[Solved] Startup/Battery Problem.

[Bringe]

Hi everyone.

Yet another problem that I dont understand, so I am asking the experts for advice.

The other day my wife said that her pc was making a funny noise. So I took the side off and it was caked in dust and cobwebs. I turned it off and hoovered it out being carefull not to damage anything. I replaced the side panel and plugged in and turned the mains on. I was puzzled because the pc started up imediately, without pressing the on/off button on the pc. Then I was more puzzled when it came up with this screen. pic01. Not a very good picture but it was counting the memory it the top left corner. When it got to 3000 and something the screen changed to: see pic04. Basicaly I followed the screen instructions and got the system up and running again. (see the rest of the pics) And this now happens on every startup. It seems obvious that it is something to do with the battery and I have removed it and replaced it and made sure it is correctly seated but the same thing happens. I have noticed that if I go to "turn off computer" and hit restart, it comes back ok, but once its shutdown overnight this problem occurs.

Many Thanks for reading my post here. And if anyone has any idea how to solve this problem It would be greatly appreciated.

 

Bringe.

Edited March 9, 2018 by KenB

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Bringe, we normally never recommend using vacuum cleaners for cleaning dust out, they can create massive amounts of static electricity. Please don't do that again and use a compressed air can and blow the dust out after using a soft (Not nylon) say half inch paint brush to loosen the dust.

 

I am hoping that it is pure coincidence and the battery mentioned is just flat and requires replacing. I assume you know it is the coin sized thing, usually stamped with the number CR 2032. They are easy to obtain, most larger stores have them that have a reasonable range of batteries and are quite cheap, my local Asda sell a pack of two for £4.00, you may find a store selling just one at equivalent prices.

Try first of all replacing the battery and let us know please.

 

Nev.

[Bringe]

Hi Plastic Nev.

Many Thanks for your reply. Yes, I already changed the battery. I bought a pack of two about a year ago and had one spare. I checked it with my multimeter and it is fine.

Any other sugestions before I pull whats left of my hair out:frusty:

 

Bringe.

[KenB]

Hi Bringe

 

You are getting BIOS messages that the system configuration has been changed.

The Date and Time - and again in the next to last pic.

 

The CMOS battery provides the power to hold these settings when the system is turned off.

I can only assume that the problem you are having is related to this in some way.

Either that or the use of the vacuum has damaged the BIOS EPROM [ programmable chip ]

 

To be honest modern ICs are quite robust now and if your mains plug was still in the socket the motherboard would still be earthed.

It is a rare occurrence that they get damaged - but it is possible.

 

If, when you switch off, the BIOS settings are lost then I would be inclined to change the CMOS battery again .....and hope.

It does have to go in with the + on top.

 

===========

You could try resetting the BIOS to defaults.

Switch on and tap F10 about once per second [ I think your pic says F10 to enter Set-Up ]

Once there move around with the arrow keys.

 

Under File ( top of screen ) select "Apply Defaults and Exit " [ pic #3 ]

 

If the BIOS screen disappears and you boot up from here - fine.

If not you will be prompted to Save and Exit .........usually F10.

 

Once booted up - check the date and time in the bottom right corner.

 

Let us know what happens from here.

[Bringe]

Hi KenB.

Many thanks for your reply. When the pc was swithed on this morning it was back to normal????

Very strange, but now ime going to listen to my own advice "if it aint broke,Dont fix it"

One other thing while I think of it. My wife is at the pc most of the day, every day. She plays alot of games. some on her own and some interacting with other people around the globe. She usually end up with internet explorer, chrome, and firefox all open at the same time with god knows how many tabs and windows open. Then sometimes the system freezes and she hits the roof and it needs rebooting. Ime always telling her she has to much open at once. Please can you give me your thoughts on this, and I will let her read it.

Many Thanks.

Bringe.

[Plastic Nev]

Glad to hear the issue seems to be resolved as far as start up is concerned.

 

Next is that you are perfectly correct, even here on a more modern, faster, multi cored processor four GB of RAM I close programs and browsers when I am doing something else or otherwise continuing to leave them open when not needed will slow down my machine.

On an older XP based computer with no doubt only a single core processor, certainly less than my four GB of RAM which will also be slower than the more modern RAM, no wonder it throws in the towel, tell her please to shut down programs and browsers when not needed, it only takes a few seconds to open them again when they are needed again.

Leaving stuff open even when not in use hogs system resources and clogs up the RAM memory, especially the two browsers Firefox and Chrome as they do use a large amount of memory and also processor work as well, even when not being actually used as they are still active in the background.

 

Nev.

[Bringe]

Hi Plastic Nev.

Many thanks for your reply. I managed to drag her away from her games for 5 minutes and got her to read your comments. I think it has finally sunk in and hopefully wont hear the earth tremble any more because of a freeze up!!

Many thanks to you and KenB for your help once again.

 

Bringe.

[KenB]

When the pc was swithed on this morning it was back to normal????

I've said this more than once ................ computers are anything but logical :)

 

Good to hear that all is well again.

