Boot and POST

[jdunn]

In general is it safe to say that since the processor looks first at the BIOS for start up instructions then does the POST check that if a system does NOT POST that the problem is in the BIOS or in the BIOS Chip?

[EnixLHQ]

When your system is powered, the BIOS is the first to do anything. If it were bad, absolutely nothing should happen, you would just have a dead system.

If the processor is bad, you'll get a series of beeps (depending on the board), and most-likely nothing else at all. This can also happen if your RAM is bad.

If you get video, then all the lower POST functions were probably fine. But if that is as far as your POST goes, you have a setting in the BIOS (or video BIOS) that you need to change.

All in all, overclocking this the first place things like this happen. Next after that is bad seating of your RAM or processor. Then, the next most common is a bad setting in BIOS (like copying video BIOS to RAM with a card that does not support that) or mis-jumped jumper. And last is an actual problem with the chips or board.

Are you having a problem?

-Enix

[Alfons]

The BOOT process is the last step of the BIOS Program. It goes through it's self test ritual (POST) and if there are no problems, it tries to hand over to some Operating System.

[jdunn]

Well...yes. My neighbor asked me to look at his Win98 computer after he "smoked" a power lead. The POST check stops after the DMI Data Pool is verified. The values in the BIOS (cylinder, head ) all show zeros and I have been unable to reset them. I think there was a power surge that corrupted either the BIOS chip or burnt out a controller some place. Possible a wire some place. I'm just attempting to narrow it down. My initial recommendation was to buy a new computer.

[EnixLHQ]

Quite a spendy initial fix...

Sounds to me like the harddrive is the problem.

Your computer works just fine, right? Get his drive, jumper it to slave, and pop it into your computer.

If the swap works and you can read his drive, then it is obviously not the problem...but...I'll bet money that it is and the drive will not register.

[jdunn]

I put the neighbor's drive in mine by just connecting it up (took mine out and put his in) The drive booted and everything worked fine. Opened a few files. That is why I thought the problem was in a controller or some place in the chip set.

[TylerLAX]

hi

[EnixLHQ]

Then i think you may be correct. The onboard harddrive controller is dead.

Not an easy thing to fix, either.

Though, buying a new motherboard is a lot cheaper than a whole new computer. As long as your previous board is of a form factor (like ATX), then make sure your next one is the same.

Sorry to hear that you had such a problem.

-Enix