press the ESC key for startup menu

[BO Terry]

Hi all,

I've tried several things already and am thinking this is a bad mobo but wanted to reach out here, just in case someone had a fix.

This is an HP Pavilion desktop, maybe 3 years old. It runs Win 7 and just a few days prior to the message was tuned up (verified Windows updates installed, ran a cleanup utility (Glary Utilities), updated Norton and ran a full scan, ran the HP diagnostics (no issues found). It ran beautifully for the next 2 days.

This morning, the user gets this screen: Press the ESC key for startup menu. Pressing ESC does nothing, pressing ESC on reboot does nothing except changing the background screen from HP generic blue with the HP logo to black. No beep codes. I removed the drive & rebooted it, the same screen (still no beep codes). I took out the RAM and finally got beep codes (5 sets of 5 beeps indicating RAM issue...duh!). I reseated all of the cables. The inside of the case/fans etc is very clean as well. Any other suggestions or is this a bad just a bad mobo?

Thanks!

 

[GTP]

...Glary Utilities and Norton? Meh...

It sounds like a bad mobo, but just for giggles have you replaced the BIOS battery?
Also, are you sure the PSU is ok?
Do you have a spare PSU to test with?
Have you visually inspected the board for swollen, leaking or discoloured capacitors etc. and made sure the CPU is seated correctly?

 

[CLC]

It sounds like a bad mobo, but just for giggles have you replaced the BIOS battery?

I usually pull the battery for about a half hour then try to boot again.

 

[cam w]

took out the RAM and finally got beep codes (5 sets of 5 beeps indicating RAM issue...duh!).

You will get beep code if you took the ram out!

 

[Larry Sabo]

You will get beep code if you took the ram out!

That's why she said "duh!"

 

[CLC]

That's why she said "duh!"

 

[Mick]

How far into the boot sequence does this get before the message appears? Straightaway, or are you getting some indication that Windows is starting to load (e.g. spinner, or whatever those four little coloured dots are called)? If the former, are you actually getting to the stage where the keyboard is responsive (e.g. caps lock light comes on when relevant key pressed - that sort of thing)?

 

[BO Terry]

...Glary Utilities and Norton? Meh...

It sounds like a bad mobo, but just for giggles have you replaced the BIOS battery?
Also, are you sure the PSU is ok?
Do you have a spare PSU to test with?
Have you visually inspected the board for swollen, leaking or discoloured capacitors etc. and made sure the CPU is seated correctly?

Thanks, Barcelona and CLC! I pulled the BIOS battery and put in a new one about 45 minutes later. It still came up with the ESC message but this time it actually allowed me to do something with it. It forced me through a quick hardware diag, all passed. Now it is up and running again!

FYI: Never got around to testing the PSU and board looks good on visual inspection.

Thanks!

 

[cam w]

That's why she said "duh!"

I know that's why she said :duh" ! She sounded surprised she didn't have any until she did.
Of course you will get beeps with the ram pulled, and as I read the post the ram is good
as she is wondering maybe motherboard?

 

[Larry Sabo]

I'm confused. I took the "duh" to mean "Of course I'd get beeps with the RAM removed, so that was pointless; how silly of me." If you also understood her to mean that, then I don't understand why you would make the comment "You will get beep code if you took the ram out! " It doesn't matter; I'm not adding any value to this thread, obviously, so will just move along.

 

[cam w]

I'm confused. I took the "duh" to mean "Of course I'd get beeps with the RAM removed, so that was pointless; how silly of me." If you also understood her to mean that, then I don't understand why you would make the comment "You will get beep code if you took the ram out! " It doesn't matter; I'm not adding any value to this thread, obviously, so will just move along.

Well I'm confused too Larry more so in my senior years, lol. That's what I thought she meant but just wanted
to let her know in case she didn't!

Have a great day!