Unable to get into BIOS

[lavagirl669]

Built this system about 6 mos ago for parents:
Chaintech Zenith 9CJS Mobo
1GB OCZ DDR400/PC3200 RAM
P4 3.0Ghz/800Mhz FSB
Antec True 420w PSU
120GB Seagate - Primary HDD w/ OS (WinXP Pro)
80GB WD - Secondary data HDD

System has been running stable and solid until recently. Shutdown fine, reboot produced a msg at POST:
"Insert system start up disk".

Upon reboot, no recurring msg, but POST screen hangs there and repeatedly hitting DEL key will not go to BIOS.
Tried this several times with NO luck. It also shows...."detecting IDE drives...." and just stays that way
on POST screen.

Tried swapping IDE cables, changing HDD's and finally got a POST screen that recognized new HDD, and tried to hit DEL to go to BIOS, but it just goes to a blank screen and does nothing.
Started suspecting bad IDE channels on board and changed Mobo to same model (spare). Same problem still occuring. Also tried reseating everything, resetting CMOS jumper, using just a single stick of RAM and also swapping RAM....no luck.

Tried bareboning it out of case, same thing-just a POST screen and then onto a blank screen despite hitting DEL rapidly.

Mobo has a "digi-doc" front panel display that shows error codes- it is showing error #75:
"Detect and install IDE Devices".

I'm going to try a different keyboard if it could only be so simple.....*sigh*

Any ideas?

Any input on this at all would be greatly appreciated. I been troubleshooting this thing for days and am about to go insane....!

*update*
Fixed problem. It turned out to be a failed Primary HDD which was causing POST screen to freeze and not detect IDE drives.
Some swapping around of HDD's proved to be the trick, just need to reload XP and its a GO!
Thanks guys

 

[Insidious]

If I'm reading this right, you have tried two Motherboards, two HDDs and two sets of IDE cables. Not much left that is common except the power supply (and the operator... of course ;: )

-Sid

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Try booting from the windows disk!

 

[lavagirl669]

bump

 

[lavagirl669]

have not tried WinXP CD boot because the main prob right now is being "unable to get into BIOS".

any ideas please?

 

[mechBgon]

Keyboard's not plugged into the mouse port by mistake, is it? Mouse = green port, keyboard = purple-ish port. I've seen systems that won't even POST if they're swapped.

Also, try resetting the CMOS. And if the WD drive happens to be the only drive on its data cable, make sure it's jumpered for Single Drive, and not Master or Slave. The Single Drive setting is effected by taking the jumper cap off the pins entirely and leaving it off. If the drive does have a companion on its cable, then that's not the issue. And it sounds like you already tried unplugging all the drives entirely, anyway.

 

[lavagirl669]

thanks mech

yeah I tried resetting CMOS...no luck

also checked and triple checked the jumpers.

The WD 2nd drive is set as slave with the Seagate as primary

its weird not even being able to get to BIOS

swapped out vid card, but that wasn't it either...

 

[lavagirl669]

thanks I guess no one has a clue....appreciate the help

 

[chexi]

If it's any consolation, I'm having a very similar problem on my Epox EP-8kta3pro (or should I call it by it's true name... crap).

 

[chexi]

Well... I'm not sure if my solution will work for you, but check out the recent thread under my name for the solution I found for my Epox mobo.

 

[Insidious]

PSU

 

[Budman]

You are using a PS2 keyboard right? not a USB keyboard right?