"Reboot & Select Proper Boot Device"

OK, the results are in.

I did the whole remove the battery to clear the CMOS thing and adjusted settings in the cleared BIOS - and again got the same error about "proper boot media ...."

Maybe I'm revealing my ignorance here, but after clearing the bios by removing the battery I notice that many of my prior settings are intact. In fact the only setting that changed was for the opticals to be on AHCI instead of IDE. Experience tells me that opticals are perfectly happy on SATA 5,6 set to AHCI and not IDE. So I left them alone on AHCI.

Also, keyboard types in the C prompt when I move the das mechanical keyboard usb (2) to other USB 2.0 ports. Go figure.

Then I did the C prompt fix instead of the Repair which has failed every time.

At C prompt I see:

X:\sources (not a plain old C prompt)

So cd boot only gives me "cannot find path"

So I try bootrec /FixMbr - Works
bootrec /FixBoot - "Element not found"

Next I do bootrec /RebuildBcd and I get 3 choices: Yes, No and All (Both Yes and All fail)

Reboot and get same error "Reboot and Select proper ...."

So stick a fork in me - I'm done.

I can only conclude the CMOS chip is damaged.

cd boot (enter)

Again, I get "The system cannot find the path specified".

Forgive me, here but I was up late at night on this problem so I'm a bit stressed.

Logic would dictate that if I have already installed Win 7 to a separate traditional HDD and again I could not boot for the exact same reason (no boot device found ....), it would appear that trying to solve the problem within the OS will be fruitless.

I can only draw two possible conclusions:

1) The boot order is screwed because the CMOS is damaged (always a distinct possibility whenever the bios is flashed - and certainly when it has been both spooked by intermittent power outages and flashing).

2) The motherboard is fried elsewhere - Highly unlikely because everything else works just fine if I can get past the boot mgr. problem - and that problem is definitely within the purview of the BIOS and the traffic cop BIOS only.

For $16.00 I can swap out the CMOS (The link I sent you on ebay is one of many available.). Please understand that for me swapping out a CMOS would be no more challenging than changing vacuum cleaner bags.

Your thoughts?

Please keep in mind that procuring a high caliber weapon and fixing the problem that way is an option that's still on the table.

Buy the new BIOS chip.

Will do so now. All I really needed was Dad's approval.

So thanks as always for your kind and selfless assistance. You are one of the members that make this group rock!

you don't need my approval to buy anything

Actually Steve, I did. So thanks. I just wanted a second opinion, and one that I value, as to whether or not I had exhausted all the other alternatives. I feel that I did and now I am ordering.

Posted this question over on OCN on the Crosshair V Formula forum where I used to be quite active.
[Official] ASUS Crosshair V Formula (990FX) club

I didn't post here cause the BIOS version for this particular board is more of a specialty question; and those guys know that board probably better than ASUS does.

Actually, there's a very good reason why I disappeared (other than this being way above my head): I went to sleep! :)

My reading has lead to a better understanding of why I had a problem with this Crosshair V Formula BIOS. I posted this on the OCN forum for those who might have a similar problem.

It seems that the CMOS EPROM that was shipped on some of the Crosshair boards was defective. I have ordered a replacement, which should arrive any day now. Apparently, just as we did, many users are frantically trying to flash this BIOS and don't know that the Eprom is itself at fault. I should have read more before bothering all you folks with this problem.

Also, there is a lot of well-meaning advice on the net about the need to send your motherboard back to the manufacturer to have the CMOS eprom replaced. For what it's worth a chimpanzee of above average intelligence could change it out - if he were just careful.

Anyway, Lesson Learned. My apologies for being such a PITA .

Mission Accomplished

Gee Willikers, I AM Brilliant. I was correct.

No need for applause, thank you.

It WAS a defective CMOS chip, either damaged with all the PSU problems or defective from the get-go as has been said about the "legacy" Crosshair V boards.

I changed out the CMOS - not like changing a CPU, especially with the maze of wiring that haunts my computer and especially if you don't have "piano fingers" (I don't.) Gotta be careful to bend the pins of the CMOS so they actually line up before you push down.

Booted up into the BIOS nicely. I changed all the settings to suit my particular needs. And for the first time I'm not getting a lot of screwball choices for boot devices (P4 Atapi, UEFI Atapi ...). The BIOS (loaded #1703 - contacted ASUS tech support twice to make sure their latest BIOS was not buggy) is normal now!

Ah, God Does Love Me, after all.

Actually, there's a very good reason why I disappeared (other than this being way above my head): I went to sleep! :)

TC, I'm going with Door #1 on that one!

Just FYI, There's a New Sheriff in Town!