Before create a paperweight- modbin6 question

[basskozz]

Open up XP's device manager, navigate to the new device and open properties, then details, then the drop down to 'Compatible IDs'. What are the strings shown?

ScreenShot:

Thanks for the help with this...

I got v3.14 of the bios back ... Someone sent it to me...Right now I am doing a side-by-side comparison of the BIOS settings available in Modbin6 of v3.10 and v3.14... If you'd like I can add v3.13 in to the mix (PM me).
Here is the work-in-progress:
http://www.geocities.com/basskozz/A8AE-LE/compare.html
I plan on adding notes, as to which options have changed (added/removed, etc...) and I plan on ficing the current resolution issue with these images.
BTW, what app did you use to compile the screenshots of ModBin:
http://www.geocities.com/whydothis1000/sr1750bio1.gif

AS far as the "Memclock index value (MHz)" settings are involved I will wait untill I am done with the comparison before I dig into that.

[whydothis1001]

Seems to be some type of ATI (Vendor ID=1002) audio device (class 04) but the subclass code 03 does not register. On the sr1750nx the AC97 media is class 04 and subcalss 01. Interesting there is no device ID listed. Anything in your bios that manipulates audio devices?

As far as how I generated the long bios listing screen, manually. Display a screenful in modbin6, save screen, cut the relevant section out of the saved screen, paste to end of last save on the image, one after the other :-(

[basskozz]

Well this device show'ed up when I flashed v3.10... maybe if I flash back (or forward, how ever you want to look at it) to v3.14 it will remove itself. I'll try that next.
[EDIT: Yup, that did the trick... odd PCI device is no more... now I wounder what it was ]

I also noticed I had a screen that was a boot-loader screen after BIOS's POST, that said hit Shift+F10 to go into the boot-loader, that I have noticed is no longer there... now I haven't tried any of your other mod's (i.e. RAID mod), and I have only been working with ModBin6, but I think (this is just a hunch) that maybe v3.14 automatically add's the RAID compatability.
[EDIT:] Nevermind, I just flashed v3.14, and I didn't get that bootloader screen, unless this version of 3.14 doesn't have it and my old one did? Or I could be getting this confused with that POS eSupport BIOS... I am tired

p.s. I've completed the review (somewhat) of the two different BIOS's (v3.14 & v3.10) and it seem's that v3.10 has an extra feature that is not found on v3.14... but it's not a very useful one, it's "Soft-Off PWRB" which I assume just allows the user to put the computer in stand-by with the power button. Nothing major here... What's a better program I can use to compare these two bios revisions?
I know I could manually go thru each sub-section and see if there are any additional options available (selectable or non-selectable), but I am to lazy for that

Result's thus far can be found here: http://www.geocities.com/basskozz/A8AE-LE/

[basskozz]

whydothis1001,

I was thinking about the issue of the ModBin6 not letting me adjust the Mem Index (MHz) values, and I figure I better leave it alone... I am to afriad I might fry the board ...
Is there any chance we could get access to changing the memory timing settings (which are not provided options in the BIOS):
tRP (RAS Precharge Delay)
tRCD (RAS (Row Access Strobe) to CAS delay)
tRAS (Active to Precharge or Active Precharge Delay)

This way I'd beable to squeeze preformance out of my memory w/out OC'ing the FSB.
Thoughts?

-BassKozz

[TracerX]

whydothis1001: I would really like to see a copy of your modded 3.13 for vista if possible. I was previously running 3.08 and couldn't even get into vista setup without errors. It looked like upgrading to 3.10 had taken care of the errors but now I just get a black screen.

Also, I backed up 3.08 before upgrading so if that would help I'd be glad to pm it to the cause.

[whydothis1001]

BassKozz and TracerX, response below

BassKozz:
-----------
Shift+F10, do you still have the recovery partition on your HD? I noticed the lack of this message also but chalked it up to not having the recovery partition on my drive(s).

