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Every time I try to reinstall the BIOS from the motherboard CD, a message appears that the CMOS is corrupt. I clear the CMOS and it's the same thing - it's like the BIOS (downloaded from Asus) is protecting itself.

It looks like you decided to go ahead and tackle the difficult job of reflashing the BIOS. Clearing the CMOS will erase your BIOS settings, but in this case it won't matter to you.

Clearing the CMOS

You say that you are clearing the CMOS - I'm not sure how you're doing this, so let's take a look at the different methods depending on the type of motherboard you have:

• Turn the computer off and then hold down the Insert key and wait for it to boot. This may clear the CMOS memory.
• Do the same thing, only hold down the Delete key this time.
• Your motherboard may have a clear jumper that can be used to clear the CMOS. Usually, you have to open the PC and set the jumper to a special setting. You would then boot it up to clear the CMOS. After that, you boot the PC down and reset the jumper back to the previous setting.
• If you have a CMOS battery on the motherboard, you can disconnect it in order to clear it. It will look like a flat watch battery that is on the motherboard. Take it out and let it sit - some people say ten minutes will do, but I like to leave it overnight just to be safe. Put it back and the CMOS should be cleared.
• You may have a motherboard with a battery that is soldered to it or is integrated into the unit. If this is the case, then it is probably not user serviceable.

Flashing Wrong BIOS

I hate to bring this up, but is it possible that you flashed the wrong BIOS? Apparently with Asus it isn't that hard to do, but it will wreak havoc with your machine. If you think this might be the case, then the best recourse is to replace the BIOS chip, even though there are ways to flash the BIOS in the chip on another machine. In many cases, this will just pop in and out without special tools and won't cost very much. You can do a little research on BIOS chips at the BIOSMAN website.

You never said what the original issue was that made you suspect a BIOS virus, but the next logical step is to take a look at your motherboard. Depending on your level of expertise, at this point it may be time to get some tech help to determine if there is a problem with your board.

Which virus scanner scans the BIOS?

Viruses that attack the BIO are possible, but they are very rare. Are you having issues with the BIOS, or are you just trying to protect your system? BIOS viruses were much more common in the early days of DOS and Win 1. With Windows 95 and later systems, BIOS viruses became harder to develop, although they can still be made by having the virus piggyback on another system and can become harmful if you flash the BIOS to a more recent copy without getting rid of it on the hard drive first.

Fixmbr

If you think that you might have a boot sector virus, you can use the fixmbr command in the Recovery Console in Windows XP. You will usually see symptoms of a boot sector virus - you will probably unable to start the operating system and will usually see error messages. If you want to use the fixmbr command, follow these steps:

1. Put the Windows Setup CD in the CD ROM.
2. Make sure that your computer starts from the CD.
3. Press R to start the Recovery Console.
4. You will need to select the installation that you want to repair - usually it is 1 if you only have one installation on your machine.
5. Enter the Administrative Password. If you don't have one, leave it blank and press Enter.
6. At the prompt, type in: fixmbr. The program will run and fix your master boot record.

Flash the BIOS

You can flash the BIOS to an updated version and that should get rid of any nasties that are residing in your BIOS. This is a rather involved process that requires that you reinstall your operating system, so don't do this if you only suspect you have a problem. If you need information about your BIOS system, you can download BIOS Agent from the web. You want to make sure that you disconnect your hard drive when you do this so that it doesn't simply overwrite any viruses onto the new BIOS version. Follow these steps:

1. Scan your system for viruses using your standard antivirus procedures.
2. Back up your data to a disk or USB drive.
3. Shut down the affected computer.
4. Find a clean computer and go to the website for the motherboard for a desktop, or the laptop manufacturer and find the BIOS update on the site. Download this to the disk or USB drive.
5. On the affected computer, open the case and disconnect the hard drive. You don't have to remove it completely.
6. Insert the CD or flash drive and make sure it is booting from that device.
7. Reboot the system and wait for the reboot to finish completely - interrupting the process can be deadly for your computer.
8. Once the computer has finished the process, you can reconnect the hard drive and reboot the computer.
9. You can then reformat the hard drive and reinstall your operating system.
10. It should now run normally once again.

Unless you are experiencing major computer problems, you are probably not infected with a BIOS virus. Running your normal virus scans and antimalware programs should keep you well protected.

