80GB: 10/08/1998-i440BX-SMC60X-2A69KB0CC

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
Post Reply
AuToSoM
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 4:47 pm

Hello everybody,

My Board (10/08/1998-i440BX-SMC60X-2A69KB0CC) can not detect my new 80GB Maxtor D740X-6L080L4.
I think the board is from Biostar, but the original BIOSTAR M6TBA BIOS-ID is different
(2A69KB0EC-00: Biostar M6TBA taken from http://www.wimsbios.com/numbers.shtml)
I found two Updates for the M6TBA at http://www.biostar.com.tw/products/main ... /bios.php3 ,
but I don`t know if I can use this Updates to solve my problem.
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:41 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

It is a BIOSTAR board. You will find a sticker (or printing) on the motherboard (or on the BIOS sticker) with its model number.
Check the BIOS message, too, not just the string.
AuToSoM
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 4:47 pm

I found a printing on the board which says M6TBA ver: 1.1 but no hint about BIOSTAR.
The BIOS message at the startup screen:
Award Modular BIOS v.4.51(PG)
Award Plug & Play BIOS Extension v1.0A
TBA1008A

So back to my question: can a BIOS-updates (mentioned above) solve my problem (and which one)
:?:
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:

Yes, the first BIOS on that page is for you. But it will not solve your problem. I sent you that version patched to support HDDs up to 128GB.
02/23/1999-i440BX-SMC60X-2A69KB0CC-00
TBA0223B
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
AuToSoM
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 4:47 pm

:D Thank you for your quick support, Rainbow and ajzchips.
I've just flashed my BIOS and everything works fine.

Have a nice day
vimal
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2002 4:22 am

Rainbow - i am in a similar situation (WD 80GB drive), did you say the first file will NOT solve problem? Is there a new file patched for 128 GB HDD that is available?

Thanks
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
vimal
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2002 4:22 am

Thank! I have run into another problem.

I have Biostar M6TBA with Award Bios (pnp 686 s/n 143592382 on top Award label, when I removed the label, numbers on the chip are not visible, kind of scratched up).

Awdflash (7.xx) quits with not detecting flash type, uniflash doesn't give me an option to flash bios as it wasn't able to detect flash type either.

I have tried to look for jumper to unprotect the bios with no luck. Don't see shadow setting in CMOS either.

When I normally boot the computer, bootom of the 2nd screen (with PCI info) indicate unknown flash.

What would be the best course of action?
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:

You might have non-flashable chip installed or flash voltage selection jumper (if any) is not set properly. If the chip is without any marking, it might be some kind of PROM (one time programmable), if there's 27xxxx, it's EPROM. 28xxxxx and 29xxxxx are flashable. You can order new flashable chip flashed already with BIOS you want - e.g. at http://www.flashbios.org or something like that.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
vimal
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2002 4:22 am

Ok, I cleaned up the chip surface w/ alcohol and now i can see the numbers:

MX T983911
28F1000PPC-12C4
RM21997A
Taiwan

I had tried awdflash and uniflash before without any success (both quit with unknown flash type). I now tried amiflsh, it was unable to detect flash type, upon manually selecting MXIC flash chip, it started the programming but it hung. Reset the computer and nothing was changed.

Is there a flash protection jumper here that I am unable to locate?

I see the MB manual available at http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/manual/archives.php3 - however, can't see any info about jumper for flashing the bios (unless I am unable to decrypt some the info). Manual does indicate that flash is programmable. FWIW I also can't seem to figure out if I have version 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (do know that I don't have 1.0). Don't see anything on MB or obvious visible differences among the three.

Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks.
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:

That's Macronix MX28F1000P chip. It's 128KB and flashable but it needs 12V on the VPP pin which is obviously not there. You can made an adapter or hotflash in board that supports 12V (see http://rainbow.ht.sk/hardware/hotflash.html).
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
Post Reply