Hi. I have a strange problem I cannot solve. I have a Asus M2V mobo, AMD AM2 1.6 CPU, 512MB Corsair RAM, an Asus EA300X PCI-E 128MB Grfx card, and a Belkin Wireless G network PCI card, as well as a SATA Hard Disc, IDE DVD-RW drive and floppy/usb flash card reader.

That's all the hardware, now the problem. The computer is newly built but will not apparently boot. every thing is all correctly inserted, and I've checked, rechecked and tripple checked all of it, yet when I start the computer up, it beeps once (which judging from the last two computers I've built is normal), but then there is a short pause of about 4 seconds, then it beeps again. It isn't a long beep, just a standard one. As such the monitor does not switch on at all and I get nothing. And yet everything in it seems to be working.

At first I thought it was the video card, so I disconnected everything except the CPU, RAM and video and tried it, got the same problem. I pulled the graphics card and then it beeps one long and three short. So I yanked my X800 GTO from my other computer and put that in and tried it again. The same thing happens; it turns on, beeps like normal, then some seconds later it beeps again and I get nothing on-screen.

With the graphics card apprently ruled out I turned to the RAM, so I pulled that out and replaced it with a working 1GB module from my other computer. Same thing happens. I tried moving it to a different channel, but then it beeps once, and then two short beeps, so I presume I had it right the first time.

So, I replaced everything, and this time used the jumpers on the board to reset the CMOS. Waited a minute then put the jumpers back and tried again, but the same thing happens. It beeps, a few seconds pass then it beeps again and nothing comes up on screen.

I'm at a loss now. Can anyone give me any ideas? Thanks.

Disconnect all but Motherboard, CPU with heatsink fan, Graphics card, keyboard and 1 stick of ram.
Make sure you have both 24 pin PSU as well as the extra 4 pin PSU connectors properly seated.
The graphics card you listed does not appear on the ASUSTEK website so please check the model number to make sure what it is you have. Does it require a separate 12V power connection?

I believe the motherboard you have uses an AMI bios and the beep codes you have listed indicate you may have a memory problem.

What exact specification ram are you trying?

Is this all new equipment under warranty? If your hardware is all compatible it could be the motherboard is faulty and an RMA might be in order.

I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

ASUS Motherboard Beep Errors:

Award and Phoenix BIOS:

1 short beep: Normal
2 short beeps: CMOS error
1 long and 1 short beep: DRAM error
1 long and 2 short beeps: Video card error
1 long and 3 short beeps: Keyboard error, or video card error
1 long and 9 short beeps: ROM error
Long continuous beeps: DRAM not installed correctly, bad memory, or incompatable
Short continuous beeps: Bad power supply

AMI BIOS:

none power supply, motherboard, or PC speaker is no good.
1 short system RAM Refresh failure.
2 short memory error
3 short same as 2 beeps; follow diagnosis above.
4 short system timer error
5 short cpu Failure. Replace the CPU or possibly the motherboard.
6 short keyboard error
7 short cpu or motherboard error
8 short video card error
9 short rom checksum error
10 short cmos error
11 short cache memory error
1 long, 3 short memory test failure.
1 long, 8 short Display test failure

okay thanks for the help. based on this i contacted the retailer who i bought the stuff from and they told me to send the motherboard back, so I did, and the next day (great service I must admit) I got a new one and it all works now! Thanks.