My Acer Aspire One notebook goes to a blank screen at startup.

BIOS Recovery System

As awful as it sounds, this is a fairly common problem with Acer Aspire notebooks and it sounds like you have an issue with the BIOS - as long as you can see the power button and hear the fans running to indicate that it is not a power issue. Luckily, these notebooks come with a built-in BIOS recovery system that should get you up and running without damaging or losing any of your files. Know that doing this may void your warranty, so if you have a warranty, you should talk to Acer directly. Follow these steps EXACTLY, and it should work for you:

1. Format a USB memory stick to FAT. Make sure it is bootable.
2. Download the latest BIOS from the Acer website. Follow these links for BIOS for Aspire One 150 or this link for BIOS for Aspire One 110
3. Put the FLASHIT.EXE and the BIOS file in the root directory of the memory stick.
4. Rename the BIOS file: ZG5IA32.FD. It is important that you get the file name exactly right.
5. Remove the drive.
6. Turn the Acer off, but make sure you have a working battery and AC power connected.
7. Insert the USB memory stick into a USB port.
8. Press Fn+Esc and press the Power button at the same time. After a few seconds, release Fn+Esc.
9. The power button should be blinking. Press it once.
10. At this point, the BIOS will flash - don't press anything or interrupt this process. If you've done it right, the power button will stop flashing and the notebook will reboot. When it is all done, everything should be set to reboot.

Because you have an Acer Aspire One and you are getting the blank boot screen, I'm betting that this will solve your problem. If you are still having problems after following these directions exactly, then let us know and we can try to troubleshoot hardware or screen issues that may be the culprit.

The keyboard is a PS/2 so does not come with a driver. If I go into BIOS on startup and select keyboard and then Exit and Save, the keyboard works. But when I boot again it does not. Also since I re-installed Windows, it does not see my MP3 player connected using USB. If I connect to USB1 I get a message saying it can go faster, but under Explorer it can’t be seen - it could before I reinstalled Windows. I have removed and added the driver (Zen Micro) but it still does not work. Any ideas?

Let's take each issue separately, starting with your BIOS issues. When the BIOS doesn't save changes, it is usually a symptom of a problem with the CMOS battery. Have you noticed any issues with the time or date on your system? That is another primary symptom of CMOS battery failure.

CMOS Battery

CMOS stands for Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, and the CMOS battery allows the BIOS to save the setup. If the battery isn't working properly, the BIOS setup will keep resetting every time power is lost, primarily those settings for date, time and setup parameters. Most CMOS batteries are flat, round lithium batteries. You can try either removing the battery and clearing the CMOS for a minute or two and then replacing it, or just changing out the battery altogether. CMOS batteries can last anywhere from two to ten years depending on use and the particular battery. They don't cost much to replace - under $20 - and all it requires is getting into the computer case and popping the battery out. There is a comprehensive tutorial on changing a CMOS battery including a photograph so you can see what one looks like at the website ComputerHope.

USB Port

For the problem you're having with the USB port and the Zen, I'm basically going to throw some ideas out at you and see if something sticks.

• I'm assuming you've tried all of your available USB ports - does anything else work in that port?
• Go to Device Manager. Find Universal Serial Bus controllers. Uninstall any devices that are listed. Restart the computer and allow it to load any drivers that are associated with it. Keep the Device Manager open and see if it is detected when you plug in the Zen.
• It could be a power issue - sometimes devices that won't work on older USB 1.1 ports may only work on 2.0 ports. You can get a splitter so that you can plug it into two ports at one time for more power.
• I've heard of Zen devices having issues with Windows Media Player 11 - what version do you have installed? If you are using 11, try deleting it and rolling back to version 10 or even 9. That has worked for some users.
• Have you tried a Reboot for the Zen? This may cause you to lose the data that is on the device, but if all else fails, it might be worth a try. Plug the Zen into the computer and hold down the Power button. Press Reset twice - this may take a long time to load. You will see a list of options - choose Reboot. Once it has stopped running, the computer should recognize the Zen.

Hopefully, changing the CMOS battery and tweaking the Zen will help you get everything up and running. If you're still having problems, let us know.

I think my nephews may have changed the boot settings on my PC as it tries to boot from a system disk, which I do not have. How do I fix this and restore the previous boot settings without a system disk?