[Bringe]

Hi Everyone.

I have not been on here for quite a while and I must say how saddened I am to see that Plastic Nev is no longer with us.

 

I was just reading my post from 2015 and it seems that my wife's pc has just had the same battery problem.

I have Inserted a new battery, went through all the same as before, entered the date and time, saved the new settings with F1.

but now the sound doesn't work. I have tried a different speaker system that I know works, but nothing??:censored:

Any help here will be greatly appreciated as its all my fault (as usual)

[KenB]

Hi Bringe

 

Sad indeed - Nev was a great guy.

 

1. Which Operating System does your wife's machine use ? [ also laptop or desktop ? ]

 

now the sound doesn't work.

 

2. Did it work BEFORE you changed the CMOS battery ?

 

Unplug the external speakers.

3. Bottom right of screen there should be a speaker icon.

Click on this and make sure that this is showing at say 50%

Does the sound work now? [ without the external speakers ]

[Bringe]

Hi Ken.

Thanks for your reply. Hope you are keeping well.

The wife's computer is an hp desktop running xp professional.

The sound was working fine until I changed the battery.

I have tried clicking on the speaker icon and open up the volume controls,

and with all the sliders at full volume, there is nothing.

Tried it with the external speakers plugged in, and not plugged in.

Also tried plugging some earphones into the front earphone socket,

and nothing. Nothing from the inboard speaker either???

 

I will be grateful for your help here:help:

[KenB]

Hi Bringe,

 

1. Make sure that you put the CMOS battery in the correct way around - usually + facing up.

 

2. Take a look in the BIOS [ I am assuming that you have on-board sound ]

Switch on and constantly tap F10 about once per second [ if F10 doesn't work try F1 or F2 ]

You should be faced with a blue BIOS screen

https://support.hp.com/doc-images/979/c00506019.jpg

There are different types of BIOS so yours may not look exactly like this.

 

Move around with the arrow keys

You are looking for "Onboard Audio" or "Onboard Sound"

This could be under “Onboard” or “Device Configuration” or similar

You may need to highlight the title and hit "Enter" key to see the menu underneath.

Make sure "Onboard Audio / Sound" is "Enabled"

If you make any changes you will need to Save and Exit - usually F10

DO NOT make any other changes in the BIOS please.

Edited March 8, 2018 by KenB

[Bringe]

Hi Ken.

This morning before I read your above reply, I started it up and by clicking F10 got into the system but all I did

was clicked reset to factory values (or something like that) but that didn't get the sound back.

Now reading your reply I realise I should have used the arrows to get to the BIOS.

I will have another go later when I can get to it. She just loves those games, even without sound!!

If I can find onboard audio/sound you say to make sure it is "enabled" but the onboard audio in your picture

is set to "auto"

should I set it to enabled or auto (pressuming its there) ??

Edited March 8, 2018 by Bringe

[KenB]

I should have used the arrows to get to the BIOS.

You use the arrow keys to move around once inside the BIOS

EDIT - I have just seen your very first post with the images - you want the "Advanced" section I think :)

 

should I set it to enabled or auto (pressuming its there) ??

Either would do as long as it isn't "Disabled"

 

When you switch on do you see a splash screen that shows something like ...

"Press -- to enter Set Up" ?

If this is not F10 but F1 or F2 then you will have to use this key to get into the BIOS.

Edited March 8, 2018 by KenB

[Bringe]

hi Ken.

There are 7 pice here showing what I have done.

But still no sound.

Pic1.Hit F10 and moved across to advanced.

Pic2.Down to BIOS power on. Did nothing here. Just esc.

Pic3.Looked at pci devices.Did nothing here.Just esc.

Pic4.Changed intrgrated audio from disable to enable. See pic 5. Then F10 to accept.

Pic6.Went to save changes and exit.

Pic7.F10=Yes (in red)

 

Still no sound. Restarted, and still no sound??

[Bringe]

Hi Ken.

Have you ever done something and not realised you done it wrong until days later??

Well, I have just joined that probably small amount of people and I feel like a complete dickhead:stupid:

I have had the speaker plug in a socket with a musical note and an arrow pointing away from the note

which I took as the audio out socket. This was near the top of the pc at the back. Out of frustration I

removed the side panel and there was the sound card, At the bottom!!! covered in dust. I took it out

and cleaned it up, replaced it, plugged it in, I went back into BIOS and enabled integrated audio, disabled

internal speaker, fired it up and IT WORKS!!!

Ime afraid I told my wife a little white lie as I didn't want to appear a dickhead to her. I said it was the BIOS

settings. Which it was, in a way??

Thanks for all your help Ken. No doubt I will mess something else up in time and will need to call on your

expertees again.

 

Many Thanks.

 

Bringe.

[KenB]

Hi Bringe

 

I am pleased to hear that you now have the sound back again.

The internal audio enabled is the on-board sound - not needed if you have a sound card.

However - now that things are working it is best if you leave it as it is.

If it ain't broken - don't fix it :)