28-AUG-06 / WWW.MYBROADBAND.CO.ZA General Hardware & Software
Have similar problem to some described here and it's driving me bonky for
a week now. Actually, it looks like a 2-fold problem - possible CMOS/CPU
plus loss of HD master function. The CMOS error occurs with or without
HD connected.
Sorry about the long post. Thought I'd get all the details down in one
shot.
A. Problems Detail
-----------------
CMOS checksum error & Lost HD Master function
SPECS:
Win XP Pro SP2; Celeron 2.66 GHz; 256 mB RAM;
40 GB HD (WD); PARTITIONS: C: = FAT 32 / D: = NTFS; (50/50)
Western Digital HD (2004)
Phoenix Award BIOS v6.00 PG, (2005)
Motherboard: MICRO-STAR MS 6787
------------------------------------
No boot to Win XP one morning. Nothing new installed nor major
changes made. No known recent virus infection. Kept
re-booting endlessly:
(1) 1st screen = logo, w/ following message at bottom:
"Press TAB for POST, DEL to enter SETUP"
(2) Then:
"CMOS Checksum error - defaults loaded
Warning! CPU has changed. or CPU ratio changed fail
Please re-enter CPU settings in the CMOS setup and remember to save
before exit!"
Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP"
(3) Then displays mid-screen "POWER SAVING" message (in normal
operation, this same msg screens normally for 5 seconds just before
pc shuts down - but it appears to be associated w/ a particular type
monitor).
Then it recycles to (1) again and so on...
If I press F1 (at end of (2), above), get the regular device detect
screen on top and "verifying DMI pool data ...." message at
bottom and then "starting..."
Then the looping repeats...
Pulled BIOS battery & pwr plug to let things bleed off and reset
BIOS. Ran w/o the battery. Not much dif. Battery OK (> 3 Vdc).
Changing a few things temporarily in the BIOS didn't help.
If disabled "quick boot" though, the screen would hang at
"Press TAB for POST screen, Delete for Setup". Had to pull the
BIOS battery to reset BIOS to get operational again.
---------------------
UPDATE:
Recently I noted that changing just about any
setting whatever (even 'Quickboot disable' from 'enable')
causes a hangup at the " POST.... Press DEL...." screen.
That is, pressing TAB or DEL won't work. I have to pull
the BIOS battery each time to return to 'normal' ops.
-----------------------
Settings in BIOS all look OK. Most are automatic anyway. Health
good. All voltages within +/- 5%. Both fans going. Also tried
"optimal settings". "Fail Safe defaults" and "optimum settings"
choices make no dif.
-----------------------
UPDATE:
1 - w/ my other monitor, I don't get the "Power Save" logo.
2 - Removing or moving the BIOS jumper for clearing charge on
CMOS works a bit faster; that's all. I did later note that
when, apparently, the charge has totally leaked off and
the jumper is removed, the power on" button won't work.
(just hope I got the right jumper there! It says "JBAT1".
Nothing much else around).
-----------------------
B. Additional info
----------------
(1) On each boot, the HD was recognized OK but boot
would recycle before it ever got to Windows.
(2) The system boots OK to DOS via floppy.
Can get into drive C: (FAT 32) OK, via DOS diskette boot,
to access all files on C: - but not into D:, the NTFS partition
(one reason I prefer FAT 32).
(3) The HD works OK in the spare comp - but only as "Slave";
so full data recovery is no problem. The following tests were
made w/ the HD as Slave in spare pc:
(4) ran 'chkdsk' on both partitions. Windows reports no
problems - but shows the old 1 MB in bad sectors on C:. Next...
(5) ran a full 'Scandisk' on both partitions. All I got after
about 15 minutes of Phase 1 and 2 was "Scan complete".
No report. Next...
(6) checked Device Manager - OK. Troubleshooter wasn't
much use (there was no branch option for a Master or Slave
configuration problem and all else was irrelevant or OK).
(7) When I first used this comp 6 months ago, did a chkdsk
and found around 1MB of bad sectors. There's no change in
the nr of bad sectors.
