Aaarrgghh! Dumb computer died! Would like to reset BIOS...

OK, this is really weird. A few days ago I walked in on my comp just sitting there, screensaver up but not moving. It was totaly froze up. The pump was still on and the temps read fine. So I just hit the power button and left it alone. Well, I tried today to turn it on, and it will not boot into Windows. It keep locking up. So I cleared the CMOS and tried, it got to the "windows was not started successfuly" screen and hung. Since then I've tried maybe 30 times, I got into windows once but it froze before I could re-flash the BIOS. I figured it got corrupted somehow. Now I'm even having trouble getting into the BIOS, it will lockup as soon as I hit a key.

So my ? is can I reset the BIOS manually? Maybe that is the problem. I'm this close to going AMD, this thing really torqued me off.

I'm assuming this is the IC7-G?

If so, power the computer completely down. Turn off the PSU, and unplug it. Up underneath you vid card and right beside the South Bridge chip and above your Intel SATA ports is a yellow jumper. Move that jumper over to the two right pins, and then go up toward the top right of the board beside your RAM slots and remove the CMOS battery. Let it sit that way for about 10 minutes. Replace the CMOS battery, then move the jumper back over to the two left pins into the "parked" position.

Power back up, and your BIOS should be back at the defaults. You will have to go back in there and reset everything. Go slowly when you do. It's possible you could have a Bad RAM chip or something else could've gone wrong. I would slowly clock back up testing along the way to be sure the system is still healthy. The way it acting doesn't sound good. I definitely would not jump ship with the rig you've got.

If that doesn't work, it could be a bad BIOS chip, and that has nothing to do with Intel. Everything has a failure rate, and it's possible you could have just got a bad one. That can be replaced. Just go easy man. Patience is a virtue with these things. It's easier to diagnose when the blood pressure is nice and low. I gave up getting ill with electronics a long time ago. If I didn't I'd be throwing hammers at them everyday! LOL I've had good luck with computers, but lemme tell you, I've had my fair share of bugged or burned up stuff with other types of electronics I mess with. I build speed controls and have a box of burned RISC processors, bad caps, smoked IC boards, burned fets, and everything else.

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Hope you get it fixed quickly.

Yes, it's the IC7-G. Sorry, I forgot to mention it.

I should have clarified. I want to reset the BIOS to the original version. I have already cleared the CMOS countless times, no I want to revert the BIOS version. I think I last flashed it to rev 28.

I was planning on building a AMD rig in couple months anyway. I am really dissapointed in the lackluster performance of this machine. It can't even make 30 seconds in the Superpi 1M, the best I could manage was 32.2

I've just eliminated the RAM as a possible culprit. I tried a single stick of some cheapo RAM that has never given me problems and still no go. Cleared the CMOS a few more times to just for good measure.

An now I've eliminated the CPU. I put my old Celly in and it still didnt work. So RMA time for the mobo.

max2 or max3?

MAX2

I put the RMA request thru, I forgot I got this mobo from ZZF, not the Egg. I have ha a good experiance with RMA-ing with Newegg, but I don't know how it will be with ZZF. I had trouble with them when I put order thru to buy.

OK, you've isolated the RAM and CPU. I posted those as possible causes just in case it was that, but it sounds like it's got either a corrupted BIOS or a flaky BIOS chip.

Sorry I misunderstood your post about the CMOS thing. It was late when I posted that. You sounded like you were really in need and I was trying to help.

On the BIOS chip, there are two ways to do it. You could request a BIOS chip, or just RMA it. If you were positive it was the BIOS chip itself, replacing it would be faster, but if it's the socket or any related components, then you'd still have to to RMA it. That decision would have to be yours. I couldn't even tell you what I'd do in that case. It would depend on how it was acting. You know your system better than anyone.

I'd be weary of trying to manually flash a flaky or corrupted BIOS chip. If it's acting up, chances are the flash would fail. If it's hosed up it generally takes special equipment designed to flash it the chip out of the mobo. I assume you don't have that equipment as not very many people get into it that deep.

Just thought I would give you some options.

On the 32 seconds, you should be proud! I've only managed 34 seconds. Intel's are a little different than AMD's. You're not gonna see the numbers the 64 bit AMD's pump out, but an Intel does other things better that an AMD doesn't.

All these CPU's have their little quirks. They are all a little different. After you get her back up and running mess with it some, and tweak it. If you got 32 seconds of the get go, you have a good Intel class score. 32 seconds is very respectable. It's not about beating the other brand. It's about beating your personal best, and making your system better.

When I started with my new system, I would've never thought I'd be running like I am now stable as a rock. The IC7-G is a good board. Trust me. I may be pretty new here, but I am certain of that. Ask others who own it. They will tell you the same things. Abit made a real winner with the IC7 series. It's one of the best OC'ing mobo's you will own.

It's no dual core 64 bit SLI hotrod, because those are in a different class. In a 478 mobo there are not many boards that will run with them though. I know it's aggravating to have problems with these things, but Abit will get you back running again. They don't sell junk, and if there is a problem they will make it right.

Ah ha! I found the real problem. I ordered a cheapo mobo to get me thru until the RMA was thru, and it started freezing up again. The only thing carried over from the other comp was the vid card. I used diffent RAM and CPU. So I changed out the VC for an old 16mb Asus card and tada! no more lockups. At least I havent sent the IC7-G in yet. But now I have to RMA the VC. I have replaced the stock TIM with AS5, is that going to be a problem?