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BIOS HELP

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:56 am
by sukhg321
Hi,
: I am just wondering if anyone can help me. I wanted to know what my version my bios could be updated to as I had written several e-mails to the comapny 'Commate' about my bios and they were unable to help. Please see if you are able to solve the problems that I have discussed about in the below e-mails.
: Many thanks,
: Max Dando
: P.S. Any help from you will be greatly appreciated
:
:
:
: BELOW ARE MY E-MAIL DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMATE (http://www.tcommate.com.tw)

: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: SSG
: To: tcc_service
: Sent: Monday, April 14, 2003 7:15 AM
: Subject: Bios Help
:
: Hi,
: Thanks again for your response. However there seems to be a problem.The problem is that the file that you sent me (p2bxa21.BIN) was unable to flash my bios. I used the flash utility taken from your website (Award Flash memory writer V.7.89) which was the file Awdflash.exe to try and flash the bios using the file you gave me. However it first of all said that 'The file's part number does not match with the system'. It then said whether I still wanted to continue. I typed yes but still it stopped and the program ended saying it was unable to flash the bios as 'the file size did not match'. With this happening I though that if I went back to your website I might find other files that might be suitable for updating it. I went to the P2bXA section in your website (ftp://www.tcommate.com.tw/P2_serial_MB/p2bxa/bios/) and downloaded the following files: -
: 2bxa106b.BIN- P2BXA VER:1.06B
: p2bxa161.BIN- P2BXA VER:1.61
: p2bxa21.BIN- P2BXA VER:2.1
: P2BXA22.BIN- P2BXA VER:2.2
: None of the files updated my system except for the 2bxa106b.BIN file (P2BXA VER:1.06B ). This updated my system from P2BXA VER:1.06 to P2BXA VER:1.06B. However I was still unable to disable the motherboard USB as before. It did not seem to change anything. Please can you give me any other suggestions. What is the latest version that my bios can be updated to?
:
: Many thanks,
: Max Dando
:
: P.S- This has proven to be a difficult problem to solve
: Thanks again for the time you spend to solve my problem. It is greatly appreciated
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: tcc_service
: To: 'SSG'
: Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 1:05 AM
: Subject: RE: Please help with BIOS- P2BXA

:
: HI
: Sorry for late reply.
: Could you update this BIOS and try again?
:
: Best Regards,

: Commate FAE
: Taiwan Commate Computer Inc.
: Tel: +886-2-26963909 ext. 15
: Fax: +886-2-26963911


: -----Original Message-----
: From: SSG [mailto:sukhg321@hotmail.com]
: Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 2:42 PM
: To: tcc_service
: Subject: Re: Please help with BIOS- P2BXA

:
: Hi,
: Thanks for your response. It was greatly appreciated. However I have definatly disabled the 'Assign IRQ for USB' function but it is still not disabled. This is shown in the following screenshot: -

:
: The selected USB is my motherboard USB (Intel(r) 82371AB/EB/MB PCI to USB host controller). I want to disable it so I can get my PCI USB card working (Via USB 2.0 Enhanced Host controller). As can be seen there is no yellow exclamation mark against the motherboard USB driver. This means that it has not been disabled. It should but it hasn't. I even tested to see if the USB worked by plugging a USB device in while I had the 'Assign IRQ for USB' function disabled. It worked. This means that the motherboard USB has not been disabled. This seems to be strange. Can you tell me why this is? My bios details are given below in my previous e-mail if needed to be referred to and check. My bios version should do this but it does not. Can you please give me any other suggestions to what I can do.
: Many thanks,
: Max Dando
:
: P.S- I have attempted to remove the motherboard USB drivers from the device manager but still the motherboard USB is not properly disabled and seems to interfere with my PCI USB card. Please tell me if there is another way.
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: tcc_service
: To: 'SSG'
: Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 7:10 AM
: Subject: RE: Please help with BIOS- P2BXA

:
: Default is Enabled. You can disable this item when you do not attach any USB devices on
: board and need extra IRQ for other device. The yellow exclamation mark will be shown in
: System/Device Manager under Windows 95/98 if you disable this item. This is a normal status.
:
: Best Regards,

