Bios Flash failure

Don't ask how to hack password. (BIOS Passwords)
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kc4mnp
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I tried to Flash my bios with an upgrade and now it wont boot, no video but power button and sound bar and keys appear to function...My Computer is a Gateway JM30 UMA Laptop P/N: LX.W760X.003 S/N:109873970387...That is all the info I have, and at one time i new the key combo to get it try and read a drive but i don't have this info anymore, although i have made a boot disk that i think is 16 bit with UNIFLASH on it and the bios file from gateways web site named H13VGW.205 which i believe is the right one.....Any suggestions as to where i should start???
edwin
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What brand is the bios? Award-Phoenix, Phoenix, AMI, Insyde? Different methods/keycode apply to each brand of bios. Uniflash won't be any good as it is not attempting to boot from what I see.
edwin/evasive

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kc4mnp
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Phoenix I think , i may have to tear it apart to be sure!!!
kc4mnp
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Here's an update after a little research!!! I have an AMI Bios, inside the laptop the label reads as follows - 686 AMI BIO'S
NB @ 1999
BY72
6558
The Motherboard is an Intel I think P/N 08N1-06F0J00 H13AW in a Gateway JM-30 UMA UC-7308U P/N:LX.W760X.003 S/N: 109873970387 SNID:85100844265 Mfg Date 12/22/2008 Intel GM45 Chipset Bios Update on Gateway's Website is H13VGW.205
This is what happens when I apply power, Laptop lights above keys light up first , cd rom drive sounds like it does an initialization or a boot sector search on the cd drive then the padlock symbol with an A in the middle flashes one time, which i believe is the Caps lock LED and thats it!
So far I have made a boot disk for a USB floppy drive with the UNIFLASH program on it set to load the Bios File but it doesn't tri to access the floppy, Then i renamed the gateway bios file to a bin extension and stuck it on a USB key and tried that but it doesn't try to access the key...I tried both version powering on with different key combo's but must not have hit the right one....will try a bootable Cd next to try a write the bios to it....Also i thought i had a Phoenix Bios at 1st, but just found out it is AMi, don't know my chip number yet so i may have to tear it further down if THE Cd fix doesn't work....Any Other Ideas Anyone????
edwin
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the trick is to rename the bios file to AMIBOOT.ROM on that floppy and make sure the file is NOT marked read-only.
http://www.biosman.com/biosrecovery.html
edwin/evasive

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kc4mnp
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Did as U said with the USB floppy drive, since it doesn't have one of its on....Didn't work no matter what i tried, it never tried to access the floppy drive no led lighting up on drive....and no sounds! Although it appears to be trying to read the cd rom drive....I guess I need to figure out how to flash it with the cd drive if possible.....Back to research mode for now!!! :)
kc4mnp
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Note: I tried burning a copy of the AMIBOOT.ROM file I created out of the H13VGW.205 file from Gateway's Website to a blank Cd rom and booted with it!!! Which caused it to try and read the disk for about 5 mins but no beeps after waitng a total of 20 minutes....I am going to make a autorunning disk with the flash files of Gateways Site Designated for the uc7308U computer...Maybe i can get it to run that way!!! :D
edwin
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if when you turn on the system it does not try to access the floppy, press and hold the 'CTRL' and 'HOME' keys at the same time. This will force the system (assuming the 'boot block' isn't corrupted) to access the flopy and look for the AMIBOOT.ROM file.
edwin/evasive

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kc4mnp
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UPdate, CTRL + Home has no effect,,,If boot block is corrupt what are the consequences? I haven't tried a bootable cd yet, i'm still working out the particulars of making a bootable cd that will automatically run the flashing program for AMI Bios's and matbe flash my Bios with no input from me! Since I can't see any request for input's due to no video output... Back to the drawing board!!!
edwin
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If the boot block is corrupted it means the recovery method doesn't work any more (reading from floppy or CD to flash your bios). In that case you really need to find out if you can replace the bios chip with a preflashed one with the proper bios. I'm not sure if the chip is in a socket even. If it is soldered directly to the board you will need to have the laptop serviced, prepare for a 100 euro bill or something in that case.

I presume it is still working since it is reading the CD at boot time for something. Did you try the Ctrl-Home trick with that cd with just AMIBOOT.ROM (name in CAPS) on it?
edwin/evasive

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kc4mnp
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Yes I tried the cd with AMIBOOT.ROM on it and thought it might work...it tried for 2 or 3 times accessing the Cd and then quit doing anything...I waited about 30 mins before rebooting with no improvement... Although the fan was running and showing a little heat while sitting still and not doing anything.....I will next try making a boot cd with the bios flasher auto running on it and see what happens...I wouldn't be trying to repair it so hard but it was my wifes computer and ran great then i decided it needed the bios updated....oop's !!! now she has my DIY Compal JFL92 with all the goodies until i get her another computer... :x Any way I learned that maybe i should have left well enough alone... :wink: I have been unemployed since jan 2008 so buying her a new isn't an option!!! Anyway if a boot cd doesn't fix it i will tear it down and try to find the bios chip to see what kind it is and either order a new chip or send the board off....TNX for the help all and GoodDay
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