ERROR, cant find system BIOS hook

[damgood85]

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

 

[Paul]

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

The first thing you do after all the hardware is hooked together ?

1) Run memtest86+ from memtest.org . It is a free memory tester,
and there is a version that prepares a boot floppy and a
second version that runs from a CD.

Chances are your Windows install is failing, because the memory
is full of errors. Run memtest86+ for at least a couple of
passes, error free, before attempting an OS install.

If you are in such a hurry, that you cannot be bothered to test
the memory, then only plug one memory stick into the board,
enter the BIOS and set Vdimm to 2.7V. Save, exit, and jam
in that Windows CD...

As for the BIOS, you should have cracked open the user manual
in the motherboard box. Chapter 2 will tell you about a
program called AFUDOS. The "BIOS hook" error tells you that
you are using the wrong program for the job. An AMI BIOS uses
an AMI flasher - an Award BIOS uses an Award flasher, they
cannot be mixed.

Paul

 

[DaveW]

It sounds like you have a bad motherboard. Time for an RMA.

 

[damgood85]

Thanks all, i will try the afudos suggestion tonight

 

[damgood85]

I tried the AFUDOS flasher just now. it started but when it does th
advance check it comes up with "ERROR: the main bios checksum i
bad." and dumps me back to the a: prompt??

 

[BC]

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

Could be inadequate power supply: got same message when trying to
install XP on a P5WD2 with a power supply that couldn't handle the load.

Brief google search finds:

http://www.computing.net/cpus/wwwboard/forum/11576.html

Also, from:

http://www.duxcw.com/yabbse/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=15381

Reverclocking failed

« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2005, 03:52:53 pm » Reply with quote

My boss's machine suddenly started reporting 'overclocking failed' if
DIMM slots 1 or 2 were used. 3 and 4 work fine, and the sticks appear
fine. Fun stuff. Also concurrently had a HDD in a Raid fail, and the
raid is taking a lonnnng time to rebuild. Fun stuff.

Moral of the story: try moving around memory, especially if its an Asus
A8VDeluxe motherboard.

From another site: someone using 350W PSUfor a P5WD2, mine didn't boot
with a 430W, same brand:

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-2066067.php

Looked on Asus support site thinking I had seen information on it there,
but could not find it.

Good luck,

BC

 

[Paul]

I tried the AFUDOS flasher just now. it started but when it
does the advance check it comes up with "ERROR: the main bios
checksum is bad." and dumps me back to the a: prompt???

http://support.asus.com/technicaldocuments/technicaldocuments_content.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&NO=546

I presume the downloaded file was zipped. When you unzipped it,
did you verify it was exactly 512KB ? (Your user manual says
the flash chip is 4 megabits, and dividing by 8 gives 512KB
as the size.) Some BIOS files contain internally compressed
code modules, and some decompression programs will try to
decompress the innards of the actual BIOS file itself. You'll
know this happened, if you see both a 512KB and a 128KB file
after doing decompression. Only the 512KB file should be
there and be used.

If that is not the problem, can you tell whether the program
is complaining about the contents of your file, or the
contents of the EEPROM chip itself ? I don't think all the
error conditions are documented anywhere. (This is the only
doc I know of, that talks about AFUDOS, and the Asus version
is not the same as the AMI version. Asus added wrapper code
to the program.)

http://www.ami.com/support/doc/AMIBIOS8_Flash_Recovery_Whitepaper_v10.pdf

Looking at the error messages inside the AFUDOS executable,
the "The Main BIOS checksum is bad" message is right after
"Unable to read from disk", implying the program is checking
the checksum of the file to be flashed. If that is what
is happening, that could be a problem with your RAM, or
as explained above, you've offered the wrong file to the
flasher. Now, AFUDOS has other consistency checks, like checking
the ID at the end of the file. So, without knowing more,
I'd say bad RAM is corrupting the BIOS image to be flashed,
before the flasher can use it, or the file read operations
are not working properly.

