Corrupted BIOS...what to do?

[Aqua James]

Hi, I have a PCchips M761 board with amibios. The wrong bios update was accidently used and now nothing happens when the computer is turned on (aside from power -- no picture or drive activity)...Anyone know how I could either get a replacement BIOS chip or have my current chip re-written with an EPROM writer with the proper bios file? How/where can I get this done?

[Steven777]

:-(

I have had the same problem with a system I was building for someone around an Alton/PC Chips 598, although the BIOS I downloaded was supposed to be the right one for that particular motherboard. When I boot the system, I get the 3.5" drive spinning but that's about it...

Isn't it weird just how unreliable these motherboards are??? I am particularly happy to be using an Abit BH6 in my own system... never had a single problem with it.

I hope someone will come up with something that we can try. I am currently trying to find some information that might help us. If I ever do find something, I'll let you know.

Good luck and best regards,

Steven777

[Jeff Nelson]

AQUA, I don't have a solution for you, but I do have some information I gathered a while back. I understand that you can short out your BIOS by popping open the case and doing something to ground the BIOS. This will allow to boot, and re-write with the proper BIOS. Unfortunately, I can't remember how to do it. It's food for thought for you.

[Aqua James]

Thanks for your replies. Does anyone know more about what Jeff said about shorting the BIOS? I've looked around the net, but couldn't find anything on the topic..

[Susan]

I beleive I saw that answered at Anand's, but we can't get there now so let's keep this at the top....Maybe someone will answer

[Jeff Nelson]

Saw something that might help...go on down the list of problems and look for BLEW UP MY MB!!! by Feines....there are some good suggestions in there you could use. It's also what I was referring to earlier. Hope it helps.

[Mac_H]

I think the BIOS shorting thing is the ability to CLEAR CMOS using a jumper on the MB. (See the MB manual if available) I just used this yesterday when reflashing my BIOS. I was being talked through it by the SHUTTLE tech, so I don't know exactly what it does, but we put on and took off the jumper while the system was off. We did this before booting up to reflash. Shuttle reflashed my chip for free after a bad flash a few weeks ago (and gave my a replacement for free when I put the reflashed one in backwards! The little divot on one end of the chip is the Pin 1 end, line it up with the divot in the box printed on the MB surrounding the BIOS socket...) Maybe your MB company will too. Only problem is you have to send them the chip, which always seems to take forever.

But try the "clear CMOS" jumper first.

[oktokie]

Hem...I wish people would stop replying if they did not know what they were talking about.Ok...here we go

CMOS and BIOS aren't same thing. They are two different CHIPS

1) flashing BIOS is reprogramming of system's firmware.

2) shorting CMOS means clearing BIOS setup parameters.

What happens if you flash the BIOS with wrong BISO image? The system won't function at all. Only solution to this problem is that you have to flash your BIOS again. Remember, in order to flash BIOS...you have to have working system with DOS and flash.exe and bios.img file It's like doing brain surgery by yourself. What happens if you perform brain surgery on you by yourself and mess up? You dead and since there is nobody to perform cure for your mistakes...In this case...your computer is dead and there is no way to flash this EEPROM.

If you mistake/accident while flashing EEPROM(BIOS) then only solution is to contact your motherboard manufactural for replacement or have them flash your BIOS for you. Needlessly to say, you have submit your DEAD* BIOS to motherboard manufactural and you won't be able to use your system for a while. Do your self a favor by ordering a new BIOS from the manufactural.

Alternative way is to find person with EEPROM programmer. DOWNLOAD right BIOS for your motherboard and flash your DEAD* BIOS with this correct BIOS image. If you do this then you just have to put EEPRO(BIOS) back into correct position. Goodluck with reviving your system.

[Butte]

Alton, PCChips, Eurone or PCWare are all the same board. They say that they won't help if you screw up by putting the wrong bios on a board so there isn't much help there. Setting the pin jumpers to zero the bios won't help if it happens to be the wrong bios. Dead is dead. The best hope you have is to go back to the place you bought it at and see if they will exchange it for you. Tell them that it died and you don't know what is wrong with it. Or you could just do the right thing and buy another board. I think all of us do something like this at one time or another. It's part of the learnig curve. Last guy that was perfect got nailed to a cross for it.

Good Luck,

Mark

[This message has been edited by Butte (edited 03-21-99).]