BIOS hangs/locks after detecting harddisks/CD-ROM
 

Hi all,

[INTRO]
Now I do realize this is a Linux forum, but this is the hardware section and I just can't get into my linux anymore! So I hope you have any thoughts about how to get my computer running again!

[PRE-STORY]
I wanted to use an older computer again, so I tried to fire it up, but alas. I don't recall when the last time was that it was running, but I don't think it didn't run back then. I just had a new computer :p

[HARDWARE]
- MOBO: ALiveNF6G-DVI
- BIOS: BIOS P1.30
- CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
- RAM: 2x512MB
- Disks:
1. NEC DVD-RW. Is listed and doesn't show problems.
2. SATA-II HDD. Is listed and doesn't show problems.
- Video: at the moment only the on-boad video.

[PROBLEM]
What happens is this:
1. The computer starts up. No POST-beeps.
2. CPU is ok.
3. RAM is ok.
4. Disks are auto-detected and listed.
5. Then the computer halts. No message, no warning. I am not even able to hit control+alt+delete (I say this, cuz I noticed this. I am able to run and alter the BIOS in an earlier state of booting up, with the keyboard, obviously). It just completely hangs/locks.

[WHAT I HAVE TRIED SO FAR]
1. Removing all hardware but monitor, RAM, keyboard. - Result: comp stops doing stuff after checking RAM, without any message whatsoever.
2. Cleared the CMOS (with the jumper, also by removing the battery). - Result: no changes.
3. There are two pieces of RAM. I removed them all. Result: POST-beeps. I put one back: loaded till after disks. See above. Exchanged the RAM-piece with the other RAM-piece (so: still one piece of RAM): same thing.

[WHERE TO GO NOW]
That is my question. I ran out of idea's of how to solve this. I would like to flash the ROM, but I can't get the computer booting, so I don't know how to do this.

Could be a problem with the boot loader.
Could you check the boot order in the BIOS?
Clearing the CMOS intentionally sounds like a bad idea to me.

Thanks for your reply, timmeke!

Boot order is:
1. CD-ROM
2. HDD
Rest disabled.

I'm not sure, but usually - before trying to boot an OS (and after having listed the found diskdrives) - the computer gives a) an overview of all hardware with their IRQ addresses etc., and b) checks the DMI pool data. But it doesn't seem to get there.

Maybe...

How old is this machine, or rather how old is the CMOS battery that boots it? Try putting in a new battery.

You can always try running memtest on each of your RAM sticks to see if that is the problem. Test one stick at a time, each several times. Memtest86+ is on many live and rescue linux CDs.

http://www.memtest.org/

Thanks for the idea, thorkelljarl !

I changed the CMOS battery, and that didn't yield any new results.

As a matter of fact, I don't have another computer to test the RAM sticks in. And the one we're talking about doesn't get to booting an OS or a liveCD. I am affraid I can't memtest them.

Second try...

I assume that you can enter Setup. Set your BIOS to its Fail-Save Default setting, and check that any setting for Halt on Errors is set for none/no errors.

Try to boot the system using a live-cd with as few components installed as is possible, with one stick of RAM, and particularly without a HDD. Try each RAM stick in succession if the first try doesn't succeed.

If the system boots, start to install components, re-booting after each, until something causes a failure.

The problem is that the dratted thing goes through the POST sequence, then decides to die. Zombie behavior is admired nowadays, but is neither warranted nor helpful here.

And you want to say that it can't boot from LiveCD.
Burn one (Fedora for instance) and try to boot.
Or if you have possibility to boot from USB, you can make LiveUsb.
Some Linux distribution has hardware check on LiveCD before installation process, you can start it and abort later.

Hi all!

Thank you all for your time, concern and suggestions! The problem is solved now :)

[@the last proposals]
Some of you proposed to load / boot this or that OS or utility-CD, but as you could have read, I couldn't load anything because the computer would not get to loading anything anyway.

[SOLUTION]
In the manual of the motherboard (which can be downloaded here) I read that the option "Cool 'n Quiet" could cause problems with voltages. The option is standard enabled, though. By disabling the option "Cool 'n Quiet" I solved the problem. I now have access to my computer again :)

Please accept my many thanks for your input!

LQuidFire