Only boots with CMOS jumper?!?!?!

[MVC]

Mainboard will not boot EXCEPT with "clear CMOS" jumper set. Intel D945GNT barebones. no cards 1 dimm. swapped PS, RAM

I can boot into BIOS w/jumper ser and change settings; but when I save and exit it tells me to replace jumper to normal position and cycle power. Upon power cycle, the board just keeps resetting every 4 seconds. (I see the NIC negotiate a link then reset.)

 

[MVC]

UPDATE:

1) Will boot 100% of time into BIOS maintenance mode (Jumper 2-3)
2) Will boot 0% of time in recovery mode (jumper removed) - tried about 30 times
3) Will boot 20% of time AFTER exiting maintenance mode and power cycle.

Once it boots (3), it will continue to boot after pressing reset button or power switch, but stops working if I turn off power supply.

CMOS battery shows 3.07 Vdc.

Tried BIOS recovery (recovery file on USB drive, jumper removed) - won't read drive - failed

Replaced power supply - no change

Installed SATA drive - no change

Installed ATA drive - no change

Tried 8 different DIMMs different speeds, sizes and slots. known compatible & working - no change

 

[itzdanielp]

What about jumper on pins 1-2?

 

[Chainzsaw]

Sounds like possibly an issue with the CMOS battery. Do you have a spare battery on hand you could try replacing on the motherboard?

It sounds like its not keeping any settings.

 

[MVC]

What about jumper on pins 1-2?

1-2 is the "normal" position, #3 in list. It will boot 20% of time AFTER exiting maintenance mode and power cycle.

Once it boots in this mode, it will continue to boot after pressing reset button or power switch, but stops working if I turn off power supply.

I dont have an OS drive that will boot right now. Tried drives from other systems, it would start to boot, but bluescreen because the hardware is 3 years older or newer.

Right now i am tring to get it to boot from CD so I can install os. My goal is to boot WinXP and flash bios.

 

[MVC]

Sounds like possibly an issue with the CMOS battery. Do you have a spare battery on hand you could try replacing on the motherboard?

It sounds like its not keeping any settings.

CMOS battery shows 3.07 Vdc.

 

[Chainzsaw]

Ok it may show that but is your battery completely new? Or is it the original that came with the motherboard? If it orginally came with the motherboard....that board is like at least 3 years old now (which is a long time in terms of computers).

 

[MVC]

Third battery i have tried. Pulled from newer, working systems.

 

[MVC]

SOLVED: I got the BIOS to flash, but that did not fix it. I turned out to be:

(drumroll)...........................................................................
........................................................................ Failed CPU.

Intel Pentium D 631 3.0 GHz. I have been working on computers professionally since 1989 and this is only the second time I have confirmed a bad CPU that didnt get damaged due to heat, surge, voltage, frequency or improper installation.

 

[itzdanielp]

well, that would do it

Glad you figured it out!