When I switch the computer on, if im lucky, it will tell me the processor speed amount of ram, etc. (sometimes the screen just turns blank before this stage.) Then it displays an error explaining there is a drive A:\ problem; however the computer in question is a server without a floppy drive. If I leave the computer to boot up, the screen just turns blank and won’t actually boot up. I have discovered that the bios must be resetting its self because the bios settings are default every time I access them.

I’ve never had this problem before. What’s going on here? And how can it be fixed?

Cheers

P.S. i need a solution fast, downtime is expensive.

A. If your BIOS is not holding custom settings, it's probably time to change the CMOS battery. A good indication (although not the only one) that your CMOS battery has died is that the computer will not retain the correct date and time.

B. Most BIOSes have an option to turn off floppy drive detection at boot-up and/or disable the floppy drive entirely. Systems usually will barf errors if the floppy is enabled in the BIOS but no floppy drive is installed.

Given that you say the BIOS is constantly reverting to default settings, problem B is most likely related to problem A. A new CMOS battery only cost a few bucks; try replacing that first and see what happens.

I agree that the cmos battery is probably your problem.

You might try this until you can get your new battery.

Power up but go right into cmos setup...

Correct your settings then save on exit but do not turn the machine off...

It should boot into the system...

If the battery is shorted out or excessively corroded you can remove the battery and do these same steps.

The cmos will reset every time the power is turned off but at least you can keep working until you get a battery.

And also make sure your boot priority has not floppy drive in it..

I did assume it was the battery so it was the fist thing I checked. But it’s not the battery; I used a multi-meter to test it. I would ignore the floppy drive problem; I don’t think it has anything to do with it either.

Anything else I can try?

Cheers.

The server has been down for about a week now.

Does anyone, any where, know how i can fix it?

It could be...

Corrupt bios, flashed by virus

Damaged bios

Hidden corrosion at the battery socket

Once you have tried the basic.. pull everything except the video card test you could try to flash the bios...

Since downtime is expensive and motherboards are cheap by comparison...
Swap it out...

Its not cheap if your a student with no money... Im gonna have a play around tonight and see what i can do.

I have got an old motherboard i could use, but i think its a socket 737, and i havent got any 737 processors. (god damn it)

cheers

Althought the battery may be good, you should be aware that getting a good voltage reading with a meter isn't a very reliable test of that.

Meters are fairly sensitive, and even extremely weak batteries will still have enough juice left in them to give you a good voltage reading on a meter. However, such a reading doesn't prove the batteriy's ability to supply sufficient current under a real-world load. Given that a new CMOS battery will only cost you a few bucks, it's probably worth trying a new one before you spend more time and money on the other options.

i agree with DMR it is a "little" cheaper to try out a new battery rather a whole new component.