Haven't tried replacing it w/ another HD yet. Understand the
HD install was only about 18 months old. Mfr date = 2004.
Wondering now if some more (critical) sectors went bad and
which are preventing the boot to the OS. Yet neither ChkDsk
nor Scandisk found any problem. If the MBR was affected,
there should have been some indication.
Like to test the spare pc's HD in the bad HD comp, just
to 100% rule out other system problems. I hesitate for now
because:
* Bad HD works OK as "Slave" in spare comp - but not as
Master. If jumper it for Master or CS, exact same problem
recurs at the spare pc as at my pc. Seems to imply
an HD only (or, simultaneous) problem. Otherwise, it should
run OK as a Master at spare pc.
--------------
Update: am advised to check out the CMOS problem first as
this is where I get the one and only error message. Well, we can
rule out a battery problem. It's OK. Moreover, it's not logical
since the battery is primarily a convenience. A PC, once set up
should work OK without it (in a bind).
Elsewhere, a 'memtest' was advised (yet to do), along w/
cap leak and pwr sup checks. Electrolytics look OK - otherwise
they'd corrode the board. Still. Not tried PS replacement yet.
I think the above are mainly "clutching at straws" type trial solutions
(in this case) since, for one, all the CPU voltages (at least) check OK
under CMOS "Health" and secondly, as far as the HD problem is
concerned, exactly the same symptoms occur at the spare comp.
It just won't work as Master any more.
In any case, the advice to check out the CMOS problem first, now
seems sound to me; though, as I've said, it looks pretty well like
I've been hit with 2 simultaneous faults - CMOS/CPU(?) & HD.
-------------
( Oddly enough, spare comp had similar non-stop re-boot problem
some weeks ago! at which time I went thru tons of diagnostics, virus
checks, boards reseating, disassembly/re-assembly - and found nothing;
yet the problem just disappeared after all that).
* So, am reluctant to put the now good spare-comp HD into my
own system as yet (to prove that there's nothing amiss w/ my
system) lest the transfer operation might cause the same
problem to re-emerge at the *spare* HD or comp. That would
leave me with NO system at all; and I don't have any other
HD to spare for the test.
So I'll leave that for a potentially last-resort check.
C. QUESTIONS
--------------
1. Would there be a utility available via which one
could get either a screenshot or a text copy of the
BIOS settings for one's future ref?
2. What can I do to get my HD to work as Master again?
Would re-formating it help?
3. Regarding the HD and the boot mechanics, believe I remember
something from the old days where one had to have an un-damaged
Sector 1 on a Floppy or HD to be able to boot from it. I thought
that this requirement had been done away with. If the latter
still holds, would it do any good to re-partition and re-format
the HD, assuming Sector 1 had sustained damage? Can anyone
answer this question with any authority?
4. I know nothing about the mechanics of updating BIOS. Since
it has to be "flashed" (another concept I'm unclear on), would
this be done automatically somehow by the update software
itself, via floppy boot and run?
5. As regards the "...Warning! CPU has changed. or CPU ratio
changed fail ...", etc., CMOS error message, it makes little
sense to me and while either "fail safe default" or "optimum..."
selections should work, nothing makes the slightest difference.
What exactly is meant by these brief 2 statements?
---------------------------------------
Note: Since I've just read thru some BIOS/CMOS info
and checked out Western Digital, I'm now inclined to
believe there's been a possible virus infection
at either or both the BIOS/CMOS memory or at HD MBR.
I've read that modern BIOS (since 1996) may be susceptible
to infection as all are flash types nowadays.
However, AVG and McAfee probably don't check the MBR
(much less the BIOS) of a *SLAVE" drive for MBR
infections - as this might not be the norm. Yet this is
the only way I can scan those 2 partitions.
Is there any free, effective AV around that will fit on a
floppy so that I can scan the master parttition while
the HD is jumpered as Master in my own suspect PC?
or in the spare PC?
Thanx in advance for any advice/assist on this issue.
Jed...
PS - I've chosen "instant email notification"; I hope that
doesn't mean I have to have Messenger installed, 'cause
I don't.
