Medion MD8088 Bios Checksum Error

[aximomatic]

Hi.
Yesterday I tried flashing my bios to the latest version. During the process the flashprogram wrote "error writing to bios”. It kept on trying to write to the same block with the same error repeated over and over again. After a while it wanted me to restart and the following message then appeared:
--------------------------------------------------------
Award BootBlock BIOS v.1.0
BIOS ROM checksum error
Keyboard error or no keyboard present
Detecting floppy drive A media…
INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER
-------------------------------------------------------
There is no PS2-port on this computer so I have to use an USB-keyboard (which apparently doesn't work).
I have tried with an autoexec.bat that starts the flashing process from a floppy disk, it loads the program but it stops with “please wait…” flashing on the screen. After 15 minutes I rebooted. I have since tried with numerous bootdisks:

MS-DOS (“please eject disk and press enter…”)
Phoenix Crisis Recovery Disk, with BIOS ROM for my pc (“please eject disk and press enter…”)
Windows SP2 Installation floppy disks (freezes after entering the blue Windows setup screen)

Old BIOS version was 1.0 the new version is 1.0E.
My mainboard model is: ms7048
Bios is the brand: Phoenix.

Any help will be much appreciated.

[aximomatic]

heh solved it my self.

Apparently it was a faulty autoexec.bat file.
Cleared it up with the help from this site: http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:-0 ... cd=1&gl=dk

Works great and is now flashed with the latest BIOS version!

[The_Eagle]

Hi aximomatic

I'm from germany and I've got exactly the same problem with my Medion 8088. I followed the link in your last post but i don't understand the hints given on this site. My autoexec.bat looks so:

@echo off
cls
echo. start flashing BIOS MS7048 (MD 8088) Medion
pause
awfl859g.exe W7048IM7.10E /Py /Sn /Cd /Cp /Cc /E /R /F

What parameters I have to change to avoid a keystroke? It's an USB-keyboard too and the flash-programm requires to confirm the name of the BIOS-flash-file.

Sorry for my bad english...

Thanks a lot

The Eagle

[edwin]

use
/py /sn /cc /cp /cd /sb /r

[The_Eagle]

Hey edwin

Thanks a lot for the fast answer. The BIOS was flashed, but it don't solve the problem. At every restart of the PC I get the message that there is a BIOS ROM checksum error. I tried several BIOS versions and now I think the mainboard is realy dead.

Nevertheless thank you.

[edwin]

cmos battery was changed and you did try a different floppy disk, floppy drive cable and a different floppy drive?

[The_Eagle]

I did try a different floppy disk, but not the rest. I work as an IT and so I can get another drive, cable and battery tomorrow from my workplace. So I will test it tomorrow with the new componets and then post the result.

[edwin]

been there, done that one too many times. Just recently got caught by a broken cable...

[aximomatic]

Hi The_Eagle

Here is how my autoexec.bat file looked liked:

@echo off
cls
awfl859g.exe W7048IM7.10E /py /sn /cc /cp /cd /sb /r

This should make the process completely automated.
USE A BRAND NEW FLOPPY FOR THIS!

Also which BIOS version are you flashing to? I flashed mine to v.1.0E.

[Denniss]

USE A BRAND NEW FLOPPY FOR THIS!

Even a brand new Floppy disc may contain errors. The only way to be sure the disk is error-free ist to use a fresh and complete formatted disc. If you use the drdflash.exe bootdisc creator then the disc will be formatted and verified so this disc will be 100% functional.

[aximomatic]

Okay here is what I did step by step:

1. Make a MS-DOS start up disk with a completely new floppy.
2. Edit the MD8088.bat to this (use text editor):

@echo off
cls
awfl859g.exe W7048IM7.10E /py /sn /cc /cp /cd /sb /r

Remember to rename the "MD8088.bat" to "autoexec.bat".

3. Copy BIOS-flash program, the bios-rom and the new autoexec.bat to the floppy (the MS-DOS Start up disc).

4. Insert the floppy disc and reboot.


You can't skip the "MS-DOS start up" disc step.

[krasno]

Hello there

I have tried what is described above, but have one major problem:
Keyboard is not found.
and I think the floppy is not recognized as a start up disc.
It is formattet as one... and the correct files are on the disc.

It's USB-keyboard, there is no PS2 on this PC.
And have tried 3 different keyboards.

Is it problem the start-up floppy is made on another PC?
...I have to .. the MD8088 have no bios you know ...

It is like the floppy is not recognized as a start-up disc.
the exact text is:
"Please insert a disc in drive a and press enter"
I do.. but no reactions when I press enter.
(and of course I do restart with the disc in the drive also......)

I have tried both to make a autoexec.bat file precisely as described here and a combination of the medion.bat file and your lines added.
..but no difference..

Thanx for any help !!

[aximomatic]

Hi

If you follow the procedure a keyboard is not needed at all - the process is completely automated. Insert floppy-disk with Start up files and BIOS flash files and just sit back.

I can't stress this enough: USE A COMPLETELY NEW FLOPPY !
Floppy-disks is a complete mesh from the past. Even the slightest error on the floppy and the BIOS update will fail. I learned it the hard way.

When an BIOS update is failing the BIOS itself will go into emergency mode. In this mode you may only update the BIOS from a floppy drive. As a standard this Medion model (at least as sold in Denmark) comes without a floppy drive. I had to add one myself. Please insure that the floppy drive is connected correctly with the motherboard. You can NOT use an USB floppy drive instead.

Second you may use any kind of start up disk as long as it is created with Microsoft Windows (any version counts) - do not use a 3rd party program to create a start up disk.

Hope this helps.

[krasno]

Hi

It is a new disk.. actually I have 10 brand new and have tried 4 now.
The drive works.. have tested it on the PC where I make the start-up disc ( using Windows; first format: "create a MS-DOS start disk" marked)

The MD8088 is correctly born without a floppy.
But I asume it finds it when it tells me to insert a disk in drive a and press enter.

the start-up disc is not recognized as a start-up disc....

SO therefore I took the drive, cable and floppy and connected to another PC and used the same start-up disc and now it worked!!

The flash program starts by itself, and- thanx God- tells me the bios version is not for this PC ,,, and stops

back in the MD8088 it don't work.

So conclusion is: something is wrong with the MD8088..?
The disc-drive works, and the start-up-disk also.

..also in mind no ploppy has never been installed before.. any switches someng I don't know of on the mainboard?
or
Could it be the MD8088 mainboard is totally corrupted?

some background info:
I have been using the MD8088 with another version of XP than it was born with, and ( very stupid maybe) formatted the Hard-drive to one large disc using NTFS means no FAT32- partitition.
The normal precedure for flashing Bios on the MD8088 is to do it from the FAT-32 drive...
But as you properly know not possible to reverse from NTFS to FAT..
at least not easily...

[aximomatic]

I did not move any "jumper" when I installed my floppy drive, so I don't think that is the problem. Maybe the BIOS flashing program needs a FAT32 partition to work, if that is the case you might have to try this:

Connect a spare harddrive to the computer with a FAT32 partition on it. Replacing the original NTFS formatted one.

When I solved the problem there was indeed a FAT32 partition of 50mb or so on the main harddrive. Maybe it helped, maybe it didn't.

Sounds like you might need to turn it in for service in a near future.