BIOS settings for the 2008 CS

[solidwalnut]

Hi Matt--

Thanks for posting the latest BIOS settings in the Knowledge Base. Would you please help me understand your method of posting this info? What I mean is (here is the link to the post (http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ts/detail.php?Index=32933&Keyword=32933)) you say that the post only outlines the changes, and if you have a question as to other setting that may have changed to go ahead and load the defaults.

Are you saying that SW has created a custom BIOS, or are you saying that these changes listed are the only SW optimized settings needed? For example, I know that the CPU Q fan control is defaulted to be disabled, and I know that SW techs set up the machines to enable this feature.

Not trying to be difficult! I'm just not a BIOS savvy individual and I was wondering if either you could post a list of all the changes that SW has made to the BIOS or just say that loading the default values are sufficient.

Thanks!

Steve

[Justin]

I belive it means those are the relevant settings that we my have customized.
(we don't have the means to make a custom BIOS)

[solidwalnut]

I belive it means those are the relevant settings that we my have customized.
(we don't have the means to make a custom BIOS)

Thanks Justin.

Ok, let me ask the question this way: What ARE the bios settings when a CS Tower is set up for 2008 (Asus P5k SE/EPU mb). I still have a problem where the bios dumps every once in a while.

Thanks,

Steve

[Justin]

You'd have to get with my tech support team to get the current list.
Though it shouldn't be doing what you describe. You may have a bad BIOS battery where it's not holding enough charge to retain settings.
Call 1.800.222.4700 x 6400 and talk to one of our techs, they can help you figure out what the next step is to get it fixed for you.

[tech1]

What is posted are the changes we make to the factory, manufacturer-set BIOS. If it is restting at random, you probably have a bad battery, inconsistent power, or bad RAM. Try a more stable power source, a replacement battery, and this test to check RAM: http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ts/detail.php?Index=30988&Keyword=memtest

[solidwalnut]

What is posted are the changes we make to the factory, manufacturer-set BIOS. If it is restting at random, you probably have a bad battery, inconsistent power, or bad RAM. Try a more stable power source, a replacement battery, and this test to check RAM: http://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/ts/detail.php?Index=30988&Keyword=memtest

Thanks Matt and Justin--

Ok.

Maybe the resolution of this might be better over the phone, but let's see if it can stay simple and give it a shot in the forum first.

I've already replaced the battery, already replaced the RAM (that doesn't mean that there's something wrong with THIS batch!).

Inconsistent power...hmmm, very interesting. One would think that since mb's sit on the shelf and the disc batteries are supposedly good up to 3 years that inconsistent power wouldn't make any difference. But learn me! I obviously don't know enough in this department!

But this is what I can tell you: when I set up this PC, I decided to run the power through the studio power conditioner, and the power conditioner gets shut off after the computer is shut down.

I guess you'd think that would be ok to do.

But maybe not? What I've done is to experiment. Right now I've left ac power on to the computer over the last several days. The bios has not reset since that time.

If that's the case, why does power need to be always supplied to the mb to retain the bios settings when that's the job of the battery?

Thanks,

Steve

[Justin]

Sounds like the battery is not working.
So...first, did you replace it with a new battery? (did we send one to you)
Maybe the battery was old or depleted.
Is the battery in the right direction?

I'd say we probably better get you connected with Matt or one of the other techs on the phone.

[solidwalnut]

Sounds like the battery is not working.
So...first, did you replace it with a new battery? (did we send one to you)
Maybe the battery was old or depleted.
Is the battery in the right direction?

I'd say we probably better get you connected with Matt or one of the other techs on the phone.

Well, I guess we're supposed to trust that the battery coming out of the package is good, ha! I'll check to make sure. I just replaced it myself for a buck 65.

I don't mind getting on the phone---but the reason I wanted to discuss this in the forum was for the benefit of all. So...

Rule #1 in electronic troubleshooting: Always check the power supply. I broke that rule right now by not verifying that the battery I replaced indeed worked. I'll do that.

Now let's assume that the battery is good. What would cause the bios to be intermittent? The IC (integrated circuit) itself? Bad or drained battery if no power to the mb? I know, sometimes there is no answer. Sometimes you just replace the mb and move on from there. But if there's any bit of wisdom to pass on, please do that.

Thanks,

Steve

[Justin]

If the battery isn't bad, then I'd suspect some sort of flaw in the motherboard, possibly a bad component between the battery and BIOS chip or a bad BIOS.

Part of our quality control check before Creation Stations leave here is that the machine is a burn-in test under load and later put through multiple boot & power cycles. We do this to weed out any potential defective components before they can ship to a customer. Your machine passed our QC before it left, so if there is a problem with the motherboard, then something must have failed during shipping.

Let's get you with tech support and we'll get their expert diagnosis, and we'll get you covered under warranty.

[solidwalnut]

If the battery isn't bad, then I'd suspect some sort of flaw in the motherboard, possibly a bad component between the battery and BIOS chip or a bad BIOS.

Part of our quality control check before Creation Stations leave here is that the machine is a burn-in test under load and later put through multiple boot & power cycles. We do this to weed out any potential defective components before they can ship to a customer. Your machine passed our QC before it left, so if there is a problem with the motherboard, then something must have failed during shipping.

Let's get you with tech support and we'll get their expert diagnosis, and we'll get you covered under warranty.

Thank you Justin. Yes, if there is a problem I will definitely do that. I have one more question (sorry, I've been an electronic tech my whole life. If this question is answered in the affirmative then I won't waste tech support time):


...Your machine passed our QC before it left, so if there is a problem with the motherboard, then something must have failed during shipping.

My current CS is a replacement and both of them randomly reset the bios. Please answer this: Assuming a good battery, does the power supply need to be supplying power to the mb at all times in order to keep the bios set?

Does your burn-cycle include removing power to the mb?

I'm not trying to be difficult, I just thought that the answer to this would be important to all users and should be addressed in the forum.

I've connected my CS to a power filter and I need to know if the CS supply needs AC power at all times.

Thanks,

Steve

[Justin]

No, it should not need constant power. Obviously if you go for an extended length of time the BIOS battery will deplete...but it should not happen this fast.
If you're having the same problem on multiple machines, then I'm wondering if there is an other issue or another piece of hardware attached that might be contributing to the problem.

[solidwalnut]

No, it should not need constant power. Obviously if you go for an extended length of time the BIOS battery will deplete...but it should not happen this fast.
If you're having the same problem on multiple machines, then I'm wondering if there is an other issue or another piece of hardware attached that might be contributing to the problem.

...or possibly a bad run of bios IC's on the mb. I guess I wonder if anyone else has been reporting this problem?

Anyway, expert I'm not but I talked with an expert here at work who says that the battery is only responsible for keeping up the date/time clock and the bios EPROM IC is responsible for the settings.

I'll get with tech support. Thanks Justin.

Steve

[TBaker]

CS XT Rack. I may be having a similar problem. I am running the mem test right now, but When I tried to boot this morning, I got a long beep followed by 3 short ones. I unplugged it, popped open the top. Then I jiggled the cmos battery, removed and reinserted the ram (4gig) and then it booted up. I'm skittish about it. I'll replace the cmos batt tonight (if the memtest is clear, then see what happens.

[Justin]

That seems like a different problem.
The symptoms aren't the same, also the Rack XT is built on a different motherboard.

I'm not sure what that beep code is, but my tech support team might.
I'd suspect a badly seated RAM stick, which reseating may have fixed.

Go ahead and run memtest a few times and if the problem happens again, get in touch with tech support. Thanks!