problem with BIOS settings, WinXP

[sieger35]

Hey, I'm hoping someone here can give me some insight on my problem.
Before I start, here's a rundown of the system:

OS: WinXP Home SP2
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2000+
Motherboard: ECS K7S5A
Chipset: SiS 735
BIOS: AMI
System Memory: 1024 MB DDR SDRAM

A few weeks ago I booted one of my machines and saw a message during boot that stated that there was an error with the CMOS settings and that default settings had been loaded. I noticed that the motherboard recognized my processor as an AMD at 1250 MHz, rather than the full frequency of the 2000+. So, I went to my BIOS settings and changed the front-side bus and DRAM frequency to 133 Mhz (the default is 100). This time the board recognizes the processor as an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ (as it should). However, Windows will not load. The system reaches the Windows 'loading' screen and after the screen disappears, the monitor turns black and Windows does not load. At this point I have to manually shut down the system. I have tried the Knoppix and Ubuntu live cd's and they don't load either.
If I leave the front side bus and DRAM settings at 100 MHz the system works fine, but it only recognizes my processor speed to be 1.2 GHz, which is wrong.

Before the CMOS error, this machine ran with 133 MHz settings at the full XP 2000+ rate. Can someone explain to me why the machine will not properly load the OS and how to fix it? Thanks for your help!

 

[sierra 13]

just throwing something off hand.
Heat sounds like a propable cause.
I had a similiar problems once and i discovered that the CPU heatsink was installed incorreclty.
I assume that u didnt play with the hitsink so it could be something else - lack of ventilation, faulty fan, dirt etc.

 

[montag451]

Also, for the sake of argument, can you try a new CMOS battery

 

[sieger35]

thanks for your input, but I was just wondering... if the CMOS battery itself, or a heat ventilation issue was the problem, would my system still be able to work properly on any settings. The reason I ask is because the machine works properly at 100 MHz, but it decreases my processor frequency (1.2 GHz).

 

[drwngflies]

Might check your multiplier settings, make sure they were re-loaded by the default CMOS re-set.
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Clip:
Athlon XP 2000+

NEWS
GamePC has a page up on the Athlon XP 2000+ and lists it as 1.67GHz. This is a bit of a letdown, as I was hoping for the 1.7GHz that was alluded to in an earlier listing. I don't think that would have worked anyway, as 1.67 works out with a 12.5 multiplier for 133MHz and 1.7GHz is just somewhere in between 12.5 and 13.
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?? maybe??

 

[sieger35]

I'm pretty sure the multiplier settings are correct. This problem is really disturbing me. I can't see how the machine went from working fine at 133/133 and then after I got the CMOS error, it'll show the Windows loading screen. It finishes loading, removes the loading screen, then when the Welcome screen should be displayed, the screen just turns black and nothing loads so I have to manually restart. Now if change the settings to 100/100, everything works fine but I've lost a good portion of my processing speed. Is there anything else I can try? Perhaps my processor is dying.

 

[gladman]

Sorry Sieger35, I'm not emailing with the answer but to say thatI have this problem too. I have tried the ideas listed without success. I've run out of ideas.....