What hardware runs in BIOS mode?

Cliffsta · Aug 29, 2016

Hi - I am diagnosing a random shutdown (Yes, I have made a few posts on this topic!) and I wanted to find out which order I need to check my hardware as the shutdown persists in BIOS mode. From my understanding BIOS runs off board with firmware, with zero drivers / op system loaded. I have so far replaced the PSU and done swapping around, restricting / replacing DDR chips. I am attempting to narrow down my field of hardware to check / replace.

Cliff

CountMike · Aug 30, 2016

Yes, classic BIOS (legacy mode) interfaces and controls work of every single bit in the computer and passes information to OS whose drivers controls everything going on.
BIOS itself has has electrically programmable, erasable memory (EEPROM) but all of that is also stored in CMOS which temporarily holds BIOS data and changes (settings) using battery power.

jsmithepa · Aug 30, 2016

If it shuts down in BIOS, that's bad news.

What do you do? You boot (into bios) with minimum hardware, then add one piece at a time.

Cliffsta · Sep 2, 2016

jsmithepa :

Thank you

Whats min hardware? Motherboard, Chip, Graphics card (to see the screen) RAM, the keyboard to hit F2,?
Not sure its possible to get more minimal than the above?

jsmithepa · Sep 2, 2016

Nope.

Minimum hardware: Mobo+PSU, that's it, see if it boots into bios with zero ram. If not boot into BIOS with a single stick of ram.

kfarris · Sep 27, 2016

Did you try clearing the cmos? On the motherboard if you don't know how to do this simply unplug the power supply and remove the battery on the motherboard wait a min plug the battery in and power supply cable then see if it will post asking you to either A load defaults or B configure bios.

Additionally some motherboards have dual bios. This means theirs usually a switch to switch between Bios A or B. I know Asrock motherboards usually have this feature. In addition to that some motherboard manufacturers have a bios update Button that you could try using a USB stick with A new version of or the same Bios. Sometimes simply re-flashing a bios can fix this.

Cliffsta · Sep 28, 2016

Alas folks, I have given up. Chucked the machine in the bin and going for another one. I believe the mobo was toasted in the end. Thanks for all your advice anyway.

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What hardware runs in BIOS mode?

Cliffsta

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CountMike

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jsmithepa

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Cliffsta

Commendable

jsmithepa

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kfarris

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Cliffsta

Commendable

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