Always need to reset CMOS before booting / powering up

[MotleyCrew]

I'm helping a friend with his Emachines ET1161 and got it upgraded to Windows 10. At some point while having some difficulty with the upgrade, I thought it might help to update/re-flash (don't think the version actually changed) BIOS. I downloaded and flashed BIOS from Windows--later I re-flashed from DOS (after the problems described below started).
Since the BIOS upgrade/re-flash, the machine no longer reboots. Windows acts like it will reboot and the screen goes blank, but fans keep spinning, power LED stays lit, etc. If I choose shutdown instead, the system does power off.
The system will no longer boot unless CMOS is cleared/reset, even if I only hit F1 to continue, when prompted (not making any changes to BIOS settings). I installed a new Energizer CMOS battery. This made no difference, so for now I pulled the CMOS battery to simplify booting. If I choose restart in Windows, eventually I have to hold the power button, flip the switch on the power supply or unplug. To boot the computer after shutting down (or fake reboot), with the CMOS battery removed, I unplug the computer from power and wait 30 seconds or so. I then plug the computer back in and hit the power button. After a bit, I see the message, "CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded." It tells me to press F1 to continue. If I do so, Windows boots normally.
If I try to boot without first clearing CMOS, the system powers on, but I see no POST screens and no OS screens. The display/monitor indicates no signal.
Before I removed the CMOS battery altogether, I had jumpered the 3-pin CLR_CMOS pins in the clear/defaults position for 20 or so seconds, then put the jumper back in its original position. This is how I discovered the system would actually boot. I also replaced the jumper in case the original got damaged somehow. I confirmed the jumper is in the non-clear position.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[atomicWAR]

did you back up the original bios before you flashed the new one? if so try loading it...if not you may be stuck with nice paper weight. But it's a little early for doom and gloom. Also if you don't have the original bios you could still try yet another re-flash, just make sure you download a new bios in case the one you flashed already is damaged for any reason.

 

[MotleyCrew]

did you back up the original bios before you flashed the new one?

No, unfortunately. And I usually don't when upgrading/flashing bios--I think this is the first time a PC bios firmware upgrade/flash went sideways on me. I'll consider that for future.

...you could still try yet another re-flash, just make sure you download a new bios in case the one you flashed already is damaged for any reason.

Yup, I had re-downloaded bios from the support site before my second attempt.

 

[MotleyCrew]

I disassembled the system for cleaning. In the process, I re-seated memory. I carefully pulled the CMOS IC/chip, used a soft pink eraser to lightly buff the chip pins and re-installed. After re-assembling the system, the problem remains. Didn't really expect otherwise.

I'm trying to understand what would cause a problem like this. I'm a little foggy on the details of bios and the purpose of the CMOS chip. I think the CMOS chip only stores bios settings, not the actual (Award) bios firmware? If so, I think replacing the CMOS chip may not help... More likely, I need to find a way to flash a different (older?) version of bios? Am I correct in thinking it's possible the bios I flashed has a bug that is corrupting the settings stored on the CMOS chip? I think this could explain needing to reset CMOS before each boot...
The motherboard model is MCP61PM-GM from an eMachines ET1161-07. Is it possible that replacing the CMOS chip with a chip like this (from a nearly-identical HP Pavilion motherboard: MCP61PM-HM) would resolve the problem?
Anyone have access to an ET1161 series machine that would be willing to backup your bios firmware and post to Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. and provide a link?

Thank you!