BIOS setup freezes (yet Windows will boot)

[Bas71]

My PC (Asus P5LD2, C2D 4400, 3GB PC2-5300, Win7 32bits) freezes upon entering the BIOS setup: no keyboard input is registered en the system clock freezes. A hard reset is then required.

Yet, Windows will startup fine if one does not enter the BIOS setup.

I've tested the CMOS battery on two multimeters and it is good (delivers 3 volts). I have also removed the battery for a couple of minutes and reset the CMOS (using the motherboard's jumper). Also, I have flashed the BIOS using the Asus update utility for Windows. None of these actions have helped.

What could causing my BIOS setup to freeze? What can I try next?

 

[smorizio]

it could be a bad keyboard or mouse or a usb device that plugged in. could be an after market card or the hard drive and or contoller chips on the mb having an issue. I would start with just using a keyboard and nothing plugged into the usb ports. if it still hangs pull out any extra cards and unplug power to your hard drive see if it the hard drive hanging the system.

 

[Bas71]

Thanks you for your reply.

I have unplugged all USB devices, replaced the USB keyboard by a PS/2 one. Then I disconnected harddrive and CD/DVD drive. I even removed and swapped memory modules. The only card in the PC is the videocard (no on board graphics in this model) and this one I did not remove.

With all these 'options' the BIOS setup still hangs. What can I try next?