Wrong BIOS update?

[MattyJoe]

Hey guys,

I attempted to flash the bios on this pc and ran into this problem:

The program file's part number does not match with your system

So, I, figured I had the wrong flash file and stopped. The pc still runs right now, I didn't screw it up! Anyways I checked the FAQ section and apparently I have the wrong bionary file. Does this mean I have the wrong bios update?

The motheboard is an ECS K7VZA reversion 3.0, I downloaded the latest update and recieved the above message. I ran CTBIOS and I don't understand the output I recieved. Here it is, should I be looking at the "Award ID-String" or what? Anyways,

BIOS-Info, c't/Andreas Stiller, V. 1.5 10/00
Computer ID : FC, SubTyp: 02, BIOS-Level: 116
Rechnertyp : AT,typ ??, Konfigurationsbyte $70
Maustreiber : Microsoft kompatibel, Version: 08.00
Maustyp : InPort-Maus auf IRQ2
Bus : ISA
Hauptspeicher : 640 KB, davon verfügbar : 640 KB
Extended Memory : 1024 KB
BIOS Datum : 03/14/01
Award BIOS gefunden : Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Award ID-String : 03/14/2001-8363-686B-K7VZAC-00
OEM : ??
Chipset : 8363
INT-13h BIOS Extension: nein
PnP (ACFG,ESCD,DMI) : PnP V1.0/ESCD, DMI V 2.3, SM V2.3
Weiter mit D)MI-Info,E)SCD-Info, sonst Exit:

I downloaded the most current bios update from the ECS website and that didn't work, so apparently I have a different motherboard than I think I do (even thought I opened the pc case up and physically identified the model on the motherboard). Can anybody tell me what's going on with this K7VZA?

Thank you all,
Matt

[Rainbow]

The BIOS ID string of the new BIOS (v3.7) is slightly changed:
09/04/2002-8363-686-K7VZAC-00
There's B missing in the 686. That's why Awdflash complains. Try running awdflash /py /sn bios.bin.

[MattyJoe]

Rainbow,

When I follow this step 3 shown below, do I type in "awdflash /py /sn bios.bin" as the BIOS flash utility then my BIOS file? Or do I just add the /py /sn onto the end of the BIOS flash utility file name? The utilty I'm using is Flash Utility V8.22A, awd822a.exe off the ECS website. So, whould it be: awd822a /py /sn bios.exe?

Step 3.

(1) Make sure the system will boot from the floppy disk. After the system boot from floppy disk, type "A:\> dir" and press "Enter" to check the entire files in floppy A. Then type the "BIOS flash utility" and "BIOS file" after A:\>. In this case you have to type "A:\> AWD816A vxadv12f.bin " and then press "Enter".

Sorry for the questions, but this is my first attempt at flashing the BIOS and I don't wanna screw it up.

[NickS]

Using
A:/>awdflash /? gives you help, e.g.

Code: Select all

 Awdflash 7.8 (C)Award Software 2000 All Rights Reserved

 Usage:  AWDFLASH [FileName1] [FileName2] [/<sw>[/<sw>...]]
      FileName1 : New BIOS Name For Flash Programming
      FileName2 : BIOS File For Backing-up the Original BIOS
  <Swtches>
    ?: Show Help Messages
   py: Program Flash Memory               pn: No Flash Programming
   sy: Backup Original BIOS To Disk File  sn: No Original BIOS Backup
   Sb: Skip BootBlock programming         sd: Save DMI data to file
   cp: Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming
   cd: Clear DMI Data After Programming
   cc: Clear CMOS Data After Programming
    R: RESET System After Programming    cks: Show update Binfile checksum
 Tiny: Occupy lesser memory
    E: Return to DOS When Programming is done
    F: Use Flash Routines in Original BIOS For Flash Programming
   LD: Destroy CMOS Checksum And No System Halt For First Reboot
       After Programming
 cksXXXX: Compare Binfile CheckSum with XXXX

