Hello everyone,

I've got an odd problem with a computer one of my friend's asked me to look
at. He's also a computer person, but just thought some different eyes
might help. They're not . The problem is that the box won't boot up
unless you clear the CMOS on the motherboard first. And even then,
sometimes it won't accept power. Even a warm reboot will cause it to hang.
One time it took me four different times of switching the jumper before it
would accept any power at all, and then it did boot. According to him,
when the menu comes up saying that the CMOS as been cleared, press F1 to
continue or DEL to setup, if you go into Setup, good luck getting it to
restart anytime soon. He has changed the battery twice, but I was under
the impression that newer motherboards didn't even use the CMOS that way;
the battery was really only for the clock and that everything is flashed
BIOS now. One thing we have considered is flashing the BIOS, which hasn't
been done yet. It's a Pentium 4 (thought it comes up as Pentium 4 1.2Ghz,
CPU Brand: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz). He's got a newer nVidia graphics card (FX
5900), couple of hard drives, and 1GB RAM. I'm not sure what the
motherboard brand is, but it's new, within last couple years.

I'm about to brave the setup menu to see just how messed up I can make it,
but I was wondering if anyone out there had had any experience with this
happening and could say, 'Oh yeah, that's...' before I incapacitate his
computer.


Thanks,
jab3

"jab3" <jab3@_del_linuxmail._del_org> wrote in message
news:0rqdnbhAHJNmumjcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello everyone,
>
> I've got an odd problem with a computer one of my friend's asked
> me to look
> at. He's also a computer person, but just thought some
> different eyes
> might help. They're not . The problem is that the box won't
> boot up
> unless you clear the CMOS on the motherboard first. And even
> then,
> sometimes it won't accept power. Even a warm reboot will cause
> it to hang.
> One time it took me four different times of switching the jumper
> before it
> would accept any power at all, and then it did boot. According
> to him,
> when the menu comes up saying that the CMOS as been cleared,
> press F1 to
> continue or DEL to setup, if you go into Setup, good luck
> getting it to
> restart anytime soon. He has changed the battery twice, but I
> was under
> the impression that newer motherboards didn't even use the CMOS
> that way;
> the battery was really only for the clock and that everything is
> flashed
> BIOS now. One thing we have considered is flashing the BIOS,
> which hasn't
> been done yet. It's a Pentium 4 (thought it comes up as Pentium
> 4 1.2Ghz,
> CPU Brand: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz). He's got a newer nVidia graphics
> card (FX
> 5900), couple of hard drives, and 1GB RAM. I'm not sure what
> the
> motherboard brand is, but it's new, within last couple years.
>
> I'm about to brave the setup menu to see just how messed up I
> can make it,
> but I was wondering if anyone out there had had any experience
> with this
> happening and could say, 'Oh yeah, that's...' before I
> incapacitate his
> computer.
>

Sounds typical of motherboard capacitor failure to me, google for
more info and what to look for.

Incapacitate sounds close enough ;o)

--
Ian

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:53:13 -0500, jab3
<jab3@_del_linuxmail._del_org> wrote:

>Hello everyone,
>
>I've got an odd problem with a computer one of my friend's asked me to look
>at. He's also a computer person, but just thought some different eyes
>might help. They're not . The problem is that the box won't boot up
>unless you clear the CMOS on the motherboard first.

Is this a new build?...or is this a problem that has suddenly come up?

>And even then,
>sometimes it won't accept power. Even a warm reboot will cause it to hang.
>One time it took me four different times of switching the jumper before it
>would accept any power at all, and then it did boot.

What do you mean exactly...'accept any power'?

>According to him,
>when the menu comes up saying that the CMOS as been cleared, press F1 to
>continue or DEL to setup, if you go into Setup, good luck getting it to
>restart anytime soon.

Disconnect all devices on the computer...hard drives, optical drives,
floppy, etc...then boot into the BIOS. Then do it again...then once
more. See if the speed is consistent.

Then add one device at a time...starting with the floppy drive. See
how it reacts.

>One thing we have considered is flashing the BIOS, which hasn't
>been done yet.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Don't flash a BIOS unless you know
for sure WHY yer flashin' the BIOS!

>It's a Pentium 4 (thought it comes up as Pentium 4 1.2Ghz,
>CPU Brand: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz). He's got a newer nVidia graphics card (FX
>5900), couple of hard drives, and 1GB RAM.

If you have more than one stick of RAM, only have ONE installed until
you solve the problem. The RAM may be part of the problem...so
swapping the sticks may be part of the solution.

>I'm not sure what the
>motherboard brand is, but it's new, within last couple years.

Is the BUILD new, too?...or just the board.

>I'm about to brave the setup menu to see just how messed up I can make it,
>but I was wondering if anyone out there had had any experience with this
>happening and could say, 'Oh yeah, that's...' before I incapacitate his
>computer.

Instead of 'messing' up the computer, pick the option in the BIOS for
default settings. Then check them as to how they pertain to your
particular hardware.

P.S. You should always mention whether your problem is with a new
build...or with a machine that has suddenly developed a
problem...after X years of running well.

Try some of the above...then let us know. Good luck.


Have a nice one...

