pavilion 734n bios upgrade gone wrong....would like some hel

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koby411
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hi there !

i was given a hp pavillion 734n (exact specs as shown here http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... e=bph07941 ) that had crashed and did want to load the xp it came with.well since i was not faced with having to safe any data i clean installed xp . went to hp driver site, after running a driver scan, to see if there were some native driver there i needed to install to regain all original ones and or functions that came with it .

once there i noticed an update via windows for the bios which sounded suitable since i was contemplating to maybe upgrade to vista later and went for it . following all instructions during the process to the "t" all went normal so it seemed .waited for reboot to reset bios to all default settings.. well that didnt happen. ended up with a situation as described here http://www.birdjanitor.com/bootblock.html

having no access to any bios info using that computer atall (hoping to backup old info safely during flash wich didnt happen) i went on a hunt for the bios version that came with it. to create a floppy to recover what looks like a bios flash gone wrong but ( fingers crossed not deadly lol ) the information given about the bios is quiet confusing .following the FIC am37 i ended here with the closest info http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/mot ... oads.shtml

following bios description given on hp support as HP - Salsa-GLA Software Build ID 31NAheBLU4 NA-HOME and using info about it from here http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document? , i got nowhere.

i created floppies using the in the end various way ( copied of a working one , made one via dos startup and also downloaded a "clean dos drd" as well as awardflash (various generations ) as well as the bios info .i tried many variations of award and bios info. during of booting i do get into the award utility but get stuck with two destintive warnings in there

either "noflash" or "the version existing is not the newest ,,," so it looks that the bios info i found is not the original or altered one s(hp salsa ...?) i have tried so many different award an bootsetups i cant keep count. but do not want to give into just buying a new mobo.

anyone knows where to maybe find the correct bios file and or combination with the correct awardflash version be a hero in my mind . any help be totally welcome i even spoke to several local comp techs but all to narrow minded and i get basicly the same answer everywhere "you wasting your time and our ...replace mobo " well i dont want to. it has become a challenge to me since i believe i have NOT yet killed it (stubborn ole dude lol) thnx in advance for any respond
edwin
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the HP variant of the FIC AM37

bios update is here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/soft ... ng=&os=228

since you followed that to a t something else must be wrong, most likely a weak cmos battery or bad capacitors. the first is an easy/cheap fix, a cr2032 3v lithum coin cell battery, available widely in electronics stores, computer shops etc.

the second may be trickier: http://www.badcaps.net for an idea of what is going on.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
koby411
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i appreciate your suggestions. maybe i was to unclear in my discription of the problem. the update of the bios via a windows installer you posted is excactly what caused my problem in the first place. i made one major mistake not backing up my then accessible bios info (since i had a running computer after clean install of windows xp). i cant get past the bootblock screen in dos .also when i tried to use that up date by extracting it and adding it manually to a floppy i get a warning in the awardflash utility >> that this file is not corresponding with the exsist file in the bios being "too new" i tried to overide the flash to just exchange the files but award wont let me .my thinking is that i do need the original bios files to "repair' first.
as for the battery it is a brand new one. i also disconnected all hardware except the floppy drive as well ,went through the full procedure of resetting the cmos (via jumper as well as removal of battry for period of time) in the hope to eliminate any conflicts .as i see it the integrated flash utility is preventing me from access without the original biosfile and i still believe i did not yet kill the mobo because i am not seeing or expiriencing the typical warnings or reactions of the system the would point to a full distruction. as for a hardware problem of the mobo well i dont think so computer after clean install was running just fine . i could kick myself for updating the bios and over looking the ground rule of any "repair' "if it's not btoke dont fix it"
Denniss
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Are you sure you have the AM37 board and not the other option with the MSI MS-6390 board ?
There are two Bios files in the package from HP, one for each board. Make sure you picked the file matching your board.
edwin
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according to the systems specs page for the 734n it is an AM37 in there, for the life of me I cannot think why HP combined the MS-6390/AM37 board flash files...

Me thinks the awdflash used is not capable of handling this file. Try version 8.94 from here:
http://image.shuttle.com/ResourceCenter ... le_id=7526 (this is a ZIP-file, unpack first before using).

did you use the /QI parameter?
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
koby411
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thnx for our input,
atleast it makes me feel good that i am not just a 'nutt', not giving up that easy Lol
to answer you :yes i have seen after extraction that the update has two files in there and i did make sure that i used the file for the am37 wich i clearly id as the one in the hp 734n i have . i agree with you. i also do not understand why they combined 2 different mobo's in one 'automated 'update ,cant shake the feeling that the winflash utility went wrong during its running.i wiil try the award version you mentioned today with 2 bios files a: the am37 i extracted from the hp update as well as b: the vlb415h-am37.zip from here: http://www.e4allupgraders.info/dir1/mot ... oads.shtml since this is the only info i so far could find in any am37 bios listings (close to original hopefully) i am hesistant because it is an e-machine related bios .cant find any that are pointing to hp o well i try
the only other option ;to find a original one is to find someone that has a running hp pavilion 734n and get a backup copy of that computer.i will post the result soon thnx again as a short private note : hows my old homeland im original from bonn germany LOL
koby411
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maybe i should add this :
while getting ready for another flash try i came across this in the motherboard specs and help file found here
http://www.elhvb.com/mboards/OEM/HP/man ... a0_eng.pdf
please see whats shown on page 3 and thereon ..
could that be the reason update via hp's automated flash went bad? i will hold of on another flash to see what you think.
thnx again for your time to help me
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