Alarm goes off when trying to install Windows

[chrigil]

I am trying to install a demo copy of Windows 2003 Server but whenever I reach the point where the setup finishes loading the initial files, just before you get the 'Press F8 to agree to the licence' screen the computer instantly shuts down and a two-tone alarm sound is emitted from the motherboard. I've tried installing Windows XP Pro instead in case it was the CD/Demo Version to blame and it still does the same.

I then downloaded the free version of KillDisk to perform a low level format and that hasn't helped either.

Any ideas?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[chrigil]

I've just tried again but with a different HDD because I thought that it must be a Motherboard issue and it has done exactly the same. Sure enough it go to the same place in the setup and the alarm started.

I'm wondering if it is some sort of built in protection to stop this happening by accident or something similar. There is no password on the Mobo so I can't see how I would change it?

The mobo is an Abit KD7A.

Any ideas?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[G0AOZ]

Could be you have the "virus warning" setting in the BIOS enabled...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Chrigil:

Please tell me: What is the BIOS manufacturer for the motherboard? Award, AMI, Phoenix or some other? It may show on the monitor during the boot process.

Regards,
Doc

======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[chrigil]

It says Phoenix AwardBIOS in the top left of the screen.

The user manual talks about a Virus Warning facility to prevent anything from writing/erasing the boot sector. I may have enabled this when i built the system (i can't remember to be honest) but in the actual BIOS there is no menu item called Virus Warning.

Would clearing the CMOS help? I don't know what this is exactly but the manual seems to suggest it for a lot of problems. Is there anyway I can reset the BIOS perhaps?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[pcdoc4christ]

OK. How many beeps did you hear. You said there were two, but after the first two, how many beeps were there?

======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[chrigil]

It just keeps beeping. One low pitch followed by one high pitch and doesn't stop.

Anyway I cleared the CMOS and it seems to have done the job. When i rebooted after clearing the CMOS i got a 'CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded' message but then I continued and tried installing Windows and it seems to be working ok as I type.

How would I resolve the CMOS error message? Do I need to update the BIOS or something?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[chrigil]

I spoke too soon.

The installation got half way through and the same happened. I then restarted it and it happened again but at exactly the point in the install. The point at which the Network stuff is installed.

Any ideas?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[micker377]

Default" is probably protection on. In BIOS setup, on one of the screens, it will say something about "onboard virus protection" and you are given a choice of "on/off".

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Chris:

No, this is normal. When you cleared the CMOS settings, the BIOS recognized the change & gave you an error message to let you know that it was loading the default settings (which is exactly what you wanted it to do).

The reasons for having this error message at all are two:

(1) Unexpected changes back to the default settings may mean your motherboard battery needs to be replaced.
(2) Worse yet, an unexpected change in the CMOS settings may be the malicious work of a computer virus.

Here are a few links with more info on the CMOS Checksum Error:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000237.htm

http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/booterrGBER08-c.html

http://www.phoenix.com/en/Customer+Services/BIOS/AwardBIOS/Award+Error+Codes.htm

In your case, the change was one you initiated, so not to worry!

Regards,
Doc






======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Chris:

Micker & Goaoz make a good point. If virus protection is enabled in the CMOS settings of the BIOS, it will see the installation as a threat & stop the changes the OS is trying to make.

See if you can access the CMOS settings & disable the virus protection. Since you have a Phoenix BIOS, you will have to try each of these key combinations till you find the one that will work:

* CRTL+ALT+ESC
* CRTL+ALT+F1
* CRTL+ALT+S
* CRTL+ALT+Enter
* CRTL+ALT+F11
* CRTL+ALT+Ins

Good luck!
Doc

======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com

 

[chrigil]

Thanks for the help.

I will try changing the Virus Warning to off but when I go into the BIOS there is no option to set it to off. It seems that when you set it to on the whole option disappears not allowing you to turn it off.

Doc, when you suggest those key combos are they to enter the BIOS or for something else? I press DEL to enter the BIOS, do I then use one of the key combos to enter the CMOS or are the two things the same?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[pcdoc4christ]

Chris:

No, my mistake. I forgot that i may have heard somewhere that Award purchased Phoenix (or was it the other way around?) The key combinations were the ones Phoenix required before the hostile takeover. I'm not much of a Wall Street watcher, so it slipped my mind. For your system, pressing the Del key is what is required.

Now as for the virus protection settin, i'm puzzled as to how there is no menu option in the CMOS. The fact that the motherboard manual makes a reference to it makes me more certain that the BIOS thinks the Windows setup is a hostile boot sector virus & stops the installation from completing successfully.

Does the motherboard user manual state that the default setting for the virus protection is ON or OFF? If OFF, then setting the CMOS to the defaults may do the trick. Also, have you ever flashed the BIOS?

Doc




======================================

"Freely you have received, freely give." --Jesus

pcdoc4christ@yahoo.com