cant save changes in bios

hello everyone,
the computer is a ibm 8303-jdu netvista 40g hd

the problem is this my friend had this computer and forgot his password the one after start-up, but before you get in the computer he tried to get in thru the bios, but to no avail, because that will not change his password- he scraped it to me yesterday. i have any empty hd and decided i'll put it in install on os, an i'll have a computer for the kids right--wrong when i go in to the bios to change it to boot from cd first f9 or f10 will not work on the bios exit page. all of save options are grayed out the only one is exit without saving.

ive removed the battery for 4 to 5 hrs(with power cord unplug from computer and wall) same thing,
checked and rechecked the wires- all in right place and snug,
tried to reset the cmos jumper- left it in the new position for 20 minutes nothing.
tried putting old drive back in, thinking that maybe i could change the grayed options in the bios, nope ,as a matter of fact, it now wont even go to the password screen like it use to.
i downloaded an iso image to update the bios nothing happened.
im getting an 0184(asset control antenna not detected) error an 0162(configuration error) error and 0176(system security- the system has been tampered with) im also getting a pxe e61- pxe mof and 1962 no os found,when i put the new drive in.

i know this is long but wanted to add all the details i could for maxium help, any thoughts would be apprecited for ive read alot of threads in this forum to no avail, the next thing im gonna try is a hammer!

 

I would assume that your BIOS is password protected.
Some can fix this others need a new BIOS chip.

 

thanks for responding hawk ,no, i can get in to the bios no prob- but when i try to change it to boot from the cd -the save is greyed out,and the only one i can use is exit without saving.

 

One problem Pete, is that some BIOS settings will not list the CD/optical drive in the drive list. You would see it at the Configuration screen, which shows after POST.

Try disconnecting the CD drive, that might tell you.

Look up those error numbers at IBM, although it seems like you are trying to defeat a basic (BIOS level) security setup.

Try replacing the CMOS battery, after that, you may still need to keep retrying until it "resets ".

If you don't have the manual/User Guide, get it to give you some guidance through the BIOS. "asset control antenna not detected ", mmmm, what's that?

Matt

 

Hi Pete & Matt,
I had a Google and came across this maybe you can make more out of this to help him.

I found this on Sun Javas site.
Re: RF-ID Tag has changed.
Apr 16, 2005 7:59 PM (reply 14 of 35)



Just to review the scope of this thread:

This is not a Java issue.

This message only occurs on IBM systems; laptop, workstations and servers. The full value is 0176 and is hexadecimal.

The important line here is:

176 The system has been tampered with.

My inerpretation: For older servers by HP and IBM, they often forced you to run their configuration utility after you make hardware changes or if a stored checksum mismatches (similar to CMOS checksum error on personal systems).

Here is an IBM page that talkes about this and other POST messages on some models:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-42321

Error code:
0176
Symptom or error:
System Security. The system has been tampered with.
Field replaceable unit or action, in sequence:
1. Run IBM BIOS Setup Utility, and then save current setting by pressing F10.
2. System board.


http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=0&uid=psg1MIGR-4BAHK2

POST error code:
176
Component(s) to troubleshoot or replace
Covers were removed from the computer.

http://www-306.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=DDSE-43WNL9

Error code: 0176 (CPU failure - Slot 1, CPU # 1)

FRU/Action:
1. Reseat processor module
2. Processor Module
3. Processor Board

You get the idea: Find the POST code documentation for your model.

also have a read at that could be faulty caps

http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=569551&tstart=0

 

thanks for the help Matt and Pete and again to you hawk,yes i took the cmos battery out pete there was no original password and i thought it might reset the bios to where i could save the settings. ive changed the original cd drive and put in a a spare- ive changed the hard drive and put in a new cmos battery, the problem persists.The bios sees the cd drive and the harddrive they show up on the list- even if i change back to the originals.everywhere i read says i have to change the bios then save, i have found nothing that says what to do if you cant save.today im taking the cmos battery out and not putting it back in until thursday.changing the caps, thats gettin advanced to me- plus id rather be sure i need to do that im really just the (inter) in intermediate. thanks again for your responses.
Ace

 

Using the Clear CMOS jumper should reset the BIOS immediately. Does the date reset to when it was made?

If all else fails, check for a BIOS upgrade.

Matt

 

i do belive that the bios reset i did the jumper thang for 2hrs or so it was the same results it went back to 2001and there is also no way to chang it no buttons on my keyboard will make it go to the date so i can chang it. i got a question but dont know how to phrase it i wanna try to update the bios but it wont read anything cd or flopy or hdrive is there a way around it like try to hook it up to this comp and send it to the other. can u guys understand that not being smart or anything its just that im a producer and this is my main comp my wife goes to college on it and where buttin heads about the time thanks for the help a can i put a bios chip from on comp (emachines) to the other (ibm) thanks again for the help
Ace

 

OK Ace, we can appreciate your frustration but this has gone from a friend's computer to maybe being your kid's computer to your main computer to something your wife goes to college on. I guess there are a lot of people depending on it so we understand its important to you regardless.

