FIC VA503+ m/b woes. It won't work

[capsndave]

I have an FIC VA503+ which I bought cheap with some acknowledged boot problems.

I was told that it had a bad flash, but I'm not so sure (although I haven't experienced a bad flash).

The m/b behaved as follows. - I used an ISA video card.

It would boot and do a memory check, regognise the processer, recognise the hard disk, indicating model No. and do a seek test on the a:\ drive.

Then it would stop and report a 'keyboard error or no keyboard' and ask to press F1 to continue. It would also report a CMOS check sum error.

Then that was it, nothing at all. The keyboard would not react and of course I could not press F1 to continue or enter the bios.

It was noteable that the lights on the keyboard didn't flash and light up either.

I was hoping that I would at least be able to do a boot block flash automatically from the A:\drive, but because it faied at the keyboard check I couldn't take it any further.

It was clear the bios had been updated as it was showing a date for the very latest version. But would a bad flash have this effect on the keyboard?

Surely the bios was accessing the boot block to recognise certain components, but why would it not see the keyboard?

Do you think there may be a power supply problem on the board?

Also what I did notice when I was tinkering, was that the board didn't always boot at all and I would have to turn it on and off several times for it to power up and see the boot messages. I only had it fixed the the case panel with a few plastic studs at time.

Since securing it properly with the brass mounting screws it doesn't power up at all!

I was trawling the site for similar experiences and I read of some key who's k/b failed probably because he'd pluged/ unplugged it whilst the PC was on.

Could this be a problem from the previous owner?

Any speculation or opinions would be very welcome.


Thanks and regards

Capsndave

[danleff]

Hi;

Could be a motherboard short, or inadequate power supply.

I am not familiar with this board, but, what wattage power supply do you have? what processor?

I would remount the board with only the plastic stand-offs and forget the screws, if possible. If you did not properly insulate the board with insulated washers under the screws and under the board, you could have a short problem, that might explain the intermediate power problems.

Then, see if you get a post. If not, try clearing the cmos, per the manual instructions. If you don't have the manual, go to the product web site to get an online manual. It is possible that it has a bad flash, but you will need to post properly in order to re-flash the bios.

Of course, do you have a working keyboard that has worked on another machine?

[ranchdog]

Capsndave-- Welcome to PC Guide-- If memory serves me correct here you are dealing with a Socket 7 Mboard. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone has flashed the BIOS chip with an incorrect BIOS. Replacements are available and/or that chip can be re-programmed by those who are in the business. However, I don't remember if that chip is the plug-in type or the soldered-in type. When a BIOS flash is done incorrectly, man you are dead in the water. Especially if the "old" BIOS wasn't downloaded to a floppy prior to the flashing operation. Luck.

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......Indecision may or may not be my problem......

[This message has been edited by ranchdog (edited 08-04-2001).]

[capsndave]

Thanks Danleff and Ranchdog,

I was clutching a straws a little when I possed the problem and you've both confimed my own conclusions. In addition to the bios thing, it also seems to have a problem with on-board power, which I can't work out why and it's now as dead as a dodo. Keyboard's fine, no shorts and the bios is soldered to the board. My feeling is that the power supply problem was disabling the keyboard and this just spread to the rest of the board.

I think this is one I'll have to asign to the scrap heap!

Thanks again

Dave

[capsndave]

Thanks Danleff and Ranchdog,

I was clutching a straws a little when I possed the problem and you've both confimed my own conclusions. In addition to the bios thing, it also seems to have a problem with on-board power, which I can't work out why and it's now as dead as a dodo. Keyboard's fine, no shorts and the bios is soldered to the board. My feeling is that the power supply problem was disabling the keyboard and this just spread to the rest of the board.

I think this is one I'll have to asign to the scrap heap!

Thanks again

Dave

[capsndave]

Thanks Danleff and Ranchdog,

I was clutching a straws a little when I possed the problem and you've both confimed my own conclusions. In addition to the bios thing, it also seems to have a problem with on-board power, which I can't work out why and it's now as dead as a dodo. Keyboard's fine, no shorts and the bios is soldered to the board. My feeling is that the power supply problem was disabling the keyboard and this just spread to the rest of the board.

I think this is one I'll have to asign to the scrap heap!

Thanks again

Dave