FoxConn 520A dead after bios flash

Hot-swapping and Boot-Block flash & Boot block flash and floppy support
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schlimig
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Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:52 am

I flashed a bios update to my foxconn 520a using their automatic bios download and flash tool in windows (which has never given me issues before). Unfortunately I think this time the firmware file it downloaded may have been corrupt or perhaps for another model. After I rebooted following the reportedly successful flash, the PC was dead. There is no beep, no screen activity, no drive access - all that happens is the fans come on and stay at a constant speed (they would normally ramp down to a low level) and the drives power up (but no data access whatsoever). The 4 second power off and reset are still working.

I know that if the boot block is not damaged that you can sometimes force the bios to believe there is a checksum error and reflash from floppy by shorting some pins on the chip directly (I have tried several ways to clear the CMOS and there was no change). I have a floppy prepared with a valid bios file and flasher set to auto-flash it. What I can't seem to work out is which pins to short on the bios. It is a surface mount chip so I can't drop in a new one or swap with another machine or anything like that. Does anyone have any ideas - please see the files below for pin diagrams etc. I tried to short {ground} and {hold} (pins 4 & 7) on the CMOS chip but nothing happened.

I'd really appreciate any help on this as I desperately need my PC back in operation and cannot really afford a new motherboard right now.

Cheers!

Details and PDF datasheet for my BIOS chip (an Award WorkstationBIOS v6.00PG):
BIOS Label: Phoenix (Award) D686 Bios, Phoenix 1998, 299047413
Chip Markings: ITE, IT8716F-S, 0723-FXS, ZN2R07 L
http://www.mediafire.com/?bxaxui6ia8ipzng

Details and PDF datasheet for my CMOS chip (it is type PDIP 300-MIL as far as I can tell):
Chip Markings: Winbond, 25X40VAIZ
http://www.mediafire.com/?5ndln1dvsz6i9eb
edwin
The Hardware Archivist
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Location: Netherlands
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the ITE is a multi I/O and just has the programming port to your bios chip (because using floppy for that).

the winbond is not having the standard 32pin layout so you cannot use the short pins trick. The more I look at your situation, the more I think you need a company like AQS tech, but the question is, are they going to be just as expensive as a replacement board....
http://www.aqstech.com/

This one will work fine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813138033

If you are truly lucky, not even need to reinstall windows.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
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