Phoenix Bios 4.0 update 6 (Asus S86A)

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resle
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Hi,
I've got a very old notebook - Asus S86A, from year 2002 sporting a bios that I identified to be Phoenix Bios 4.0 Update 6. Namely, the rom filename is SSK0107A (flashable through phlash.exe)

I wanted to replace the horrendous boot logo or just blank it, and followed instructions to download Phoenix Bios Editor, which prompty warned
Fixed-location module information not found! This BIOS may not be workable after editing.
Encouraged by that "may" I tried anyway. Successfully modded the splash screen, saved the bios, and went on flashing it.
Bam - now my notebook is stuck on that splash screen.

I think I should be able to reset the bios, but I am wondering: isn't there any way to modify the bios file, aside from rebuilding it with CATENATE (which I can't do since I don't have the bios "source" that catenate looks for)?
Thanks in advance for any help, this is my very first attempt at doing anything on a bios since...1993.

andrea
edwin
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http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?S ... 6A&p=3&s=6

is the original bios for this thing. you should be able to do a recovery flash.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
resle
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Hi Edwin, thanks,
I've got that 0107 Bios (actually the notebook originally came with version 0104).
I believe there's a tiny factory reset hole on the bottom of the machine, which should revert the bios too.

So... no way to modify it properly anyway? No way to change the boot logo while retaining a working bios?
edwin
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First get the machine up and running again with the stock bios, then we can try and tinker with it.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
resle
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edwin wrote:First get the machine up and running again with the stock bios, then we can try and tinker with it.
Thank for your support. Yes you're right, better getting it working again...
The pinhole, as I feared, didn't reset the bios at all.
So I suppose I am substantially stuck at this point: the laptop is extremely difficult if not impossible to disassemble and as far as I understood there's no "software" way of
doing a flash recovery, am I right? (I hope not...)
edwin
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I have found some stuff about phlash recovery methods, not sure if the links still work:
Phoenix BIOS Recovery

Update: Boot-Block Jumper
http://rapidshare.com/files/17200340...ock_Jumper.rar

This is the latest PHLASH16:
http://rapidshare.com/files/172003238/flashBIOSv1.3.rar

Here is the Archive with all the files needed and How to for Phoenix BIOS Recovery.

Method 1.
http://www.box.net/shared/j2u98ci67f

How To:

1. Use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool with MiniDOS files to make your Bootable: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F)and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Method 2.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105952250/Metod_2.rar

How To:

1. Click on the Phoenix_Crisis_Recovery.exe to make: Flopy, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Method 3.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105952818/Metod_3.rar

How To:

1. Use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool with MiniDOS files to make your Bootable: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Method 4.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105953337/Metod_4.rar

How To:

1. Click on the Phoenix_Crisis_Recovery.exe to make: Flopy, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

The HP Tool is located in the archive of the first metod.
Use the metods in order form 1 to 4, unless you think otherwise...
Hope you never use this and if you ever have to GOOD LUCK.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
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