Windows loading on restart

[Guest]

Windows XP will not load when restarting from a powered up situation or when
starting from cold if the PC has power switched on. It will only load if I
switch the power off at the wall socket and the switch it back on again
before pressing the PC start button. This only started happening after I
had flashed a BIOS upgrade to the PC. Other than this the PC is running
well. I wanted to look at the BIOS and CMOS setups to see if they gave a
clue but can't seem to enter setup mode when starting up. I have tried
various combinations of pressing Esc, Del, F2, F7, F8, F10 etc at startup but
none take me into setup.
I'm not a very experienced user so would appreciate help from some of you
experts out there.

 

[Al Romanosky]

You may find answer via "Power options" accessible in control panel

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

Windows XP will not load when restarting from a powered up situation
or when starting from cold if the PC has power switched on. It will
only load if I switch the power off at the wall socket and the switch
it back on again before pressing the PC start button. This only
started happening after I had flashed a BIOS upgrade to the PC.
Other than this the PC is running well. I wanted to look at the
BIOS and CMOS setups to see if they gave a clue but can't seem to
enter setup mode when starting up. I have tried various
combinations of pressing Esc, Del, F2, F7, F8, F10 etc at startup but
none take me into setup.
I'm not a very experienced user so would appreciate help from some of
you experts out there.

The BIOS has nothing whatsoever to do with Windows, your computer does *NOT*
require an OS to be able to enter it. Only you know what key to press. If it
doesn't tell you at start up (mine states "Press Del to enter Setup") then
RTFM. All motherboards (or prebuilt systems) come with FM. It is up to you
to read it and *learn* what key to press.

 

[Chelsea]

This sounds like a problem with Advanced Power management on your
motherboard and or power supply. You have to remember a PC is never fully
swiched off unless you unplug it from your wall socket. There is always a
tiny amount of power at the on and off switch, keyboard or mouse and these
things are managed by the bios. Miss Perspicacia is nearly right in saying
Windows XP ignores the bios, but there are a few things that WinXP manages
with the co-operation of the bios. Power management is still very dependent
on your bios- for example a lot of machines can be set so the power button
needs to be pressed and held for 4 seconds before the machine will shut
down, this holds true in Windows or at a DOS prompt and is due to a bios
setting. I would suggest you download the version of the Bios just prior to
the one you currently have ie if your bios is version 19 get version 18 and
re-flash the system bios, then see if your problem goes away. Bios releases
are not as widely tested as software and changing a bios can be a risky
business unless you have a specific problem that the new bios fixes, which
is why the motherboard manufacturer always says only update a bios if you
are having problems.

Chelsea