Help! Can't enter BIOS

[LTOwnalot]

I posted this question a few weeks ago but after I tried everything suggested by others (clear CMOS, replace MOBO, replace keyboard...etc) but I still can't enter the BIOS. i have pentium 4 2.8 Ghz, 1 stick of PC-2700 DDR RAM, an ATI Radeon 9500 Pro, a western digital special edition 80 GB HD, a samsung CD-RW and a Gigabyte 8IPE1000 Pro. Here the situation:
1. The computer boots successfully (gives the beep)
2. At the power on screen everything is detected, the CPU, RAM, IDE and BIOS version
3. Pressing <DEL> key doesn't do anything even though it is the assigned key for entering BIOS; after trying the DEL key multiple times the case speaker starts giving a "click" every time a key is touched (so none of the other keys work).

So far I am sure that the floppy, CD-Rom, and IDE cables have no problem. I assumed that since the CPU, RAM and HD were correctly detected there are no problems with them. Since I RMA the last MOBO, this is a replacement but it still has the exact same problem so its not the MOBO's problem. I tried clearing the CMOS and it doesn't work, neither does changing keyboards (USB and PS/2). Plz help! Thx.

 

[LTOwnalot]

BTW, can any hardware such as the video card conflict with the onboard peripherals and cause this??

 

[earthling]

If you already haven't done so, I would download the latest BIOS from the motherboard manufacturer and flash the BIOS on your system board.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, then I would do this:

I would break your computer down to its most basic level by removing and disconnecting the hard drive, cd drive, peripheral card from your system. Make certian that you remove the power connectors going into those devices as well. At this point, your system should pretty much be a bare bone system with no hard drive, cd rom, peripherals, etc.

Next try booting your machine, and see if you can get into BIOS. If you can then you know you have some type of a conflict with one of your devices. If that is the case, I would start to put the items you disconnected back into the computer, and after each one, try to boot your machine - go into BIOS.

If you still can't get into BIOS, I would clear the CMOS, and try to reboot.

Goodluck

 

[LTOwnalot]

Thx! It turns out that the HD was the one causing the problem. I disconnected the HD and I was able to get into the BIOS. Do you know why the Hard drive would cause something like that? Western Digital makes pretty good HD I thought.

 

[earthling]

Good to hear you got into BIOS.

Double check to see the master/slave jumpers are set correctly on your hard drive, so there are no possible conflicts with CD ROMs or secondary drives...ect.

When you get into BIOS, did you have your hd selection set for automatic detection of the hard drive? I would do that and see what happens. Another possibility is that the BIOS on your system board is slightly out of date, and you should go to the motherboard manufacturer and download the latest BIOS for your system and flash the mother board.

Its also possible the firmware on your hard drive needs to be updated, so, check with Western Digital tech support and determine if there is a firmware upgrade for your model of hard drive. If you do get a hold of Western digital tech support, ask them if you should manually set the specs for the hard drive in the BIOS. Just tell them the BIOS manufacturer, version of BIOS, and MB maker, and they should tell you if there are any known conflicts, also provide you with specs to manually put into the BIOS.

One final thing, make sure you plug every thing back into your computer except for the hard drive, and go into the BIOS. You want to attempt to rule out the fact any other device is causing your inability to enter BIOS.

 

[LordOfAll]

Are you sure you are not hooking it up backwards and pin 1 of the HD is going to pin 1 on the MB?

 

[SemperFi]

I haven't had a WD drive for a while. But I know the ones that I did have had 2 master settings. One was with a slave drive present the other as the only drive on the cable.