CMOS Settings Cleared, USB keyboard Only, Not Working

I did replace the cmos battery. Can't use the usb keyboard because it is apparently disabled in cmos.

Ok then use a CMOS battery which has USB enables in it. That should do the work. Ask some of your techie friends if they can lend you there CMOS. Before taking it from there system make sure usb is enabled in cmos and then use that cmos on your system. This idea sounds totaly stupid to myself. Let me think what other possible solutions exists.

b_vishwajit:

CMOS batteries do not "HAVE" this or that setting. It'a a battery that feeds the CMOS and prevents it from losing its data.

Pokeypc,

Try recovering the BIOS in the "BIOS configuration jumper settings" section of this page:
http://support.gateway.com/support/manlib/cmponts/sysboard/8507333/07333.htm

Good luck.

ptero

I've tried. When I move the jumper it gets me into setup but I can't change anything cause USB keyboard or mouse not recognized. Thought about flashing the bios but Gateway doesn't provide a flash utility.

Try connecting the keyboard in every different USB connector. Maybe some are disabled by default.

ptero

It doesn't work in any of the four ports  :[

Hum...

Going to work more on this... Curious...

ptero

What is your USB keyboard?

ptero

More ideas, but I really do not know what to do...   (Yet!   :-)   )

1. Keyboard malfunctioning? Can you test it on another computer?

2. The second CMOS battery can also dead... It happens sometimes. Can you check the voltage with a voltimeter?

3. There are 3 different setting for the jumper:
          1-2
          2-3
          open
Did you try them all?

ptero

Another shot: How many memory sticks do you have? 1 or 2? Did you do a memory upgrade? If so, boot with the original memory stick.

Also, try do boot with HDD and CDD also connected.

Did you insert the CMOS battery well? Polarity OK?

ptero

4 USB ports?! Do you mean the 3 in the back and the one in the front? (Just making sure we're talking about the same mobo)

ptero

Okay, keyboard is a Gateway, I've tested it on another pc and it works fine. I have tried all three jumper settings. I didn't know there was a second battery, if there is I can't find it. But I'll look for one again.

no, no   :-)   I mean the battery you replaced...
And check that it's inserted correctly.

Good luck.

ptero

Mobo has 2 front usb ports and three in back but 1 of the back ones are unoperative{don't know why Gateway did that}. I have one 64mb stick. Tried one from another pc, no difference so I put mine back in. I've tried to boot with and also without HDD & CDD, no luck either way. Battery is seated well. Polarity is okay.

Checked voltage on the replacement battery, it is good.

Isn't it possible that your bios just won't 'understand' USB devices on its own..? (someone tell me to shut up if it can't be... :o )

Maybe just try with a stoopid ps2 keyboard, install your os and see if, then, the usb kb will work..?

So,

Keyboard - check
Battery - check
USB ports - check
Jumpers - check

One more thing I can remember of: When clearing the CMOS, was the power cable disconnected? DId you wait long enough (10 seconds) before removing the jumper from that position?

ptero

And:

Are the function keys on that keyboard enabled by default?

In some keyboards, they are not... (Microsoft Wireless Desktop, for instance)

Press the Num Lock key to check if the light goes on and off...

ptero

PaulPosition: The poster said - and it's true  ;-) - "No ps/2 or serial ports"

Ptero
Power cable was disconnected before clearing CMOS and I did wait. Num lock key light does not come on. I don't know if the function keys on keyboard are enabled by default. I have wondered if maybe the USB is just gone out but I really think its just not enabled with the CMOS cleared.


PaulPosition
If I had a PS/2 port I'd be glad to try a stoopid PS/2 keyboard, but I don't.  :]

And I suppose that the keyboard you're using is the original keyboard, right?

ptero

Right

Boot without the battery...

I'm running out of options here!   :-(

ptero

Sorry, I tried that too. It won't boot at all without battery. Not a light, click, ding, nothing!

Thanks so much for at least trying to help me, its more than Gateway has done. If I've learned anything it is :
1- never buy a pc with only usb
2- NEVER EVER BUY A GATEWAY

Your question is puzzling me.

I remembered something else. Connect the keyboard only after the message of the BIOS to press some key appears.

And: Disconnect the front panel USB connectors before anything else. If they are not well connected, they might me shortcircuiting the USB bus.

By the way, there are 2 pinouts for those connectors...

Good luck

ptero

I think you need to go back to the original problem. You said you were trouble shooting your hdd. Did you crack that problem or is it still outstanding as a problem simply because this other problem came up before you were able to solve the hdd problem? If this is the case then my guess is that you have a number of inter-related problems.

First I think you should try another tack altogther. Get a boot disk from:

www.bootdisk.com then:

1. Remove all hard disks and remove the cdrom.

2. Reset the bios using the re-set jumper after you have switched off the mains power.

3. Insert the boot disk and start up your machine.

That way you can see if the pc will boot up as a basic system.