Have similar problem to some described here and it's driving me bonky for
a week now. Actually, it looks like a 2-fold problem - possible CMOS/CPU
plus loss of HD master function. The CMOS error occurs with or without
HD connected.
Sorry about the long post. Thought I'd get all the details down in one
shot.
A. Problems Detail
-----------------
CMOS checksum error & Lost HD Master function
SPECS:
Win XP Pro SP2; Celeron 2.66 GHz; 256 mB RAM;
40 GB HD (WD); PARTITIONS: C: = FAT 32 / D: = NTFS; (50/50)
Western Digital HD (2004)
Phoenix Award BIOS v6.00 PG, (2005)
Motherboard: MICRO-STAR MS 6787
------------------------------------
No boot to Win XP one morning. Nothing new installed nor major
changes made. No known recent virus infection. Kept
re-booting endlessly:
(1) 1st screen = logo, w/ following message at bottom:
"Press TAB for POST, DEL to enter SETUP"
(2) Then:
"CMOS Checksum error - defaults loaded
Warning! CPU has changed. or CPU ratio changed fail
Please re-enter CPU settings in the CMOS setup and remember to save
before exit!"
Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP"
(3) Then displays mid-screen "POWER SAVING" message (in normal
operation, this same msg screens normally for 5 seconds just before
pc shuts down - but it appears to be associated w/ a particular type
monitor).
Then it recycles to (1) again and so on...
If I press F1 (at end of (2), above), get the regular device detect
screen on top and "verifying DMI pool data ...." message at
bottom and then "starting..."
Then the looping repeats...
Pulled BIOS battery & pwr plug to let things bleed off and reset
BIOS. Ran w/o the battery. Not much dif. Battery OK (> 3 Vdc).
Changing a few things temporarily in the BIOS didn't help.
If disabled "quick boot" though, the screen would hang at
"Press TAB for POST screen, Delete for Setup". Had to pull the
BIOS battery to reset BIOS to get operational again.
---------------------
UPDATE:
Recently I noted that changing just about any
setting whatever (even 'Quickboot disable' from 'enable')
causes a hangup at the " POST.... Press DEL...." screen.
That is, pressing TAB or DEL won't work. I have to pull
the BIOS battery each time to return to 'normal' ops.
-----------------------
Settings in BIOS all look OK. Most are automatic anyway. Health
good. All voltages within +/- 5%. Both fans going. Also tried
"optimal settings". "Fail Safe defaults" and "optimum settings"
choices make no dif.
-----------------------
UPDATE:
1 - w/ my other monitor, I don't get the "Power Save" logo.
2 - Removing or moving the BIOS jumper for clearing charge on
CMOS works a bit faster; that's all. I did later note that
when, apparently, the charge has totally leaked off and
the jumper is removed, the power on" button won't work.
(just hope I got the right jumper there! It says "JBAT1".
Nothing much else around).
-----------------------
B. Additional info
----------------
(1) On each boot, the HD was recognized OK but boot
would recycle before it ever got to Windows.
(2) The system boots OK to DOS via floppy.
Can get into drive C: (FAT 32) OK, via DOS diskette boot,
to access all files on C: - but not into D:, the NTFS partition
(one reason I prefer FAT 32).
(3) The HD works OK in the spare comp - but only as "Slave";
so full data recovery is no problem. The following tests were
made w/ the HD as Slave in spare pc:
(4) ran 'chkdsk' on both partitions. Windows reports no
problems - but shows the old 1 MB in bad sectors on C:. Next...
(5) ran a full 'Scandisk' on both partitions. All I got after
about 15 minutes of Phase 1 and 2 was "Scan complete".
No report. Next...
(6) checked Device Manager - OK. Troubleshooter wasn't
much use (there was no branch option for a Master or Slave
configuration problem and all else was irrelevant or OK).
(7) When I first used this comp 6 months ago, did a chkdsk
and found around 1MB of bad sectors. There's no change in
the nr of bad sectors.
