I'm pretty sure it's a BIOS or POST problem I'm having but here's what I have and what's happening:
The computer runs fine while in windows, but over the last month, this problem has been slowly increasing. I would shutdown my PC via the windows shutdown. I noticed one program having trouble ending during shutdown. ".net something" I'm unsure if this has anything to do with what's going on but it started around the sametime as what I'm about to describe. The computer would turn off entirely, but the HDD light ( the one that comes on while the computer is on ) would stay on. During the time this light is on, the power on button will not work. Trying to unplug and switch off the PSU would make the light flicker off after a moment, but as soon as power is restored to the PSU - the light just comes back on. After waiting for about 3-5 mins, the light would start to flicker and eventually shutoff entirely. Another problem arouse if I did not wait an extra 3-5 mins after the light went out. The computer would turn on, but during POST would stop at one of the screens ( usually the one where it shows you which LAN the computer is checking for an OS ) an in the upper left would appear red-backlite black letters, and they'd be random - the computer would not go further then that. If I waited the 3-5 mins after the light went out, the computer would start normally. After dealing with the waiting period for about a month now, the light doesn't shutoff at all. The first time it took longer then 10 mins was when it toook 3 hrs, and only after I took the CMOS battery out and reset bios. Now it's been going a lil more then a day. I might try to take out the CMOS battery again, and I'm thinking if replacing it would help. Any ideas would be awesome!
AMD 3000+ ( 1.8 ghz )
Radeon 9600 ( 256 MB )
x2 512 MB Cosair XMS DDR RAM
x2 256 MB Cosair XMS DDR RAM
MSI Mobo
Windows XP
