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General discussion

computer wont boot

Oct 20, 2004 12:17PM PDT

i frequently exchange parts from 1 computer to anotrher, but recently i encountered a problem. when the computer starts up it goes through the standard memory test, ands then lists the primary master/slave and seconday master/slave, but after that it freezes. i have an amd k7 1.2 ghz with 256mb of ddr ram. any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Re: computer wont boot
Oct 20, 2004 3:10PM PDT

sounds like you just swapped the Hdd's over and they don't like the new mobo.
Does a boot floppy work or boot CD?
what OS?
are you changing parts back and forth and it previously worked doing this?

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Re: computer wont boot
Oct 21, 2004 1:16AM PDT

all the parts work in any machine i put them in. also it doesn't get far enough to even boot from a floppy or cd. if freezes right after it preforms self tests. i cant even get into bios to change the settings. i found out i have an sis mother board model # K7S5A pro rev:5.0 i dont know if this helps. i've never encountered a problem like this. normally if there is a serious hardware problem you get a series of beeps, but with this computer all i got was the standard one.

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Re: computer wont boot
Oct 21, 2004 2:32AM PDT

Freeze or shut down?

Check M/B capactors - CPU/HSF seating - clear CMOS -
Check jumpers - remove all devices but video -

May also occur if M/B does not support CPU/memory.

Post screen to finding devices... all devices found
or is it hanging trying to find one?

Google search -> PCChips board, could not find on web site.
Can't say anything nice.. so I won't

Not much to go on just thoughts...

Luck

Bill
.

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single beep?
Oct 21, 2004 10:38AM PDT

That's the normal beep that reports mobo boot done and search begins for a bootable media.
Are you getting an F2 or DEL info for getting into "setup". And you are hitting the key but the message doesn't display "entering setup" and thus you don't get in?
Sounds like setup is where you need to get into.
I've had a few where the "boot order" was such to not allow Hdd or flop to boot.
After selftest (ram?) it doesn't list device inventory such as Hdd, Cdrom, floppy?

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Re: single beep?
Oct 21, 2004 2:37PM PDT

ok i have read the posts on this problem and not one time did hear this spoke of you said you switched parts from one to another well heres the question i got for you when you switched out parts from one to another dis you also switch ram buy any chance one could be pc133 sdram and the other could be pc133 dimm ram make sure its same memory type and for the (sis) SILICON INTEGRATED SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY WHEN YOU SWITCHED PARTS DID YOU CONSIDER UPGRADE THE SIS CHIP TO BE COMPATIABLE WITH THAT COMPUTER I WOULD CHECK THEM OUT CAUSE I KNOW FROM EXPERIANCE THAT SIS has a mind of its own it want work with just anything gl hope this helps

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Re: single beep?
Oct 22, 2004 2:12AM PDT

sorry if i was a little vauge on the problem here's exactally what happened. we had the computer up in running and were using it as a media center to listen to music and watch movies out in the family room. it wasnt being used as much i i thought it should be so i decided to wipe the HD and start from scratch to make it a video editing machine. i removed the existing hard drive and replaced it was a freshly formated larger drive. i did remove the memory,but put the exact same memory back in. i've tested the memory in another machine and it doesn't seem bad, neither does the hard drive. hope this helps

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Re: single beep?
Oct 22, 2004 2:07AM PDT

that's exactally my problem. it says hit DEL to enter setup, but when i hit DEL it it displays "--> go to setup" confirming that it recieved my input, but after that it just freezes.

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"entering setup"
Oct 23, 2004 12:15AM PDT

is the usual message. Then it still goes ahead with inventory of Hdd, Cdrom, floppy, and stuff. I've had them hang for 3 minutes before giving an error message about checksum error or no message because nothing was found. Sometimes after unannounced errors "blah blah blah, press F1 to continue or F2 to enter setup".

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Re: "entering setup"
Oct 24, 2004 6:09AM PDT

Please will somebody try and help get an answer to this problem as I seem to be having the same problem with my own system too. It is a P4, 256MB DDR memory and running Windows XP . Initially it gave an error message that CMOS is bad and this made me change the CMOs batterry. Now the problem is that I can't seems to be able to enter setup.The computer just freezes out after it has perform the self test and the screen will then go blank after I had pressed the DEL button. However I could still feel that the computer is still working.
Please an advice is urgently needed.
Thank you

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Re: "entering setup"
Oct 24, 2004 10:22PM PDT

Unplug any/all of the following: Hdd, floppy, cdrom drive, mouse. The idea is to get the PC to pop up an error, then "F1 to continue, F2 to enter setup"
You may try removing the CMOS battery to also get an error message that will allow entry, but changes will disappear because of no battery.
Are you sure it didn't instead say "checksum error"?

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Re: "entering setup"
Oct 24, 2004 10:33PM PDT

The exact message was "CMOS/GPNV Checksum Bad"

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Re: "entering setup"
Oct 25, 2004 10:58PM PDT

do a Google search with that error statement and you'll get many hits....If you find the problem, let us know.

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Re: "entering setup"
Oct 29, 2004 11:56PM PDT

Thank you so much. I tried your idea and I was able to get a suggestion that I should clear CMOS.This I did and now I have been able to boot the system normally.Thank you for your assistance.

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Try Insert key
Oct 25, 2004 1:08AM PDT

Something to try that I keep forgetting about.

When turning on system repeatlly press the Insert key.

May not work but worth a shot, I've had to use this key combination when incorrect memory was installed or memory test was interrupted.

Bill
.

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computer wont boot
Dec 16, 2004 11:27PM PST

Did you ever resolve this issue? I am having a similiar issue, that just started.