iMac G4 3 beeps

[beachycove]

1.25ghz iMac G4, tried two sets of pc2100 RAM, three beeps immediately on powering on, no screen, both times with each set of RAM.

Could it be the memory controller AND is there a fix to be attempted, OR is it scrap?

 

[Johnnya101]

Found this on another site:

"• 1 beeps = No RAM installed/detected• 2 beeps = Incompatible RAM type installed• 3 beeps = No RAM banks passed memory testing• 4 beeps = No good boot images in the boot ROM• 5 beeps = Bad ROM boot block or processor is not usable."

How much ram are you using? I think that model has a limit of 1GB? Any more and it will do that. I think you can try one stick at a time as well.

 

[beachycove]

Tried 512MB and 1GB, and one of each, top and bottom. Which was quite the operation.... I gather that it will take 2GB, but I don't have the sticks to try. Mind you, if the thing won't boot, there's hardly any point.

My question is whether anything other than the memory controller could cause this behaviour. The machine has been put together from parts, so it is possible that, like many a marriage, what I've joined together should have been kept asunder.... It's also perfectly possible that the logic board is toast.