Computer boot up problem

[DarkAngel]

A few days ago I had a power outage(which happens like every other day lasting like 2-3 seconds so you can just imagine the hell JPS have mi inna) but this time it seems to have affected the system, when I re-boot the system I got an error message that something was wrong in the system BIOS and that I should press F5 to load the optimum setting ( sorry I can't remember the exact error message) so I pressed F5 an it booted normally, I had to reset the system time and date in windows.
Whoever the next morning when I boot up the computer the computer seem to not want to re-boot unless I cut power to the unit for a few seconds and pug it in back I have been doing that ever since and it's getting real tiresome.
Something to note :
1. The system status light is ON
2. The hard drive light is ON continuously
3. The computer seems to be trying to access the CDROM every few seconds (and closes it back when I open it)
What I have done so far:

I suspect that the system is trying to boot from the cdrom so I have checked the BIOS and change the setting to load best perforce settings (just in case the sytem "optimum performance" settingwas too high).
Changed the boot sequence to IDE1 then IDE2.. IDE3 save settings and re-booted the system (same prob.)

Any help will be appreciated

Secondly:
I will be looking to get a cheap UPS when I have the money to purchase one- I know that APC sells the best units (at least that what I am hearing) do you know of any costing in the $2,500 region that would give me anywhere from 2-3 minutes of power?

[Nastrodamus]

What type of motherboard do you have and what version of windows are you running?

You seem to have one of two things a now faulty OS or a faulty motherboard.

Lets have the info the we can troubleshoot it.

[DarkAngel]

Dual boot environment Win2000 and WinMe, default boot OS WinMe.
PC133 systemboard Socket 370 M758 + series (one of those intergrated motherboard from PC Chip)

[Nastrodamus]

Does the system give this same error in both environments?

If it does behave like this in both Win2000 and WinMe then I think you do have a now faulty motherboard. If the error only occurs in one of the windows installations then you have to format that partition and reinstall windows.

[DarkAngel]

The problem happens before you get to the point to select the OS to boot form\to. At this stage also when you press the rest or the power button they simply will not respond at all. at this point you will have to kill the power to the system by pluging it out.

P.s the buttons work fine there after.

[Nastrodamus]

I think you may need a new motherboard.

Lets see what the other guys think.

[jamrock]

Power surges like that tend to attack your power supply, motherboard and memory.

I had to replace my power supply last year even though I was on a surge protector. The technician told me to give thanks. It would have been a whole lot worse if I didn't have the surge protector.

Jamaica, no problem mon.

[Nastrodamus]

Well at least this time it is not the power supply. Lets hope you memory hasn't gone bad with your motherboard.

[sicholas]

I suspect you may have bad RAM. try 2 get a stcik of RAM and take out the old1 & put in the new 1 & see if ur system will work, if not the mobo is the problem

[tech_guru]

From this Problem...

I got an error message that something was wrong in the system BIOS and that I should press F5 to load the optimum setting ( sorry I can't remember the exact error message) so I pressed F5 an it booted normally, I had to reset the system time and date in windows.

It seems your CMOS battery has gone bad try replacing with a known working spare......

If that fails I would say get a new motherboard....