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Another question before I install Mobo.
Ive recently had a PC problem, and using advice here, diagnosed it, and chosen a new motherboard.
However, before I install it, I am curious about a symptom I was having, prior to the Mobo, going out.
Everything was working great on my PC, but for several weeks, I would fire up my machine, and my clock would be off, by two hours, exactly.
Now this did'nt happen everytime I fired it up, just say 4 times, in a two month period. The date was always right.
I did a little reading, and according to info here, wrongly assumed my battery needed replacing. So I did replace the battery, no prob, done it before on another machine, but when I fired up the PC it didnt Post.
This led to the above mentioned dianostics, etc. Ok
What I am wondering, is. What could that, clock issue, be a symptom of? Im thinking if it was a harmfull virus, and I hook that HD up to my new Mobo, I may have the problem all over again.
I did do regular scanning, with Avast, and Spybot S&D, and had nothing show up, within three days of the poof.
I have a small 40 gig HD with nothing on it, no OS, basically blank, except bad company two, program. I wonder should I use that HD, on the new mobo? Or am I way way off?
That HD was slaved to my main HD.
Anyway, it may be nonsense for me to worry about this stuff. I dont even know if I would be able to use a HD with no operationg system, on a fresh Mobo first startup.
Thanks all.
Comments
I would have thought it was an issue with the MB rather than a virus that caused the clock malfunction.
I would go ahead and install the old HDD with the operating system on it. Then for your piece of mind run a full virus scan with an up-to-date antivirus program. If there is a virus that causes such damage out there then an antivirus program will definitely pick it up.
But i just think you had an issue with your MB(and the clock is on the MB), so just assemble it and don't worry to much, it should all work now with the new MB.
Sounds good, I do appreciate it. Gonna switch to Comodo, and Spyware Terminator, after doing scans,and drivers, etc.
Been using them on this machine,after getting recomendations, and then seeing them on these forums. Im probably getting parinoid, but the more I read, a little parinoia, can be a good thing, lol.
Thanks again.
I doubt it's a virus, especially because Avast is generally a good scanner. That said, even if it was, you're going ot have to wipe your OS drive anyways to re-install Windows once you put the new motherboard in... unless you feel like trying to make Windows work through a motherboard swap (hint: Windows is very tempermental about that).
If you are just going to pop the drive back on and try to use the old OS, then you can burn a copy of Trinity Rescue Kit first before trying to use Windows, which will give you a bootable disc with a large number of PC diagnostic/repair tools (including a large array of antivirus programs to scan with).
Ok cool. That takes me right into another question. I have no problem re-installing vista.
I am assuming that when I have all my components and the MOBO connected. I will just go through the post process, then shut down, then install my vista clean (boot from disk)?
The Mobo instructions will probably cover this. I am just trying to get my head around as much of it as possible, until it gets here.
Anyway, thanks again Y'all.
Yup just boot from disk and do a clean install of vista
A problem you specified with your clock could have been from a number of things. It could be there was damage to the circuits in your bios or damage to the power to the bios chip. Or it could be your bios was infected with a virus. Or it could be your bios malfunctioned. In 2 of the 3 scenarios, flashing the bios would have fixed the problem. The other fix would have been to replace the motherboard.
To prevent such problems from happening in the future you should put a password on your bios. That will stop the majority of bios targeting viruses.
How would I flash the Bios? Would be interesting to salvage that board on another machine, and learn the right way to do another thing.
You download the bios from the motherboard manufacturer then follow their flashing instructions. Usually it involves moving the bios to a non-boot drive, and then booting to DOS by using a boot disk. From then entering the command to were the bios is and the application to implement the bios.
Ok, yes was just reading some about that. Im thinkinh that I should have done that, while I still had an image on the monitor.
Briefly, I went for a battery change, and when I restarted the PC I had no image what so ever. Changed the battery back, then used the other new battery in the pack. Also jumped the CMOS each time as well. Same result.
So removed Grahics card, and ran through, on board, which would work if card not installed normally. Still no Image. Then tried just one ram stick. Then no floppy connected. then No DVD connected. And also no HD connected. Then tried a different RAM stick. All same result. No image at all, on any monitor at start up.
The green LED was lit every time, on the board. Start button light came on. Fans spun, of course jus proc fan, by the end of taking the parts out. Oh and tried different working monitors.
Anyway. Without an image on a monitor. And my bios not set to recognize the USB before my HD, would that then made flashing from a USB undo-able.
Ah maybe I could've flashed from a CD, with the BIOS on it, (boot from disk)? Maybe still can. Im gonna read alot more, I just seem to "get it" better, when I "get it" from you guys.
If you completely kill the power going to your motherboard then it will reset the bios. However, if the technique still fails to make an image on the screen, your motherboard is toast. What you do is you unplug your motherboard from the power supply and take out the battery. Then you wait 5 hours, put back in the battery and power and boot. If it fails to create an image, you simply won't be able to repair it.
Got it, and thanks. I will definately have password on new boad bios, and a usb drive with bios on it.