Back to basics - find the CMOS jumper (3 pin header with a 2 pin jumper) on your motherboard. Disconnect the main power cord from your computer. Open the case. Disconnect the 20 or 24 pin main power connector from the motehrboard. Now, move the CMOS jumper from pins 1&2 and place the jumper on pins 2&3. Wait 15 seconds - that' right, 15 seconds - count em' off. Reconnect the jumper to pins 1&2. Reconnect the 20 or 24 pin power connector to the motherboard. Plug your main power back into the wall or power strip or battery backup. Your Bios has now been reset.

Boot up while tapping the delete key or F2 key alternatively every second or two. This will put you in the BIOS menu. Select the default settings but on your advanced configuration or your PNP page (different systems differ) redetect your hard drive. If you have to move within a given field use the page up or page down key or the + or - keys. I doubt you will encounter anything different but it will tell you how to navigate your specific BIOS at the top of the page. The Enter key is used to set any entry. Escape will take you back to the sub-menu or menu depending where and when you use it. F10 is the universal save and exit key.

Now, after resetting your BIOS and redetecting your Hard Drive, what seems to be the problem?

 

I realise now that the machine will not boot past the BIOS, so that won't help .

Security, security...it has a Case Open sensor. It might be telling you/us that the case/cover is not closed correctly. You can find the switch that monitors the case being opened and try taping it off.

Matt

 

hello everybody,dont know bout yaw, but its a chilly day here in ohio, please do not take my last post as being angry- there is frustration but its not towards you guys. apologies are offered if any was offended. Now back to the problem. rockster since i have the cmos battery out already ,im gonna disconnect the 24 pin also for 15 sec and see what happens ,also matt, now that you mention it- the case is bent where that button is so im gonna try to tape it down as you suggest. i'll post what happens a little later tonight or in the morn.
Ace

 

o.k. no luck with the 24 pin or the tape down, some weird stuff though ,looking on the net they show a picture of the motherboard, but it doesnt look like mine- mainly it does not show something called "daughter card with tamper and rfid connectors" it is connected by wire to the button on the inside side of the computer, the one i just taped down. i dont know if that is important but as of now i cant find information on it i know its a big "net" i'll keep searching. To clear up the "main computer "-" wife computer" thing, this computer that i communicate with you now is a gateway brand new 2 months old, i do producing on it and my wife goes to college plus the kids games, i was hopeing to put the wife and kids on the ibm freeing this gateway dual processor 500 gig hd 3gig ram for producing to which it was bought for, feel me.
thanks for your time and ill type at ya later,
Ace

 

Here you go. This puppy is a little different than the norm.

 

ok rockster all of that stuff i did no luck but....
in my last post i was asking about that daughter card and rfid controllers thang.. well seeing im about at the end of my wits i said f--- it im not pluggin that thing in and presto, i now can save changes in the bios, which i just did i set the time and date then let it do its thang to see if it will go back to that windows xp screen that i dont have the password for- it didnt do that it gave me
pxe-e61 media test failure.
pxe-mof exitting intel boot agent
1962 no os found
o.k. im about to change so it will boot from the cd and see if i can put anos on it and maybe just maybe....
if some one will tell me how to put pictures on this post i will and you can see this daughter card that wont let you save changes in the bios
thanks for all your time and help be back here soon
Ace

 

update
after fixing the date, tried to boot up- put in a restore disk for xp that i got when i had an emachines. it didnt work, it keep going to a error that said "cannot open GHOSTERR.TXT "after pushing o.k an error poped up immediatley that said "usage error 11030 invalid destination drive" they both were in boxes that only had o.k. so i pushed enter- it then said xp was installed push any button to restart, but it then went to the pxe errors. i then took out its original drive and put in the drive from a emachines(100gig original is 40), restore takes place, both disks, push any button to restart, i do that and i get a blue screen shutting down to save computer with the following error code stop 0x0000007b(0xfb94f640,0xc0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000) its telling me to check for viruses to check if the hd is configured and terminated right to run chkdsk/f for hd corruption, i havent looked it all up yet but thats where im at now.I guess the "cant save in bios" thread is done- unplug the wire to the daughter card and it will let you save changes. ibm -8303-jdu.
Ace

 

You won't able to use an Emachines restore disk. I expect it contravenes the licensing anyway.

You may be able to get an OEM version of Windows cheaply nowadays. Try Ebay, but make certain it is in an unopened package.

You can get "student editions" of MS Office, I'm not sure about Windows (when I checked I think I saw it at the same price as the OEM version).

There's always Ubuntu, that's free.

Matt