If it does then switch it off and add the hdd physically and in the bios. Make sure the boot order is fdd, hdd so as to force it to boot from the boot floppy. You will then be able to access the hdd and investigate the original problem. When you've cracked that then add the CDROM physically and in the bios.

I'm afraid it's a step by step approach to establishing just what is the problem item.

Hope that helps

Will it boot from the bookdisk? Have you tried making a bootdisk with the USB drivers on it?

Okay, it will not boot to a bootdisk at all. I've tried disconnecting front usb, no luck. Connecting keyboard after post prompts, still no luck. Removed HDD because it is unfixable, won't even spin up. Tried it in another machine, it is dead.Removing CDD didn't help, same post. Even tried putting in a different HDD of same type with Windows Me on it but no luck. I have a boot disk with USB drivers on it but it won't boot to disk, I assume because CMOS has been cleared, no information in there at all. I wonder if both front and back USB's could be fried and what may have caused that if so. Can't think of any way to add a PS/2 port to this board with it in this condition, wish I could though, that would maybe solve problem. Sure do appreciate all of your suggestions but do you have anymore?  :]

How about replacing the whole cmos chip or BIOS chip.
>>CMOS batteries do not "HAVE" this or that setting. It'a a battery that feeds the CMOS and prevents it from losing its data.
Ptero thanks for correcting me. I knew that fact. That was an hasty comment.

Pokeypc,  I re-read the entire thread.

"While trying to troubleshoot that, the cmos battery died" - Don't you find this strange? How did it happen? Do you still have the old battery? What's its voltage? And what's the voltage of the new battery? Is it exectly the same time as the old one?

"USB keyboard or mouse not recognized" - Are you connecting a mouse as well as a keyboard?

"Thought about flashing the bios but Gateway doesn't provide a flash utility" - that is not totally true: in the link I provided bellow, there's a short reference regarding BIOS flashing

Is your GateWay a Essential 800 SL  or a Essential 633 SL? It way help to know to do better searches.

What is the part number of your USB keyboard?  7001623? 7002109? This latter is a Rev. 1 keyboard. If the one you have is a 7001623, it may not work in USB legacy mode (before drivers are installed). That would explain why Gateway issued a revision.

If you keep a keypressed before and while and after turning the power on, is there any difference?

Can you try another brand's USB keyboard?

Do any of the keyboard's lights flash when turning power on?

Any beeps from the machine? Check that:
http://support.gateway.com/s/motherbd/intel/4000474/400047431.shtml

Your problem should not exist:
http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/m00301/m0032641.shtml
By the way, always perform a cold boot: power off and back on (and I mean from the wall outlet).

eh eh   :-(
http://support.gateway.com/support/faq/usb/usb8.shtml

And FYI:
http://support.gateway.com/support/faq/usb/usb3.shtml

I'm just trying to get the best graps of the situation possible, but maybe your problem has no solution...   :-(

Good luck

ptero

When I said: "Is it exectly the same time as the old one?", I meant the battery, not the voltege, of course...

:-)

b_vishwajit,

If you replace the entire chip, you would have to take it out of the motherboard, and whatever settings would be there would be erased, and the situation would go back to where it is.    :-)

ptero

The battery didn't exactly die WHILE troubleshooting the HDD. The pc had been shut down for bout 2 days during which time I had found and downloaded a HD diagnostics disk {on another pc} from Fujitsu. I was going to run that in the Gateway Essential 700c but when I powered it on it had an error message - CMOS Checksum Bad. No beeps at that time. Decided to check the battery - 2032 3.3v - took it out, put meter on it, it read 1.2volts. Bought new battery, same kind, put it in and got error- CMOS Settings Wrong- this time it did give beep code, 2 short pause 1 short. Couldn't find that code at Gateway site. Found 2+1+2, but not just 2+1. I think maybe battery being out so long{like maybe an hour} plus HD dead is why it cleared all CMOS settings but I'm not really sure. And yes I found it strange battery died suddenly but I don know why it did. I'm really not sure which part number the keyboard is but I'll try to find out. Keeping a key pressed before, during, or after post doesn't matter cause its like there isn't one attached - no lights at all. I don't have another usb keyboard to try. I know this one still works from trying it on another pc. When I move the jumper to the 2-3 position then I get into CMOS setup which is all blankand it says mouse not detected even though I plugged it in to see if it would recognize it. Unplugging mouse makes no difference either.
Gateway gives instructions for flashing bios using Windows which I don't have and couldn't get to even if I did. Also if you have bios on disk WITH a flash utility you can remove jumper, power up with it in and its suppose to work. But all they offer for MY bios are the bios drivers - no flash utility. And finally.... Gateway has informed me three times already that my problem should not exist but.....
Murphys Law Prevails Again!     :[

Check if the voltage of the new CMOS battery is still good. There might be a short circuit which is discharging the battery.

