UPGRADING REPAIRING PCs

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88 Chapter 3—BIOS Configurations and Upgrades Reading BIOS Error Codes Because beep codes can indicate only some of the problems in a system at startup, most BIOSes also output a series of status codes during the boot procedure. These codes are sent to an I/O port address that can be read by specialized diagnostic cards, which you can purchase from many different vendors. These POST cards (so named from the power on self test) feature a two-digit LED panel that displays the status codes output by the BIOS. The simpler POST cards are hard-wired to pick up signals from the most commonly used I/O port address 80hex, but more expensive models can be adjusted with jumper blocks to use other addresses used by certain BIOSes (such as Compaq). These cards are normally sold with manuals that list the error/status codes. While the cards are durable, the codes can become outdated. To get an updated list of codes, contact the system or BIOS vendor’s Web site. Most POST cards have been based on the ISA bus, but the latest models are now being made to fit into PCI slots because ISA is becoming obsolete. For diagnosing portable systems, and to avoid the need to open a system to insert a POST card, Ultra-X offers a MicroPOST display unit that attaches to the parallel port. Contact Ultra-X at www.uxd.com for more information. Onscreen Error Messages An onscreen error message is often the easiest of the error methods to understand, because you don’t need to count beeps or open the system to install a POST card. However, because some systems use numeric error codes, and even “plain English” codes need interpretation, these messages can still be a challenge to interpret. Because the video circuits are tested after components such as the motherboard, CPU, and BIOS, an onscreen error message is usually indicative of a less-serious error than one that is reported with beep codes. Interpreting Error Codes and Messages Because beep codes, error/status codes, and onscreen messages vary a great deal by BIOS vendor (and sometimes BIOS model), you must know what BIOS a system has before you can choose the correct table. With major-brand systems (and some others), you’ll typically find a list of error codes and messages in the system documentation. You can also contact the BIOS or system vendors’ Web sites for this information, or check on the CD included with Upgrading and Repairing <strong>PCs</strong>, 12th Edition.
BIOS Configuration Worksheet 89 BIOS Configuration Worksheet BIOS configuration options vary a great deal, and incorrect settings can cause a system to fail, lose data, or not work correctly with PnPcompatible operating systems, such as Windows 9x/2000/Me. The following worksheet can be used to record the most critical BIOS configuration information. Use it when you are unable to print out the actual configuration screens. System ID_____________________Brand & Model # ____________ Date Recorded_________________Operating System____________ Hard Disk Partitions______________________________________ Notes_____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Standard CMOS/BIOS Configuration (Configuration Option) (Setting—circle or write down setting used) Drive A 1.44MB 2.88MB Other__________ None Drive B 1.44MB 2.88MB Other__________ None 1st IDE Drive Drive Type: Hard Disk CD-ROM Other (specify) _____________ Hard disk Geometry Cyl:_________ Sectors/Track: ____ Heads: ________ LBA Y/N: 2nd IDE Drive Drive Type: Hard Disk CD-ROM Other (specify) _____________ Hard disk Geometry Cyl:_________
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UPGRADING AND REPAIRING PCs TECHNIC
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Associate Publisher Greg Wiegand Se
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Contents 1 General Technical Refere
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Contents vii IDE Hard Drive Identif
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Serial Port Configuration 172 Avoid
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Contents xi Sound Quality Standards
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About the Authors Scott Mueller is
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watch, photograph, and (occasionall
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Tell Us What You Think! As the read
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Chapter 1 General Technical Referen
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Understanding Bits, Nibbles, and By
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Note Glossary of Essential Terms 5
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Glossary of Essential Terms 7 Table
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Glossary of Essential Terms 9 Table
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Table 1.5 Hexadecimal/ASCII Convers
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Hexadecimal/ASCII Conversions 13 Ta
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Table 1.5 Hexadecimal/ASCII Convers
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Hexadecimal/ASCII Conversions 17 Ta
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20 Chapter 2—System Components an
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36 Caution Chapter 2—System Compo
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Page 68 and 69: 50 Other Add-On Card Configuration
Page 87 and 88: Chapter 3 3 BIOS Configurations and
Page 89 and 90: Where BIOS Updates Come From 71 Tab
Page 91 and 92: How to Recover from a Failed BIOS U
Page 93 and 94: Note A complete list of PnP device
Page 95 and 96: Other BIOS Troubleshooting Tips 77
Page 97 and 98: Determining the Motherboard Manufac
Page 99 and 100: Determining the Motherboard Manufac
Page 101 and 102: Table 3.8 Common Keystrokes Used to
Page 103 and 104: Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes The followi
Page 105: Port 80h Beep Code Codes Error Mess
Page 109 and 110: BIOS Configuration Worksheet 91 Sha
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Page 113 and 114: Cable key prevents improperly plugg
Page 115 and 116: Breaking the 504MB (528-Million-Byt
Page 117 and 118: Table 4.3 Using LBA Mode Operating
Page 119 and 120: 5. Use the #4 option—View Current
Page 121 and 122: Using LBA Mode 103 Table 4.6 Why ID
Page 123 and 124: Sources for BIOS Upgrades 105 Table
Page 125 and 126: Improving Hard Disk Speed 107 Figur
Page 127 and 128: Bus-Mastering Chipsets for IDE 109
Page 129 and 130: Table 4.13 Bus-Mastering Chipsets b
Page 131 and 132: Table 4.14 Other IDE Drive Installa
Page 133 and 134: standard single-ended SCSI devices
Page 135 and 136: SCSI Drive and Device Configuration
Page 137 and 138: SCSI Drive and Device Configuration
Page 139 and 140: Following these tips will help mini
Page 141 and 142: SCSI Configuration Troubleshooting
Page 143 and 144: Using FDISK 125 Using FDISK FDISK i
Page 145 and 146: Benefits of Hard Disk Partitioning
Page 147 and 148: How FDISK and the Operating System
Page 149 and 150: How FDISK and the Operating System
Page 151 and 152: Now, the operating system can use t
Page 153 and 154: The command switches are explained
Page 155 and 156: MS-DOS Command-Line Access to CD-RO
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• Make sure the drive shows up as
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Troubleshooting Optical Drives 141
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144 Chapter 5—Floppy, Removable,
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156 • OnStream’s ADR (Advanced
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160 Table 5.13 High-Performance Tap
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166 Chapter 6—Serial Ports and Mo
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168 Table 6.2 25-Pin (PC, XT, and P
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170 Table 6.4 Overview of UART Chip
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188 (These settings require changes
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190 Chapter 7—Parallel Ports, Pri
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192 Building a Parallel Loopback Pl
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