First post, by BoraxMan
Attached is an image of a motherboard I have which will not start at all.
With a known good video card, power supply, monitor, pc speaker, keyboard, CPU and RAM attached, the following happens. Upon powerup the LEDs on the keyboard briefly flash on, then nothing. No image is obtained on the monitor. If I have an invalid RAM configuration (less than 4x30pin RAM sticks, no RAM), the motherboard emits repeated long beeps continuously, which is this BIOS's way of signalling invalid memory. Note that the picture depicts the motherboard with BOTH the 30pin and 72pin sticks,but I have tried without the 72pin stick and just the 4x30mm. If left on, the CPU warms up. The board is not completely dead.
I have tried switching jumpers around, and tried a different CPU. I know for a fact, through testing on a different motherboard, that the Video Card the RAM and the CPU works, as well as the monitor. The last time I used the board was nearly 20 years ago, where it did work, and it has been stored in a box since then. There appears to be no damage, no corrosion and the barrel battery appears intact. I have left the motherboard on for about an hour to try and charge the battery, but it made no difference.
The only thing I can do to make a difference is take the RAM out, or have anything other than the 4 x 30 RAM configure, where it beeps at me.
I suspect the problem may be the barrel battery powering the CMOS being flat or dead, which apparently can result in boards not booting at all? I don't have any POST diagnosis card and I would have thought a flat battery would just result in a loss of CMOS settings, not a failure to boot.
Also note that I don't have a manual for this board, and can't find one online either.
I'm seeking advice for what my next course of action should be. I'm guessing it would be to replace the battery, but I'm not quite sure how to do that. Would that involve attaching a battery pack to the 4 pins next to the barrel battery?
Any advice appreciated.
Any advice appreciated.
