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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!

My BIOS clock and date keep going out of sync. I changed the battery but still have the same problem. Can anyone help?

Syncing your Hardware Clock

About Hardware Clocks

Computers are built with internal clocks integrated in the hard drive that can run on battery power even when the rest of the computer is without power. The internal hardware clock runs on a CMOS battery and can be set and adjusted from the BIOS setup screen. When you boot up your computer the operating system draws the time from the BIOS clock for the software clock that is displayed on your desktop.

Change the CMOS Battery

Usually when the hardware time and date won’t sync it is a battery issue so you were definitely right to start by changing it. Since this hasn’t resolved the issue, the problem might be in the BIOS itself. The steps and procedures to sync the hardware time and date will vary between computers and operating systems.

Adjust your Hardware and Software Clocks for Time Zone

Most of the time, problems with hardware clocks going out of sync are related to an incorrect time zone setting that the software clock is adjusting to reflect. Unlike Mac based computers, Windows systems are not always set to GMT - a universal time - on the hardware, so the whole system is unsure of what time zone it is in. Mac systems are programmed to run on GMT on the hardware clock and then adjust the software clock to different time zones. If you are running a Windows operating system, then you should set your software clock to local time to sync it with the hardware clock. Make sure that your time zone is correct and the two should sync.

Update Drivers

Another possible reason why your hardware clock can’t stay synced is if you are missing any relevant drivers. Browse online and find your computer manufacturer’s website and look for drivers. If you have other hardware devices connected to your system, check for these drivers as well. Some users with problems similar to yours have reported success with the removal of the Vista Service Pack 1, yet other users report that downloading the Service Pack resolved there problems. You might try removing the Service Pack, if you have it, or downloading it if you don’t.

Information for Linux Systems

There is quite a lot of information online about setting and syncing system and hardware clocks in Linux, especially when compared with the relative shortage of information about hardware clocks and synchronization on Windows based machines. If you are running Ubuntu or another Linux based system, you might be interested in the information here.

Diagnosing and Troubleshooting a Beep Error

About Computer Beep Errors

Hmm, well, there could be a number of reasons why your computer is beeping. A single beep at startup is a good thing and lets you know that the computer is up and running properly, but more beeps usually indicates a problem. There are a number of beep error codes that were established by IBM but are now almost universally adhered to. They might be a place to start to narrow down the issue.

One long beep followed by one short beep indicates a motherboard problem; one long beep and two or three short beeps means there is a video problem, three long beeps refers to the keyboard, repeated long beeps is a memory error and continuous high and low beeps is the CPU overheating.

System Overheating

The first thing that comes to mind is overheating. Sometimes your computer beeps to let your know that something is wrong and in this case it could be that the fan isn’t working and the system is too hot. In this case it could be that the beeping is warning you of a problem that is getting worse before the unit is damaged or shuts itself down.

Check the BIOS

You should check the BIOS settings to monitor the internal temperature and make sure that your computer isn’t running too hot. Different computer makes and models have different codes to access the BIOS, but it is often F1 or F2. Power your computer down and then turn it back on while pressing the key. If neither of these keys work, you can check in your computer user’s manual for the specific information or look it up online. With the BIOS settings open you can make sure that the temperature isn’t running above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If the computer is too hot, you might need to repair or replace your fan. If this is the case, you would be best taking your computer to a technician for physical maintenance before more damage is done to your motherboard and other components.

Clean the Computer

You should also clean your computer of dust and debris - you can gently use a vacuum but canned air is the best technique - which lowers the temperature by removing extra insulation and improving air circulation. Depending on the make and model of your computer there might be other things to check, which you can reference in your user’s manual.

Consider Technical Assistance

The beeping might also be an indication of another hardware component issuing a warning or making noises to indicate that it’s dying. If the heating isn’t the issue, you might be best taking your system to a technician, or seeking the advice of a remote technician who will ask questions to diagnose your particular beep error.

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?

BIOS ROM Checksum Error

About the BIOS ROM Checksum Error

BIOS ROM Checksum errors indicate that there is a problem in the contents of the BIOS code. Checksum is a protective feature that reads the ROM - or read only memory - that holds the BIOS code and ensures that it is correct. Each time you boot your computer the Checksum reads the ROM and compares it against its own value to check for errors. This error means that the BIOS ROM chip or another component on your computer’s motherboard is damaged, corrupt or faulty.

