Boots to Windows but can't access BIOS

BIOS Questions that don't belong in the other forums. Read them!
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playadel2001
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I just bought an emachines T6524 with an MSI Ms-7184 OEM mobo. I added an ATI X550 video card to replace the onboard video, a Soundblaster Audigy 2 soundcard to replace the onboard audio, and upgraded the power supply to a 400W.

The computer boots into Windows fine and everything seems to be working. However, when I hit F2 to enter BIOS on the emachines splash screen the system hangs and I get a flashing white cursor on the top left.

I've tried:
-resetting the CMOS jumper to pins 2-3
-removing and replacing the CMOS battery

No luck.

Please help!

Note that I could get into BIOS prior to the upgrades.
Denniss
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Remove yur new VGA card and try again to get into Bios.
Does it work now ?

You may need to change the "Primary VGA" or "VGA Boot From" from OnBoard VGA to AGP or PCI dependent on where your new VGA card resides.
playadel2001
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Denniss wrote:Remove yur new VGA card and try again to get into Bios.
Does it work now ?
Thanks for your response. Sorry I forgot to mention that I tried that already. Didn't work.
playadel2001
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I disconnected the second hard drive and was able to access BIOS.
Denniss
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playadel2001 wrote:I disconnected the second hard drive and was able to access BIOS.
Hmmm - strange. Never heard of such a behaviour. Maybe some miscinfiguration regarding MAster/Slave Jumper or wrong position on IDE cable ?
playadel2001
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Denniss wrote:
playadel2001 wrote:I disconnected the second hard drive and was able to access BIOS.
Hmmm - strange. Never heard of such a behaviour. Maybe some miscinfiguration regarding MAster/Slave Jumper or wrong position on IDE cable ?
It is odd, that's why it took me so long to try disconnecting it as a fix, except that the HDD was not being recognized in Windows after a few boots. I don't think it's a jumper/cable issue: it was a second HD in my prior system and I had it configured the same way. It was formatted as NTFS in Windows XP Pro, and I'm now using Windows XP Media Center Edition, but I have an external HDD also formatted under XP pro and it's working fine with the new system.

I'm thinking about buying one of those conversion kits, turning it into an external drive, transferring the data, and then return the kit to Best Buy :)
Ritchie
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Interesting

I had a problem in the last week accessing a system BIOS and was going to report here what I did to get in, but cannot specifically remember what I did. Although the result was that a system that did not complete BIOS POST suddenly booted into Windows. However, instead I will post the steps that I have most recently found to be the most effective in clearing BIOS configuration and password.

1. Remove CMOS battery.
2. Set Clear CMOS jumper to clear position.
3. Power on system. System should not power on.
4. Remove power cable from power supply.
5. Press case power button. There should be lights on briefly or some sign of brief power to system.
6. Press case power button a few more times several seconds apart to ensure power is cleared from circuits.
7. Set Clear CMOS jumper to Normal position again.
7. Plug in power cable again.
8. When system is power on, you should be able to access the BIOS setup without a password.
9. Re-install CMOS battery.
10. Restore defaults, re-customise BIOS settings.
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