So you can get into the BIOS, but once you're in, you can't navigate in it? If arrow keys aren't working, maybe try a PS2 keyboard instead of USB.

The Microsoft Internet keyboard IS USB, that's what's confusing me.

Postiave wrote:

The Microsoft Internet keyboard IS USB, that's what's confusing me.

No. I said try a PS2 keyboard INSTEAD of a USB keyboard.

Dang, I'm tired. I meant PS2. The keyboard I'm using is PS2.
I've tried using a cheap USB keyboard too.

Sometimes when you have an error, like the notification that the CMOS has been cleared but you already hit the regular button to go into the BIOS, it is stuck like you describe. In this case don't hit the key to enter the BIOS, allow the message to appear and press whatever button it says to enter the BIOS.

May not be your problem but I have hit this once or twice.

As far as I knew, this Motherboard's way of resetting the CMOS was changing a jumper, and turning the system on, then turning it off.
When I reset the CMOS, I did this, waited 30 seconds (There was no display input) and then turned it off. Turned it back on, and the date was reset. June 2001 or something like that. No messages when turning on the system.

My problem is that I get no errors, I just can't do anything inside the BIOS. I have no idea what's up.

Does VOGONS support linking videos? I can link to a video of what my system does tomorrow.

On JP26, is there a jumper between pins 1 and 2?

I've got it on safe mode (2-3), it does the same thing even in normal mode (1-2).

It probably locks up as it hits the bios, you can't even get out of the bios right?. Could be due to a memory problem or psu, try replacing them first and reseat every card making sure the connectors are clean as well.
Also reseat the cpu.

Do you have any other PS2 keyboards you could try? Maybe there is a stuck key or there is some key buffering issue. I second meljor's suggestions: change/reseat ram, cpu, and even cmos battery on mobo.

GA-6WMM7... that brings back memories. Generally pretty solid board, albeit with the bad performance inherent in the i810's shared memory architecture. Some boards actually had 4MB of onboard display buffer to solve that, but they were rare.

As for issues... two spring to mind.

First off, it's a turn-of-the-millennium board, so check for capacitor plague.
Secondly, sometimes the NVRAM could get itself into a rut. Whay you can try is an ESCD reset, so unplug the system from mains and keep the power button pressed for ~10 sec. Then connect power again and see if that helped.

Oh, and keep JP23 on normal mode.

Failing that, try being creative: what device does it try to boot off? What happens if you put a bootable medium there (i.e. a HDD with DOS on it)?

The capacitors are seemingly all good. I dug out an old 3.5 inch floppy drive, and I'm gonna mess with that for a while.
There might be a possibility that the BIOS isn't supporting the keyboard because of all of the extra stuff on there (hotkeys, function keys? and whatnot),
so I've ordered a cheap basic PS/2 keyboard.
Hopefully when it comes, I can see if it's the keyboard, or the BIOS.

There shouldn't be any issue with newer (relatively) PS2 keyboards. The bus is the same as it has been since the AT days. Just new scan codes for the keys that didn't exist back then. Maybe there's a key stuck, like CTRL or something? That could be changing how the BIOS interprets the keys you're pressing to navigate. My local thrift shops often have a stack of keyboards that are priced at "somebody please take these" and ninety-nine cents. Might help to rule out the KB.

I have a couple Asus boards that play dead when the CMOS battery fails. You said you replaced the battery.. is the replacement new, decent quality, and does it measure a little over 3V? Just asking because some of those dollar-store batteries have arrived DOA in my experience.

PS2 Keyboard came, I then realised it's a USB keyboard. Nice.

Just bought a USB to PS2 adaptor, that might work.

Postiave wrote:

As far as I knew, this Motherboard's way of resetting the CMOS was changing a jumper, and turning the system on, then turning it off.

And then you changed the jumper back? (Not that it should really affect navigating the BIOS settings, but...)

Yeah, then I changed it back here's the board.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I have the same board in a Packard Bell iConnect that I picked up recently and its exhibiting strange behaviour like only booting with the jumper in "safe" mode (there's a jumper for normal/save/recovery). I was wondering if you happen to have come across the latest BIOS for this board I can try flashing it?

LieboOSBA wrote on 2022-05-14, 17:49:

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I have the same board in a Packard Bell iConnect that I picked up recently and its exhibiting strange behaviour like only booting with the jumper in "safe" mode (there's a jumper for normal/save/recovery). I was wondering if you happen to have come across the latest BIOS for this board I can try flashing it?

Is this your baord? - http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/mb/houston4.htm - if so this seems to be listed as a BIOS update (tho you don't say which version you're currently running) - https://www.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php … 42bd4ddac49ae72