Troubleshooting Motherboard Errors

There are some steps that you can follow to further diagnose and troubleshoot your motherboard and possible component error. If you have made any recent changes to your system, you might have damaged a component or corrupted a connection. If you have had your computer open recently, you should open it again and check for any loose chips or cable connections. First make sure to turn off the computer and remove the power source and battery.

Open the computer, taking care to ground yourself and make sure no electric charges touch the inside of your computer. Make sure that all wires and cables are tight and that there are no loose screws, pins or chips. On the motherboard itself, make sure that the screws that hold it in place are not touching any wires, and that the board isn’t touching the external casing.

Adjust Your BIOS Settings

Next, you will likely have to adjust your BIOS settings. Before you make any changes to the BIOS, you should make a record of its current settings. We will first set the BIOS to make the system as stable as possible for troubleshooting, but you will later reconfigure the settings to optimize performance.

How to Adjust Your BIOS Settings

The command to enter BIOS differs between computer models, but for many it is either F1 or F2. Check your computer model for the appropriate command and then press this key as your computer is booting to enter the menu. In BIOS, choose Auto Configuration with Optimal Settings and them make sure to choose the option to save and exit. This should set the BIOS and repair the damage that was interfering with your boot sequence. For more information concerning your specific computer model you can check your user manual under BIOS settings.

How or what address should I use to check my system board BIOS? Is there a program or support that will scan and check my system and update my BIOS?

Updating the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is often a necessary process that helps to maintain the proper functioning of our computers. For example, updating BIOS often fixes problems, offers new features, or resolves compatibility issues. However, updating the BIOS is fairly risky and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Unless you are experiencing major problems, you should not update the BIOS. When you update your BIOS, the old one is replaced with the new one, leaving your system inoperable if something goes wrong. You should also be aware that flashing or updating your BIOS can fry the motherboard if it is done incorrectly.

Fortunately, there is indeed a program that can scan your system and update your BIOS. In fact, using such a program is one of the safest options. Before pointing you to this tool, let’s first look at the general difficulties in updating the BIOS the manual way.

First, you must identify the BIOS your computer has onboard.

• In Windows Vista, you can find this information by going to the Control Panel, choosing Performance Information and Tools, clicking Advanced Tools, and then clicking View Advanced System Details in System Information. Finally, you’re in a System Information summary screen where you’ll see a list of details including your BIOS version and date.
• For earlier versions of Windows, go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System>System Information and find the Windows Report Tool under the Tools menu. Now, find Options>Collected Information and scroll to BIOS. Depending on your operating system, you may see a System Summary section instead of Windows Report Tool.
• BIOS details also usually appear on the screen during boot up. Press your systems BIOS “hot key” such as “F1,” “F2,” or “F8.” This key varies depending on your computer model; your computer screen usually displays the key you should press during boot up. You should be able to see the manufacturer, version, and date of your BIOS.

Once you have located your system’s current BIOS information, your search begins. Start by checking your computer manufacturer’s Web site for updates for your specific model or go directly to the BIOS manufacturer. For example, if you have a Toshiba computer with Toshiba BIOS, head over to the Toshiba Web site’s Download center and search for your exact model. Likewise, if you have a motherboard with AMD BIOS, go to AMD’s Web site.

The instructions for updating your BIOS properly should be included on the manufacturer’s Web site as the process varies by model. Download the update to floppy disk or CD. You’ll boot from this disc when the time comes. But first, before updating the BIOS, back it up! Almost all BIOS update programs have a backup function built into them. If not, BIOS backup utilities (such as Uniflash) are available, though typically for advanced users.

Once you’ve found and downloaded the correct BIOS update for your exact BIOS chip, insert the disc with the update and reboot your computer. Follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Remember, this is risky. Any interruptions or mistakes could lead to a complete failure!

Fortunately, third-party software utilities exist for checking and updating BIOS. One reputable scanner for updating BIOS is http://biosagentplus.com/ which is a product from Phoenix Technologies (which is licensed by over 80% of computer manufacturers). Use this tool instead; it’s much safer.