bios rom checksum error

[Game_Fanatik]

My system is as follows: E6600 @ stock speed; Asus P5N32 E-SLI 680i w/out any bios update; 2G Corsair PC6400 EPP; PNY8800GTX @ stock speed; X-Fi Xtreme Gamer soundcard; SATA 160G Maxtor hardrive w/dual boot XP Pro & Vista Home Premium; Antec 900 case.

So the story goes...I was running a P4 661 @ stock 3.6GHz speed with the system above before I installed the E6600 without any problems. After installing the E6600 (and Crysis), I got the "Bios Rom Checksum error" message. I was able to play a few hours before I booted out as it was 3am.

So I've researched on this forum and others and all said that it was a bad CMOS battery (maybe not with the same motherboard or chipset). So I've changed the battery but it still posts with the Bios Rom error. I've taken out the battery for an hour and then placed it back again. This procedure allowed me to get into the bios and set everything up. I then saved my settings and it will boot back to the bios rom checksum error.

I've also checked and reseated the sata cables but still comes up with the error message. I have spare sata cables and replaced it just to be sure, but the error message still pops up.

Do I have a bad motherboard or hard drive? How would I determine which hardware is at fault. I'm limited with computer hardware skills. Just so you know, this is the 5th computer I've built. And it is the only computer I'm having so much problems with. I have no other programs except games (i.e. strictly gaming rig). The other 3 rigs were for relatives and the 4th is what I have left.

Any help is appreciated...and thanks in advance!!!

 

[pip_seeker]

this might help... and sounds most logical.

here's a link.. http://icrontic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17677

Actually, every time you get that, you get to enter the BIOS, restore defaults, then set what you want for sure, then save the CMOS table. EVERY time you do a CMOS Cell clear, with most BIOSs and CMOSs. Then the BIOS stores a new checksum as it clears. IF BIOS is using old checksum, and CMOS is wiped, you get a checksum error simply becasue CMOS got wiped. Checksum is usually checksum of BIOS values.

Since you have a SATA boot drive, it's probable that the BIOS, when it defaulted, did not default SATA drive as boot drive. I walk around that issue, my boot drive is always IDE. BIOSs know to look for IDE, SATA can use a secondary BIOS and that can be defaulted OFF. In fact, on my IC7-Max3, until I got version 15 of the BIOS, it defaulted the secondary SATA BIOS OFF. With 15, it is defaulted ON..... Since I do not now use SATA, this actually makes boot take longer, but box works. For those that use SATA boot drives, this last default change was a bug killer. For me, it makes booting longer-- and Widnows loads RAID drivers whihc are never actually used for a device.

Simple statement of point:

You or the tech probably need to tell the BIOS to use SATA. Preferably the same way it did. If you did not write down the options settings you tell BIOS to set in order to use SATA to get boot, you will get to play every time you clear BIOS. It boots only from floppy because it is not trying to boot from a SATA drive, and probably the default settings KEEP it from looking for a SATA boot drive. I use SATA for DATA, IDE for BOOT drive for OS, simply because it is easier to recover from (fubarred CMOS settings caused) CMOS recoveries.

Normally this checksum is not BIOS code checksum, it is BIOS seeing a change in BIOS table that BIOS does not EXPECT. It is a simple way to check for CMOS\BIOS viruses. AND, if you are programmign a virus and have CMOS\BIOS virus protection on, the changes might not get written right. Turn off CMOS virus protection, if it defaulted on.

Simple overall thematic\scenario point: Every choice in BIOS can have good and bad sides, depending on how exactly you want to use the computer. I simply integrate around the most common problems, use IDE for boot and IDE or SATA for working\production data because most BIOSs will default to use IDE, and many will default to sometimes not even SEE or look for SATA by default. Some are starting to use SATA by default, though.

Sorry, I just saw this thread....

 

[Game_Fanatik]

No need to apologize. My computer skills are much limited to what I read on such forums. In fact, that's how I've learned to build computers and learn about the hardware behind it.

You bring up an interesting point about what the computer recognizes at boot up. My setup in the bios is to boot from hard disk first then cd rom second. I will try to get in and find that option to instruct to boot from sata.

thanks again...

 

[Game_Fanatik]

Well...I changed my cmos battery but my rig won't post. Don't know what the problem could be. I took everything apart and put it back again making sure the wires and cables are connected. I tried a different ram. I've even put my graphix card on the 2nd blue slot but no post. So I've decided to seek professional help from my local pc repair shop. Will update w/in 2 days or so.

bummed out...

 

[Game_Fanatik]

Got my pc back. The tech said bad motherboard. Everything else checks out just fine. Sucks to be me...