Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (
More info?)
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:42a9c7df.2726595@nntp.charter.net...
> Andy,
>
> Assume that the motherboard BIOS is not smart enough to restore default
> settings
> all by itself and unassisted. Some motherboards are able to do this, sort
> of.
Further to what Ben wrote, the reason it throws up this error is usually
nothing serious. It's complaining because some piece of hardware does not
match what is in the BIOS table. Sometimes you see this simply because the
cmos battery has died, so nothing matches. It can be something as simple as
the date being wrong with some boards. The "insert system disk" thing
suggests to me that what it's lost is the hard drive, or the boot order is
wrong. Possibly the hard disk has died? Did anything else change just prior
to these symptoms? My money would be on something being wrong with the HDD -
either it's dead or the bios has "lost" it, in which case you have to get
the bios to do an auto-detect for the drive again. And check the cables. And
the RAM seating.
You won't know for sure until you can get into the bios . . . .
> What is needed here is to be able to access the motherboard BIOS setup
> screens.
> I'm not sure which key HP uses to trigger this access, whether F1, F2 or
> some
> other. First, try different keys. Next, try hitting either the Esc key,
> the
> space bar, or the Tab key to remove the HP splash screen and present you
> with
> the text that lets you see what is going on during the motherboard's
> initial
> Power-On-Self-Test (POST).
Also, look *very* carefully at boot down in the corners of the screen, look
for something like "hit F10 to enter setup" or "Press TAB to go to Bios
setup screen".
http://aroundcny.com/technofile/texts/tec020203.html has a fairly complete
list of possible keystrokes. You can also try checking the HP site for that
particular model and digging through the mobo manual to find the magic
keystroke combo.
http://www.wimsbios.com/ is just a dang good bios resource site, and might
help you solve the problem.
> If all else fails, power up the system, and hold down lots of keys at
> once.
> This should generate a BIOS keyboard error and allow the possibility to
> enter
> the BIOS setup.
Wot he sed.
> Finally, check all cables to make sure they are attached securely... Ben
> Myers
Hope you don't mind me popping into the conversation
TK
> On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 16:00:45 GMT, "Andrew Bailey"
> <andy.j.bailey@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>My friend has a Hewlett Packard Pavilion 414.uk
>>
>>At Power up the system stalls during post with the following error
>>message... "BIOS Checksum Error"
>>and then something about inserting a system disk in the floppy drive.
>>
>>I have disconnected the floppy to see if that was causing the fault.
>>I have removed/waited/replaced the BIOS battery to see if that would
>>restore
>>the BIOS back to default.
>>I have tried to find a BIOS jumper to short to restore default but
>>couldn't
>>find one.
>>
>>I have advised her that she will need a new motherboard but I thought I
>>better check here just in case this is a known issue.
>>
>>Without a working BIOS I can't diagnose the system, it won't even reset or
>>allow access to the BIOS.
>>
>>Cheers in advance
>>
>>Andy
>>
>>
>