 Example: AWDFLASH 2a59i000.bin /py/sn/cd/cp/cks2635

So I would use:
A:/>awd822 bios.bin /py/sn/cd/cc/cp

[MattyJoe]

alright,

I've tried to run the flash program (Award 8.22a) several time. I've run it normally without switches, I've run it with the /py/sn switches, and I've run it with /py/sn/cd/cp switches. Sometimes I still get "The program file's part number does not match with your system!" and sometimes I get "The file size does not match!" When I get the file size doesn't match message I still have the option to continue by pressing "Y" or to stop by pressing"N". At this point can I countinue, or should I stop and find out why my file size doesn't match?

By the way, what's it referring to when it says "The file size doesn't match!"? Does it mean the size of the existing BIOS file is different from the size of the new BIOS file?

[Rainbow]

You're not going to flash the EXE file? You need to run it first to uncompress the BIN file inside and flash this BIN file.

[MattyJoe]

Ah, I thought I might need to fo that. I'm such a dork about this stuff. New question: How do I run the file? Do I run it at the A:> ( while outside the flash utlity? If not, how would I run in the flash utility? I haven't found any info on this part anywhere. Do I need to run the flash program also and convert that file to a .bin? If so, how would I do that?

Sorry, about the neverending amount of quesdtions I have guys, I'm learning this stuff.

[NickS]

Yes, create a boot diskette (no autoexec.bat or config.sys), copy the .exe to it, boot the diskette and then run the file from the A:/> prompt. Or you could right click on it, select open with winzip and extract the .bin file that way.

[MattyJoe]

Ah, yes...

I got the .bin situation squared aware (I extracted using winzip and wrote it onto the MSDOS startup disk) and I flashed the BIOS. I flashed because WinXP has been hanging on startup with my new Video card, an ATI Radeon 7000.( I could start in safe moe though). The only issue now is when I boot the pc and it prompts me to select what mode I'm gonna start XP in (safe, LKGC, etc...) I can't arrow up and down using the keyboard to choose the proper start up option. I can hit delete on bootup and enter the BIOS settings just fine. I can arrow up and down and save and exit, etc.... But now I have this no keyboard problem with XP( it still hangs anyway, bye the way). Prior to the flash I could arrow up and down and I could choose that I wanted to start the computer in safe mode, now I can't(the timer just runs down, then it starts up normally and locks up.

Does this issue sound like a BIOS problem or is it just WinXP acting up once again?
The PC now has a newly updated BIOS file, updated VIA chipset drivers and updated video card drivers.

[NickS]

- did you use the /cp/cd/cc switches ?
- is this a PS/2 or USB keyboard ?

[MattyJoe]

ya know, I don't remember if I used the sitches or not (I'm a freek). I think I used the /py/sn/cd/cp switches. If not, I'm sure I could flash again now that I have the process down.

As for the keyboard, both it and the mouse are USB, but I do have a PS2/USB converter. I'm also sure I could dig up an old PS2 keyboard if it's a USB issue.

[MattyJoe]

Also, I heard back from ECS regarding my VGA issue. They told me it was not a BIOS issue, but that I should get the most up to date VGA and chipset drivers(which I have). They also told me to check the power supply unit to verify it was strong enough to initialize the video, memory and all other things related. So that's my next step, at least as far as WinXP goes...

[NickS]

In CMOS setup, Advanced Chipset Features setup, check "USB keyboard support" which may be disabled by default.

[MattyJoe]

that rocks!

I enabled USB keyboard support and that fixed that problem. WinXP was still locking up so I reinstalled it. It works fine now. The only issue is that it didn't like a couple of other hardware drivers (not digitally signed, whatever that crap is) so it didn't install them correctly. Grrrr.....WindowsXP. Now it should be a simple matter of getting the right drivers for these two devices (Linksys ethernet and AC97 audio controller).

Thanks for all the help, I reeeeallly appreciate it!

-Matt