can't reach BIOS setup

[gremme]

My brother has just built a computer and can't get it working. The problem
is that when he starts it he gets to the screen where he can choose to enter
BIOS. 9/10 times he can't do anything from there but 1/10 times he can press
delete and then it says "loading bios" but it freezes there (he waited 30
mins nothing happened). Does anyone know what the problem mihht be?
Thanks in advance
/Karl

This is his hardware:
Asus p5n-tdeluxe NForce-780i SLI, socket 775
ddr2 memory 2*2 gigabyte
powersupply 750 watt
2* geforce 8800 gt 512 mb (SLI)
Intel core2 quad 2,67 ghz, 8mb
samsung dvd-burner (IDE)
samsung spin point f1 750 gb, SATA-2, 7200 rpm
western digital raptor 74 gb, SATA, 10000 rpm
windows Vista ultimate, 64 bit

 

[Nonny]

My brother has just built a computer and can't get it working. The problem
is that when he starts it he gets to the screen where he can choose to enter
BIOS. 9/10 times he can't do anything from there but 1/10 times he can press
delete and then it says "loading bios" but it freezes there (he waited 30
mins nothing happened). Does anyone know what the problem mihht be?
Thanks in advance

This is NOT a Windows problem because Windows hasn't even started to
load.

Your brother needs to taike a serious look at the combination of
hardware he has assembled.

 

[DL]

Pull all your extra HW, leaving a single hd / cd / memory module / graphics
card, then try again
& read the mobo manual as to whether a specific sata connector has to be
used for the boot disk

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

You do not need a hard drive or optical drive to get to the BIOS.

Basic installation to get to the BIOS would be:

Motherboard
PSU
RAM
Graphics (card or chipset)
Monitor
Keyboard

 

[Nonny]

Unplug the computer and clear the BIOS.

This involves opening the computer and

1) removing the coin-sized battery for a minuter or so and putting it
back in or

2) finding the jumpter on the mainboard that when shorted does the
same thing.

Not for newbies.

 

[Curious]

Another potential solution to the scenario where neither the USB keyboard or
Mouse work is to:
1.Shutdown and unplug the computer from the wall.
2.Wait 20 minutes and then push and hold down the commuters on/off switch to
drain power from a stuck USB controller.
3. Plug the computer back and try a normal boot,

 

[Bender]

"push and hold down the commuters on/off switch"

Where will I find the commuter ?

 

[Nonny]

"push and hold down the commuters on/off switch"

Where will I find the commuter ?

On a bus... maybe a train, or even in a car. Rarely on a bicycle or
motorcycle.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

You know very well he meant computer.

"push and hold down the commuters on/off switch"

Where will I find the commuter ?