Please Delete...Problem Solved.

[Budarow]

Guys,

I could use a little help here. I flashed my NF7-S V2.0 to the lastest BIOS and now my PC freezes at the Post startup screen. I'm thinking it has to do with my CPU. I'm using a Duron 900 MHz and I'm guess the newest BIOS Version 26 doesn't like this old CPU. Although the startup screen indicates the correct CPU and speed.

I get the "CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded" message and if I hit F1 or DEL nothing happens.

I initially had PC3500 RAM and tried replacing it with some PC2100. The startup screen indicates the RAM and the memory check passes.

I had no problems during the flash and the new BIOS is indicated in the lower left hand corner of the startup screen so I'm guess the BIOS flashed fine.

I've tried all the "fixes" in my manual and reset CMOS many times. I even unplugged the ATX PS connector, removed the CMOS battery to no avail.

I tried re-flashing but the PC seems to lock before the floppy can be read.

Any ideas?

 

[Budarow]

Guys...what are the chances my problem has to do with my Duron 900 MHz being a 200 FSB part and my memory clocked at DDR 266? Prior to this BIOS update...the post screen indicated my RAM speed was reduced to 200 Mhz...now the post screen reads memory set at DDR 266.

I'm not much of an overclocker so I don't know much about FSB speeds, etc.

Thanks for any input.

Bud

 

[mechBgon]

You will get best performance from nForce2 with the RAM and CPU using the same bus speed. Clock your RAM at PC1600, run some low-resolution UT Botmatch benchmarks, then clock your RAM at PC2100 and do it again, and I think you'll be convinced.

The other two things coming to mind:

1) bump the PC2100 memory voltage to 2.6 volts so it has a little more juice. Make it 2.7 volts if you use the fancy PC3500 stuff.

2) remember that the NF7-S's default setting is to not run unless there's a sufficient RPM signal from the CPU-fan header, so you may need to go in and disable that if your CPU fan does not send an RPM signal, and/or if it's a low-RPM fan.

 

[Budarow]

mechBgon,

I can't get past the POST screen into Setup so I can't adjust any CPU or RAM speeds. With the old BIOS Version 22, the RAM speed was automatically reduced to 200 Mhz DDR (which matched my FSB for my Duron 900 MHz CPU).

 

[mechBgon]

Stick an RPM-sending fan on the CPU-fan header if you don't have one on it already, and see if that gets you past the impasse.

 

[mechBgon]

Oh, and make sure the keyboard's in the correct PS/2 port (purplish one, not green), if it was unplugged at some point.

 

[Budarow]

mechBegon...thanks for your help.

I'm TOTALLY embarrassed...it was the keyboard being plugged into the unused mouse port8-]!!!

Checking the connection to the keyboard was 1 of the first things I did, but since my 7 year old boy has misplaced all 3 of my flashlights I didn't have much light to work by. Plus the NumLock light went on when I hit the key even with the keyboard being plugged in the wrong port...strange.

Anyway....when I was opening my case to reset the CMOS after the BIOS Update last night I must have unplugged my keyboard and plugged in back incorrectly.

I sure feel like a doldt!

 

[mechBgon]

Guess how I know to suggest checking for that problem...