Only when the CMOS was reset did the computers start working.
Only when the CMOS was reset did the computers start working.
Hey everyone, just checked my PC yesterday night. I was doing some editing and everything seemed normal. But when I joined an online meeting this morning, it started up fine at first. After a few hours of work, my computer suddenly froze and shut down. When I turned it back on, there was no display at all—no post-screen. After a few minutes it would turn off and on again. I left it without a display for a while, then it would restart and shut off repeatedly. After unplugging it for half an hour, the issue persisted.
I’m still using "Basic 3" (RAM, CPU, PSU) but it doesn’t work. I tried resetting the BIOS and it worked! I replaced all my drives, GPU, and another RAM stick. The problem returned. After resetting the BIOS and saving changes, the screen came back. Once I pressed F10 to save and reset, there was no display again.
I swapped the CMOS battery from another motherboard and changed it to the same one. I re-plugged it and went back to Windows (F2). I ran some tests to check the PSU—bought Minecraft with demanding shaders for 10 minutes. The CPU and GPU handled it without issues, no shutdowns or lag. After rebooting Windows, it just turned off completely and started a loop. I re-plugged the CMOS battery again, and it worked.
Now I’m stuck: every time I try to boot up, I have to re-plug the CMOS battery. Could you help me fix this? Thanks a lot!
My specs are: MSI H61M-P25 (B3), Intel Core i5 3470, 8GB RAM (1600MHz), 200+500GB SSD, 5400RPM HDD, 120GB SSD, Gigabyte GTX 550 Ti OC PSU (brand unknown, labeled NEW PREMIUM GREAT-540W), upgraded VGA card recently.
It appears the CMOS power source is failing, causing it to lose stored settings. Even though you replaced a battery from another device, a weak one can behave similarly. For reliability, always use fresh batteries and verify their voltage with a multimeter—ideal readings are near 3.0 volts. Batteries dropping to 2.9 volts or below should be discarded, regardless of current functionality. Most common CMOS batteries are CR2032, widely available wherever these are sold.
If you have an extra power supply, give it a try—it might be a bit of a hassle but definitely worth checking. You mentioned it's less than four months old, yet it still doesn't completely eliminate the possibility. Some users have purchased high-quality PSUs brand new and experienced failures across all time periods, days, weeks, months, and even cases where the unit fails right from the start. There are also some reputable brands, though it's uncommon but does happen. I understand you ran your PC through a stress test for ten minutes, but PSUs can behave unpredictably when they start to have issues. I wouldn't dismiss it.
I purchased a used low-cost model since I bought the 550 Ti, I believe a 450W pure will work fine. Appreciate your guidance!
I purchased the Energizer 2032 and added it to my system. Still no changes...
Great setup so far! Your older motherboard and CPU are a BIOS 780L3 with an Athlon X2, and everything seems to be working fine. I didn’t test another PSU because I don’t have a tech-savvy friend nearby, and I’m not sure if I need one. I’m also considering buying a decent PSU instead of something like Deepcool 80+ 500W, since my motherboard is already affordable.
P.S.: I ran an AIDA64 Extreme Stress Test for 30 minutes with some games, and nothing happened—my motherboard appears to be fine.