Need Help.. CMOS CHECKSUM INVALID - RUN SCU

[eugene]

A friend of mine ask me to check a laptop she wants her kid to use. Though i'm quite familiar with the desktop, its my first time to open up a laptop (Movita 270). CMOS CHECKSUM INVALID during boot up and cannot continue. POST screen suggested Pressing F2 to enter into the Config but cannot go thru. Pressing F1 will ask if you want to boot from FD, HD or ROm but it just stop there.

Already replaced the CMOS batt thru the guide here but the problem still persist:
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=373

I doubt if the BIOS have been flashed and encountered a problem but don't know how to verify this thus i attached the POST message. Any help would be greatly appreciated..thanks

BIOS Build Version 2.70.03.17.N
SIS650 VGA BIOS V 1.11.07
Build at 12:10:04 09/20/02
WARNING - CMOS CHECKSUM INVALID - RUN SCU

Base Memory 0000640 Kb
Extended Memory 0228352 Kb
Total Memory 0229376 Kb
Share Memory 0032768 Kb test

Press F2 to enter System Configuration Utility
KBC Version [v2.70.03.10]
Auto Detecting IDE Devices
Primary Master : IC25N020ATCS04-0
Primary Slave : None
Secondary Master : None
Secondary Slave : DW-28E
Insyde ACPI BIOS Version 3.00.04
Copyright (c) 1998-2001 Insyde Software Corp. All Rights Reserved
Press F1 to Continue

[Coops]

This message normally indicates that the BIOS has been reset. This would have happened when the battery was changed.

In order to clear this you must enter the BIOS, Configure the required settings for your system and then Save and Exit the BIOS.

This should clear the error message as you have configured the BIOS.

When you press F2 what happens??

[eugene]

After Pressing F2, nothing happens. it just continue the POST until the message "Press F1 to continue". I haven't got the chance to enter the BIOS.

[Coops]

If you press F1 what information then comes on to the screen??

[eugene]

Pressing F1 will go to the boot device screen wherein it offers you to select either HardDisk, CDRom or FD. Choosing HD nothing happens, just stay there. Tried CDRom and inserted a bootable OS and it install but after installation and the PC restarted, face the same problem.
Tried to unplug the HD to see if it can enter the BIOS, but still cannot.Tried to take out the RAM but it cannot boot (no POST) 1 long beep is heard after the laptop halted during POST. Don't know what this means, BIOS is Insyde ACPI Version 3.00.04

[Coops]

Can you try this for me.

Switch on unit.

Do not wait for Unit to POST and say Press F2

Start pressing F2 straight away.

Do not hold F2 down. keep pressing one after another.

and see if it then goes in to the BIOS.

There is no reason at all i can see for this unit not to be entering the BIOS unless either

a) The F2 key is not working

or

b) you are not pressing the F2 Key in time and the BIOS has already gone past the point in the POST that it can register F2 Key press for BIOS. Hence the bit above about trying to press F2 straight away after turning on to see if you can catch it.

The way the unit is reacting in all other fashions suggests there is nothing wrong so no reason for it not to work

[eugene]

Pressing F2 one after another, right after powering up the unit have been tried several times. Problem still persisted.

So, left with theory (a) F2 not working.

Is there any way to check malfunctioning keys other than replacing the whole set of kboard? I don't want to ask my friend to buy a new kboard for this model (if there is any), then end up having the same problem unsolved.

Thanks a lot Coops for the help, i'm also at a loss here. :cry:

[eugene]

Hi Coops,

Was able to enter the BIOS using external kboard. Set back to Default values
and i think its fine now..The owner also didn't mind of a single key not working.

Thanks a lot Coops, your help is very much appreciated. :D

[Coops]

Does the F2 key work or is it broken??

Did you test it to find out or was system being stubborn.

Glad you got it sorted.

[philip]

need help when i swich on my computer cmos checksum invalid- run scu than press F2 to enter system configuration utility what to do if anybody know please help?

[system7]

philip, CMOS Checksum Invalid just means the bios configuration data is scrambled.

Normallly all you have to do is run bios setup. It configures itself. Save and exit, then on to boot Windows with any luck.

Often this message is a sign your CMOS backup battery is flat. They last about 5 years usually. Replacing them is a fiddle on a laptop, so that's up to you, but usually a £2 CR2032. The classic sign of a flat battery is losing time and date in the bios setup and windows. :P

[philip]

Thank's Steve I do not know much about this how to run bios setup it says run SCU do I have to do this trouht System Configuration Utility ?

[system7]

Just press F2 and run through the setup. Save and exit. Job done. :P

Bios configuration/system configuration/Bios setup is all the same.

Older PCs like IBM PS/2 and Compaq sometimes use a disk based setup program, but these are rare.

[philip]

Steve I have push F2 then SCU come up with startup, memory, disks, components, power, and exit what exectly should I do here? when I push save and exit it says computer will be rebooted and it is looks like windows starting but then window with windows XP come up and nothing more?

[system7]

Obviously it's hard to give details without seeing the laptop, but basically you sort out the bios as a first step maybe by setting defaults, but then it appears Windows has an issue booting here.

It may be a Windows reinstall is best, if entering safe mode by tapping F8 after the bios splash screen fails to resolve it. Can't discount a hardware issue either. Personally I would see if it can boot a Windows install disk or Ubuntu Linux CD, having set CD to boot before HD in the bios setup.