Hardware troubles

Gatttsu

Gatttsu

Crush them! YA-HA!
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During the rebuild of two pc systems I was doing for someone, I came across an error I can't seem to get rid of, if I bypass it, it comes back, I can't possibly give this system to them like this.

Here's the problem:

boot #1/reset cmos: "CMOS checksum error - defaults loaded"

next boot: *beeeeeeeeeeep* no start, keeps beeping

I've changed the battery for the cmos, tried changing the bios settings, even tried write protecting the bios/cmos, I'm out of ideas and google isn't helping.

I've even tried removing everything else installed to test each part, every part is working perfectly, RAM, cards, drives, all are just fine, at this rate I won't even be able to reformat the drives to do a fresh install.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, these systems are taking up too much space in my room, I just want to finish them and get them back where they belong.

Edit: this is a rebuild of an old system, the only part on the board that isn't new is the processor, and that was tested to be a good part before I even took on this rebuild job.
 
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Bah. That was a dumb question.

You can try to run the recovery consoles. There is an option to fdisk the HDD from there.

Another option is to physically remove the HDD and install it as a slave in a working PC. I've actually been able to rescue valuable files from a locked up HDD that way. You'll also have the freedom of formating the Hard disk too. But when Formating you'd want to be sure you're performing the Fdisk on the correct drive.


For PC's that are too old to boot off of an XP Disk...

If this is the case you'll be prompted by outside tech solutions to either update the PC's BIOS, or create an XP boot Diskette.

Listen up carefully now. Still regarding the older PC's

Upon installation there is the option to start the installation of XP, only after you attempt the clean installation of XP will it say it cannot perform the task.

There is the part where you have options that are given to you in true BIOS manner when running the CD in the BIOS and you have a time limit to choose F1 or FF2 and even F6.... But there big secret ... there is an F5 that is not being shown in that section. Pressing F5 there and then will install components allowing you to do a clean install of XP, on a Windows 98 machine.

Why Microsoft does not tell us this is kind of a mystery.

But after doing it that way you might want to check up on the sound drivers and video drivers (assuming the PC is not running off of an ASUS motherboard or something of that nature)



For starters Remove the HDD and slave it up in you're PC and Format it.
 
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I've been switching the CMOS jumper to clear just to get the beeping to stop and then switching it back to the normal setting to get it to start up again, it won't do anything on clear, just like it's supposed to.

When I reset/clear the CMOS, it'll work once and give me the "BIOS checksum error - loaded defaults" message, I could start reformatting the drive after that, but once the system resets, the beeping will start again and I can't go anywhere from that beeping, I'll be stuck on a black screen with a long beep and I'll have to clear the BIOS again, I can't possibly give them this system if they have to go in and set the jumper to clear every time they want to start the computer up.

It's driving me nuts, I keep having to clear just to get anywhere, once a restart of any nature happens, it'll have to be cleared again.

Other than that whole mess, I can do the rest of the processes (reformat/installation) easily.
 
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Anttaru said:
For starters Remove the HDD and slave it up in you're PC and Format it.
Click to expand...
If the problem is declared as a CMOS-related issue, the HDD hasn't been touched by POST yet. I don't mean to be rude, your post was entirely valid... but from the sounds of it, this problem exists before the HDD comes into the picture.

Trooper - what mobo is it? Is it an older one with the removable CMOS?
 
if the beeping is spaced out, Beeep (silence) beep (silence) like that, Its a memory problem. Its either not seated in all the way or its dead. wifes pc did that, and mine recently when messing with my memory
 
What board are you using? Some of the ASUS boards have this feature where you can hear the actual error by plugging some speakers or headphones into the green stereo jack.
 
I was just mentioning a method that surrounds older window 98 PC's. Just how to install an XP Raw and not as an update.

As for what Gatttsu is going through. If it's not the Battary then the BIOS is currupt and needs to be replaced, If he has a back up of the BIOS then it would be easier. Getting the model and make of the hardware would make it easier to download a new BIOS set that would work in that PC.

Try Flashing the BIOS when starting up. Alt+F12. Not all PCs can do that. But if it works then that's fine.
 
The board is an ECS 661GX-M, the BIOS isn't removable as far as I can tell, I'm gonna try flashing it the next chance I can get, the beep is just one long beep, I was hoping I'd just seated the RAM incorrectly, but I double and even triple checked everything, this system is making me check so many things so many times that I'm starting to act like the "Anal Retentive Carpenter" (see SNL skits of the past) towards this thing every time I open it XD.
 
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