BIOS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Emmett
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Emmett

I did a new install of XP Pro on a some what older
machine (AMD 900 on Asus A7V motherboard). Had it
runninng but having some problems with errors pointing to
bios. I downloaded Asus autoupdate progrman and ran it.
I showed and updated for correct bios and I
selected "flash". There were 3 steps and step 3 got a and
error message. Tried a couple of more times, but same
thing. I am guessing one of the first steps cleared
eprom and not machine won't do anthing after shutting it
down (no beeps, no nothing). Tried downloading update on
to floppy from another machine and tried to boot, but
nothing. Am I screwed?
 
Emmett said:
I did a new install of XP Pro on a some what older
machine (AMD 900 on Asus A7V motherboard). Had it
runninng but having some problems with errors pointing to
bios. I downloaded Asus autoupdate progrman and ran it.
I showed and updated for correct bios and I
selected "flash". There were 3 steps and step 3 got a and
error message. Tried a couple of more times, but same
thing. I am guessing one of the first steps cleared
eprom and not machine won't do anthing after shutting it
down (no beeps, no nothing). Tried downloading update on
to floppy from another machine and tried to boot, but
nothing. Am I screwed?
Click to expand...

If you followed the instructions for flashing the BIOS you should be able to
recover from a bad flash. In other words, you should have backed up the
current BIOS before flashing with a new BIOS so that you can restore the
original BIOS if the flash prevents you from booting the system. If you
didn't backup the current BIOS before flashing, you destroyed your
motherboard. If you did backup the original BIOS and are unable to restore
it, then you have a destroyed motherboard. In either case, it's cheaper to
buy a new motherboard than to get it fixed.
 
My ASUS manual says to press Alt + F2 to start the BIOS flash (that's the BIOS updating itself rather than EZFlash program). To recover from a bad flash my manual says to insert the support CD which supposedly can repair the BIOS (so it must still be able to boot). If you didn't save a BIOS it will install whatever is on the CD (which may be older than what came with the computer).

All I can say is RTFM.
 
Question for Johnny: If a bad flash prevents you from booting the system,
then how are you going to boot the system to restore the previous flash you
saved?
 
I had the same question but opted to ask one that I did
not know the answer to-
The bios is an award bios which "plugs" onto the
motherboard. If I spend some time trying to dig up
another award bios chip similar to the one I destroyed,
will it work?
The point being, I believe I erased the bios and the new
flash failed, If I can find, or purchase, another bios
chip will it work and do I need the same bios chip (for
asus a7v board w via kt133 chipset and amd athlon 900)?
or should I just through the board and cpu away?
 
The bios chips should be interchangeable for that model board . The answer
that you can count on would be the one from the board manufacture . Have
you contacted them yet ? JJ
 
I have been all over there website and looks like their
auto update utility is what got me here to begin with,
but I guess I will try and contact them
Thanks to everyone for the help!
 
Thanks for the help but I think the only hope of saving
all my work is another bios chip.
I have had sugesstions to recover from a saved bios, load
cd (didn't get one), press alt + F2, etc. but...
the machine does nothing and I have always thought that
without bios you have nothing else - no drives, no mouse,
no keyboard, etc.

-----Original Message-----
My ASUS manual says to press Alt + F2 to start the BIOS
Click to expand...
flash (that's the BIOS updating itself rather than
EZFlash program). To recover from a bad flash my manual
says to insert the support CD which supposedly can repair
the BIOS (so it must still be able to boot). If you
didn't save a BIOS it will install whatever is on the CD
(which may be older than what came with the computer).
 
I don't think there is anything wrong wth your BIOS. Modern computers have 2 BIOSs. One that is a mnimal (my previous computer recovery bios only communicated by beeping at you - no screen unlike asus) and the normal one. You only flash the normal one. And if the normal one corrupts then the Recovery one takes over. ASUS can use floppies and CDs to boot from.
 
I have been all over there website and looks like their
auto update utility is what got me here to begin with,
but I guess I will try and contact them
Thanks to everyone for the help!
Click to expand...

You can save your data by physically removing the hard drive(s) and
putting them in another PC. At least you could back it up then before
you do whatever you decide to do to get your original PC working again.
 

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