Stuck on Checking NVRAM

[ianthomasbertrand]

D8B was working fine...shut it down, disconnected everything, moved it over two feet, hooked it all back up with a new video monitor and it won't boot past "checking NVRAM" I have the AMPTROM PM9800 motherboard, running at 166MHZ with a 128 stick of RAM. I tried to change the CMOS battery, tried jumping the CMOS reset on the mobo...i've breadboarded the mobo with only the video card and RAM...tried three different sticks of RAM...held down every key on the keyboard at bootup. Nothing will get me into the BIOS. I have a second d8b that is not functioning that I tried taking parts from as well, unfortunately it has a newer mobo that doesn't work or look well. Im about to freak out! Please help!

[FrankH]

The first rule of beta is: "If it was working and now it isn't....what changed?"

hooked it all back up with a new video monitor

This makes me ask: did you try booting with the old monitor? I don't see anything in your troubleshooting that suggests you tried this.

Beyond the monitor, you say you moved it two feet. Not much can shift internally (provided you did it carefully). It's the stuff on the outside more likely to have been stressed. This suggests the classic reseating the BFC and strain relieving the cable to the console....and possibly reseating the desk's internal ribbon connectors. I'd try the BFC first.