BIOS Flash not working

Discusses BIOS flashers and utilities from Award, AMI and Uniflash
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Hey All!!

I have an AOpen AX6BC motherboard here I'm trying to flash up to their latest BIOS, but it won't take.

The manual does not specify a jumper needs to be set to do this. Their flasher comes back with *Unknown Flash Type*. They use their own flasher which comes up as *EZ Flash ROM Utility R1.89, C-2000 AWARD*. They say NOT to use another flasher other than their own.

I also tried to flash using an earlier BIOS version since they changed their flash method a few revisions back. At that time, they had an executable that had the .BIN file embedded inside; now they do have a seperate .BIN file attached, and their executable knows to only use the particular .BIN file that matches its title. Couldn't load the earlier version either BTW.

I was wondering what might cause the thing to come back with this error. Could not find any info on their website...and all info can be found there, so I won't post it here (BIOS string, etc... AOpen.com).

Any thoughts? I've never run into this before...usually have had no trouble at all on other AWARD based boards...

Thanks as usual :D.
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ajzchips
El cheapo dude
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:41 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Maybe your BIOS FLASH enable/disable feature is at BIOS level (so no jumper for it). You might have a BIOS menu entry for this then.
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

I looked for that, but I'll look again.

UniFlash shows the chip to be a Winbond W29C020(C)/5V, yet I measured 12V on VPP...I asume the /5V means it is a 5V enabled chip...

More thoughts on why that would be??
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
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Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

OK...I read the chip supplies it's own VPP, but it also has a *software protected data write* feature. Perhaps this is not being disabled properly by AOpen's program.

Will UniFlash execute the proper commands, since it seems to be able to see the chip for what it is, and not come up with the *Unknown Type* error?
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Rainbow
The UniFlasher
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Location: Slovakia
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Contact Rainbow

If UniFlash detected chip type properly, there is only standard i440BX write protection used. It should work OK.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

OK...went to flash using UniFlash. I went with the option NOT to flash the Boot Block. UniFlash responded with a *Boot Block Mis-match* so I answered no and exited the process.

I don't understand what's going on...could AOpen have locked this guy up somehow so a new BIOS image could not be loaded? As I said earlier, even their program could not load to it...

Any thoughts??
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Rainbow
The UniFlasher
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Location: Slovakia
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If you're sure that you have correct BIOS, go into Advanced submenu and flash including bootblock - looks like they have changed the booblock in the new BIOS.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

I'm PRETTY sure I have the right one, as I can find the currently installed version on the same page as this one...however that version won't load either. Not sure what they are doing...currently V2.20 is installed.

See: http://club.aopen.com.tw/downloads/defa ... x=7&Go.y=9

When you normally flash a BIOS, do you always flash the boot block, or only in certain circumstances would you have to do that? Not real familliar with what that actually does...
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NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

It depends on whether they have changed the bootblock for different/changed functionality, or whether it is an indicator that something is wrong - a different boot block may be for a different chipset or different size BIOS.

If you are sure it's the right BIOS for the board, I could guess at all sorts of possibilities. E.g.:
- they might have changed to support PCI graphics card instead of ISA so you can see what's going on.
- it might provide hotkey support so you can break in and do something e.g. dual BIOS, flash upgrade, etc.
and so on.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Yes, they did add some feature called *EZ-Restore* which you can read about at their site...

What bothers me the most is that I can't even load the currently installed BIOS version using their utility into the chip. You would think I should be able to do that (expecting no changes of course). I am hesitant to try the boot block flash, since we need this computer up and running here at work, but would like to get the large HD support the newer BIOS provides (currently will hang at >32GB HD), and we seem to need a new HD anyway in it.

Did anyone take a peek at their support page...maybe you could give me a hint as to what may be going on...they do list what changes they have made there for each version.

Thanks!!
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NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Random thoughts:
1. IIRC, when I looked earlier, the utility name and the BIOS name were the same. Possibly the utility checks the command line and uses the command name as the parameter for the BIOS it is going to flash. That doesn't explain why you couldn't reflash the same BIOS, but...
2. It may be too damn' clever and say "hang on - that's the same BIOS I already have - I won't bother to flash that." In which case anyone with a gramme of sense would have provided an override (which may not be documented, defeating the purpose of providing it).
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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KachiWachi
The New Guy
Posts: 1451
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 10:32 pm
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Nick -

NO...their utility says *Unknown Flash Type*...

With the same BIOS, the BIOS.BIN file is built into the BIOS installer (only one executable after you unzip). So you have no choice there on that one...

TY though...

Any more thoughts??
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NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

The zip I downloaded from the .nl site contains the executable (flasher) AX6BC258.EXE and the BIN file AX6BC258.BIN. The BIN file has OEM message:
"AX6BC R2.58 Aug.06.2002 AOpen Inc"
and BIOS ID:
"08/06/2002-i440BX-00000006C-00".
also,
"Award Modular BIOS v4.60PGMA"

My, what a nasty BIOS ID. In fact, MODBIN isn't too happy - F2 mode is a bit weird and crashed on me when I tried CMOS setup. Mind you , the CMOS on my machine probably doesn't agree with it. Strangely MODBIN shows manufacture loop checking enabled 8O
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

I see what you mean about 2.20, though... hmm, could be scope for a little hex editing here.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

..yes, just take the first 0x47A0 bytes off the front and the last two off the end, MODBIN brings it up as
"01/19/1999-i440BX-00000006C-00"
with OEM string
"AX6BC R2.20 Jan.19.1999 AOpen Inc."
and of course
"Award Modular BIOS v4.60PGMA"
I'll post it to you and you can play with it and Uniflash if you want.
[edit] No, there's no point, is there ? You could save it with an ordinary AWDFLASH or Uniflash if they will recognise the chip. Are those the exact ID and OEM string you currently have installed ?
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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