Laptop beeps then shuts down...

[DumplingMastaB]

I have a Gateway 600YGR. When I turn it on, I get 3 beeps then the laptop shuts down. The laptop uses the PheonixBIOS and I checked some sites with the beeping codes but I can't understand them. I don't get the 1-1-3 sequence thing so can you guys help me what the 3 beeps translates to? Is there something wrong with the motherboard?

I checked the hard drive and ram to see if they were loose, even taking them out and putting them back in again gave me the same beeps.


BUT, there's one thing I found out. When I DON'T have a cd in the drive, it goes to Windows . If I do, it makes the 3 beeps and does the same thing. I think it could be the CD drive causing it but I need to know what the beeps indicate the problem is, first.

[ThreeOnTheTree]

I wonder if it's looking for a bootable CD, and if there isn't one, it beeps? Seems odd, but it looks like you've narrowed it down to the optical drive. BIOS beeps are such a tough thing to figure out, as each manufacture is different.

[jankerson]

Does the CD drive work after you get into Windows then put a CD in?

If so then it may be something else.

[Leoslocks]

http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/phoenixbeep.htm

"The beep codes are represented in the number of beeps. E.g. 1-1-2 would mean 1 beep, a pause, 1 beep, a pause, and 2 beeps.

*
With a Dell computer, a 1-2 beep code can also indicate that a bootable add-in card is installed but no boot device is attached."

If the Bios is set to boot from CD then this may be the issue with a CD in the drive.