[Abit BH6] Bypassing Video BIOS – please help

[NickM]

Hi,
I’m not sure whether it may be related to the video topic. Or general boot process. Anyway, I’m confused, please help, - any clue or advice are greatly appreciated.

When I turn the power switch ON, the Video BIOS doesn’t show up anymore during cold boot up. Always problem when cold start up. The short beep comes unusually early, the computer starts doing something, - but I can't see because the monitor stays in stand-by mode with yellow LED.
The only way to make a normal startup is <Reset>. So, I do power ON, then Reset.
Only after that I am able to see a normal boot-up process starting from monitor ON (green LED), Video BIOS text, then beep, then the mobo’s BIOS screen, and so on.
And the system stays working very stable for days and nights.

The BIOS settings look unchanged; nothing was installed or connected except the RJ45 connector from cable Internet was plugged in some time ago. The technician from the provider lowered the signal at that time.

I tried to boot up with all the peripherals unplugged (video, RJ45, parallel, USB, FireWire, mouse, keyboard) - with no success. - The problem appears during initial startup when the computer is cold, but only twice some days ago I was able to repeat the problem on warm computer.

--------------------------------
Abit BH6 BX440, Award BIOS
Celeron 1100 MHz
3DLabs Oxygen VX1 AGP
Kingston 768 MB
TurboLink 500 Watt

 

[cyberjock]

WOW. Seems freaky. I'm not buying that it's necessarily video related. In fact, I'm kind of leaning towards PSU could be taking a dump. If the PSU is powering on cold and not coming up to the proper voltage in the required time then strange things happen. Almost all of them result in a 'no boot' scenario. The question is whether it just sits there or beeps or what. If you have a spare PSU, I'd try that. My guess is the PSU.

 

[Mondoman]

I agree.

 

[apache_lives]

ABit BH6 - w00t old hardware that rocks.

Is that a Tualatin or Coppermine 1100?

Old hardware gets a bit touchy after so long like that, if you have any spare video cards or power supplys, try em, or even if you can borrow one etc.

 

[NickM]

Coppermine.

Thanks folks.
Gonna try another PS and video card.

 

[NickM]

… In fact, I'm kind of leaning towards PSU could be taking a dump. If the PSU is powering on cold and not coming up to the proper voltage in the required time then strange things happen. Almost all of them result in a 'no boot' scenario. The question is whether it just sits there or beeps or what. If you have a spare PSU, I'd try that. My guess is the PSU.

I agree.

You were right.
Within the next couple days an erratic behavior affected my comp.
I have replaced the 500W heavy PSU with the older one I had not using – a lightweight 350W Turbolink, – bingo.

Thank you.

 

[Mondoman]

Yep, power supplies are an often-underappreciated component!

 

[NickM]

I hadn't expected this happened to such relatively powerful PSU.
Since late 1980s I remember many computers were thrown out (actually crushed by a special press machine directly into a huge garbage container) just because they were obsolete. But as I knew they ended up with working PSUs, - some 75, 100, 125 Watts...

Anyway, guys, I appreciate your professionalism in cracking problems and helping.

 

[cyberjock]

Of course I was right! If i'm not right that's because the laws of physics changed since I had posted!

And if someone thinks my opinion is wrong, they are mistaken. I am always right and you are always wrong! 😉

Ok, maybe most of that is lies..