Trent©

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

Trent© wrote:

> On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:53:13 -0500, jab3
> <jab3@_del_linuxmail._del_org> wrote:
>
>>Hello everyone,
>>
>>I've got an odd problem with a computer one of my friend's asked me to
>>look
>>at. He's also a computer person, but just thought some different eyes
>>might help. They're not . The problem is that the box won't boot up
>>unless you clear the CMOS on the motherboard first.
>
> Is this a new build?...or is this a problem that has suddenly come up?
>
>>And even then,
>>sometimes it won't accept power. Even a warm reboot will cause it to
>>hang. One time it took me four different times of switching the jumper
>>before it would accept any power at all, and then it did boot.
>
> What do you mean exactly...'accept any power'?
>
>>According to him,
>>when the menu comes up saying that the CMOS as been cleared, press F1 to
>>continue or DEL to setup, if you go into Setup, good luck getting it to
>>restart anytime soon.
>
> Disconnect all devices on the computer...hard drives, optical drives,
> floppy, etc...then boot into the BIOS. Then do it again...then once
> more. See if the speed is consistent.
>
> Then add one device at a time...starting with the floppy drive. See
> how it reacts.
>
>>One thing we have considered is flashing the BIOS, which hasn't
>>been done yet.
>
> If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Don't flash a BIOS unless you know
> for sure WHY yer flashin' the BIOS!
>
>>It's a Pentium 4 (thought it comes up as Pentium 4 1.2Ghz,
>>CPU Brand: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz). He's got a newer nVidia graphics card (FX
>>5900), couple of hard drives, and 1GB RAM.
>
> If you have more than one stick of RAM, only have ONE installed until
> you solve the problem. The RAM may be part of the problem...so
> swapping the sticks may be part of the solution.
>
>>I'm not sure what the
>>motherboard brand is, but it's new, within last couple years.
>
> Is the BUILD new, too?...or just the board.
>
>>I'm about to brave the setup menu to see just how messed up I can make it,
>>but I was wondering if anyone out there had had any experience with this
>>happening and could say, 'Oh yeah, that's...' before I incapacitate his
>>computer.
>
> Instead of 'messing' up the computer, pick the option in the BIOS for
> default settings. Then check them as to how they pertain to your
> particular hardware.
>
> P.S. You should always mention whether your problem is with a new
> build...or with a machine that has suddenly developed a
> problem...after X years of running well.
>
> Try some of the above...then let us know. Good luck.
>
>
> Have a nice one...
>
> Trent©
>
> Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

Thanks for the suggestions. I am new to the group; didn't think to mention
the build. I think he bought the parts and built it a couple of years ago;
I'm not quite sure when this started happening, but it wasn't immediately.
I did ask him what the mobo is; it's an Abit IC-7, whose boards I found
on-line do indeed have problems with capacitor overload, though I'm not
sure that's it. I looked and didn't see any obvious damage, but I wasn't
able to get a good look. I know I should have answered according to each
point you made, but I don't have access to the box anymore, so it may be a
while before I'm able to try the trial and error. He needed it back .
But after I manage to pry him away from it again, I'll report back here if
I have any more problems/questions.

Thanks for your help,
jab3


P.S. - By 'not accept any power' I meant that when you press the power
button, nothing happens. And that could go on for 2 minutes to 2 hours
according to him. Then it will turn on, and often work. Until the next
reboot that is.

One solution that I recommend is to check if there is a problem with the
power unit. If it is the power unit, replace it. Then try booting the
machine again, (after changing the CMOS jumpers), and if you still get
problems consult the booklets that came with the machine. Another thing you
might want to consider is if updating the bios actually caused the problem
in the first place. But I would go with my first suggestion. Otherwise
consult the manufacturer.

9/10 Motherboards aren't the problem.

--
odb69




____________________________________________________________________________
"jab3" <jab3@_del_linuxmail._del_org> wrote in message
news:0rqdnbhAHJNmumjcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello everyone,
>
> I've got an odd problem with a computer one of my friend's asked me to
> look
> at. He's also a computer person, but just thought some different eyes
> might help. They're not . The problem is that the box won't boot up
> unless you clear the CMOS on the motherboard first. And even then,
> sometimes it won't accept power. Even a warm reboot will cause it to
> hang.
> One time it took me four different times of switching the jumper before it
> would accept any power at all, and then it did boot. According to him,
> when the menu comes up saying that the CMOS as been cleared, press F1 to
> continue or DEL to setup, if you go into Setup, good luck getting it to
> restart anytime soon. He has changed the battery twice, but I was under
> the impression that newer motherboards didn't even use the CMOS that way;
> the battery was really only for the clock and that everything is flashed
> BIOS now. One thing we have considered is flashing the BIOS, which hasn't
> been done yet. It's a Pentium 4 (thought it comes up as Pentium 4 1.2Ghz,
> CPU Brand: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz). He's got a newer nVidia graphics card (FX
> 5900), couple of hard drives, and 1GB RAM. I'm not sure what the
> motherboard brand is, but it's new, within last couple years.
>
> I'm about to brave the setup menu to see just how messed up I can make it,
> but I was wondering if anyone out there had had any experience with this
> happening and could say, 'Oh yeah, that's...' before I incapacitate his
> computer.
>
>
> Thanks,
> jab3
>