Win ME startup & DPMS

Hi All! I used this board a while back--so far back I don't even remember the username I had then... Anyhow--you all were a great help and I am now able to use the computer that was screwed up then! Wooo-hooo!! And now--I have another predicament to throw out at the ya all! Here goes:

My partner's computer is <supposed to be> running Windows ME. Anytime we attempt to turn it on, a blue box appears that says "DPMS off mode". The power button becomes half orange/half green--as if it is in sleep mode. The monitor blinks out into nothing and if you turn it off and on--the lovely lil blue "DPMS off mode" box comes on with it. I made a boot disk--however--its rather useless considering the 3.5 drive doesn't even activate. The CD room will come on and if I put a disc in it, it will look as if it is going to read it, but the computer only glances, yawns, and goes back to sleep. I've tried to rescue CD that came with the computer and even burnt a boot disc on a CD. Is there anything I can do? I was hoping to get to DOS so I could completely wipe out the computer--my partner has since bought a new computer and there is nothing she needs salvaged on this one. Any ideas?

Should/Could I hook up the hard drive with the slave/master cable thing and activate it? I can't remember how to do that--even though I have the cables for it. Refresher?

Thanx all!! Lookin' forward to trouble shooting this with ya all!
~Spyke

 

I believe that the problem's origin is in the BIOS Power Management. You will need to enter your BIOS setup utility and check the settings for Power Management.

As far as connecting the hard drive as a slave drive, just do that. Set the jumpers to the slave position and install the hard drive to the primary or Secondary IDE controller and power it on. As long as there is no other device using the same ribbon cable as a slave device, it should work.

 

Thanx for the reply! I would love to get into BIOS--however...the computer doesn't boot up far enough for me to get anywhere. If I were to hook up to this computer--would I be able to access it--since this computer is working?

 

When you turn the computer On, a test known as the Power On Self Test (POST) is executed by the BIOS. During this process the BIOS version and /or logo is displayed in the Monitor. Are you telling me that this is not happening? If it isn't, either the computer's BIOS is corrupted or the main board is fried.

 

Exactly..the computer doesn't POST--it goes directly to the black screen with the blue "DPMS Off Mode" box and doesn't do a thing from there.

 

Disconnect the CMOS battery for at least 10 minutes, then reinstall and boot the computer.

 

Tried that earlier--I even replaced the battery hoping for one of those magical-ah-ha-it-works-now-fixes... no change.

 

It seems that either the BIOS has to be flashed in, or the mainboard is malfunctioning. In any event, you will need to find out who is the board's manufacturer and the type and version of BIOS installed.

 

How might I go about flashing the BIOS if it doesn't boot, POST, or anything? I'm sorta stuck..

 

You are right. If the POST is never completed, the floppy disk wil not be recognized. How a bout the Power Pack. Is there a way you can measure its output? If replacing the power pack, even with a used one does not make a difference, then I am incline to believe the mainboard is fried.

 

I haven't really played with the power pack too much yet. I did wiggle wires to make sure they were all connected and stuff. The machine powered down/on when I pulled the main plug--imagine that! Yesterday, I was able to hook the hard drive up to my computer and access stuff on it. So--I know that drive is okay. When I connected everything back in to the rather stubborn-refusing-to-boot-up computer...I actually got it to BIOS. Truthfully..I didn't do anything to get it to BIOS. The screen displayed a message saying that a keyboard was not detected--I tried to switch to a different USB port--it then displayed "Wait..." (like i haven't been doing that already!) and then switched into BIOS. However--I was unable to navigate in it because the keyboard wasn't being recognized...Soo..I powered down.. and tried to restart--boom--the grey screen/blue DPMS off mode box appeared again. I'm back to where I started. La de da... Any suggestions? Should I decide to scrap it and use the extras to boost this computer? woo-hoo! Thanx!
~Spyke

 

In your position I would scrap it. It may become too expensive to fix this computer.