Hi. I recently tried installing a sound card into my computer and much to my surprise when I tried powering on my computer the power light started flickering like crazy and the computer started making long beeps one after another, with a few seconds in between, without stopping. Nothing will appear on the monitor. After the first beep it sounds like it's loading something, but then it continues to beep and does nothing. I tried taking the sound card out, but it still does the same thing. I have no idea what to do, I've tried fiddling with everything. If anyone could help me, I'd appreciate it. I have a paper to do and I am without a computer.

It sounds like you've dislodged something else - probably the graphics card. Remove the graphics card from the motherboard slot and then re-seat it carefully but firmly. Make sure that the whole length of the contact edge is sitting within the slot.

Did you take anti-static precautions, i.e. grounding yourself before touching the components, not tinkering inside your PC on a carpet, etc?

Eep...I didn't take anti-static precautions...I wasn't sure what to do...but I didn't feel any static shocks or anything...does that matter? I tried reseating the graphics card, but it still won't work...

Is it still beeping? The beep pattern is a BIOS diagnostic code made up of short beeps, long beeps and pauses - it's intended to suggest where your fault lies if the system doesn't start properly.

What's your beep pattern (e.g. short, short, long, long, pause, short, short, long, long, pause) ?

It just lets out a long beep, stops, then lets out a long beep and stops and keeps doing this until I cut the power. One of the fans is making a lot of noise, but it never caused a problem before and the fan has been noisy for a while, so I don't know if that matters. Thanks for your help so far.

If you have an AMI or Award BIOS for your motherboard, this beep pattern seems to mean there's a memory (RAM) error. The Phoenix BIOS apparently doesn't use this beep pattern. You can determine which BIOS your motherboard uses by referring to the motherboard manual.

If you have more than one memory (RAM) module, I would recommend removing each one and then re-testing the PC with one module at a time.

Static - the silent killer . TAKE ANTI-STATIC PRECAUTIONS !!!! Your sensitive computer components feel the effects of static electricity a lot more than you do. Read this thread on D-A-L.com for suggestions ........... http://www.d-a-l.com/help/showthread...ghlight=static

Let us know how you get on