emachine T 2542 Imperial GV motherboard bios help

[xpdurmind]

I was helping a friend trouble shoot his daughter's computer which wasn't shutting down. To make a long story short, I finally sought help from emachine's live chat tech who directed me to the followig web site for upgrades. (http://emachine-upgraders.info/dir1/mot ... oads.shtml) He advised me to upgrade the bios using the 1st bios version listed on that webpage (sp23989.exe). I ran the exe file from windows per instructions. Upon reboot I went into CMOS and set up the default configurations)

Now the computer will not boot into windows. I get an HP logo ( Bios was for an hp machine...Duh..) I cleared the CMOS by taking out out the batter for 3 hours as the tech suggested. No joy. Cmos does recognize the hardware ( cd/hd/floppy)


As I said this is a Trigem Imperial GV motherboard with an Intel 82845GL Chipset an 2.5 Gig Celeron processor. I did not write the bios version, but I remember it was a phoenix Bios.

Is the system repairable? or do I need to fork over $200 to have best buy repair or replace the motherboard. I'm experienced when it comes to windows issues, but a novice when it comes to Bios. I should have known better than to go against my logic and follow the tech's advice.

I tried searching for a bios for an Imperial GV motherbord, but haven't been able to locate one. emachine tech will not help or supply the original Bios.

Would loading the operating system make it bootable.?I tried booting from a windows xp cd. It looks like It would let me format the hard disk. I just don't want to do it if it will not help.

I'm desparate at this point. I already spent over 2 weeks troubleshooting this cursed computer and it now looks like I will be paying for my good deed in trying to help a friend.

Help

[KachiWachi]

Did you save a copy of the old BIOS so that you can flash back?

If you can get into the BIOS options, there *must* be something you can do to see what is causing the hang.

Try going into "diagnostic mode" (turn off the HP boot logo) and see if you get any more information on where the BIOS is hanging during boot.

[tomw]

If it will 'let you format the HD', then it has recognized all the parts... or a bunch of them. I would suggest going into the BIOS settings when the machine starts to boot, and loading the optimized(not) settings. This is a base set of settings that should work enough to get your machine up. It is not really optimized at all, and chooses the slowest and most conservative of settings.
I would also check that it has recognized your HD. If it picks the wrong geometry of Heads, cylinders, sectors, it will not be able to find the information it needs to boot from the HD.
Have you tried booting from floppy? If you could do that it would insure that the computer is actually functional, and you are beyond a BIOS problem.
tom

[xpdurmind]

1. Kachi, regrettably I didn't save a copy of the old Bios. I can get in CMOS. Is that what you mean by Bios options? and how do I get into the diagnostic mode? I don't see anty options. It will not go to DOS. It goes into a blank screen after the hp logo.

2.tomw, I tried changing the different opyions in CMOS. No joy. It recognizes the hd, but the heads and sectors? I see no options.

[KachiWachi]

Turning off the HP Logo shows a "normal" diagnostic screen during boot (memory test, HD detection, etc...).

Just hunt around in the BIOS for the option to turn off the startup logo, set diagnostic mode, or something similar.

Trying to boot from a test floppy (DOS) is a good idea as well, as tomw mentioned in his response.

Note that the site the tech sent you to for the BIOS is an "unofficial" support site.
I'm surprised he sent you there at all.

[xpdurmind]

Thanks for the help guys. I was able to reformat and everything looks fine. I'm guessing that the Imperial GLVE and the Imperial GV motherboards use the same bios code with the exception of the hp logo and different CMOS settings. Why else would it be operable?

Man...I went through all this misery because I was trying to avoid reformatting! The shutdown problem must've been windows related since it has disappeared.

I was able to turn off the hp logo by enabling the diagnostic boot screen in CMOS as Kachi suggested.

I was surprised the emachines tech suggested that site, but I guess I left him no options because I had already tried everything he had suggested.

Wow....What a relief....Thanks again guys...

[bbally]

FYI:

Had the same problem. You can go into the bios under advanced, change the drive read from DOS to Other and it will solve the problem with the harddrive not booting.