No matter if that's the problem or not. Anyway, I would advise you to remove the motherboard from the case , clean it, brush it, check for alien conducting material that might be shortcircuiting the CMOS. Also, remove the battery from it's place, and check there's no dirt inside it's container.

Good luck.

ptero

Thanks for the points.

I'm afraid that the you came to worst conclusion, right?

See you...

ptero

Ptero, I don't think there was any other possible conclusion that woud've made sense. I'm replacing the mobo cause thats the simplest way to deal with this. Thanks so much for trying to help and you did try hard so you deserve it.   :]

pokeypc

Hi @ all,

ok I know this topic is a little old, but I hope you can help my anyway.

I`m realy stupid, I flashed the BIOS of a ms-6312, and now it doesn`t work anymore.
Found the jumper a little later and tried to flash the BIOS again, but tha Floppy only move on and after that a double beep apears. Named the file in amiboot.rom, but the bootblock doesnt accept it. Pressing Ctrl+Home could fail, cause of the great USB-Keyboard-Technologie.
What in your opinion should I do now?
Order a new BIOS-Chip from Gateway? Or would you mean, its possible to get one from MSI?

Thanks a lot in front of any answer.

*michens*

PS: Dont worry about any mistakes at the post, its not my favorite language ;)

Michens, it sounds like you have the same pc as I do, so first let me say....I'm sorry :]   A failed bios flash means death to your keyboard and mouse abilities. So your options are limited. MSI won't give you any bios support because Gateway has exclusive rights to that mobo and all on it. Unless you're still under warranty with Gateway you'll get little help there either. I purchased a new motherboard for mine [complete with bios] from Ebay for $48, which was cheaper than a new bios chip from Gateway. Easy to install and solved all problems. Cheapest and surest solution I could find. Good luck

Pokeypc

Dear Pokepc,

Yeah, I got same one, of course.
Never change a running system, now I belive in the cause of that.
Its a good idea, I will have a look to ebay.
Thank you.

michens

Dear Pokepc :

I can answer your question !
My Gateway is essential 633c ;
Serial # is 0020409707 ;
MFG date is 9/19/00
1st
http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2511378/251137801.shtml
Do you have this motherboard ? Part number is 2511378 ?
http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2511081/251108117.shtml
This part G is BIOS . The BIOS chip is a 2-megabit (256KB) , 5-volt (V) , CMOS flash memory organized as 32-kilobyte (KB) × 8 bits . The BIOS chip is disk flashable for easy upgrades . The Brookings motherboard uses an AMI BIOS .
2nd
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?ref=DX&id=16264&uid=38313760
Download the BIOS update , DO NOT NEED choose your motherboard (part number) , GO TO ftp://ftp.gateway.com/pub/hardware_support/bios/pentium/0aavi/7511821.exe
3rd
You have 7511821.exe , unzip it . Go to c:\cabs\7511821\*.* (9 doc.)
4th
Make a boot disk a:\ (WinME at boot disk or WinXP at format)
5th
copy c:\cabs\7511821\0aavip13.rom ; amiflash.com ; autoexec.bat ; cmos.map ; command.com ; io.sys ; msdos.sys (7 doc. 863kb) to boot disk
** overwrite it **
6th
Use a boot disk to your Gateway PC and boot it , update your BIOS and reboot. (Do not need keyboard ^_^ )
7th
Turn off your PC and reset the BIOS jumper(1-2 --> 2-3 (10 sec.) --> 1-2)
8th
Turn on your PC, your see “CMOS Settings Wrong” …………press F1 now…… your USB keyboard is back , is work , is happy !?
p.s. try each USB ports , another is I need to use my gateway USB keyboard . My Compaq USB keyboard is not work on this gateway PC anymore.

ReallyGood

The thing, ReallyGood, is that, before the boot from the diskette to update the bios starts, Pockeypc needs to press F1.

Reminds me of the "Keyboard not present - press F1 to continue" joke.

ptero

Hey Ptero, it is sooo good to know that someone out there really does get it!!!  :]

Pokeypc

HI @all,

my problem is, that the auto-bios-update, you have to remove the jumper, starts, but the data at the disk cant be read. The floppy try to read the data, but it starts to read and than a double beep apears. I read a text, that tells me, that you have to copy the recover-bios-file at a empty disk, renamed to amiboot.rom. Then "press" crtl+home and the bios boot sector will read the data from the disk. But I only hear the double beep after the diskdrive worked for a realy short time. I wil try the way wrote above, but I´m not believe in any success.
Today I´m in contact with a ebay-dealer, who tries to look for a new bios-chip for me, but its hardly to believe, that it become success.
Now I try to flash the chip again with the "new" file and than I will tell you about it.