As far as bios tweaks for memory, by far the biggest affect on memory access is setting the timing to 1T if you are using dual channel memory, I see a 20%+ increase (according to Sandra) by changing to 1T versus 2T. The other have small if not miniscule affect (a few percent for CAS lat). If you are not running dual channel, the 1T/2T timing may provide only a 5% boost (tried on my s754 Turion latop).

The 1T/2T choice is available in the newly ‘visible’ options.
I have not found the other options available, even when scanning the strings in the _en_code.bin file.
I would not know how to determine the correct locations in the original.bin file if the options are not at least on the hidden screens.

You can tweak (is you’re an Athlon x64 or Sempron?) all your memory timings in windows if yours is an A64 using “A64Tweaker”. I do not know if this works on Semprons. I do know some mobo’s do not take kindly to a64tweaker (A gigabyte something froze solid if ‘Set’ was done to anything). The A8AE/RS480/482 line likes a64tweaker just fine. Note a64tweaker does –not- change the clock gen chip but rather only changes registers in the A64.

Interesting about the v3.14 having more options in the Sata area!!!

TracerX:
-----------
I am more than happy to provide instructions on doing the mod but have a long standing rule about posting, or sending upstream anything that I did not create myself (the files in question). A family member got jerked around pretty good back in the late 90’s(do not need that again).

Pick up cbrom606 and modbin 2.01.01 here:
http://www.dstyles.de/bios/bnobtc-files/award/

Pick up the MSI bios here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/bios/bos/spt_bos_detail.php?UID=640&kind=1
File: 7093v39.zip

Pick up the A8AE bios v3.10 from http://www.hp.com, search for: sp26622.exe
Extract the 310.rom file from sp26622.exe using winrar

Copy all these files to a sub-directory

View the VGA module in the MSI bios:
cbrom606 W7093AMS.bin /d
One of the lines should be:
7. VGA ROM[1] 0F000h(60.00K) 09903h(38.25K) BR13593h.YT

View the VGA module in the HP bios
cbrom606 310.rom /d
One of the lines should be:
14. VGA ROM[1] 0D000h(52.00K) 08410h(33.02K) br14086.bin

Extract the VGA module from the MSI bios

cbrom606 W7093AMS.390 /vga extract
CBROM V6.06 (C)Award Software 1999 All Rights Reserved.
VGA ROM - - - [1] : BR13593h.YT
Enter an extract file Name :(BR13593h.YT)
[VGA-1] ROM is extracted to BR13593h.YT

Replace the VGA bios in the HP with the MSI module:

cbrom606 310.rom /vga br13593h.yt
CBROM V6.06 (C)Award Software 1999 All Rights Reserved.
Adding br13593h.yt ....... 63.7%

Verify it got added (note: I have found it is not necessary to ‘release’ a module before overwriting it using cbrom606, as long as there is no duplicates of the type (e.g. pci).

cbrom606 310.rom /d
Should see a line like:
15. VGA ROM[1] 0F000h(60.00K) 09903h(38.25K) br13593h.yt

Run the result through modbin6 to clean up all checksums:
modbin6 310.rom
In modbin6:
ALT-F -> Save As -> mybios.bin

View your bios with cbrom606 to make sure it looks sane:
cbrom606 mybios.bin

Flash your new bios –AT YOUR OWN RISK-.

[TracerX]

Thanks for the directions whydothis1001. I did as suggested and updated the bios but unfortunately, I guess Vista doesn't work with 3.10.

[whydothis1001]

What are the symptoms? I had a blank screen, all else seemed functional (I could mouse click, etc and have it react).

Which version of Vista? I did use it on 5308 with the drivers included in 5308, not the ones from the ATI site, did not need them.

For 5270 I think you need the ATI site drivers (not sure if the ones ATI posted for 5270 will work on 5308, or vice-versa). I have not tried on newer version of Vista.

[TracerX]

5308. I finally let the computer just sit and run. After awhile the computer finally got to checking all the hard drives and then the install background came up but no install dialogs. I haven't even managed to get vista on the machine, this is all trying to install. The install seems to be trying to run thru molasses.

I do feel that it is bios-related though because previously the install wouldn't run at all.

