Need advice please - system no longer booting

Hope i posted in the right place, it seemed the most appropriate forum.

system:
I have an old PII 450 on a Gigabyte GA-686-BX mobo.

The problem:
System starts the post routine, mem checks, and loads the BIOS, but stops right there and doesn't check my drives etc. nor does it allow me to access the CMOS anymore! No error beeps or anything, just the short beep before post starts.

The last thing i did right before this happened was update the BIOS, BUT i never did actually flash it..or at least i didn't think i did. I begun the flash prog from the floppy, saw all these options and thought that i'd best re-check everything before i actually start it, so i clicked exit and re-booted the system. That's when the problem began.

So my first thoughts were that i'd screwed the BIOS, even though i never actually flashed it, can this happen? or is it just a coincidence that something else has gone wrong? If so, does anyone have any ideas as to what it may be?

Hope someone can help, or point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

Hey S,

Check your mobo manual & see if you have a "Clear CMOS" jumper. If you do follow the instructions & clear your cmos(most of the time that means: pull out the ATX power connector & short the pins for like 5 seconds to 15 minutes, sometimes all you have to do is remove the mobo battery). Hopefully your default setting will come back & you can boot/post. If it does return everything to normal, you might want to reconsider flashing your bios. Good Luck

Peace Out.............tile

Just waiting for the next "Big" thing like everyone else?

Hey UK,

I've been keeping up with your post because my brother-in-law had that similar problem with the MSI (ms-6340) mobo that I got from him. He also tried flashing it but never got it to work again. Typical BLACK SCREEN SYNDROME! He then bought a Gigabyte. Luckily the MSI had a "clear CMOS jumper"

After trying what jlanka and tilepusher adviced, did you get it to POST? I would like to know. Thanks

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink it!