BIOS Updates forum

Hi


I have no explanation to this. My motherboard Asus A7V 133 rev. 1.05 with my TB 1200@1400 (133x10.5) was working ok during at least 3 months with no real problem, until three days when I was rebooting and the computer didn't restarted. As I had an RD1-2M bios saviour I thought: no problem, I change the switch to the second bios (wich was a diferent bios version) and turn on the computer. The computer started and booted directly to bios. I quikly load setup defaults and tried to reboot again. AND to my big surprise, the computer hanged again in the same way: no video and not even a single beep code from the internal computer speaker.

Tried to strip the computer to basic (1 memory module, jumper mode and not overcloking, video card and diskete drive) and even reset the CMOS during a minute (and after even tried to leave the computer without tyhe internal batery, but no way), but the computer gave no video and not even a beep code.

Any ideas of what could had happened?
Any idea of what could I try?

Could I try to hot swamp the bios in a diferent motherboard of mine?

Any help or information would be great and if someone needs more information from me, please do not hesitate to ask

Thanks in advance

Maybe a problem with your overclocked CPU ?
Try to set to defaults (FSB100) and Clear CMOS

Already Tried that. Basic system was working not overclocked and even a new working CPU, but no way. Tried also diferent memory and diferent video card, the same always happened. No boot and no beep sounds. Those other cpu, memory and video card proved after to work in a diferent system, so i assume the problem is in the motherboard, more precisely in the bios, since I see that the mootherboard has energy in the advertise light near the agp slot.

Any more idea

Maybe a Virus cleared your Flashrom or something in the OnBoard power Regulator for your CPU is burnt due to beeing overstressed .
You may try to do a Hot-Swap with one of your Flashroms to see whether it's the Board or only the Flashrom .

I already considered that hipotesis of virus, but the only virus I know wich can affect bios is ICH, but this kind of virus seems to only act in win95/98 systems and my system was running in winXP, so I assume it wasn't a bios virus.

If the onbord power regulator was burnt or damaged shouldn't the motherboard be without any power? When I connect the psu cable to the motherboard and turn on the PSU, the light in the motherboard (near the AGP slot) lights.

Hot-swamp is my next try, but I'm having problems to get someone with the same motherboard willing to give it a try. Someone there from Portugal with an Asus A7V133 motherboard willing to help me flash my possible corrupted bios by hot swamp??

to read about hot-swap you can do it here. It works.
http://www.pppr.sk/rainbow/hardware/hotflash.html

Hi

I have done it previously in a previuos motherboard I had, so I know how to do it. Anyway thanks for the link. My problem right now is to get someone near to me with the same motherboard and disposable to help.

Someone from Portugal???

Doesn't have to be the same mobo as long as it can take that size/voltage of flash

Are you really sure of that?

How can I know if diferent motherboards have the same size/voltage of flash?

There are a lot of diferent brands of bios chips, how can I know if a certain bios chip (assuming they are of the sime kind -DIP32 or PLCC- and of the same size) is compatible with certain motherboard?
Do you have any link to database of bios chips?

There is also other thing that I would like to be answeared. It is possible to flash by hot-swamp a 256K bios (exactly a DIP32) chip in a motherboard with a 128k bios chip (also DIP32)?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks a lot for the support.

Best wishes,

JM

The man with most data is Rainbow, but the important elements are that the correct voltage (12V/5V) is available and that the chip can be addressed correctly. There are some issues with certain chipsets - you can get some information from the notes in the Uniflash documentation. I have hot flashed PC-Chips BIOS in Vision Top mobo, Gigabyte BIOS in PC-Chips mobo.

AJZ wrote:Well, I've successfully hotflashed several 256KB BIOSes on my old M919 (PCCHIPS 486 board, with its 128KB BIOS). No problem at all.