Make sure, that the clear CMOS jumper is not set.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:24:

Make sure, that the clear CMOS jumper is not set.

Yes, it has been checked. There are just 2 pins - of shortened - bios is cleared. There is no cap on it.

H.W.Necromancer wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:44:

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:24:

Make sure, that the clear CMOS jumper is not set.

Yes, it has been checked. There are just 2 pins - of shortened - bios is cleared. There is no cap on it.

OK, what is the message exactly along with "press F2"?

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:46:

H.W.Necromancer wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:44:

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:24:

Make sure, that the clear CMOS jumper is not set.

Yes, it has been checked. There are just 2 pins - of shortened - bios is cleared. There is no cap on it.

OK, what is the message exactly along with "press F2"?

It is on the photo:

H.W.Necromancer wrote on 2022-04-03, 13:19:

[…]
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CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:46:

H.W.Necromancer wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:44:

Yes, it has been checked. There are just 2 pins - of shortened - bios is cleared. There is no cap on it.

OK, what is the message exactly along with "press F2"?

It is on the photo:

Hello,
I don't know then. You replaced already the CR2032.
It seems to be a very common problem for MSI boards according to a quick google search.

CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 13:42:

Hello, I don't know then. You replaced already the CR2032. It seems to be a very common problem for MSI boards according to a q […]
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H.W.Necromancer wrote on 2022-04-03, 13:19:

[…]
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CoffeeOne wrote on 2022-04-03, 12:46:

OK, what is the message exactly along with "press F2"?

It is on the photo:

Hello,
I don't know then. You replaced already the CR2032.
It seems to be a very common problem for MSI boards according to a quick google search.

Yes, I have done some search again and found MSI and Asus boards more or less the same age with the same symptoms. One guy has solved the issue by just flashing the bios. I am suspecting the flash chip itself. Need to wait for the eprom programmer. I might try to downgrade the bios, if it will allow me to do so...

I think UEFI settings get saved in the eeprom itself,
which,
when part of the eeprom fails, like say the part that contains the uefi settings has some stuck bits that cause the settings checksum to be calculated wrongly each boot,
the only fix would be to actually replace the eeprom with a fully working one,
or hope for a bios which places the uefi settings in a different memory area of the eeprom. (not that likely to happen though)

weedeewee wrote on 2022-04-03, 14:47:

I think UEFI settings get saved in the eeprom itself, which, when part of the eeprom fails, like say the part that contains th […]
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I think UEFI settings get saved in the eeprom itself,
which,
when part of the eeprom fails, like say the part that contains the uefi settings has some stuck bits that cause the settings checksum to be calculated wrongly each boot,
the only fix would be to actually replace the eeprom with a fully working one,
or hope for a bios which places the uefi settings in a different memory area of the eeprom. (not that likely to happen though)

Thank you! That is the way in which I am thinking as well. But due to lack od experience I am trying to co firm that before I get the chip and replace it. I have a scrap board which I will use to train my hot-air skill before. I think you are right. It confirms what I have found elsewhere.

EDIT: I have programmed a new chip, desoldered the old one a put there the new one. But no change - the board shows still the same fault.
In case there is a cmos in the chipset, I am affraid the chipset is damaged.
The clock and date are ok, but on every post ist says that settings is in dafault and press F1...
I have checked the battery circuit. It goes through a diod and some resistors up to one pin under the chipset and there is 1.5-1.6V. Which is probably Ok for such a "modern" board.
😓
Sad story. Is there anything more to try?

Have you tried the board outside of a case to eliminate the possibility of unintentional ground(s)?

In the data/address lines of the BIOS chip there are often resistors (10-15Ohm). I had some cases where someone thought he could "hotflash" the chip, but burned some of the resistors in the process.
So maybe you should check the area around the BIOS carefully and test the resistors.

The memory is inside the Southbridge chip, as far as I remember on the last boards I tested there was 3V going to the chip. Do you have a datasheet?

One schematic of the ver 3.1, https://howtofixlaptop.com/msi-970a-g43-ms-76 … -3-1-boardview/
And Boardviewer, http://boardviewer.net/
Even if it's not the same version, it's something.

Repo Man11 wrote on 2022-07-03, 18:35:

Have you tried the board outside of a case to eliminate the possibility of unintentional ground(s)?

Yes I had. It is just a board on a wooden table. I have even tried another cpu and bunch of rams. But now I have got some schematics and good information from another forum, that my voltage drop is too high. My southbridge is getting 1.5V from the battery and 2.0V if PSU is running. The suspect is a diode in the battery circuit. It looks also the battery has a big drain (will see in a few days if battery is empty) It might be fixable...I am not givin up. ..

majestyk wrote on 2022-07-03, 19:01:

In the data/address lines of the BIOS chip there are often resistors (10-15Ohm). I had some cases where someone thought he could "hotflash" the chip, but burned some of the resistors in the process.
So maybe you should check the area around the BIOS carefully and test the resistors.

The memory is inside the Southbridge chip, as far as I remember on the last boards I tested there was 3V going to the chip. Do you have a datasheet?

Hallo and thank you. The bios chip is working, you can update the bios and it is doing what it should. But I am affraid the memory in the SB is zapped. 😓 I have got a schematics of the battery to cmos citcuit and invetigated the whole thing. I even tried to put there a new diod. During that process I have realized that once the circuit is open and the chipset VBAT pin is not noccected to the battery the voltage is OK. Up to the final 500ohm resistor right before the chipset. (which for sure I replaced as well) However once you solder the parts back and connect the voltage back to the SB chipset there is an extreme voltage drop. You have like 1.2-1.4V max...(I moved the 500ohm resistor to open the circuit and measured behind it. And yes - there is a full voltage, but once I moved it back - the current flows to the chipset with a huge drop).
I also measured the current in the circuit and it is "burning " like 0.11mA. The resistance from the VBAT chipset pin to GND is approx. 1,5kohms.
--
I have tried to check another bord of similar age (but Intel) - the circuit is pretty much the same - and the chipset is getting +~ 3.1V , the current so low that my meter is almost not able to show and the resistence of the chipset VBAT pin to GND is 10x higher, some megaohm range.
-
I know it is not the same board but I think there is a partial short / damge in my SB and the cmos memory is zapped 😰
What do you think? 😓