yellow exclamation on com ports

[Gary Roach]

I'm running XP Pro. Device manager is reporting a problem with my com
ports - they both have yellow exclamation signs. windows reports a "code 43"
which i can't find a description of anywhere. i tested the ports (including
external loopback tests) under dos with amidiag and they are fine. what
could be the problem? i even tried uninstalling and reinstalling the ports
as per the windows troubleshooter but no luck. your help is greatly
appreciated.

gary

 

[Jason Tsang]

What motherboard do you have?

 

[Gary Roach]

ASUS P2L97

What motherboard do you have?



--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

 

[Jason Tsang]

I know for sure you'll need to get an updated bios for that motherboard (I
have that one)

The latest (and last) bios update for that motherboard can be found here
ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/Slot_I/INTEL_Chipset/i440LX/P2L97/with_Hardwaremonitor/1010__04.zip

The flashing tool you'll use is this one
ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/BIOS_FLASH_UTILS/DOS/AFLASH/aflash221.zip

 

[Gary Roach]

well my dutch is a little rusty but what the hell i'll give it a try! thanks
for the help

 

[Gary Roach]

as it turns out, the bios isn't flashable.

I know for sure you'll need to get an updated bios for that motherboard (I
have that one)

The latest (and last) bios update for that motherboard can be found here
ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/Slot_I/INTEL_Chipset/i440LX/P2L97/with_Hardwaremonitor/1010__04.zip

The flashing tool you'll use is this one
ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/BIOS_FLASH_UTILS/DOS/AFLASH/aflash221.zip

--
Jason Tsang - Microsoft MVP

Find out about the MS MVP Program -
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx

 

[Jason Tsang]

You need to change the jumpers on your motherboard so that the bios is
flashable.

 

[Gary Roach]

I don't think i can program my bios. i found this manual for the motherboard
(http://www.asus.com/pub/asus/mb/slot1/440lx/p2l97/p2l97-105.pdf) and it
says:

If "unknown" is displayed after Flash Type -, the memory chip is not
programmable or is not supported with the PnP BIOS and therefore cannot be
programmed by the Flash Memory Writer utility.

this is the case when i run the aflash utility. i looked at the chip and
it's in a DIP package in a socket and there doesn't appear to be any bios
writing jumper. (there's no mention of one in the manual.) i think i'm stuck
unless i want to shell out the money to get a new chip. thanks for the help.

 

[Jason Tsang]

This flasher may do the trick

http://www.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/flash/pflash.exe

 

[Gary Roach]

success! i got pflash off the german web-site because the taiwan one had
some problem. i flashed the bios with the bios file you sent and the problem
of the yellow exclamation marks is gone - the ports work. thanks for all the
help,

gary

 

[Jason Tsang]

Glad to hear the problem is fixed.