K7VMA Bios problem ?

A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid rebooting
problem.

Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing down, upon
further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking in tune with the
fan.

I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but I can't
finish a boot cycle.

When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty display of
various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the display. I cleared the
CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.

I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with the cursor
in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was the last I've seen of
the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various stages. Sometimes no video, other
times I get as far as Building DMI Pool....nothing consistent.

I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE cables,
cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum error - loading
defaults message, but it still won't boot.

The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it will not
boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit (the cable is
correct)

Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and pressing DEL
does not get me to the BIOS.

Any ideas, anyone.

TIA
Chris

"Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in message
news:xvXfd.7793$Ae3.3320@trndny02...
> A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid
rebooting
> problem.
>
> Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing down,
upon
> further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking in tune with the
> fan.
>
> I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but I can't
> finish a boot cycle.
>
> When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty display of
> various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the display. I cleared
the
> CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.
>
> I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with the
cursor
> in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was the last I've seen
of
> the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various stages. Sometimes no video, other
> times I get as far as Building DMI Pool....nothing consistent.
>
> I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE cables,
> cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum error - loading
> defaults message, but it still won't boot.
>
> The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it will
not
> boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit (the cable is
> correct)
>
> Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and pressing DEL
> does not get me to the BIOS.
>
> Any ideas, anyone.
>
Bad or failing CMOS battery?

Forgot to mention I tried that. Good catch though.




"Smoker" <> wrote in message news:ueYfd.1778$CX4.1312@trndny06...
>
> >
> Bad or failing CMOS battery?
>
>




> "Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in message
> news:xvXfd.7793$Ae3.3320@trndny02...
> > A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid
> rebooting
> > problem.
> >
> > Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing down,
> upon
> > further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking in tune with the
> > fan.
> >
> > I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but I
can't
> > finish a boot cycle.
> >
> > When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty display of
> > various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the display. I cleared
> the
> > CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.
> >
> > I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with the
> cursor
> > in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was the last I've seen
> of
> > the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various stages. Sometimes no video,
other
> > times I get as far as Building DMI Pool....nothing consistent.
> >
> > I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE
cables,
> > cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum error - loading
> > defaults message, but it still won't boot.
> >
> > The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it will
> not
> > boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit (the cable is
> > correct)
> >
> > Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and pressing DEL
> > does not get me to the BIOS.
> >
> > Any ideas, anyone.

"Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in
news:xvXfd.7793$Ae3.3320@trndny02:

> A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid
> rebooting problem.
>
> Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing down,
> upon further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking in tune
> with the fan.
>
> I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but I
> can't finish a boot cycle.
>
> When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty display
> of various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the display. I
> cleared the CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.
>
> I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with the
> cursor in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was the last
> I've seen of the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various stages.
> Sometimes no video, other times I get as far as Building DMI
> Pool....nothing consistent.
>
> I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE
> cables, cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum error
> - loading defaults message, but it still won't boot.
>
> The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it
> will not boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit
> (the cable is correct)
>
> Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and pressing
> DEL does not get me to the BIOS.
>
> Any ideas, anyone.
>
> TIA
> Chris
>
>
Recheck RAM and CPU seating, Check for any missing or misplaced m/b
jumpers, Clear CMOS once more for good measure,
Replace the motherboard?

"Thagor" <> wrote in message
> Recheck RAM and CPU seating, Check for any missing or misplaced m/b
> jumpers, Clear CMOS once more for good measure,
> Replace the motherboard?


Yeah, I did all of the above. Several times. Except of course replacing the
m/b. Which is the way I'm leaning. I don't beleive I have a m/b or processor
available to try swapping, but I do have alot of stuff lying around. Who
knows.

I think I'll try flashing the BIOS since I've pretty much resigned myself to
replace the m/b and processor anyways. Couldn't hurt, could it?

I just can't seem to remember when the the BIOS starts using the CPU in the
boot process. If I could, I might be able to narrow it down to the m/b or
the processor.

Chris "ahh.. the love of a challange" Kusmierz


news:Xns958FDB4EF3909thagmailcoma@207.115.63.158.. .
> "Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in
> news:xvXfd.7793$Ae3.3320@trndny02:
>
> > A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid
> > rebooting problem.
> >
> > Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing down,
> > upon further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking in tune
> > with the fan.
> >
> > I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but I
> > can't finish a boot cycle.
> >
> > When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty display
> > of various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the display. I
> > cleared the CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.
> >
> > I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with the
> > cursor in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was the last
> > I've seen of the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various stages.
> > Sometimes no video, other times I get as far as Building DMI
> > Pool....nothing consistent.
> >
> > I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE
> > cables, cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum error
> > - loading defaults message, but it still won't boot.
> >
> > The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it
> > will not boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit
> > (the cable is correct)
> >
> > Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and pressing
> > DEL does not get me to the BIOS.
> >
> > Any ideas, anyone.
> >
> > TIA
> > Chris
> >
> >

"Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in
news:L_Zfd.1783$CX4.1218@trndny06:

>
> "Thagor" <> wrote in message
>> Recheck RAM and CPU seating, Check for any missing or misplaced m/b
>> jumpers, Clear CMOS once more for good measure,
>> Replace the motherboard?
>
>
> Yeah, I did all of the above. Several times. Except of course
> replacing the m/b. Which is the way I'm leaning. I don't beleive I
> have a m/b or processor available to try swapping, but I do have alot
> of stuff lying around. Who knows.
>
> I think I'll try flashing the BIOS since I've pretty much resigned
> myself to replace the m/b and processor anyways. Couldn't hurt, could
> it?
>
> I just can't seem to remember when the the BIOS starts using the CPU
> in the boot process. If I could, I might be able to narrow it down to
> the m/b or the processor.
>
> Chris "ahh.. the love of a challange" Kusmierz
>
>
> news:Xns958FDB4EF3909thagmailcoma@207.115.63.158.. .
>> "Chris A. Kusmierz" <> wrote in
>> news:xvXfd.7793$Ae3.3320@trndny02:
>>
>> > A cow orker of mine brought me his machine because he had a rapid
>> > rebooting problem.
>> >
>> > Upon inspection I could hear the CPU fan speeding up and slowing
>> > down, upon further inspection the LED on the mainboard was winking
>> > in tune with the fan.
>> >
>> > I replaced the power supply, the LED is stable, as is the fan, but
>> > I can't finish a boot cycle.
>> >
>> > When I tried hitting delete to enter the BIOS I got a pretty
>> > display of various sized, randomly place red boxes all over the
>> > display. I cleared the CMOS using the jumper and tried rebooting.
>> >
>> > I tried to get to the BIOS and got half of the first screen, with
>> > the cursor in the right pane and the machine locked up. That was
>> > the last I've seen of the BIOS. Rebooting now halts at various
>> > stages. Sometimes no video, other times I get as far as Building
>> > DMI Pool....nothing consistent.
>> >
>> > I pulled all the cards out, swapped the RAM, disconnected the IDE
>> > cables, cleared the CMOS again, which gets the expected checksum
>> > error - loading defaults message, but it still won't boot.
>> >
>> > The floppy will whir once before it checks for IDE devices, but it
>> > will not boot from a W98 boot disk, but the floppy light stays lit
>> > (the cable is correct)
>> >
>> > Also, it never displays the *Press DEL to enter setup*, and
>> > pressing DEL does not get me to the BIOS.
>> >
>> > Any ideas, anyone.
>> >
>> > TIA
>> > Chris
>> >
>> >
>
>
How you gonna do that when the W98 floppy won't boot the system? Normally
if you get anything at all from post test and the CPU gets hot, the cpu
is okay.

"Thagor" <> wrote in message
news:Xns9590CDE99C4CCthagmailcoma@207.115.63.158.. .


> How you gonna do that when the W98 floppy won't boot the system? Normally
> if you get anything at all from post test and the CPU gets hot, the cpu
> is okay.

It was late, I think I was mistaking the floppy seek for a boot attempt and
thought a BIOS flash disk might have a better chance of succeeding than a
full 98 boot disk ( in retrospect, rather optimistic and irrational. )

I stand corrected, and I walk funny.

Well, I may still be able to salvage the processor ( again with the
optimism ) so...does anyone have a working K7VMA m/b for sale? The ones
currently on ebay lack even a hint of workability.

TIA
Chris A. Kusmierz

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 03:31:21 GMT, "Chris A. Kusmierz"
<> wrote:

>
>"Thagor" <> wrote in message
>news:Xns9590CDE99C4CCthagmailcoma@207.115.63.158. ..
>
>
>> How you gonna do that when the W98 floppy won't boot the system? Normally
>> if you get anything at all from post test and the CPU gets hot, the cpu
>> is okay.
>
>It was late, I think I was mistaking the floppy seek for a boot attempt and
>thought a BIOS flash disk might have a better chance of succeeding than a
>full 98 boot disk ( in retrospect, rather optimistic and irrational. )
>
>I stand corrected, and I walk funny.
>
>Well, I may still be able to salvage the processor ( again with the
>optimism ) so...does anyone have a working K7VMA m/b for sale? The ones
>currently on ebay lack even a hint of workability.
>
>TIA
>Chris A. Kusmierz
>
>

Fry's has a new motherboard and processor for $60.