I have checked all the hardware except the MB, it boots to the wind98 splash screen then beeps 11 times and shuts down. Dell says 11 beeps is cache memory (ram chips?) which are okay. Now the thing is- it actually passes the POST and it's not til it gets to the splash screen when there's this problem. Also, I removed the hard drive and put it in another machine and it freezes at the splash screen there too- but doesn't beep- just stays froze. I also put the hard drive as a slave in another machine and I can access everything on the hard drive so I know the hard drive is good. Please help me get this thing to boot

"11 beeps is cache memory (ram chips?) "

Onboard caching is not the same as RAM memory modules. Maybe see if you can disable caching from the BIOS.

If the HDD won't boot up in another machine, there may be disk errors or boot sector problems. Might try a thorough scan while it's slaved - also you may want to 'sys' the drive from DOS (with the correct version, of course)

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I was able to run scandisk and no errors (I used norton boot disk). You said:
also you may want to 'sys' the drive from DOS (with the correct version, of course)

Can you explain that please- don't know how, and I'm about to see if I can disable caching in the bios, thanks

I don't see any place to disable caching- only says cache memory 128mb and I can't even tab to it (no access to it)

On older boards caching may be controlled by jumpers, or there may be a separate cache module in its own slot.

Sys is the DOS command to transfer the boot files from the current (running) Operating System to another disk. Typically performed from a floppy boot using the same exact version of DOS/Windows as originally installed on the HDD. If the system that the drive is slaved to is identical, then from a DOS prompt you can enter from C:\>

sys d:

(or whatever the slave drive's letter) and hopefully see "system transferred"

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i don't have an exact system nor a boot floppy from this computer. I have some win98 boot floppys but they were made from other computers. could it have anything to do with autoexec.bat or configsys? Also, the norton boot disk check the mbr and it was ok. I just don't get it. I tried all the restore points- one date acually restored, but didn't fix the boot problem. I'm not real good with dos but if there's something i can try please please please say so

By exact version I mean the exact version of Windows 98 - that's all.

Restore points?? No such thing, but rolling back the registry with scanreg is probably not the answer - that does nothing for boot problems.

Autoexec.bat & config.sys (if present) load after the boot.

Another possibility is an abbreviated MSDOS.SYS file on the drive in question - open it with notepad - if it only contains a line or two, that might be the problem.

Of course, you still need to correct the hardware issue on the original machine

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It's hard to know what 'cache' Dell is refering to. There is a cache that's internal to the CPU as well as a secondary cache on the motherboard, as jboy mentions. I think most HDs have some caching memory on them also. The fact it's not booting on another computer may mean the problem is with the HD, the software or it may just not be booting up because you've connected it to a different motherboard.

Even though you can access everything when it's connected as a slave, there could still be a problem with the drive.

If you do have removable cache memory on the motherboard try removing it and see if that changes anything. Removable cache memory will look somewhat like a regular stick of RAM but will be located in a slot that look like an AGP slot. If nothing changes then replace it.

Will it boot to safe mode (tap F8 before the OS starts to load and choose 'safe mode' from the menu)?

no- it won't boot to safemode. i don't think i have removable cache on the mb- i just looked and nothing looks to be removable except the regular stuff- cards, processor, ram chips, battery. I was thinking- could i partition the drive and load windows onto the new partition, make it active and still access the old partition?

That was my best guess, but as it turns out..

DELL

11 beeps - Indicates an error in the cache memory. If the system has a Pentium class processor, reseat the processor. If the system has a cache memory module, try reseating it. These beep codes will vary depending on the system.

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yes- it's a pentium 3, but i put another processor in and it still does the same thing- and i don't have a cache module. what about my question about partitioning? and if it's hardware then why does the hd freeze in another computer

Well, it seems to be two separate issues - cache error and not booting.

Your idea regarding partitioning is flawed - only the primary partition can be booted from, and resolving the boot issue is not going to affect the cache problem.

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hard to believe it's 2 different problems- everything worked fine til this. I was going to make the new partion the primary partiion by making it the active one, isn't that the way it goes? Just partion the drive- load windows on the second partition- make it active? Also- if I don't have cache memory on the mb, and not on the processor, where else can I look to change the cache mem. Do you think replacing the mb will be the answer? (if it's really cache mem problem)

If you mean use fdisk to remove the old partition and create a new one, then sure, you could do that, format & reinstall Windows. You realize fdisk wipes the drive?

As for the rest, I dont know - as the Dell site indicates: "These beep codes will vary depending on the system."

I would try 'sys'ing the drive to see if it can be made to boot

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okay- i want to try this sys the drive thing, but can you explain step by step? I don't know what this is. And yes, I meant fdisk, but I meant create a partition (this disk is not partitioned- and have the new partition have a new install on it- leave the old partition alone with windows still on it- but it will be the inactive one, and the new partition will be the active one. follow me? or maybe this is not possible. Either way- i want to try the sys thing

All disks are partitioned before use - often there is only one partition, which seems to convince people that they don't have any(?)

What you want to do won't work the way you think it will (short answer)

Sys has been pretty much covered already in response #4

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sorry- i'm confused. Do i need to put the "problem hard drive" in another computer as a slave, or just put a floppy in the existing problematic computer to do this. you lost me with your #4 instructions

no luck- i figured out what you were saying and put it in as a slave and transferred in dos, then put it back in the other computer and still got the beeps and shutdown. i guess the next step would be to change the MB?

have narrowed it down to the hard drive. I put known good hard drive in the bad computer and it booted to the hard drive fine

Possibly some electronic component failed on the HD circuit board. It looks like you need a new HD. Since the drive can be accessed you can probably copy the contents to the new drive.

There's a link regarding the use of sys also - it was worth a shot.

Sure, process of elimination, and perhaps the beepcode is something els again.

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You've all had a fun day I see.

Am I correct in assuming that the beeps occur after post has completed?

I'm going to suggest something silly, why not try another keyboard?

I think when a different HDD was put in the original machine, there were no telltale beeps - so the problem seems to be entirely with the old drive. The beeps? Hard to say.

Did you get your lad's machine sorted? Another case of that was reported in XP today.

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Oops, I was distracted during response 18! Yes it does look like the HDD is at fault. The cause of the beeps stiil confuses me. As they occur after POST, the only logical reason I saw was keyboard buffer overflow.

jboy, I haven't gone any further with my sons computer. He's often home longer than I am. Seems there may have been an ongoing problem with Avast. I tried downloading AVG without success. I asked him to reload Avast, The CD hasn't moved (The latest magazine cover CD). I've chased my tail long enough to realise that I don't have one! Hope you got your difficulties solved as well!

That last paragraph should really have been put into PM, so if it makes no sense to other readers, your not alone.

all is well and working- I don't get it though- I formatted the bad drive and reinstalled and it works fine- first time I got beeps like that when it was a software problem. Thanks for helping, guys! I really needed it, so thanks

Sometimes you're left with more questions than answers - philosophy over the scientific method I know, but there it is.

Beepcodes are generated by hardware issues, but it's necessary to have the correct interpretation. Not only do the codes vary amongst manufacturers, they also can be different for different models.

11 beeps on a Dell Dimension indicate:

An invalid BIOS is installed

.. whatever that means

Glad it's working now - maybe be watchful in case there is an underlying problem either with the drive or with some other component.

RF - sure, it's difficult to gain any ground when you can't be certain of your tools. Got to be a multiplicity of things.

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