Problem: The BIOS fails to detect the hard disk(s), CD-ROM, floppy drive, etc.
Cause: All of a sudden, hard drives and floppies disappear from the list of devices, or you cannot boot because the BIOS declares that you have no hard drive!
Solution: The most common reason for this error is a bad or loosely connected cable or incorrect jumper settings on the device. Check all the cable connections to the device. Ensure that the data cable and the power cable are properly plugged in both to the device and to the motherboard. Next, check the jumper settings. If two disks are connected to a single port, make sure one is set to Master and the other to Slave. Also check the BIOS setup program and ensure that IDE controllers are enabled. Go to the Integrated Peripherals menu and confirm that the Primary and Secondary Channels are enabled. If you are not comfortable changing individual values, reset the settings using the “Load Fail-safe (or Factory) Defaults” option.
Problem: After powering off the PC and switching it back on after a few hours, the time has changed
Cause: The CMOS battery powers the real-time clock. This symptom indicates that the battery is dying. In rare cases, it could also mean there’s a problem with the battery port of the CMOS. Solution: Replace the battery. If the symptom persists, there’s a good chance that the battery port is damaged. In this latter case, you may need to replace the motherboard! Get it checked by a computer technician first.
Problem: An error message says there is a problem with IRQ, I/Oport, DMA configuration or resource allocation, and refers totroubleshooting the BIOS
Cause: The BIOS configures and allocates resources to the IRQ,and I/O ports. In most BIOSes, this allocation cannot be changed or modified by the user. Some BIOSes may provide a “soft menu” to change these allocations.
Solution: It’s preferable to get the BIOS checked by a computer engineer. Use the “Load Fail-safe (Factory) Defaults” options in the setup menu. If a soft menu is available, ensure you read up the associated documentation before changing any settings.
Problem: An error message asks to update the BIOS
Cause: The BIOS firmware does not support the device without an update.