Running the BIOS flasher, when the system is unstable, is
dangerous. The flash tool is probably not trying to flash
the boot block, which means you may be able to recover if
things go wrong, but I would work on stabilizing the operation
of the computer, BEFORE any more attempts to flash. It is
like trying to repair your cigarette lighter, just after
you've spilled gasoline all over yourself No good will
come of it

Paul

 

[damgood85]

Thanks, I have downloaded memtest86+ and will be running it tonight.
And yes the file unziped was 512kb on the nose also a suggestion was
made on another site that I step up the bios version by version from
the one I have (v1009) to the latest non beta one (v1012) I.E. flash
v1010 then 1011 then 1012. Dose that make any sense? As well I had
already tried moving the one 512-mem stick I have to the other
available slots. I have also already pulled everything I dont
absolutely need (cd burner, zip drive, extra fan) to reduce the draw
on my power supply.

 

[milleron]

Thanks, I have downloaded memtest86+ and will be running it tonight.
And yes the file unziped was 512kb on the nose also a suggestion was
made on another site that I step up the bios version by version from
the one I have (v1009) to the latest non beta one (v1012) I.E. flash
v1010 then 1011 then 1012. Dose that make any sense? As well I had
already tried moving the one 512-mem stick I have to the other
available slots. I have also already pulled everything I dont
absolutely need (cd burner, zip drive, extra fan) to reduce the draw
on my power supply.

It shouldn't hurt anything to flash the BIOS sequentially, but that
should NOT be necessary if the hardware's OK and the BIN file is the
correct one for the BIOS.
In other words, it won't hurt to try, but it almost certainly will not
solve your problem.

Ron

 

[milleron]

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

Does this motherboard have built-in EZ-Flash? (Sorry, I can't get
anything at Asus.com to load in order to answer the question myself.
Looks almost like someone's hitting them with a D.o.S. attack.)
If it does, it would be worth trying that approach. I have a
different AMD board that would not flash (for some reason) from a boot
floppy and the DOS flasher, but does flash very nicely using EZ-Flash.

Ron

 

[damgood85]

milleronwrote:

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

Does this motherboard have built-in EZ-Flash? (Sorry, I can't get
anything at Asus.com to load in order to answer the question myself.
Looks almost like someone's hitting them with a D.o.S. attack.)
If it does, it would be worth trying that approach. I have a
different AMD board that would not flash (for some reason) from a
boot
floppy and the DOS flasher, but does flash very nicely using
EZ-Flash.

Ron[/quote:84573c38f5]

How can I tell if it has ez-flash? Asuss site has been flakey
for the last several days. I know Ive been trying to get
support from them all along.

 

[milleron]

milleronwrote:

I just started building my own computer using the Asus k8v-x but it
hangs during the install of XP. Then when I reset I get an
Overclocking Failed error. Asus recommended a bios
update on the bord using their aflash.exe program so I tried but when
I go to do it I get an error that reads ERROR, cant find
system BIOS hook. ANY HELP?????

Does this motherboard have built-in EZ-Flash? (Sorry, I can't get
anything at Asus.com to load in order to answer the question myself.
Looks almost like someone's hitting them with a D.o.S. attack.)
If it does, it would be worth trying that approach. I have a
different AMD board that would not flash (for some reason) from a
boot
floppy and the DOS flasher, but does flash very nicely using
EZ-Flash.

Ron[/quote:84573c38f5]

How can I tell if it has ez-flash? Asuss site has been flakey
for the last several days. I know Ive been trying to get
support from them all along.

Get out your manual and look at the list of features. On my board,
you enter EZ-Flash by hitting ALT-F2 while on the first POST page, so
you could try that, too. If it's on your board, I imagine that Asus
would set up access to it using the same key sequence.

Ron

 

[damgood85]

EZ-flash worked and got the system stable enough to install the os but
it still freezes up at random and will not do a warm boot from windows
or the reset button. And when I do a cold boot after a freeze I get
the "Overclocking failed" AMI error. It doesnt mater if I
reset to bios default or not, still a minute later it is frozen again

 

[damgood85]

I have ran memtest86 for 7 passes before I did the flash and got n
errors but now that XP is on it (and freezing as it is) memtest8
freezes after about three minute

 

[damgood85]

I just got back from the shop I got the mem from. I explained th
problem to my friend that works there, he had a similar problem tha
turned out to be bad memory so he gave me another stick with the sam
specs but a different make. But as I have been typing this memtest8
has frozen on its first pass about the same place it did with the ol
stick

 

[damgood85]

thanks all, a new bord solved it all.