Have a nice day.
michens

Dear Ptero

I have these word too --> "CMOS Settings Wrong" press F1 to enter setup or F9 to reset defaults . <-- But reset the BIOS jumper can stop it and let the floppy go on .
Another way we can do is “HOT PLUG” method .


Dear Michens

……… I’m really stupid, I flashed the BIOS of a ms-6312 ……Named the file in amiboot.rom, but the boot block doesn’t accept it. ……
I can not understand . Do you update your PC with wrong BIOS ? Can you let me know what happen when you turn on the PC power and what you see on the screen ? Can you let me know it step by step ? Please .

………. I read a text , that tells me, that you have to copy the recover-bios-file at an empty disk, renamed to amiboot.rom. Then "press" crtl+home and ……..
I think the problem is the Gateway BIOS file can not auto update , the boot disk has individual format for boot , we can not only copy the data on it . Make a boot disk first and copy (overwrite) the Gateway BIOS doc. on it . The autoexec.bat  brings up auto-bios-update . Please try it again .

Thanks


p.s.
HOT PLUG --> BIOS chip is only function when the PC boot up , after the PC boot up , the bios chip is NOT use again , the PC is NOT need BIOS again , we can pull out the BIOS chip when the PC is run , of course we can put other BIOS chip in for update . VERY CAREFUL PULL BIOS CHIP OUT AND PUT BIOS CHIP IN , PULL OUT POWER LINE WHEN IT DONE OR ERROR , DO NOT BOOT THE PC WITH OTHER BIOS CHIP , BOOT UP PC WITH WRONG BIOS CHIP IS EASY BROKE THE MOTHERBOARD .
HOT PLUG is last method , it can fix 90% BIOS acute problem .
Other easy HOT PLUG method is use the LAN card bios slot (aperture) , but only 15% can fix problem .

ReallyGood

Pockeypc,

Thanks.


ReallyGood,

"But reset the BIOS jumper can stop it and let the floppy go on ." - Sorry, but I believe you are wrong.

To hotflash, you need a good BIOS chip. This is not the case.


ptero

Dear ptero

On the first , I am sorry , but my PC just reset the jumper and go on . The second one is not hotflash , is hot-plug : use any Intel 81X and up ( 810 , 815 … 845 … ) motherboard to hot-plug --> use different motherboard and different bios chip to reflash your problem bios chip .
1st
Use win98 boot disk and boot up other PC on the dos mode .
2nd
Hot-plug the bios chip .
3rd
Use your auto-bios-update disk and type A:\autoexec.bat and enter .
4th
Finish it and pull out the power line .
More info. please read before

Thank

ReallyGood

Dear ReallyGood,
dear @ all,

believe me, I`m right when I say it has to be done right that way I told.
There is no bootscreen any more, because the bios at the chip has been destroyed cause the disk I used wasn`t a 98bootdisk, cause I havn`t read the readme corectly.
So the ROM has been deleted. It was an AMI, and the rescue must have the amiboot.rom at a empty disk. But then you have to press "home+ctrl" but I can`t, cause it`s an USB-Board and I really think, there must be a PS2 to have such an access.
Found that wayofdoing on the AMI-Website.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The false was an automatic flashing disk structure from gateway.
It wasn`t the first bios I flashed, but never I`ve got an automatic disk for making an update.
I can`t understand such a ****, cause if they wanted to make it really automatic, why don`t they send an self-extracting-image for a disk, to solve any wrong action?! no, they want you to make a boot-disk and then you should copy some files on the disk...
So now I know, GATEWAY is stupid! And I believe, that is why this company in germany no more exists!

But I hope to solve my bios-problem while using a PLCC-flasher. The last problem I have now, the PLCC-Chip is from INTEL and it isn`t implemented for the flasher I have, but a mail told me, it is comming soon. So I`m still waiting...

Thanks for all your help and all the good ideas you told me.
I will remember it. And I will help you, whenever I can.

>michens<

Hi all my problem is I have a message saying cmos wrong hit f1 or f9
I have no respond from my keyboard but my mouse is plug into my keyboard and does work so I know my usb is working but I change my battery, reset my jumper for my cmos . and try to boot from my floppy.
I check my num lock no light . I do get a beep 2 time before I get the message .. but that is all I have a gatway computer

when this started I turn this computer on and when it booted I kepted getting error message then I got a no mem error so I boot scan it and found I had some virus on my system so I had to dump it but I had to do it a little different than normal but I did dump it and re load window meon it when I hook it back on the system then when I boot I get cmos wrong f1. or f9 . I try no respond from my keyboard si reset my jumper from the board too see if that would help no spond put 2 different new batterys in no good then I try to flash no good then I try to bbot from floppy it start to read floppy no good.. I have all usb port ..