GA-8i915PM - Boot Block Issues

[trickygibbo]

Hi All,

I will detail all problems then we can see if anyone can help once they have the full story.

I have a GA-8i915PM Rev 2.0 from a Packard Bell machine. The BIOS was corrupt and would not POST. Hangs at logo flash screen.
I searched in vain for a packard bell BIOS the board, contact support at PB (Via Phone and Support Request), still no BIOS

I established that Gigabyte also made an OEM board for Fujitsu Siemens, the GA-8i915PM-FS, identical looking board etc.

After frustration with Packard Bell, and legacy support, I decided to flash via bootblock recovery using the fujitsu siemens BIOS, it didn't flash at first. Then I used the /WB switch, and the flash was succesfull, for both ROM and boot block. However the machine still would not boot, and hangs at the same place this time a FS logo Flash Screen.

So, then Packard Bell support finally come back to me with the latest BIOS version they had, I thought great now I can just flash with the correct BIOS. I was wrong.

Before I issued the /WB to AWDFLASH, the boot block would boot to a command prompt, from a DOS startup disk, and I could issue any command I wanted by typing it. Now the boot block automatically checks the floppy and hdd, and if it does not find a Fujitsu BIOS it states no BIOS file is found to perform recovery.

I have tried the lame stuff like renaming file, changing the BIOS slightly in different ways with MODBIN. All this to no avail.

Now I'm stuck with a boot block that is performing some check of the file on the floppy before allowing the boot block to commence recovery. The machine does not post, so I cannot boot to USB/CD to get to DOS.

I only have the boot block to work with. Is there any code within the boot block that is performing this check? Can I amend the good BIOS from Packard Bell with a HEX Editor to mimic the Fujitsu bios.

I have no option available to me other than establish what the boot block is checking, and spoofing the good packard bell bios to appear like a fujitsu BIOS so the boot block will write it to the ROM.

I'm confident enough to do whatever is needed, I just don't want to throw the board away, if I have a chance of fixing. Can anyone with detailed experience of the BIOS and boot block, please get in touch.

Kind regards

Tricky

[edwin]

If the bios chip is removable get a replacement at www.badflash.com or a similar outlet.

[cp]

or hotflash (hotswap and then flash) the BIOS chip in another working mainboard with the same or similar bios chip.

[karee]

This is te closest thing I could find:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/produc ... 29&dl=1#ov

[playaplaya2kk]

Hi All,

I will detail all problems then we can see if anyone can help once they have the full story.

I have a GA-8i915PM Rev 2.0 from a Packard Bell machine. The BIOS was corrupt and would not POST. Hangs at logo flash screen.
I searched in vain for a packard bell BIOS the board, contact support at PB (Via Phone and Support Request), still no BIOS

I established that Gigabyte also made an OEM board for Fujitsu Siemens, the GA-8i915PM-FS, identical looking board etc.

After frustration with Packard Bell, and legacy support, I decided to flash via bootblock recovery using the fujitsu siemens BIOS, it didn't flash at first. Then I used the /WB switch, and the flash was succesfull, for both ROM and boot block. However the machine still would not boot, and hangs at the same place this time a FS logo Flash Screen.

So, then Packard Bell support finally come back to me with the latest BIOS version they had, I thought great now I can just flash with the correct BIOS. I was wrong.

Before I issued the /WB to AWDFLASH, the boot block would boot to a command prompt, from a DOS startup disk, and I could issue any command I wanted by typing it. Now the boot block automatically checks the floppy and hdd, and if it does not find a Fujitsu BIOS it states no BIOS file is found to perform recovery.

I have tried the lame stuff like renaming file, changing the BIOS slightly in different ways with MODBIN. All this to no avail.

Now I'm stuck with a boot block that is performing some check of the file on the floppy before allowing the boot block to commence recovery. The machine does not post, so I cannot boot to USB/CD to get to DOS.

I only have the boot block to work with. Is there any code within the boot block that is performing this check? Can I amend the good BIOS from Packard Bell with a HEX Editor to mimic the Fujitsu bios.

I have no option available to me other than establish what the boot block is checking, and spoofing the good packard bell bios to appear like a fujitsu BIOS so the boot block will write it to the ROM.

I'm confident enough to do whatever is needed, I just don't want to throw the board away, if I have a chance of fixing. Can anyone with detailed experience of the BIOS and boot block, please get in touch.

Kind regards

Tricky

[edwin]

What is the Packard Bell System name/series/model? I think I can try finding the right bios in their jungle they call legacy support...