[gr8fl4porsche]

Sounds like a drive going bad to me but hardware issues are difficult to determine as they can have similar symptoms.


The beeps. They generally mean you have a boot or post error. If you can determine which motherboard you have, you should be able to diagnose the beeps. They are a code - usually.
Slow, inconsistent and difficult boots are signs of bad drive, bad ram or another problem on the board.
Locking up of the input controls during posting is also a sign of bad drive, ram or board.

I would try a different drive first since they fail most often.
Ram has been known to go bad but not as frequently as some people think.
Bad boards are somewhat rare in my world.

Of course a bad power supply can be an issue as well.