On 9/15/2023 6:51 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> I think running VMware on old DreamPC 2006 might have fried the CPU or motherboard.
>
> Even though all fans at max. The screen went black and the PC started beeping, slowly 1 beep in 3 seconds.
>
> Also all links not working in start menu, I forgot about that,but remember it. Links empty.
> To bad I deinstalled Delphi 7 at the time it seems.
>
> Well maybe this is the end maybe not, I do have other motherboard and could try transplanting northbridge cooler, but the PC smells, maybe time to "grave/shelve it" and make room for new super pc. It (malfunction) feels like a gift from father in heaven, he wants me to use new super computer.
>
> I do wonder what the beeping means.
>
> I look forward to running old vm machines on my new computer for kicks.
>
> Next weak I might get a urine loss solution, so I feel more confident building/using new super pc, I don't want to piss on it or hurt my back.
>
> Goodbye for now,
> 44-year-old-Skybuck
>

NF4SK8AA Foxconn
S939 CPU
Nforce 4 SLI
DDR400 4x1GB
Six SATA
SIL3132 RAID
(2) PCIe x16 Rev1.1
(1) PCIe x1
(3) PCI

On that vintage, I'd be checking for a broken
plastic tab on the side of the CPU socket, causing
the heatsink to come loose. There was one brand of
heatsink that put a lot of pressure on the plastic
tabs, and after a few years, the plastic would snap.

Only certain DIMM configurations are supported.
You can't use three sticks in it, for example.
1,2, or 4 sticks. With some matching requirements.
Some of the RAM modes are "128 bit modes" that
assume the DIMMs are matched and inserted in
the correct slot adjacent to the partner DIMM.

One other problem, with a PC unplugged for a while,
is the CMOS battery (CR2032) will be flat. Some PCs
definitely do not like that, and they come back to
life when you fit a new CR2032.

Be careful with the CR2032 socket! People have wrenched
on them too hard, and broken the socket. Yours has a retainer
that needs to be depressed so the battery will "float free".
Change the battery, with all PC power OFF. If the battery
flops around with power on the chassis, the battery body
can short to stuff.

Once you've fitted a new CR2032, you will need to enter
the BIOS and use the settings you were using previously.
For example, if you were booting in RAID mode, the
settings would need to reflect that. That sort of thing.
You can also roughly correct the time. It doesn't have to be
down to the second. Just don't leave it on 1970. But the
importance of that comes later.

Make sure the fan is spinning on the chipset chip. The motherboard
design may not has a thermal protection feature for the NVidia chip.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1913/7

You can see the battery in the corner.

https://images.anandtech.com/reviews/motherboards/roundups/2006/nf4sli/foxboard.jpg

It uses a paddle-card, for switching the slots from x16/x1 to x8/x8 mode.
While that card making bad connections could make a difference,
I would expect enough lanes would make contact for the graphics
card to initialize. You have to be a little careful with NVidia
PCI Express slots, as they tend to be more sensitive to static
electricity than other brands.

Award BIOS. It's likely your pattern is not a match.
Because it's not a common code.

https://www.lifewire.com/awardbios-beep-codes-2624544

I don't really think it's broken. It needs a bit of tinkering,
for the things you would expect to wear out (battery)
when in storage.

Paul

I removed the cmos battery as can be seen in this video:

https://youtu.be/8sLjdchqZr0?si=N4S5SOIyOv-GtbgO

I reasoned as follows:

Since the battery is removed, this should automatically reset the CMOS/bios data/settings ?

But maybe I am wrong about that a CMOS jumper must be shorted first to truely reset it ?

I also wonder if resetting the CMOS/bios settings with jumper requires any battery power ?

Well this is one last thing I could try... would have to get the winfast manual and find the cmos jumper/reset thing.

Maybe I try later for now, I want to start focussing on the new system ! =D

But I am also curious if the old system can be made to work somehow again, though not really worth the time, but curious none the less.

Good to have a backup system if it can work ! ;)

Bye for now,
Skybuck.

On 9/23/2023 4:01 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> I removed the cmos battery as can be seen in this video:
>
> https://youtu.be/8sLjdchqZr0?si=N4S5SOIyOv-GtbgO
>
> I reasoned as follows:
>
> Since the battery is removed, this should automatically reset the CMOS/bios data/settings ?
>
> But maybe I am wrong about that a CMOS jumper must be shorted first to truely reset it ?
>
> I also wonder if resetting the CMOS/bios settings with jumper requires any battery power ?
>
> Well this is one last thing I could try... would have to get the winfast manual and find the cmos jumper/reset thing.
>
> Maybe I try later for now, I want to start focussing on the new system ! =D
>
> But I am also curious if the old system can be made to work somehow again, though not really worth the time, but curious none the less.
>
> Good to have a backup system if it can work ! ;)
>
> Bye for now,
> Skybuck.

Just change the battery and give it a try. That's a good starting point.
We're looking for a "symptom change", indicating the battery matters.

With the battery removed, the circuit will continue to draw 10 microamps
from the bypass cap, so it will drain. The bypass cap is not a huge one,
just sufficient to suppress transients when the CPU reads registers on
the RTC.

And if you don't plan to use the machine for another three years, just
leave the new battery out of it. As that prevents the battery from being
drained while the old PC is stored in a closet.

Paul

On 9/23/2023 7:15 PM, Paul wrote:
> On 9/23/2023 4:01 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
>> I removed the cmos battery as can be seen in this video:
>>
>> https://youtu.be/8sLjdchqZr0?si=N4S5SOIyOv-GtbgO
>>
>> I reasoned as follows:
>>
>> Since the battery is removed, this should automatically reset the CMOS/bios data/settings ?

Only if the power has not been connected for some significant time.

>>
>> But maybe I am wrong about that a CMOS jumper must be shorted first to truely reset it ?
>>
>> I also wonder if resetting the CMOS/bios settings with jumper requires any battery power ?
>>
>> Well this is one last thing I could try... would have to get the winfast manual and find the cmos jumper/reset thing.
>>
>> Maybe I try later for now, I want to start focussing on the new system ! =D
>>
>> But I am also curious if the old system can be made to work somehow again, though not really worth the time, but curious none the less.
>>
>> Good to have a backup system if it can work ! ;)
>>
>> Bye for now,
>> Skybuck.
>
> Just change the battery and give it a try. That's a good starting point.
> We're looking for a "symptom change", indicating the battery matters.
>
> With the battery removed, the circuit will continue to draw 10 microamps
> from the bypass cap, so it will drain. The bypass cap is not a huge one,
> just sufficient to suppress transients when the CPU reads registers on
> the RTC.
>
> And if you don't plan to use the machine for another three years, just
> leave the new battery out of it. As that prevents the battery from being
> drained while the old PC is stored in a closet.
>
> Paul
>
>

Thanks for the advice.

Cleaning of paste did not help, the computer keeps beeping.

There was some paste near processor pins.

It's also possible the cpu metal holding the gold cpu pins started oxidizing creating short circuits on cpu.

For now hypotheses:

1. Perhaps something wrong with power supply;
1.1 After recent thunder storm
or
1.2 Living room light short circuits/wolfram.

2. Motherboard partially damaged/malfunctioning;
2.1 Short circuit tiny components due to paste/artic silver 5
2.2 Evaporated condensators
2.3 Cooking due to heat

3. CPU partially damaged/malfunctioning
3.1 Short circuits
3.2 Heat damage
3.3 Paste creeping inside

I can and will try older/other motherboard.

Bye for now,
Skybuck.