removing and re-installing again. When installing an os USB printers and the like should always be removed as well as external HDDs.

Not to sure about the memory diagnostic question to be honest.

Let's see if we can sort the boot manager problem first and then deal with the beeps.

 

[ianlawton]

Hi. Yes, I removed the original hard drive from my laptop and replaced it with the new one and then installed windows from the disc that came with my laptop. Nothing was plugged into the usb ports (with the exception of my mouse). Cheers.

 

[kemical]

Sorry Ian, I just realised I was getting your post mixed up with another that I'm currently dealing with (hence the mention of the external HDD which of course you don't have... Doh!)

Ian please type into the search box (bottom of start menu) 'system config' and open the app. Click on 'boot' and you should see your installed operating systems (see picture)

Link Removed due to 404 Error

What does yours show? If it's two os's, set one as default.

 

[ianlawton]

Hi Kemical. No worries mate, I had already checked this before and it does only show the one operating system.

 

[ianlawton]

Can I just add.....When my computer stopped working last week I was watching a news channel online. That is when everything froze. Last night when watching it the screen went light grey and gave me the impression it was about to crash again. I then got a glimpse of an error message at the bottom (it disappeared before I could read it properly). It said there was an error with nvidia kernel or something like that. I updated the graphics card driver and it seems ok but when watching the same channel this morning it seems very slow like the framerate is way to slow.

 

[kemical]

Ok try this app found here: Download EasyBCD 2.0.2 - NeoSmart Technologies It's called EasyBCD 2.0.2 and once installed, open the program and click "Manage Bootloader" on the left side.
Select "Reinstall the Vista Bootloader" and click "Write MBR. Then once that's completed, click on "Change Settings". Now lower the "Bootloader Timeout:" down to 0 and click "Save Settings".

Fingers crossed..

 

[ianlawton]

Hi Kemical. I've downloaded the program but the options seem different to what you are saying. There is no 'manage bootloader' option, instead there is a bootloader set up which I have clicked. I then get 2 sections to the screen - Create bootable external media & MBR configuration options. I have two options under the MBR configuration. Install the Windows Vista/7 bootloader to the MBR & Install the Windows XP bootloader to the MBR. I chose the vista/7 option and clicked on Write MBR but there is no option to Change settings. If I go into Edit Boot Menu then I can reduce the Boot default OS after 30secs. Is this where I need to reduce it down to 0?