all software installs hang scroll lock and caps lock lights flash
 

hello all,
my system

AMD XP 2200+ 256 KB CACHE
ECS k7vta3 v8.0 mobo
Chipset via kt400
PNY 1G RAM, one sitck leaving one empty ram slot

Samsung 80G hd
Quantum 20G hd
NEC DVD_RW 2510a burner
F5A CD Rom drive
Nvidia fx5700 agp card
1.4M floppy, old

This event started, as this was all working fine using ubuntu 7.04; I had put the system to sleep, instead of turning it off; it never woke up. Subsequent tries to get it to start just looped through grub errors.

Now I have used knoppix live cd 5.1 and it says:

ACPI BIOS found, modules ac battery button container fan i2c_ec processor
Then it hangs, the keyboard’s caps lock and scroll lock lights flashing.

I have tried: XP, FC6 live and not, xandros, ubuntu different releases, mandriva, all fail.

I have used the knoppix free dos to fdisk the two hard drives, now booting to the knoppix live cd provides the same flashing lights as described above.

Memtest shows no errors on the 1G stick.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

SIA for any errors as this is my first post here.

Joe

As you have had no replies yet, I'll offer one suggestion, though I really don't know what to make of your situation.. Distressing, I'll say that of it.

I am thinking that is a desktop machine, right? (Maybe obvious, but ultimately I'd better ask)
If so, try, in no particular order:

- clearing the CMOS RAM or NVRAM (non-volatile RAM) in the BIOS, if it has this option, and reboot.
- Turn off the machine, unplug it, remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard, and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes, to be sure it's dead. Then reinsert the battery, and restart the machine.

If this does anything for you, or nothing at all, pelase post back.
Is there a chance that something is 'fried' in the machine? Like how old is it, has ANYTHING else happened to it when you weren't looking (lightning storm, power outage, anything bizarre like that?)
Best of luck.

Quick Update:
yes this is a desktop.
i have removed the mobo battery and have rebooted with the FC6 Live CD.
All appears well, no complaints so far.
my next step is to install a linux distribution.

before i removed the battery, i had used knoppix live cd with freeDos to fdisk the two hard drives and format same.

More to come.

Joe

i've just installed Ubuntu 7.04 and all appears well. So far. i will update only with negative.
Thanks again to GrapefruiTgirl for the battery suggestion.

Hey, very happy to here you are getting somewhere :) that's good news. One final suggestion now you've got this far, is "Dont use that 'sleepy stuff' any more" :p atleast until you find some further info on what might have happened.
I would look at (any) ACPI problems/debug messages/threads, and the S1/S3/whatever you have in your BIOS for sleep states, resume methods, etc, and perhaps disable ACPI in favour of APM if possible.
Do post your findings as you go; others (and developers specially) will be interested for sure.
:)
Best of luck.

Please note these bios settings that are instrumental in maintaining a stable system (Phoenix Award)

It appears that each hardware change to the mobo requires a bios setting change.

Upon booting up after the hardware change, I change the following settings, this allows for the machine to boot and be (so far) stable:
ACPI function = disabled
PNP PS installed = yes
Reset config data = enabled


After saving and rebooting, the BIOS complains:
unable to located RDSP, which then continues to boot.

So far this seems stable.

Now I am on to get wireless to work with Dlink’s USB dongle dwl-g132.
Its attached and the wireless software won’t start.

Happy Linux computing to all!

Joe

I just wanted to say thank you for this thread. I had the same problem with a Foxconn motherboard. The system would freeze with the caps lock and the scroll lock flashing. After disabling ACPI stuff in the BIOS the problem has gone away.

Thank you all