brand new Abit AW9D MAX wont POST

[sportrider12584]

I jsut got this board, it was NIB, sitting in a friends closet. I installed everything, hooked it up, etc. I know everything works (RAM, CPU, PSU, VGA) as it was all installed on my old mobo.

I turned it on for the first time, it gets stuck on "4E" on the LCD readout. According to the manual, this means:

1. Program MTRR of M1 CPU
2. Initialize L2 cache for P6 class CPU & program CPU with proper cacheable range
3. Initialize the APIC for P6 class CPU
4. On MP platform, adjust the cacheable range to smaller one in case the cacheable ranges between each CPU are not identical

Not sure what exactly this means. I'm running a Pentium D 820 proc, and according to ABITs website its supported. Could it be that I need a BIOS update because the board is brand new still? If so, how can I update it without the board POSTing?

[edwin]

That is possible, happened to me some time ago. You have 2 options.

1) get a CPU (borrow one?) that is supported by all bios versions, even the oldest and use that to flash the board.

2a) if the bios chip is in a socket, you can hotflash it in another board that uses the same kind of chip or
2b) you can order a preflashed similar chip at http://www.badflash.com

[sportrider12584]

thanks for the info. I found a guy on ebay that sells them for $7 though instead of $30

I think my father-in-law may have an older P4 chip (that should be supported in the first BIOS) that he took out of one of his old computers, I'll see if that will work

[edwin]

let us know. where's the $7 guy, sounds interesting...

[sportrider12584]

the item # the one I bought is 380116814964, $6.15+ shipping. I also got the tool from one of this other auctions for $4.99

[sportrider12584]

well I got the new BIOS chip in, nice quick shipping

used the tool to pop out the old and then popped the new one in, cleared CMOS, and she booted up perfectly!

[edwin]

Thanks for the tip and well done on your part to get it fixed.