BIOS Updates forum

Need some help or at least an explanation.

Recently my BIOS started stopping at the first screen, printing my hardware configuration (correctly) then asking me to F1 or F12 to finish loading.

I have an Intel BIOS version GB5010A.86A.7008.P18 that has been upgraded from the Intel Site. I have not yet insalled a home network but share a router for a cable IP. I have an extra hard drive slaved to my C: drive. The new hard drive has not yet been formatted but that shouldn't make a difference - I think.

Connecting to the cable IP and adding the hard drive were done 1-2 months before my BIOS started acting up. 'Windows XP restore' confirms to me there has been no recent system changes.

I have manualed, googled and Inteled, but not a clue.

Which makes my problem appear simple and stupid to me, but my frustration is getting intense.

Bill

The Bios should give you an error message - what does it say ?
Tried to enter Bios setup and load setup default values ?

Are time/dae still correct ?
-> If not battery dead or dying

I agree with all Denniss said.

In addition, I have recently noted that certain CD-ROM drives and drive jumpering configurations apparently clash somehow during BIOS POST, resulting in something like a 30 second delay before the POST makes it through the drive identifcations. Including use of Intel boards. However, in the cases I observed I noticed a long delay but I cannot remember for sure that there was an error associated with this.

That said however, disconnect the extra hard drive you talk about temporarily, and see what happens. If things appear to be normal without that extra drive you may have to look at the jumper configurations of your two hard drives.

Thanks Dennis and Ritchie;

Fixed it. It was a simple problem obfuscated by frustration.

As Ritchie suggested, I disconnected the extra hard drive and booted. I got the same "F1 to resume" message but only the master drive showed on the screen. I re-connected the extra drive, re-booted and 'voila'. The loose connection probably caused the problem to be intermintent at first which was why I couldn't trace it.

Old rule re-learned - check the hardware first. Just because you installed it doesn't mean it was installed right.

Thanks again.

Bill