I've got some problems with a used hp(9680c). It won't boot. On powerup, the fans and hd start going, but the screen gets nothing. The power light flashes on and off and the pc emits beeps at a constant rate. The previous owner was having some problems and could only power down by unplugging. I think this happened quite a few times. Anyhow, that is the only way to shut it down now, as holding the power button only stops the beeping. The hd is readable in another comp, the cmos battery replaced, and the original cdrw and dvd were yanked and replaced with a standard cd drive, all post mortem. Where do I start?

Remove the Ram stick(s) check the gold feet on both sides and if poosible insert one stick and reboot. If still the same move the Ram to a different slot and retry.

Tried some different ram, still getting the same prob. What next?