Bodged Bios Upgrade - options?

[Lordy]

Sisters PC playing up. Changed memory. OK. Decided (foolishly with
hindsight) to upgrade BIOS (I know. I know but its so easy with high end
mobos I forgot about the dangers esp with badly laid out "Engrish"
websites)

Mobo is an ASUS A7V8X-MX with the ugly Phoenix AWARD Bios

Got "correct" new bios. Made a boot floppy.
Updated OK.
PC Now wont boot.

Turns out that mobo is a ASUS A7V8X-MX SE (but they didnt print the SE bit
on the PCB)

The cheapest option is to buy a complete new cheapo mobo I guess?
Replacing the Bios chip looks like WAY more hassle than its worth...


I am thoroughly peed off with looking at peoples PCs that were built by
cheap cut corner system builders at the moment. (OK its my fault for
upgrading the bios but I wouldnt have been looking at the thing if it had
all been working in the first place)

 

[0_Qed]

Overlord wrote:
....snip...

Not necessarily. I seem to recall there are numerous people on Ebay

....snip...

Agreed ...
but added ...
look(google) for a device called a "Bios Savour"(BS) ...
its essentially the eeprom chip holder with an 'aux' BIOS chip
embedded in it ... holds =both= the OEM BIOS & a spare(switchable) BIOS
chip.
$20 to $30USD +\- ...
Get the 'one' that fits your mobo ...

Most vendors will flash the BS embedded eeprom chip for a small fee ...

Pull your munged BIOS chip, install the 'BS' , install your OEM
BIOS chip 'atop' ... switch to the BS embedded chip ... hopefully
it'll boot.

Power off, 110vac plug pulled, please.

Then ...
you can safely play with flashing the OEM chip.

I'd opine that a pure DOS 'flash' app is a bit safer than a 'Win' based
app ...

Be aware that a newly flashed eeprom chip may not have an
up to date ESCD located behind the bios_based flash_file in/on the
eeprom ...
( the presence of the ESCD depends upon mobo & Award bios versions ) .
Your 1st boot will cause your PC to RE_probe for all the hdwr ...
not to worry ... as "it" should be.
Nah ... dont ask (escd ) ... you really donwanna know.


Qed.

 

[Overlord]

Sisters PC playing up. Changed memory. OK. Decided (foolishly with
hindsight) to upgrade BIOS (I know. I know but its so easy with high end
mobos I forgot about the dangers esp with badly laid out "Engrish"
websites)

Mobo is an ASUS A7V8X-MX with the ugly Phoenix AWARD Bios

Got "correct" new bios. Made a boot floppy.
Updated OK.
PC Now wont boot.

Turns out that mobo is a ASUS A7V8X-MX SE (but they didnt print the SE bit
on the PCB)

The cheapest option is to buy a complete new cheapo mobo I guess?
Replacing the Bios chip looks like WAY more hassle than its worth...

Not necessarily. I seem to recall there are numerous people on Ebay
that will sell you the correct EEPROM for your MB flashed with either
the BIOS of your choice or simply the latest released BIOS for that model
from the manufacturer's web site. It's may not fix all the PC's problems
but will probably fix the POST/boot problem.
Some of them will reflash the EEPROM you send to them and return it, others have
the option of simply sending you a replacement EEPROM already flashed.

Pull the old chip (socketed), stick in the new, (with suitable static precautions)
and you should be off and running. If you go that route, carefully study the
old chip on the board to determine it's orientation before you pull it. You don't
want to put in the new one backwards.

I am thoroughly peed off with looking at peoples PCs that were built by
cheap cut corner system builders at the moment. (OK its my fault for
upgrading the bios but I wouldnt have been looking at the thing if it had
all been working in the first place)

~~~~~~
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root@localhost
postmaster@localhost
admin@localhost
abuse@localhost
postmaster@[127.0.0.1]
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~~~~~~
Remove "spamless" to email me.

 

[spodosaurus]

Pull the old chip (socketed),

There's a tool for this that costs a couple of bucks. Probably worth it
so as not to kill the chip or the board mucking about with a
screwdriver. I've found it's also okay for gently working free older
CPUs that don't have a retainer clip (like 386 and 486 that aren't
soldered to the motherboards).

--
spammage trappage: replace fishies_ with yahoo

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. To jump to the end
of the story, as a result of this I need a bone marrow transplant. Many
people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please
volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

 

[Papa]

Try clearing CMOS. However, before doing so, turn the computer off and pull
the power cable. Then open up the case and clear the CMOS for a few seconds
(either by positioning the Clear CMOS jumper to the Clear position if such a
jumper exists - and then repositioning the jumper to the Normal position, by
shorting across the Clear CMOS pins if no jumper is available, or by
removing the CMOS battery for a few seconds). Refer to your motherboard
manual for details. Once CMOS is cleared you will need to start the system
up and go into the CMOS screen and select all desired settings. The CMOS
page can usually be reached by tapping the DEL key during the early part of
the boot.

Hope this will help.

 

[Lordy]

Try clearing CMOS. ...

Hope this will help.

Cheers. Tried that to no avail. Migh not have done it properly though.
I didnt have the manual to hand to just flipped the jumper closest to the
battery.

Also pulled the bettery and waited when the jumper method didnt work.