What's wrong with Acer's BIOS ?

Make: Acer
Model: Power SN, circa 1998
BIOS Version: 3.2
SMBios version: 2.1

Just updated the above machine from 192MB to 256MB, and when I reboot
it, the BIOS suddenly decided to play blind.

I had not done anything to the hard disk, nor the CDROM, but now,
according to the BIOS, they do NOT exist !

So I went back to the memory, downgrade it back to 192MB, with the
original memory modules.... Still... the bios plays blind !

HELP !

How to make the bios detect the drives ? I even tried it manually, but
all I got is the following:

"IDE Primary Channel Master Drive Error"
"Equipment COnfiguration Error"

In other words, the BIOS only see the floppy drive, and nothing else !

PLEASE HELP !

Thanks in advance !!

penang wrote in message
news:1178530267.349283.158170@y5g2000hsa.googlegro ups.com...
> Just updated the above machine from 192MB to 256MB, and when I reboot
> it, the BIOS suddenly decided to play blind.
> I had not done anything to the hard disk, nor the CDROM, but now,
> according to the BIOS, they do NOT exist !
> So I went back to the memory, downgrade it back to 192MB, with the
> original memory modules.... Still... the bios plays blind !
> How to make the bios detect the drives ? I even tried it manually, but
> all I got is the following:
> "IDE Primary Channel Master Drive Error"
> "Equipment COnfiguration Error"
> In other words, the BIOS only see the floppy drive, and nothing else !


So did you actually go back inside the box to check if you yanked on the
cables and need to reseat them? Did you reconnect them backwards?

Have you tried clearing the CMOS yet?

Next time take anti-static precautions. Just because you don't hear a
snap noise doesn't mean you didn't zap the parts with high enough
voltage.

On May 7, 9:20 pm, "Vanguard" <n...@mail.invalid> wrote:
> penang wrote in message
>
> news:1178530267.349283.158170@y5g2000hsa.googlegro ups.com...
>
> > Just updated the above machine from 192MB to 256MB, and when I reboot
> > it, the BIOS suddenly decided to play blind.
> > I had not done anything to the hard disk, nor the CDROM, but now,
> > according to the BIOS, they do NOT exist !
> > So I went back to the memory, downgrade it back to 192MB, with the
> > original memory modules.... Still... the bios plays blind !
> > How to make the bios detect the drives ? I even tried it manually, but
> > all I got is the following:
> > "IDE Primary Channel Master Drive Error"
> > "Equipment COnfiguration Error"
> > In other words, the BIOS only see the floppy drive, and nothing else !
>
> So did you actually go back inside the box to check if you yanked on the
> cables and need to reseat them? Did you reconnect them backwards?
>
> Have you tried clearing the CMOS yet?
>
> Next time take anti-static precautions. Just because you don't hear a
> snap noise doesn't mean you didn't zap the parts with high enough
> voltage.

How to "clear the CMOS" ?

<penang@catholic.org> wrote in message
news:1179401469.573374.223480@q75g2000hsh.googlegr oups.com...
> On May 7, 9:20 pm, "Vanguard" <n...@mail.invalid> wrote:
>> penang wrote in message
>>
>> news:1178530267.349283.158170@y5g2000hsa.googlegro ups.com...
>>
>> > Just updated the above machine from 192MB to 256MB, and when I reboot
>> > it, the BIOS suddenly decided to play blind.
>> > I had not done anything to the hard disk, nor the CDROM, but now,
>> > according to the BIOS, they do NOT exist !

Did you remove power from the power supply?

If the computer is only shut down and still plugged in, there is a good
chance that there is still power on the mainboard and you can do damage
installed parts where there is power.

penang@catholic.org wrote:
> On May 7, 9:20 pm, "Vanguard" <n...@mail.invalid> wrote:
>> penang wrote in message
>>
>> news:1178530267.349283.158170@y5g2000hsa.googlegro ups.com...
>>
>>> Just updated the above machine from 192MB to 256MB, and when I reboot
>>> it, the BIOS suddenly decided to play blind.
>>> I had not done anything to the hard disk, nor the CDROM, but now,
>>> according to the BIOS, they do NOT exist !
>>> So I went back to the memory, downgrade it back to 192MB, with the
>>> original memory modules.... Still... the bios plays blind !
>>> How to make the bios detect the drives ? I even tried it manually, but
>>> all I got is the following:
>>> "IDE Primary Channel Master Drive Error"
>>> "Equipment COnfiguration Error"
>>> In other words, the BIOS only see the floppy drive, and nothing else !
>> So did you actually go back inside the box to check if you yanked on the
>> cables and need to reseat them? Did you reconnect them backwards?
>>
>> Have you tried clearing the CMOS yet?
>>
>> Next time take anti-static precautions. Just because you don't hear a
>> snap noise doesn't mean you didn't zap the parts with high enough
>> voltage.
>
> How to "clear the CMOS" ?
>
>
Press cntrl-alt-esc while the system is first booting up. Then check
the settings.