[basskozz]

BassKozz:
-----------
Shift+F10, do you still have the recovery partition on your HD? I noticed the lack of this message also but chalked it up to not having the recovery partition on my drive(s).

Ahhh, that's what it was... "restore partition". I forgot about that

As far as bios tweaks for memory, by far the biggest affect on memory access is setting the timing to 1T if you are using dual channel memory, I see a 20%+ increase (according to Sandra) by changing to 1T versus 2T. The other have small if not miniscule affect (a few percent for CAS lat). If you are not running dual channel, the 1T/2T timing may provide only a 5% boost (tried on my s754 Turion latop).

The 1T/2T choice is available in the newly ‘visible’ options.
I have not found the other options available, even when scanning the strings in the _en_code.bin file.
I would not know how to determine the correct locations in the original.bin file if the options are not at least on the hidden screens.

1T causes my system to freeze up and not boot (no POST screen), with a long beep every three seconds...
even thou I am running Dual Channel Mode
I even tried changing my CAS from 2.5 to 3, and it still won't work
EDIT: I had (4x 512mb) 2gig's of ram [Kingston + Crucial], and I removed the cheaper ram (2x 512) 1gig of Crucial, and now 1T works ...
Time to find out if the speed enhancement is worth the loss of 1gig of ram???

You can tweak (is you’re an Athlon x64 or Sempron?) all your memory timings in windows if yours is an A64 using “A64Tweaker”. I do not know if this works on Semprons. I do know some mobo’s do not take kindly to a64tweaker (A gigabyte something froze solid if ‘Set’ was done to anything). The A8AE/RS480/482 line likes a64tweaker just fine. Note a64tweaker does –not- change the clock gen chip but rather only changes registers in the A64.

I have a Sempron chip
I'll give it a go anyways. Let you know what happens.

Interesting about the v3.14 having more options in the Sata area!!!

Not sure what you mean here ?
I didn't find any SATA changes... am I missing something?

Thanks for all the help whydothis, you da man

[whydothis1001]

TracerX:
"5308. I finally let the computer just sit and run. After awhile the computer finally got to checking all the hard drives and then the install background came up but no install dialogs. I haven't even managed to get vista on the machine, this is all trying to install. The install seems to be trying to run thru molasses. Rolling Eyes"

Have you tried a different burn of the DVD? Reason I ask is I have one that is marginal, it works ok in the lightscribe drive that came with the machine but with a different dvd-rom drive I also have it takes forever, I let it grind for an hour and it only got as far as the other drive got in 15-20 minutes. With the lightscribe it takes about 90 minutes for the install, again with a burn that is marginal.

BassKozz:
There is a good chance you will not get 1T to work with 4 sticks plugged in at the same time from any vendor. Glad to hear it seems ok so far with only 2 sticks. I do know, with very intensive memory access programs (e.g. SETI), the 1T timing knocks a 1000+ seconds off an average WU run (about 12%+). The memory footprint of Seti is miniscule but it wants it as fast as it can get it.

As far as the SATA options, it was my mis-read of your side by side, did not look close enough!!!

Thanks for the kudos!

[whydothis1001]

It looks like HP has made the v3.13 bios available for download:
Click here

[rguy1221]

I have the a8ae-le mobo with athlon 64 3200+. I was about to take it up to about 2200mhz with clockgen, but it isn't really what i want to do to apply the settings everytime i reboot. Using a64 tweaker, I tired disabling my 2T timing, but it just resets when I apply it. I'm not very experienced with BIOS are there any premade modded BIOS that i can easily download that works with my specs, or any easy programs i could download? i have Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG V3.10

thank you
theguys1221@msn.com

[whydothis1001]

Check BozzKozz messages in this thread for a link to 3.10 modded:
Click here

I have not personally flashed this bios.

[htpcbuilder]

Hi whydothis1001, I found your information is very useful. Have you got any success on turning on the onboard video ? I know A8AE-LE does not have the S-video and composite video connectors (AmberineM-GL6E), I am thinking since the Amberine-GL6E has those connectors, if you can turn on the onboard options in bios, may be there is a chance that I can install the S-video and composite video connector to the motherboard. Thanks.