Entering BIOS shuts off PC, why?

indigoflow_as

What could it possibly mean when trying to get into my BIOS settings simply shuts of the PC? A reset via the motherboard jumper allows me to get in, but then if I go all the way into Windows - restart - press DEL to again try to get into the BIOS, it shuts off. Ideas?

Recent changes include:
New SATA Drive
experiments with OSx86 to no avail

SATA drive conflict/problem?
Motherboard battery?
BIOS fudged up?

I appreciate it.

PirateNinja

if thats the case it would sound to me that something running with windows is fudging with your bios. Got any funky software running, is it trying to flash your bios on boot?

indigoflow_as

I would not think that there is anything trying to run behind the scenes, for the XP installs I've been using are fresh. I've just never seen a shut off when trying to access the BIOS.

Unfortunately I am back to where I was on Saturday and had posted a thread for help....I can't boot. I am starting to think that it could be a RAM issue. I the two 512s out to test, now I get not video signal, no "beep", just black. Doing the sticks alone does nothing either.

Either mobo related or RAM related, wish I knew which. She's a paperweight for now.

PirateNinja

It could be auto-shutting itself off if it is detecting 0rpm on the cpu fan or something along those lines. Id make sure your temps are fine and try to disable any auto-shutdown items in the bios. Then Id see if it would boot and run memtest86 :P

indigoflow_as

I'll see if I can get it to even get something on the screen, removing the RAM and putting it back has got me worse off than not being able to get into the BIOS.

The auto-shutoff only occured when I tried to get to the BIOS, it would boot normally if I went straight to Windows.

I did memtest for about 35min earlier w/ no issue, but thats all the time I could give it.

Really strange issue...blah.

Thanks for the input though.