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You are here: Home / Tech Questions & Answers / Q&A: Why does my PC beep and refuse to boot into Windows?

Q&A: Why does my PC beep and refuse to boot into Windows?

Posted on July 8, 2013

compaq-evo-d510Question from Mika T.:  I have an older Compaq EVO D510 desktop PC with 2GB RAM, 120GB hard drive and Windows XP Professional. I love this computer because it’s the first one I ever owned and I’d really like to keep it running if at all possible.

Here’s the problem: It was working fine till I turned it on one morning and it refused to boot up. It gives one short beep followed by two long beeps, then nothing. Is this a problem that can be fixed without shelling out a ton of cash?

Rick’s answer:  Mika, the beeps you hear after pressing the power button are actually an error code that’s being output by your computer’s Power On Self Test (aka POST). That beep code on a Compaq PC typically indicates a problem with the video circuitry. 

The Compaq EVO D510 without any “extras” shipped from the factory with integrated video circuitry. This simply means that the video “card” was built directly onto the motherboard. If you or someone else added a stand-alone video card to the system at some point, try removing it and see if the PC will boot up using the integrated video circuitry.

If the PC hasn’t had a stand-alone video card installed, you can try installing one to see what happens. Since this is a relatively ancient computer you’ll need to find a video card that works in either an AGP or PCI slot. Either of those will do. You can probably find a good used one on eBay or at your local computer shop at a decent price.

Having said all of that, my recommendation is to simply place your beloved EVO D510 on a shelf as a momento of your early digital life and buy a new PC. I truly believe you’ll be much better off in the long run, especially since Microsoft is planning to stop supporting Windows XP in April 2014.


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