Troubleshooting your BIOS Boot Sequence

Check for Disks Left Behind in Drives

In order to change your PC hard drive boot sequence you need to first access the BIOS utility. The BIOS setup utility contains different menus and settings that you can adjust to control your computer's hardware. Before you try to change your BIOS settings, make sure that there aren't any disks - CDs or DVDs - in the disk drive. If there is a disk in the drive, the computer might try to boot from it thinking that it is a system disk, even if it isn't. It is more likely that your nephews left a disk in the drive than somehow got into and adjusted your BIOS sequence. If there is a disk in the drive, remove it and reboot to resolve the issue.

Enter the BIOS Setup Utility

To enter the BIOS setup utility, first turn your computer off. Wait for a minute, and then power it back up. When your computer starts up, it will either display a message along the lines of ‘press the [ ] key to enter setup/BIOS/system configuration' within the first seconds. Most of the time the setup access key is F2 or Del. When you see this message, press the appropriate key to enter the setup page. If your computer displays a brand logo instead of this message, pressing Esc or Tab should remove it. The exact instructions to enter the setup page differ between computer brands, if you have any trouble consult your user's manual for instructions. If the message flashes on and off the screen too quickly, you can press Pause/Break to freeze the screen and then press any other key to continue.

Find the Boot Setup under Boot Order Menu

Once you are in the BIOS setup you can change the boot order. Use the arrows on your keyboard to move around the menu and find the listing for Boot, Boot Order or Boot Options. Different computer manufacturers use different menu options, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find the Boot choices. If there is not a Boot Options listing, you can look for Boot setup under Advanced Options or Advanced BIOS features.

Adjust the Boot Sequence Order

Once in the BIOS setup, follow the directions to adjust the boot sequence order, usually using the + and - keys. Usually, computers are set to attempt to boot first from a disk, in case you need to restore or repair an installation, then second from the hard drive. When you are finished choose the option to save changes and exit the menu. This should do it. Your computer should restart automatically now, if it doesn't, then reboot and the sequence should be changed.

I have an ACER home PC, which is just over a year old now. Recently when switching on all that happened was an alarm sound. After contacting my local ACER supplier, he explained that the internal battery probably needed replacing, which I then replaced. Ever since, when switching the PC on it reads on the monitor that the CPU has been changed and to either enter the new settings or press F1 to continue, which when pressed, the PC works fine. Please could you explain what needs to be done to resolve this problem?

CPU Settings Changed and Press F1 to Continue Error

BIOS - The Basic Input/Output System

The CPU error might indicate a problem in the BIOS, which is most easily addressed by flashing the BIOS. The Basic Input/Output System - BIOS - is possibly the most important part of your motherboard, and your computer's process. The BIOS holds the information that the computer uses to POST - the Power On Self Test that the computer uses to boot. Without this information your computer can't start itself and turn on the basic instructions to communicate with your devices like keyboards and touchpads. Without a BIOS, there would be no turning on your system, and a corrupt or otherwise unreadable BIOS would create a "press F1 to continue" error.

Flash your BIOS

Flashing your BIOS allows it to advance and incorporate the settings it needs to communicate properly with newer devices, in this case your new internal battery. When you flash your BIOS it sets it to the most recent release, which gives it the best chances of detecting and using the latest components.

Locate your BIOS Chip and Manufacturer

The BIOS is stored on a ROM chip on your motherboard. You are going to want to consult the manual for the motherboard that came with your computer. If you aren't sure of the motherboard model, and if you don't have your manual, you can look it up online by entering the make and model of your Acer computer. Once you have the model, you can make sure that you access the BIOS utility that is recommended by the manufacturer, by looking it up on that company's website. There are some risks involved with flashing your BIOS, so you might consider consulting a remote technician once you have gathered all of this information and are ready to proceed. If you are still uncomfortable, you can also contact Acer again, if your system is still under warranty, it might be easier to take it in and have a professional technician perform the BIOS flash.

An excellent product, BiosAgent from Phoenix Technologies, can update your BIOS quickly and safely. Read our BIOSAgent review for more details.

Good luck! If you collect your relevant information and want to go ahead with the flash yourself, write again with the details and I can provide some steps to follow!