![]() An incorrect entry (such as “None”) can prevent the BIOS from seeing the attached drives. Systems typically detect drives automatically, but some demand a certain setting (such as “Auto”) in each hard drive entry. Most BIOS support up to four hard drives (two on the primary drive controller channel, and two on the secondary controller channel), though some new systems offer an additional channel for two more drives. If the boot drive still doesn’t appear in your hardware list, open the System Setup utility and check the hard drive entries listed in the Standard CMOS Features menu (see Figure 1-8). If the system still chirps like a pissed-off parakeet, try another motherboard.įigure 1-7. Check the BIOS hardware list to verify that your drive hardware is responding to the POST. If your system only has one memory module, try a new one. To identify defective modules, insert each module separately and then try to reboot the system. Make sure you firmly insert and clip each memory module into place. Still no luck? Open your PC and investigate the memory modules. If, however, you already use an AGP (or PCI) graphics card and the motherboard offers an onboard video circuit, just pop out the graphics card and temporarily switch back to the motherboard’s video port. If you use the motherboard’s own onboard video adapter, just insert a graphics card into an available AGP (or PCI) slot and switch over the monitor cable. An uneven expansion card may short-circuit one or more metal contacts and cause a signal problem that disables the computer.Ī failed graphics adapter could also be the culprit. Each card’s metal bracket should be secured to the chassis with a single, snug screw. ![]() Every card should be inserted evenly and completely into its slot. Check all the expansion boards, especially the AGP video card. Fortunately, a few quick checks can reveal the most common problems. You can see the beep codes for a few popular BIOS makers listed at PC Hell ( ) and Computer Hope ( You can usually narrow down most beep problems to three key areas: memory, video, and motherboard. Beep codes can vary a lot between BIOS makers. When the system discovers errors, it attempts to report the problem as a code or message. PCs perform self tests each time you apply power. In fact, the blank monitor indicates a very serious problem early on in the self-test startup routine. In fact, set any unused drive spots to None (rather than Auto) to prevent the system from checking for nonexistent drives. If it lists other drives first (like a floppy drive or CD drive), the BIOS will waste precious seconds waiting for each drive to respond. Make sure the boot sequence lists the drive you boot from most frequently first (normally the C: drive). Also, check the Boot Sequence, which lets you specify which drives the BIOS checks for bootable media (in other words, an operating system). This prevents the system from looking for a floppy drive at each startup (a test that can take several seconds). You can also disable the Boot Up Floppy Seek option. When enabled, the BIOS skips optional parts of the Power On Self Test (POST), such as the memory check. For example, the Phoenix/Award BIOS version used with the Tyan Tomcat i7210 (S5112) Pentium 4 “Northwood” or “Prescott” motherboard provides a Quick Power On Self Test option in the Advanced BIOS Features menu (see Figure 1-6). Most PCs make it through the self-test part of each startup in less than 15 seconds, but you can change several default BIOS settings to shave a few precious seconds off the normal startup.
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