Loose or failing video card

You're right: i put the card in another slot and it did output the CMOS battery message again. But only once -- after switching power off back to no signal and no beeps either. I will wait for that keyboard adapter, I guess.
Thanks!

Back to the colledge, I was taught that different BIOS beep code could have different meaning. During the following decades, I learned sometime different BIOS supplier defines different meaning even the beep sounds the same.

Then I post this address, hope that will help you. Good luck.
https://www.computerhope.com/beep.htm

Well, the first reply was correct off the bat, but thanks for what may be handy later.

After reseating one of the ram sticks, BIOS is posting consistently, so I guess things are starting to clear up and it actually looks like I had more memory than I thought. While I wait for that keyboard adapter, what does it want in terms of display settings (Acer AL1716)?

Not sure what you are getting at. With traditional VGA modes like 720x400 text mode, 320x200 graphics mode, and 640x480 graphics mode, it's the monitor's job to just deal with it, there is generally no ability to custom-tune things in software. Maybe with a card-specific program in DOS, but definitely not in the BIOS screen.

You should have an autoadjust feature on the monitor that will help align the text in-bounds. Sometimes if you go into a screen with a background color first (like bios setup or MSD) and then do it, it seems to be more accurate.

jakethompson1 wrote on 2025-05-06, 14:08:

Not sure what you are getting at. With traditional VGA modes like 720x400 text mode, 320x200 graphics mode, and 640x480 graphics mode, it's the monitor's job to just deal with it, there is generally no ability to custom-tune things in software. Maybe with a card-specific program in DOS, but definitely not in the BIOS screen.

You should have an autoadjust feature on the monitor that will help align the text in-bounds. Sometimes if you go into a screen with a background color first (like bios setup or MSD) and then do it, it seems to be more accurate.

I think I overthought this. Indeed, one of the indistinct buttons on the monitor is the autoadjust, which fixes the shift. On the BIOS side, the monitor related options are simply VGA/CGA, etc.

Speaking of the BIOS, even after adjusting time, it does not feel like booting. The only option is F1 to enter BIOS again.

multiplebaboons wrote on 2025-05-06, 18:32:

Speaking of the BIOS, even after adjusting time, it does not feel like booting. The only option is F1 to enter BIOS again.

That is because of the dead battery. You may be able to "exit without saving" and at least boot from a floppy and possibly CD-ROM, though if the hard drive doesn't autodetect or its settings get wiped from CMOS because of the dead battery, you won't be able to access C: unless you boot Linux (or anything else that doesn't care if the HDD is missing from CMOS).

jakethompson1 wrote on 2025-05-06, 19:50:

That is because of the dead battery. You may be able to "exit without saving" and at least boot from a floppy and possibly CD-ROM, though if the hard drive doesn't autodetect or its settings get wiped from CMOS because of the dead battery, you won't be able to access C: unless you boot Linux (or anything else that doesn't care if the HDD is missing from CMOS).

I am guessing the only proper solution here is to remove the mb and replace that clock chip. I wish that thing was socketed, damnit.