BIOS FREEZE UP?

[T3chGuy]

Hey Guys,

So here's the deal I have an old clunker of a PC. I can't afford a new one cause I have to spend all my money on gas so I can get to work so I can make money to buy gas...weird how that works.

Anyhow my PC decided to stop working. It comes up and does the memory check but then freezes! I thought at first maybe the HD was toast but it seems to spin up and be ready it just never gets accessed. I should be able to hit DEL and get into the BIOS to let me boot from a disk and see if there was something that I can do. I can't hit DEL though. It's like the BIOS gets frozen up right after the memory check. I can't enter the BIOS setup.

The BIOS I am using is Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do? Do I need a new BIOS? Where can I get one? Does my BIOS need to be reprogrammed? Is there something else that isn't BIOS related that is causing a problem? Any ideas would be greatlty appreciated.

 

[attrofy]

It sounds like a memory stick might be going. If you have multiple sticks, you could pull them one at a time and see which one is causing the freeze up.

There is "Memtest" and other memory programs out there that will let you test your memory to determine if it is going bad. However, you may have a bit of a time getting it running if you can't get past the bootup. If there is anyway to pull that memory and test it in another machine, that would be a good place to start.

 

[stduc]

It could be any number of things. The general trouble shooting method I employ is to remove everything except the CPU and see what happens on power up. I expect and hope to hear a sequence of beeps as the PC is whinging about no RAM etc. I am happy then as I know that the mobo and CPU are probably OK. I then add a stick of RAM back, no more. I expect to hear a different pattern of beeps on powering up again. If I do, I add back the video card. I hope to see that there is no boot device. I add back the floppy drive and run memtest86. I know then that 1 stick of RAM is OK. I add back all the RAM sticks and re-run memtest86. If I get that far OK I add back the hard drive. If it boots I add back the CD-ROM and so on. Wherever the failure point occurs I know which device I have to replace. Of course if say the PC dies again on adding a certain card back I try that card in different slots etc. You get the idea I'm sure.

One thought occurs. You say you have had this PC a while and it suddenly dies for no reason. The hard drive is spinning and sounds OK? Check the BIOS battery. It could be at that awkward stage where it isn't dead - but nor has enough volts to quite maintain the BIOS configuration. If you have a voltmeter - check its voltage - The are normally 1.3v nominal. Anything below 1.1v is suspect.

 

[T3chGuy]

Memory tests OK. Then right after it freezes and doesn't let me go anywhere further. I can't even get into the setup to change boot sequence or anything. =(. I tried removing the memory and the test fails (there is only 1 stick) then it freezes same place though right after memory test. It still won't allow me into the settings area of the BIOS. Would a dead CMOS battery cause this? As far as I know BIOS is not battery supported is it? I thought it was a EEPROM type memory. I know CMOS is battery supported though, maybe I'll chunk in a new battery and see what happens. Any other ideas would still be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[kestrel1]

It could well be your CMOS battery that has gone. I had a similar problem with a clients PC. When I hit the key to gain access to the BIOS setup it appeared to do nothing, but if I waited a minute or two it would enter the BIOS. It turned out that the HD's controller was faulty. Try disconecting the HD & see if you can get into the BIOS.

 

[attrofy]

One last thing - unplug EVERYTHING from your PC (especially USB devices). Studc's info is best - start with as few variables as you can, then add components one at a time.