Upgraded BIOS, now it doesn't boot!!

[Mudassar]

I have a PII Motherboard,
I needed to upgrade the BOIS in order to get a few things to work. I downloaded upgrade file from the motherboards company website, it seemed to have installed OK.. when try to boot, the main BIOS screen (where it calucates the RAM, hardwares, etc..) it just freezes. I can't even enter the BIOS setup! It doesn't read any boot disks, nothing!

I removed all my hardware components and kept trying to boot by adding a component one by one. No luck. I called up the company where I bought the computer from, they said that I have destroyed the motherboard and that I would have to buy a new one.

Is this true?
Isn't there any other possible way!!?
-----------------
MK

Hope this helps!

 

[SESaskDFC]

Howdy:

When you updated your BIOS, did you get the confirmation tones (usually two beeps) or message that BIOS updated successfully??

If not, you may get lucky and be able to re-install your old BIOS (if you saved it).. otherwise, you will need a new CMOS chip OR a new motherboard..

Murray

 

[gargouille]

Try HOLDING DOWN THE INSERT KEY WHILE POWERING UP your system...and then cross your fingers and hope that it reset the bios to the defaults and will let you POST.
YMMV...

 

[jtb]

you may be able to get help from the vendor; but that might be doubtful... P2 mobo now... hmmm... worse case you can replace it for about $150 at a liguidator selling P2/400 systems coming off lease... any more than that and they're having you on... JTB
Solutions Architect
MCSE-NT4, MCP+I, MCP-W2K, CCNA, CCDA,
CTE, MCIWD, i-Net+, Network+
(MCSA, MCSE-W2K, MCIWA, SCSA, SCNA in progress)

 

[Mudassar]

It did say “BIOS updated successfully” But it looks like it really didn’t. Just halts at boot. I cannot do anything.

When I press the Del key it says Entering Setup but it never does enter.

I tried holding the Insert key also... no luck. Thanks anyway.

The shop said that it’s an old type of motherboard and so the BIOS Chip is fixed onto the motherboard, therefore not worth removing the BIOS Chip and replacing it with a new one. Looks like I'll have to buy a new one.

I can't believe such a small software patch destroyed my entire motherboard. Somebody could easily make a virus that does something like that.

thanks for you help guys -----------------
MK

Hope this helps!

 

[Win98User]

Before getting rid of the mobo, try clearing the CMOS first - unplug everything from the mobo ESPECIALLY the power lead - consult the mobo manual to see which jumper needs altering leave it 10 seconds or so then put everything back - not forgetting the power lead ;-)

Regards.

 

[bluescreen77]

-Clear CMOS first (i agree with "Win98User)
-From BIOS settings (if possible) -> "2 sec. latency for HD", "Third Boot Device -> LS-120" -OR- Disable both the Internal and External CPU Cache (save-exit), Enable again the caches...
*bluescreen77
"You learn as long as you live..."

 

[SESaskDFC]

Psssst.. Clear your CMOS all you want.. That will do NOTHING as far as what happened when you flashed your BIOS.. All clearing CMOS does is put all settings back to a default setting.. That's it.. and the default setting is now whatever the flashed BIOS says it is...NOT what the old setting was..

Murray

 

[Stealer]

I was wondering about that bit about clearing the cmos.
Seems to me that after the bios was flashed clearing the cmos would not do much.

Mudassar

What inclined you to the flash in the first place?

Stealer

 

[pnrenton]

I had the same problem once. Here's what I did to fix it. Look in the manual and see if there is a jumper that will reset the bios to factory default. Move the jumper to reset the bios then move the jumper back so that the MoBo will boot up. You'll have to reflash the bios to the most recent "working" bios. Good luck!

 

[Win98User]

SESaskDFC, I bow to your expertise - but could you tell me, does flashing the BIOS automatically reset the BIOS to default settings (be they old or new) or is it dependant on the in-line commands that you attach to the flash command?

 

[hotfusion]

I have little experience of 'flashing', apart from trying to flash a V90 modem to V92 standard as per the manufacturer's advice which resulted in an unuseable modem......but is it possible to re-flash your BIOS to correct whatever error crept in?
And was it 100% the correct version for your motherboard? My suggestions are what I would try myself. If incorrect, I welcome corrections to my rather limited knowledge. Andy.

 

[Win98User]

When flashing the BIOS the first thing that you do is read the instructions that the web-site offers with the download - in this instance, when talking about clearing the CMOS it would be expected that the instructions would recommend attaching the /cc switch (other versions may apply) to the flash process - This is Clear Cmos!

In this case it would be a small matter to clear the CMOS manually, and then try to reboot, nothing is lost apart from a few minutes - Mudassar hasn't let us know any details of the flashing process, so why not offer the advice to clear the CMOS rather than asserting that it will have already been done - it might have been, but that would mean that we are making an assumption.

As it is, I believe that hotfusion has it right when he questions if the right BIOS was used. Flasing with the wrong image would bring back a "flashed ok" message, but would result in the BIOS being corrupted. So, rebooting the machine at this point would actually kill the mobo.


Regards.