: Commate FAE
: Taiwan Commate Computer Inc.
: Tel: +886-2-26963909 ext. 15
: Fax: +886-2-26963911


: -----Original Message-----
: From: SSG [mailto:sukhg321@hotmail.com]
: Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 1:26 AM
: To: tcc_service
: Subject: Please help with BIOS- P2BXA

:
: Hi,
: I was just wondering if there was a way to disable my motherboard USB
: Hi,
: Please can you tell me how to disable the motherboard USB through the BIOS as I have tried to switch it off by disabling the 'Assign IRQ for USB' function but still the USB driver (Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB) for the motherboard appears in the devices menu. Please can you help and give me a way to diable to USB in my motherboard. I am sure that I have read through my manual several times to see if there is any way to disable the USB but the only function relating to USB was the 'Assign IRQ for USB' fuction but that did not do anything when it was disabled. I have attached my manual (taken from your website) to see if it is of any use to you. If you cannot disable the motherboard USB through the bios is there a way in which I can? Maybe through windows...? or maybe if I update my bios I will be able to disable it...?
: Please see if you are able to help me solve this issue.
:
: Many thanks,
:
: Max Dando
:
: P.S-
:
: The information of my BIOs is as follows: -
:
: BIOS- Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, 01/15/99- P2BXA

: BIOS Date: 01/15/99
: BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
: BIOS ID: 01/15/1999-i440BX-W977TF-2A69KTPAC
: BIOS Eval: P2BXA VER:1.06
: Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
: Superio: Winbond 977TF rev 0 found at port 3F0h
: Manufacturer- Ozzo / Commate P2BXA
:
:
: Also if needed below is my system details: -
:
: Processor- GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 7 451 MHz Stepping 3
: Math support- Present
: BIOS- Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, 01/15/99- P2BXA
: Bus type- PCI, ISA, USB
: Ports- 1 Parallel, 1 Serial
: Memory- 128MB
: Operating system- Windows 2000 SP2
: Floppy disks- 1.44 MB
: Hard disks- 16.06 GB, 19.07 GB, 4.25 GB, 8.54 GB
: Multimedia- Sound, CD-ROM
: Video- 1024 x 768 in 32-Bit Color, Radeon
: (INFORMATION TAKEN FROM NOTRON UTILITIES)

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 2:47 pm
by KachiWachi
OK...

Turning off the IRQ for the USB seems the way to disable the on-board USB.

You can have both the on-board USB and a USB card working at the same time, and they shouldn't interfear with each other. I assume you want to add USB 2.0 support, hence the card addition.

It may be fine that Win2000 finds USB capability and marks it with a :!:

What devices are causing you problems? Please add the info from your other POSTS here.

Thanks.

RE

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 1:53 pm
by sukhg321
The reason why I got an add-on PCI USB card was to have USB working in windows 2000. My motherboard USB is 2.0 and works with windows 98 but it does not seem to work with Windows 2000.

I have discovered that if I quickly enable and re-enable a USB device connected to the motherboard then it works for a period of 30 seconds or so but then stops.
It complains of an error with the driver of the device loaded and sometimes says it is properly installed and then it says it has errors. But in actual fact it is definatly not the drivers as the device has worked on another machine with windows 2000 using the same drivers.

I definatly know that the PCI USB card works with motherboard USB's as well because I have tried it on another computer. However the card does not even function. Even on windows 98 it does not work where the motherboard USB works fine. So I think it might be a bus conflict. I have tried moving the card into another slot but it still does not work.

The details of my PCI USB card are as follows: -
VPSD-2580E USB 2.0 Card (http://www.viavpsd.com/products/VPSD2580E_spec.jsp)

The USB devices that do notwork with the any of the USB's are the Logitec quickcam zoom and The motorola SB4200 SURFboard Cable modem (I now use LAN instead for the cable modem) . There are other devices such as a HP printer but these are irrelevant as they are not the cause of the problem. I think that the cause of the problem is to do with the motherboard USB. If I could get that working I will just leave the card. I just need one of the things working so I can connect a USB device in windows 2000.

As for my bios. I have turned off the IRQ for the motherboard USB and it still seems to be functioning. The reason being is that if I plug a USB device into it, it detects it and the USB symbol appears in the bottom left corner of the screen in the 'quick tools' bar.

