Any idea please. I am having an intermitting problem. I shut down laptop using Windows; start; etc. On booting up the next day I often find that on pressing the start button I get a blank black screen and a continuous double beep. Two beeps, a pause, then two beeps in a continual sequence. Some have said it may be the memory but the problem temporarily rights itself. I do sometimes remove the battery in these instances but wonder when the computer rights itself if the battery removal is just a coinsidence as that does not always solve the problem. Others have said it may be a dry joint on the motherboard, whatever that may mean. The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 'N' Series and is only used using the mains electric. Thanks for any info.

Good luck with that. http://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

Heres a Link for you, that gives the interpretation of Error,or Beep codes,may be handy to Print out,for future refererance!

http://www.pchell.co...beepcodes.shtml

Sounds like you have some bad memory. If you have 2 Simms, you can pull one, and power on, see if the beeps happen, note memory size once the post is visible. Then swap memory Simms and try again, note memory size. If neither fails, plug both back in and test again. Note memory size.

If it's the post passes, it was a re-seat issue. If one is bad, you might note a bit less memory than before. Replace the failing Simm.

The problem with most PC's and laptops, they only use parity memory checks. If you have a double bit error, parity will be fine, but there is a chance you'll get a crash, depending on where the memory is bad.

Agree with Rakman, before you do anything else, just take the memory out and replace it firmly. It could be the simplest (and correct) solution.

a dry joint..

It seems a common Dell problem :-(

You can try removing memory, swapping slots etc as stated above ...... and will quite often solve the problem.

I guess it may be time to start saving for a new one!!

Thank you to everyone.