Bios unintelligible

[chaser1]

Here?s a good one for you to contemplate.
I can get into the bios on a Dell Latitude D600 but all the characters on the screen are unintelligible.
The layout looks proper but the words are unreadable, ie; R5g ? kns ? obrg, the entire page is like this.
The computer boots and runs fine. All the programs work. The keyboard works, everything is fine except the bios.
This is what I?ve done so far:
1. Reset the ram
2. Tried new ram
3. Put new ram in other slot
4. Reset the cmos
5. Flashed the bios with latest version

Nothing changed the appearance of the bios page. I have also searched the net until my eyes fell out.
Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[corkyg]

Could be the effect of a virus or worm.

BIOS

 

[chaser1]

I agree that it could be some sort of contagion. During my internet searches I haven't run into any discussion or complaints on the topic.
Do you know if there is any software that can identify a bios virus?
Thanks for the link and your reply.

 

[corkyg]

Here are a lot of articles on a BIOS infection.

BIOS

Unfortunately, if the infection is embedded in the firmware, about the only solution is to physically replace the BIOS chip.

 

[boomerang]

I had a desktop system that would flash repeatedly when in the BIOS. I could navigate within BIOS screens, move the cursor, etc.

Ended up it was the video card. The system worked flawlessly when in Windows.

 

[chaser1]

I am suspecting that it's a video issue as well. Looks like I'll have to live with it as the computer is a laptop and the video is integrated in the Mother Board.