So my question is: -
WHERE CAN I GET THE 'Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB' DRIVER FOR WINDOWS 2000? (I have updated my windows 2000 Os to SP3 with all USB 2.0 drivers but still it does not work)
and
Is there anything I can do to get the USB PCI card working?


Apologies for me posting the same type of message in different threads.

Thanks again to those people who take their time to try and solve my problem. It is greatly appreciated

MAX DANDO[/img]

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 2:00 pm
by NickS
Have you read this :http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight= ?
There are a couple of ideas in there.

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 2:23 pm
by sukhg321
I did read the thread and my bios is different. My bios is award where as the bios that is being talked about is Chaintech bios so it is differne.t
Any more help?

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 2:38 pm
by NickS
That Chaintech BIOS is not made by Chaintech, it's made by Award. :roll:
Did you try the things suggested in that topic ? e.g. enable "update configuration"

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 6:50 pm
by KachiWachi
OK... first problem is that your motherboard support is only USB 1.1 - 12Mb/s... so no Intel 82371AB/EB USB 2.0 drivers exist. USB 2.0 is 480Mb/s, and there aren't many devices out there that support that transfer rate...yet.

Your card should have come with the proper drivers for itself; you could check for updated ones at the VIA website. It does support USB 1.1 and 2.0, so you could turn off the motherboard ports, unless you need more places to hook stuff up.

Wise move to move the Surfboard onto the NIC...

I assume you loaded the Logitech Camera per the manufacturers directions.

I have an Adaptec DuoConnect Card and a Logitech Clicksmart-510, and have no problems with that setup. However, I'm using Windows98SE, but that "shouldn't" matter...

I'd try the stuff in that other thread, then report back here.

RE

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2003 2:31 am
by sukhg321
OK whatever version my motherboard USB is it does not work now. The logitec quickcam zoom device did work with windows 98SE but now it does not work with windows 2000. As for the USB PCI card. I really don't know how to turn off the motherboard USB ports. As I have mentioned in my previous topics I have disabled the IRQ for the motherboard USB but still it seems to work as devices are deteced when plugged in. Are there any other ways I could switch off the motherboard USB (maybe through windows)- I have tried deleting all the motherboard USB drivers through windows device manager but that did not work as they all got re-detected. I have also tried to disable the driver through windows but still... nothing!

And also about the Chaintec Bios thread mentioned from NickS. I did try all of the suggestions: -

I cleared the CMOs
I loaded Setup/Performance Defaults
I deleted the USB Controller in Windows and let it re-detect

but none of these works.
The only thing I did not try was change to MPS 1.1 in the BIOS instead of 1.4 because I don't know what it means and I don't know how to do it. I don't think their is an option available in my bios. Can anyone tell me what it means (sorry im not very good with all this technical stuff) :?

Any more suggestions?

Thanks in advance[/list]

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2003 4:37 pm
by KachiWachi
I looked at your BIOS with MODBIN...turning off USB IRQ is the only thing you have to shut off the mainboard USB. I don't know why Win2000 detects it when it is off, but that is no matter.

The add-in card should also be fine, if installed properly. You should be able to have all of the ports enabled, and things should work together...

I didn't look for the MPS thing...it can't hurt to change it...anyone have a clue what that is??

Do any of your USB devices work? You mentioned a printer...

Sorry...I don't have much else to offer with Win2000 USB support...Good Luck though.

Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2003 4:39 pm
by sukhg321
Would a bios upgrade be the cure for th problem
I still need to know what MPS means because I don't have a clue.
None of the USB devices work in windows 2000 (just for 30 seconds and then cut out as I said before) They do work on windows 98.
This has seemed to be a hard problem to solve. ANy more help will be appreciated.
By the way what version would I be able to upgrade my bios to ( please look at my previous thread messaGE about my e-mails and responses from my bios manufacturer (tocommate)

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 4:06 pm
by KachiWachi
OK...I looked more today...

The only BIOS update that will work on your board is the 106B, as the others are for a 2MB BIOS chip and yours apparently is 1MB. I don't know why these are there...perhaps the newer versions of your board came with the bigger chip. An e-mail to TTC should confirm this.

