Tried overclocking ram, won't post unless delete key is pressed, boot failure detected every time, help please!

I am talking here from general experience with computers, as opposed to any expertise in RAM overclocking. (Independently of that… clearly the pertinent problem is something that is different across warm and cold booting; again, outside my expertise.)

[The take-home message is to not go messing with your computer innards when you are in that “I should go to bed but…” state! (Been there; done that; regretted it!)]

A comment: thinking logically (which is what computers do): if the only way to trigger a boot failure *message*, as opposed to just getting nothing, is to press DEL… that should mean that the former happens only when you try to *open the BIOS settings*.

I am wondering about your checking that the BIOS settings were as factory reset, and saving and resetting. You should not have to press Reset after saving; it reboots itself automatically when you exit from looking at the BIOS. The point is that you could ( *theoretically* ) have interfered with it saving the BIOS settings.

I take, from your account, that you are happy with the factory settings — that you did not change any BIOS settings when you originally set up the machine. If in fact there are some changed settings, you will have to adjust the following accordingly. (I would suggest going into the BIOS and physically writing down any settings that might be relevant.)

So… what I would do is thoroughly and carefully put it back the way it was before things went wrong — which just means resetting the CMOS settings. (This is informed by the tenet that something is weird (that pertains to what you have changed or done).) [One might take it to mean specifically and only changing the RAM speed setting, but that would be quite redundant if it has already been reset.]

! One key point (given that weird things are happening) is to make really sure that you reset the CMOS settings properly and definitely.

! When I am resetting the CMOS, I use a screwdriver. I have to hold it in place (shorting the jumper) for a good 10 seconds to be moderately sure that it has reset properly… and I now routinely hold it in place for *at least* 20, preferably 30 seconds (and restart the count for any questionable twitch). Even then it does not take reliably and certainly. (I am wondering whether or not you thought that resetting the CMOS settings is done like pressing a switch.) The point is *not* to recommend using a screwdriver… although conversely it might be worth checking that the device you used is not faulty or otherwise inadequate.

I note that the machine worked closer to appropriately when you took out the RAM and put in only one of the two sticks. Since we are being thorough, it might be a good idea to do that as well; with the machine off, order the RAM as it was then, with just one stick — the same one — installed (or you could try each, one at a time, while you are going to the trouble anyway, if it does not work the first time around).

So…

• [Turn off the machine, unplug it and] reset the CMOS (as above).

• Boot the machine, and press or hold DEL (or whatever the right key is) to enter the BIOS settings pages. [I might mention that there is a BIOS setting for balking (or not) at a (presumably) old, faulty keyboard that has a key locked on all the time.]

• Use the “failsafe defaults” key (i.e. command), in the section for overclocking, speeds, voltages etc. . (I would have a quick look around, generally, to make sure there are no apparent anomalies [not that I am thinking there would be, particularly].)

• [If you have (previously) been normally running with some non-default settings (elsewhere!), enter them now.]

• (I would use the “Save CMOS settings” feature at this point, in case this is useful later.)

• When you are satisfied, use the “Save settings and exit” command. (I am assuming that you know that there is a separate “Exit without saving” command.) (Again: do *not* press the reset button! (Of course, if you *do have* to use the Reset button, that is a significant symptom.) )

If everything seems okay, you can go back into the BIOS settings and issue the “optimised defaults” command. Again, I would save the CMOS settings, just in case it is useful later.

Best wishes!!


Finally… although as I rule I would advise against changing anything *more* when one has made some changes and it did not turn out as expected (as a diagnosing rule)… if everything is weird, and remains so after you have carefully and thoroughly changed everything to its original state… you might consider flashing the BIOS itself with ( *the same* ) version as you had originally — as an “it does not make sense anyway” approach. (That said… if you are going to flash the BIOS, you might as well do any upgrade you might want while you are at it.)