Installing new BIOS

[Karen House]

When installing Y2K compatible Dual Pro 2.02 Award Bios I cannot get past POST and no video. I removed the old BIOS chip and didn't realize that the new Dual Pro should be installed with the adapter card it came on. I removed it and placed it on the old BIOS pins-it didn't quite fit(shorter that the old one). Did I fry the new BIOS when I booted it up?

[MR COMPUTER]

Did you put the old bios chip back in the board and try to boot ? http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[CMonster]

BIOS chips are very- extreamly sensitive a little- minute voltage on the wrong pin and at very least the data is corrupt; they are very easy to toast! I am speaking form experience.

[800XL]

I'd guess the new bios is toast. Just installing the correct type of bios chip on a board backwards can burn it up. There are many many different types of bios chips, and your motherboard is designed for a specific type. Any other type (like the one from the add in card) could fry or scramble the chip or possibly even damage the motherboard. Those bios upgrade cards are designed to be installed on the card in one of your ISA slots only. You may be able to get the card repaired or replaced by the manufacturer at less cost than a new one. They may even be able to just send you the chip to replace on the card.

First off though, you need to put your original bios chip back in the motherboard if you haven't already. Make sure it is facing the right way. There should be a notch at one end of the socket and a similar mark on the chip that need to be lined up. If you still run into a blank screen, try clearing the CMOS using the jumper on the motherboard. It may have gotten scrambled somewhat too. Let us know how it goes and good luck!