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HELP... A64 3700+ Rev.E / MSI Neo4 Platinum CMOS issues :(

M

mcjimbo

Member
Hi guys,

I have the following system HELP... A64 3700+ Rev.E / MSI Neo4 Platinum:

http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.aspx?rigid=30263

Anyway i've had it about a month, and lastnight the system locked up in Windows and since then i've had no end of problems. Everytime I boot into the pc I get a warning:

"Display Switch is set incorrectly
CMOS Checksum error - Defaults loaded
CMOS batter failed
Override enabled - Defaults loaded
Warning! Now System is in Safe Mode. er
Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP".

Below is a screenshot of this error message, a bit blurry:

http://staging.versantsolutions.com/img/msi_neo4_plat.jpg

I did update the BIOS over a month ago to the latest version off MSI's website, and as I said the system has been working flawlessy. I haven't installed anything new, or fiddled with anything inside and the software is exactly the same.

I can it F1 to continue and get the generic "Windows did not boot normally last time..." screen, I used to be able to either select "Boot Normally" or "Last Known Good Configuration" and it would boot... now neither or those work, and "Safe mode" doesn't get much further.

I'm just dumbfounded... what has gone wrong here? Anyone else experienced similar issues? By the way, I thought it might be a faulty battery, so i took the one out of my old Pentium 3 and tried it... same issues... Can anyone help?

Thanks

James
 
Ok, I completely removed the battery for over a minute. Tightened all screws that secure the mobo, added the mobo battery back hit the CMOS clear button and then turned her on.

This time I got the following error messages:

CMOS Checksum error - Defaults loaded
Warning! Now System is in Safe Mode. er
Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter SETUP".

I then hit "Start Windows Normally" and I got in and im writing this post of my unhealthy pc.

I googled the "CMOS Checksum error" i'm recieving and found the following posts:

Guy who fixed it by reseating the mobo and using risers? What the hell are those?
http://www.planetamd64.com/index.php?s=...09a7e7c310e91bc66c60301&showtopic=8609

Guy who's problem pretty much mimics mine, replaced the battery and it appears he hasn't been so lucky:
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/45235/

I wrote to Monarch tech support, but just hoping a hardware guru can give me some advice... the system is barely one month old... this is so frustrating!

Thanks

James
 
Problems? Heh, that's MSI to you!
Your battery's dead I think. Just replace it.
Or, your CMOS is .... fubar'd or corrupt basically. Not sure how THAT would happen.

Sorry, it's >100 degrees here in india and the AC is brokenin this room, and I wrote this post horribly impatiently!

-TPG
 
I've switched battery with my Pentium 3 mobo's and still had same problem, so I take it that the MOBO's CMOS is f u c k e d?
 
Not that it helps your situation much, but I am experiencing a similar or identical problem. I just posted about it yesterday at the MSI forum: http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=83448.0

It would be interesting to see if you are seeing some of my other symptoms as well.

<edit>

Well, perhaps I can make this a bit more helpful. Of the threads I have seen on the issue, the commonalities include: very low reading of battery voltage in bios (<1.5volts), voltage of battery with DMM reads a bit low as well (<3 volts), and that a new battery doesn't fix the issue.
 
This is so weird. Exact same thing happen to my pc this morning. First in froze in windows and then now it won't boot normally. I keep getting CMOS checksum error failed warning. Should I even try getting a new battery? Plus, it sucks that MSI tech support is closed right now. I have to wait till monday. 🙁
 
Sorry to resurrect a 3 week old thread, but I am having/have had the exact same problem. The system:

MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum, retail, new
Venice core 3200+
Thermaltake XP90
2GB Corsair ValueRam (2x1GBxPC3200)
Antec NeoPower 480w PSU
XFX 6600GT
Chaintech 710 audio
Samsung DL DVD+-RW
Samsung CD-RW/DVD
74GB Raptor
300GB Maxtor SATA

Not overclocked. Memory voltage @ 2.7v per Corsair tech support's recommendation

BIOS flashed to 1.5

About a week and a half after getting the board, I had the same BIOS lost settings issue. The system spontaneously rebooted, and I immediately noticed that something was weird because I always disable to BIOS splash screen and now it was showing up. Got the checksum error message but no bad battery message. Not thinking it could be something as stupid as a battery (it didn't even occur to me), I spent 3 or 4 hours troubleshooting (BIOS settings wouldn't save, all sorts of weird stuff), failed, and went to bed before I did something stupid. Lying in bed, I thought about the battery. Next morning, I swapped out the battery for a fresh one (I always keep spare CR2032's around), booted, went into the BIOS, made my usual changes, and the system was back up and running. That was around the second week of July.

Fast forward to today, system locks up, I hit the reset button, and there's the BIOS splash screen. Scarred but smarter, I powered down, swapped the battery, powered up, made some BIOS setting changes (I disable onboard RAID and sound, disable splash screen, set memory voltage to 2.7v), and I was back in business.

So, it would appear that my Neo4 Platinum is eating CMOS batteries. Have any of you that had this problem before had this happen again? If so, what version BIOS are you running? If other people are having this problem with the 1.5 BIOS, I think I might flash back to 1.4.

So, if you've had this problem with this board, please chime in!

Thanks,

Pete
 
Mudboy,

Just read your post today. Have you resolved you battery issue? My new mobo is also going through batteries at a rapid pace, 2 within about 2-3 weeks. I have the following setup. Any help would be appreciated.

MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum, retail, new
Venice core 3200+
Zalman CNPS 7000B-AlCu LED
1GB Patriot 3200+XBL(2x512MB DIMMS)
Super Flower TT-450SS 450w PSU
HIS Radeon x800xl
ASUS DVD-ROM
Sony CD-RW/DVD
30 GB IBM IDE
110 GB WD IDE

Thanks,

Kirk
 
Wow....Im on #3...I didnt know if I was doing something wrong or what. i think MSI should be paying my battery bills because this is BS. These batteries are supposed to last at least a year...my other mobo hasnt been replaced since I bought it ('00) so this is just ludicrous.

Anyone have fixes for this issue yet??
 
I am on my second dead battery in less than a month with this MSi Neo4-F mobo. I won't be replacing the board, but I will probably be calling NewEgg to try and get an advance return/RMA going with them for an Asus or something.

BTW, I am also using the v1.5 BIOS but I flashed to it when the battery dies the first time.
 
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