Haven't tried replacing it w/ another HD yet. Understand the
HD install was only about 18 months old. Mfr date = 2004.
Wondering now if some more (critical) sectors went bad and
which are preventing the boot to the OS. Yet neither ChkDsk
nor Scandisk found any problem. If the MBR was affected,
there should have been some indication.
Like to test the spare pc's HD in the bad HD comp, just
to 100% rule out other system problems. I hesitate for now
because:
* Bad HD works OK as "Slave" in spare comp - but not as
Master. If jumper it for Master or CS, exact same problem
recurs at the spare pc as at my pc. Seems to imply
an HD only (or, simultaneous) problem. Otherwise, it should
run OK as a Master at spare pc.
--------------
Update: am advised to check out the CMOS problem first as
this is where I get the one and only error message. Well, we can
rule out a battery problem. It's OK. Moreover, it's not logical
since the battery is primarily a convenience. A PC, once set up
should work OK without it (in a bind).
Elsewhere, a 'memtest' was advised (yet to do), along w/
cap leak and pwr sup checks. Electrolytics look OK - otherwise
they'd corrode the board. Still. Not tried PS replacement yet.
I think the above are mainly "clutching at straws" type trial solutions
(in this case) since, for one, all the CPU voltages (at least) check OK
under CMOS "Health" and secondly, as far as the HD problem is
concerned, exactly the same symptoms occur at the spare comp.
It just won't work as Master any more.
In any case, the advice to check out the CMOS problem first, now
seems sound to me; though, as I've said, it looks pretty well like
I've been hit with 2 simultaneous faults - CMOS/CPU(?) & HD.
-------------
( Oddly enough, spare comp had similar non-stop re-boot problem
some weeks ago! at which time I went thru tons of diagnostics, virus
checks, boards reseating, disassembly/re-assembly - and found nothing;
yet the problem just disappeared after all that).
* So, am reluctant to put the now good spare-comp HD into my
own system as yet (to prove that there's nothing amiss w/ my
system) lest the transfer operation might cause the same
problem to re-emerge at the *spare* HD or comp. That would
leave me with NO system at all; and I don't have any other
HD to spare for the test.
So I'll leave that for a potentially last-resort check.
C. QUESTIONS
--------------
1. Would there be a utility available via which one
could get either a screenshot or a text copy of the
BIOS settings for one's future ref?
2. What can I do to get my HD to work as Master again?
Would re-formating it help?
3. Regarding the HD and the boot mechanics, believe I remember
something from the old days where one had to have an un-damaged
Sector 1 on a Floppy or HD to be able to boot from it. I thought
that this requirement had been done away with. If the latter
still holds, would it do any good to re-partition and re-format
the HD, assuming Sector 1 had sustained damage? Can anyone
answer this question with any authority?
4. I know nothing about the mechanics of updating BIOS. Since
it has to be "flashed" (another concept I'm unclear on), would
this be done automatically somehow by the update software
itself, via floppy boot and run?
5. As regards the "...Warning! CPU has changed. or CPU ratio
changed fail ...", etc., CMOS error message, it makes little
sense to me and while either "fail safe default" or "optimum..."
selections should work, nothing makes the slightest difference.
What exactly is meant by these brief 2 statements?
---------------------------------------
Note: Since I've just read thru some BIOS/CMOS info
and checked out Western Digital, I'm now inclined to
believe there's been a possible virus infection
at either or both the BIOS/CMOS memory or at HD MBR.
I've read that modern BIOS (since 1996) may be susceptible
to infection as all are flash types nowadays.
However, AVG and McAfee probably don't check the MBR
(much less the BIOS) of a *SLAVE" drive for MBR
infections - as this might not be the norm. Yet this is
the only way I can scan those 2 partitions.
Is there any free, effective AV around that will fit on a
floppy so that I can scan the master parttition while
the HD is jumpered as Master in my own suspect PC?
or in the spare PC?
Thanx in advance for any advice/assist on this issue.
Jed...
PS - I've chosen "instant email notification"; I hope that
doesn't mean I have to have Messenger installed, 'cause
I don't.