Help diagnosing BIOS fail

[SamKaw]

Hi,

I’m having trouble identifying the source of a BIOS not launching. I’ve replaced the power unit and video card and now it gets locked on the BIOS start.

It beeps every like 20 seconds and on the 4th beep it’s followed by 3 short and fast beeps then cuts the display signal but still powered and all fans moving normally. 
Is it the motherboard? Or something else?

Thanks in advance.

[sandytechy20]

@SamKaw 

Welcome to the HP support community

I understand that you are getting BIOS issues on the computer, I am glad to assist you.

Perform BIOS recovery to fix the issue

Here are the steps:- Click here

Keep me posted.

If this helps, please mark the public post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others.

Cheers.

[SamKaw]

Hi, I had been trying out some possibilities but none showed to be the problem. Changed CMOS battery, bought a newer graphics card, expanded DRAM, but no solution seems to fix it.

The only thing that allowed me to start the pc is to revert back to the old graphics card, and all works just fine.

Is there a BIOS lock to prevent the exchange of key components? Like the new atx tower that I had to buy to fit the new PSU have a chassis fan and despite it been connected and running it display at the start that isn’t detected so I assume that because it isn’t a key component it bypass any sort of manufacturer lock.

Another issue is that despite the pc been running again any attempts to enter the BIOS have failed.

Do I really have to trash the motherboard or is there something that can be done to get the new GPU running?

[Goguma]

The beep pattern may indicate the embedded controller has timed out waiting for BIOS to return from
graphics initialization.
Suggest you access the BIOS/UEFI (F10) with the old graphics card and review the settings.  Try setting your video output in the BIOS to onboard video before you switch cards.  
After you switch video cards go into the BIOS again and see if you can set it to the external card.

This is a guess based on a different model.

[SamKaw]

Hi, sadly it didn’t worked as well. Even tried to change the PCI SERR to disabled, and it froze on the windows logo. I probably need to change the motherboard because this one is apparently locked by some reason.

Thanks for the advice.

[Bill_To]

Hi @SamKaw 

The only thing I can think of is your PC may have a Legacy BIOS. The I7-2600 CPU installed in your MB shipped in Q1'2011.

HP started converting to UEFI BIOS MBs in late 2012 and early 2013.

A typical HP Desktop UEFI BIOS would look like the BIOS options at this HP Site. Check the "Security" Menu.

A UEFI BIOS would have Secure Boot options. You would have to disable Secure Boot and enable Legacy Support in the UEFI BIOS before installing a newer graphics card.

Newer graphics cards; Nvidia 700 series and newer, require a UEFI BIOS.

Regards

[SamKaw]

Thanks for the explanation, but my BIOS don’t have a secure boot option available... it ends on system security. Looking for a newer version for the BIOS on the drivers page didn’t help as well because it only have a win7 version. It is 7.15 in the description and mine is 7.12 but since I’m using win10pro is kinda risky to run the win7 one...

 I will probably change the motherboard...