MSI KT4SR-Ultra (MS6590) Boot problem

[Senator_ACE]

If I cold boot after 15/20 minutes everything boots fine. If I boot after leaving it overnight the system doesn't boot, it runs all the fans etc, makes multiple bleeps and doesn't activate the monitor. Pressing reset at this point boots the machine smoothly.
This problem is mentioned in the article -http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/set/advDelay-c.html
regarding "power on delay", But the KT4 doesn't have that facility in its Bios. Any suggestions ? or do I have another fault. I've even changed the PSU from 350w to 550w thinking that could be the problem.

System : - KT4SR mobo, XP2200+, 80&30GB HD's, 512MB 400DDR PC3200, CDRW & CD. W2kSP3.

[Budfred]

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

If you are getting a number of beeps with no boot, it indicates a POST problem. You need to figure out the BIOS on your mobo and find out what the beep codes mean. I am guessing a RAM problem, but you need to check to be sure. You can find out about the codes here:

http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/index-i.htm

Budfred

[Senator_ACE]

I've installed the diagnostic D-Bracket2 that came with the Motherboard and the diagnostic LED's on the bracket when the computer bleeps show as "Assign resources to all ISA". (According to the user guide). Again the bios has no setting for ISA & the MSI user guide gives no more information.
I will power down and leave the machine for a few hours and find out what the bleeps mean and post the results here.

I built this system from scratch to go around a Radeon 9700pro. I changed the new 350w PSU that came with a new case to 550w thinking it was a power problem. It wasn't !

Regards
Tony

[gwallen4]

It does sound like the HD doesn't have time to spin up before being read. Apparently it spins up faster if it is warm (shut down for less than 15 min.).

Instead of a power on delay, you could try to delay the HD read by other means:

1) Disable the Quick power on self test (POST) if it is enabled.
2) Set bios to boot from floppy first, HD second.
3) Enable Floppy Drive seek in Bios
4) Hit the power switch first then 2-3 seconds later hit the reset button.

[Senator_ACE]

Before shutting down lasr night I disabled "quick boot" in the bios, I presume that would be the same as quick POST, I still had the same problem this morning. I will try the other settings gwallen4 suggested and let you know.

The Bleeps - I get two bleeps then eight bleeps & then an headache.

Tony

[Whyzman]

Pretty sure it's an AMI BIOS (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/ami.htm)

[jimmyca69]

if none of gwallen's ideas work out - you could try booting the machine with just the bare minimum- mobo, cpu, memory and video card and see how the boot works out then.

If its still giving the same problems then its definately a post problem rather than a hd problem.

You need to start eliminating possible problems to narrow it down.

Have you contacted msi support about the beep code? i had a quick look on their website and their manual as i have the mobo and couldnt find any more info. But their support is usually good.

[Senator_ACE]

It is an AMI Bios and the bleeps suggest a video memory read/write failure. I've just posted on MSI forum for more information.
The only thing I can't test is the video card, I don't have a spare and the Motherboard doesn't have an onboard one.

The only item to work from gwallen4's post was number 4. The rest didn't make any difference.

Before I take the Radeon back to the shop, could I have not set something correctly in the bios. The Sapphire manual only has 4 pages in English and they only cover removing the old card & installing the new card. No technical help in the book at all.

[jimmyca69]

does your video card support AGP Fast write? is it enabled in the bios?

what are your bios settings for the agp timing control options?

[Whyzman]

I would suggest that you barebones test the system. Strip it back to the basics...Monitor, Keyboard, RAM, Video...and see if you can make it through POST. Do this outside of the case on a non-conductive surface, e.g., cardboard on a table.

If you make it through...add the Floppy and reboot...adding one component at a time until you hit a snag....

[Senator_ACE]

Are you ready for all this :eek: .This is how the main items are setup in the bios. All other things in the bios are either auto or default etc.

Quick boot = disabled
SMART for HD = Enabled
FD seek = Enabled
Primary display = VGA/EGA
Internal cache = writeback
system bios cacheable = enabled
c000,32k = cached
APIC function = enabled
MPS table = 1.4
Configure SDRAM timing by = SPD
SDRAM CAS# = Auto
Row Precharge = Auto
RAS pulse width = auto
RAS to CAS = Auto
Bank interleave = auto
DDR DQS input delay = auto
SDRAM burst lenght = 8QW
SDRAM 1T Command = disabled
Fast command = normal
Fast R2R turnaround = disable
AGP Mode = auto (but i've set this to 4x via DX9 & CAS3)
AGP Fastwrite = disable
AGP aperture = 256MB
AGP master 1 w/s write = disable
AGP master 1 w/s read = disable
AGP read synch = disable
PCI delay transition = enabled
primary graphics adaptor = AGP
PCI latency timer = 32



:rolleyes: I hope the above means something to someone. A description of the system spec is in my profile.

Tony

[Senator_ACE]

sorry whyzman, you posted as I was typing all that lot. I'll try that next.
Thanks

[Whyzman]

I'd also reload the BIOS defaults...before the barebones testing...

[BigBlue66]

Try setting the AGP Aperture to 128mb. You don't really have enough physical RAM to run at 256.

[gwallen4]

The following is quoted from the PC Guide. I don't think there is really anything wrong with your system except that your boot is so fast that the boot HD doesn't have time to spin up and complete its diagnostics.

What kind of boot hard disk do you have?

I don't think it will hurt your system to boot by turning the system on then pressing the reset button. Or you could probably replace the HD with something faster and eliminate the problem.

____________________
Quote:

"The system hangs up while trying to boot the hard disk when it is first booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm reset

Explanation: The system will only boot the hard disk after a warm reset is performed when it is powered on for the first time. It will not boot the first time that the power is turned on.

Diagnosis: There are many possible reasons for a hard disk that fails to boot. If a warm reset consistently fixes the problem, however, then this implies that the system is trying to boot the hard disk before it is ready to operate. It takes several seconds for hard disks to come up to speed when they are first turned on, since they must spin up to speed, and then several internal calibrations and tests are often performed. Older BIOSes took thirty seconds or more to complete their power-on tests and boot the operating system, but newer ones can do this in ten seconds or less. Some of these BIOSes are smart enough to wait for the hard disk to signal that it is ready and then will boot, but older ones may hang up.

Recommendation:

Some systems have a BIOS setting to allow you to delay the booting of the hard disk by several seconds to alleviate this problem. If you have a boot delay setting then enable it and see if that fixes the problem.
Use other BIOS settings to make the initial boot-up take longer. For example, many BIOSes have a "Quick Boot" setting that speeds up the boot process by skipping some of the power-on tests. Disabling this will make the bootup take longer. Enabling "Floppy Drive Seek" will also cause the boot to take a few seconds longer. There may be other options as well, depending on your system.
If an upgrade is available, you may want to consider upgrading your system BIOS.
There could be a different cause of this problem; troubleshoot the hard disk here.
Replace the hard disk with another model that comes up to speed more quickly.
The system hangs up while trying to boot the hard disk when it is first booted after turning it on, but will boot after a warm reset

[Senator_ACE]

Gwallen4 -
The boot HD is a new 80GB IBM deskstar 7200 rpm.

Your info is very informative and it sounds as though I'll have to put up with pressing the reset button during boot.
I'm stripping the thing down at weekend to barebones to see if that sheds any light.
As you can see from the bios settings i can't slow boot down much more.

Thanks for the info
Tony