MSI 865PE does not display setup or boot menu

When I start my machine it seems to go through the POST ok, displays
the prompts for setup (del), boot menu (f11), network boot (f12) etc.
It also detects the hard drives. However even if I press del or f11
during start up it never actually displays the setup or boot menus.
This means I can't boot off of the CD - in fact nothing happens at all
after the hard drives and cd rom drives etc are discovered.
The system has been working perfectly for year and has just started
exhibiting this problem. I've never had this before (ie previously f11
or del produced the correct menu).
And of course the machine doesn't boot the operating system.

So I'm stuck: I can't display the setup or boot menu.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

Are you using a USB or wireless keyboard? I've noticed that anything
other than an old-stlye PS/2 type keyboard will be ignored at times
during the boot-up process.

 

Thanks for the response Paul, however this isn't the issue. I know
because if I press F11 (say) during startup the screen changes to show
the word "Go" next to "boot menu" indicating that it has recognized my
keypress and is preparing to launch the boot menu. However it never
launches.

I also occasionally get a strange message that's not quite English.
This is it, verbatim: "Dram timing is too tightly so reload timing".
Obviously suggesting some kind of DRAM issue but what "too tightly"
means in this case I'm not sure. Ditto for "so reload timing".

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

Coincidentally, I encountered that same "too tightly" message for the
first time last week when I was testing a fourth 512mb stick of RAM
that I purchased on eBay. (I have 1.5GB now, but I wanted the max.)
What it seems to mean is that the POST RAM test found a problem, and
the BIOS will set the system performance speed to "slow". (Of the
four choices (Slow, Fast, Very Fast, Turbo) I've never managed to get
any system stability with Turbo, and Very Fast is about the same as
Fast.)

On my system the boot menu, etc. appears after the devices detection
is complete. If one of your devices is faulty it may be causing the
device detection process to hang. And faulty RAM can cause all kinds
of weird problems too.

 

Thanks Paul. I'm getting the feeling that something fundamental is
wrong to be honest eg processor or motherboard failure of some kind.
I've tried removing the RAM and switching slots (I have 2 x 512MB
modules) but it made no difference. As you say there could be some
kind of RAM issue but the POST NVRAM check succeeds and I would have
thought that switching slots would have highlighted some kind of
difference if it was RAM related.

Is there any way, as far as you know, to tell if there might be a
processor or motherboard problem causing this? I'm struggling to pin
down the list of possible causes for the boot / setup menu not
appearing. My thinking is this isn't dependent on the hard drive as
the setup menu should appear even if there is no hard drive, so it's
either mobo or processor, or as you say some kind of RAM issue.
However does the setup program even rely on RAM? I would have though
this was all handled by the motherboard's own internal ROM + flash
memory.

Anyhow, thanks for your help, if you have any further insights please
do let me know

Ian.

 

Hi,

Have you tried removing Video card, RAM and disconnect all cabled parts
(floppy, HD etc) ;- then listen to the beep diagnostic codes when you turn
on.
It's the only way to do it , if flying blind as you are.
I don't know the beep code for te 865E , but they should be findable on MSI
site


I know you will have reset the CMOS (by removal and reinstallation of the
battery if necessary....



Denis

 

Try this method maybe, as suggested by MSI
http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=html&name=service_bootup

D.

 

Beep codes are here ................

http://www.pchell.com/hardware/beepcodes.shtml



A.

 

I can't think of anything beyond what you are going to try and what
Anchises has suggested. Other than unplugging all of your devices
(hard drive, optical, etc). And by unplug, I mean power and interface
cables.

If you can eventually boot to a CD, run something like "memtest 86"
for a couple of hours. This will give you a more thorough evaluation
than the POST test.

I've seen some pretty bizarre things happen with bad RAM. :-/

Good luck.
Paul

 

Turn On the system and press and hold [Ctrl+Home] . See if that does
anything for you. I never just press DEL but tap it continually to get
into setup. Don't know if it makes a difference but it keeps me busy.

-- Zadok
('¿')