Without knowing the descriptions that are attached to the messages about F1
and F2 it's not possible to comment on a reason. Have the messages gone
away now that the battery has been replaced?

If the message is that the sound device is in use this indicates that the
drivers are wrong or corrupted or the device is not functioning. It can
happen when the system tries to play a sound (eg at start-up) but the
process never completes properly, so the device is forever after 'in use'
and nothing else will play, and in some cases even hang up because it can't
get to the sound device. An external device is probably the simplest
solution.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"KG" wrote in message
...
I am actually getting two options at bootup after an overnight 'turnoff'.
The first one is F1 followed by F2.
This doesn't happen after say an hour or two, just after one day to the
next (overnight)
Gives the impression the bios is 'leaking' away. Have fitted a new
battery.
Did find a chipset to install the sound drivers but when trying to play
the windows sounds in Control Panel it says windows cannot play them as
the sound card may be in use. The yellow 'tags' have gone in device
manager, but still no sound.
The only options I seem to have are 'Modem sounds' where I think I should
have A 97. option. Is that correct?
I did plug in one of those USB sound devises and of course that works
fine.
I wonder if any of this is causing the bios settings to drop out?