Computer is stuck on opening screens.

[mycomputerisbro]

Hello all,

This will be a little long as I try to give as much detail as possible. I have an HP Touchsmart 520 Desktop PC. The other day, I wanted to run a Linux-based OS from a USB stick. I had done this once before, so I did what I did the last time. I unplugged, took the back off, then removed the hard drive, then plugged the USB stick in. I was hoping that since I didn't have the hard drive in, the computer would then operate from the stick due to the boot order. It did bring up the OS screen, but gave me some error about failing. I turned it off then back on, and entered the bios to change the setup. I found the USB stick in the menu, but couldn't move it, so I tried disabling the first option for the hard drive. I plugged the USB back in but it still didn't work, so I tried enabling the hard drive back. Something happened somewhere in all this, the computer froze, so I tried hitting several different buttons to see if I could get any response, but nothing so I cut it off. When I cut it back on, I can no longer enter the BIOS. The usual HP screen comes up and says hit ESC to enter the start menu, and if I hit it within the first second of coming up it will take me to a black screen that has my computer specs on it, starting with Processor type, processor speed, etc. (if I don't hit any button within just a second, the computer will freeze on the HP screen). This black screen is as far as I can go and the computer always freezes here, no matter what button I push, but it does say in the lower right corner the activity for whichever button I pressed, for example if I press F2 on the HP screen, it will go to the black screen with my specs and in the lower right corner it will read Diagnostics; if I'm pressing F10 it will do as above but read Setup. It never goes beyond this screen. I know it's not my hard drive, as it wasn't in when this started happening, nor is it possible a virus was on the USB, as it is a verified OS and I don't use that stick for anything else. I know something happened when I was in the BIOS, but I just don't know how to fix it. Does anyone know what is going on or anything I can do to try to fix it? It would be very appreciated as I can't afford to take it in, and I really don't think it's anything bad in the first place, I just don't know what I'm doing. Thank you all!

[Midar · Accepted solution]

Hello,

seems there is some bios corruption. First try to do bios clear CMOS. So you need to go, disconnect the unit from power , open it on back and to remove RTC (real time clock) battery for few miutes and tehn power on the unit and go to bios and load bios defaults. As a guide go and use service guide for your product. You do not exactly specify which model you have (model number or product number) but look on hp.com for service guide : http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c03357415 for more detail.

Note that to do this operation you need to be experienced user but as you wrote that you have disconnected HDD you already opened the unit so expecting you are on the level to do it.

If the RTC cmos clear will not help, report back and we will assist you to do bios flash from DOS.

[mycomputerisbro]

Typing this from my formerly broken computer.  Your suggestion totally worked.  I'm so happy!  Thank You so much!  Have a great day!