Boot Block Problem

Draak · Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:21 pm

I have flashed my BIOS with the wrong BIOS and I can boot. When the PC boot I get the follow message: FLASH CHIP NOT SUPPORTED, PRESS F1 TO RESUME. After pressing F1 the PC boot normal but is very slow. I want to restore the original BIOS but I can't flash the BIOS and I get the follow message with AMIFlash: Chipset/Flash part isn't available. With AFUDOS I get the follow error: ROM FILE SIZE DOES NOT MATCH EXISTING BIOS SIZE. I have tried to restore the BIOS using the BOOT BLOCK but the flash fails. Probable I can't restore the BIOS using the boot block because I have also flashed the boot block. I have an AMI BIOS and an ASUS K8V-F motherboard with a BIOS from Fujitsu/Siemens. The ASUS K8V-F is an OEM Main board and ASUS doesn't provide a BIOS for it. A Hot Flash isn't an option because I haven't another motherboard.

Is it possible to flash the BIOS?

Is it possible to flash only the boot block?

Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:47 pm

Contact/Visit FSC for a Bios designed to run on your OEM-Board .

It might be possible oi use Uniflash or Aminf335 (with special options) to rewrite your Bios

Draak · Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:40 am

I have contacted FSC and they have sent me the right BIOS but I can't flash it. Uniflash returns this error: unknown flash chip and with Aminf335 I get: Chipset/Flash part isn't available. I don't know which options to use. I think the chip needs to be reflashed externally.

Mon Aug 30, 2004 5:19 pm

Find out what's your flashrom chip - locate a chip on your board covered by a sticker with AMI/Award or Phoenix written onto it .
-> manufacturer/chipnumber is written onto the chip surface so peel up the sticker

Uniflash has a special option called "force" and a huge list of flashroms "chiplist"- find out the 4-digit number for your chip and use it with the "force" option
-> Read the Uniflash documentation how this works

If thi does not work try a local dealer or a flash reprogramming service to have your flashrom reprogrammed

Draak · Tue Aug 31, 2004 5:41 pm

I used Uniflash but the verification fails. I think it is the Flash protection in the BIOS.

Is it possible to erase the chip.

Amiboot · Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:34 pm

Hi,
Try reflashing your BIOS by forcing the Boot Block to perform BIOS update:

1. Copy a known working BIOS image for your board to a floppy and rename it to AMIBOOT.ROM.
2. Insert the floppy in your system's floppydrive.
3. Power on the system while holding CTRL+Home keys. Release the keys when you hear a beep and/or see the floppy light coming on.
4 . Just wait until you hear 4 beeps. When 4 beeps are heard the reprogramming of the System Block BIOS went succesfull, so then you may restart your system.

Some alternative keys that can be used to force BIOS update (only the System Block will be updated so it's quite safe):
CTRL+Home= restore missing code into system block and clear CMOS when programming went ok.
CTRL+Page Up= restore missing code into system block and clear CMOS or DMI when programming went ok.
CTRL+Page Down= restore missing code into system block and do not clear CMOS and DMI area when programming went ok
Btw: the alternative keys work only with AMIBIOS 7 or higher (so for example an AMI 6.26 BIOS can be only recovered by using CTRL+Home keys).

See the flash recovery guide on my website www.ruisch.tk for more info.

Ritchie · Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:38 am

If you think that flash protection is preventing a forced flash, enter into the BIOS setup (if you can) and check for such an option and if you find it set it appropriately. Then try again.

Amiboot · Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:07 pm

The AMIBIOS Boot Block flash recovery routines ignore any flash protection settings.