All that your manual says is that the BIOS switch frees an IRQ for USB...it doesn't say it disables it. Perhaps someone with i440BX experience can confirm this about that particular chipset, or if it was just the way they decided to set it up in their BIOS (maybe a hidden setting exists?).

So in any case, leaving the IRQ enabled should pose no problem.

I'm guessing now this might be a Win2000 issue, since you stated everything was OK with Win98. Maybe TCC can confirm any issues with that OS and your board/BIOS configuration.

I couldn't find a reference to MPS 1.1 or 1.4 in the manual...what might this be under?

Please post again when you confirm with TCC.

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:46 pm
by sukhg321
I've sent an e-mail and am waiting for a reply.
Hopefully TCC will reply
Another question is that does anyone know someone with i440BX experience whom I would be able to contact.
Here is some more info on my bios chipset if it is of any use: -
http://www.tcommate.com.tw/EN/INFORM/SL ... 2bxa_e.htm
Thanks a lot for all the help i've got (especially KachiWachi)
I'll post another message soon

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 1:54 pm
by NickS
KachiWachi wrote:I couldn't find a reference to MPS 1.1 or 1.4 in the manual...what might this be under?
This was mentioned as a cure for an OS related problem in the thread I linked to, but quite possibly that option does not exist in more than a handful of BIOSes.
[edit]Yes, totally irrelevant - it's Multi Processor Support specification - 1.1 or 1.4, see http://www.adriansrojakpot.com/Speed_De ... de_01d.htm

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2003 6:41 pm
by sukhg321
Right now I'm really really really confused. The manufacturers of my bios have given me the following reply. Does this make sense to anyone? They replyed and gave me the P2BXA 2.1 bios as an attachment. Looking at the following message I'm not quite sure they understood my e-mail. Does anyone think I should upgrade?

E-mail from TCC: -

HI

Sorry we’ve stop update this board since this board is too old that Intel has been not update this chipset.

So all that I can give you is the last BIOS at 5/26/2000.



-----Original Message-----
From: SSG [mailto:mg014b6610@blueyonder.co.uk]
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 10:27 AM
To: tcc_service; alison@tcommate.com.tw
Subject:



Hi,

Please can you help. I wanted to find out what bios version my bios could upgrade to. The reason I say this is that someone has said that my bios chip is 1mb so therefore the latest bios it could be upgraded to is P2BXA 1.06B . Is this true? As I wanted to upgrade to the other bios versions (such as 1.6 vesion or the 2.1version to try and get a USB component working.)

Furthermore is there an issue with windows 2000 and my bios chipset as I found that there is no way to switch off the bios. Even when I disable the IRQ to USB, it does not work. Also is there a known problem with Intel 82371AB/EB USB with windows 2000?

Please help with this issue as it seems to be a problem which continuously keeps bugging me. Thanks in advance.

My computer details are as follows: -



BIOS- Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, 01/15/99- P2BXA


BIOS Date: 01/15/99
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 01/15/1999-i440BX-W977TF-2A69KTPAC
BIOS Eval: P2BXA VER:1.06
Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
Superio: Winbond 977TF rev 0 found at port 3F0h
Manufacturer- Ozzo / Commate P2BXA





Also if needed below is my system details: -



Processor- GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 7 451 MHz Stepping 3
Math support- Present
BIOS- Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, 01/15/99- P2BXA
Bus type- PCI, ISA, USB
Ports- 1 Parallel, 1 Serial
Memory- 128MB
Operating system- Windows 2000 SP2
Floppy disks- 1.44 MB
Hard disks- 16.06 GB, 19.07 GB, 4.25 GB, 8.54 GB
Multimedia- Sound, CD-ROM
Video- 1024 x 768 in 32-Bit Color, Radeon
(INFORMATION TAKEN FROM NOTRON UTILITIES)

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2003 7:00 pm
by KachiWachi
To be sure of the exact BIOS chip you have, peel back any labels that may be on the chip and post the raw manufacturers part number here, so we can see if it is really a 1MB or a 2MB chip.

Either that, or use UniFlash to get the part ID (you don't have to flash to get his information...in fact, try this first).

Thanks.