BIOS Updates forum

Hi guys,

I have a Gigabyte GA-6VM7A+ F3 motherboard. I used @bios utility to update the bios. I downloaded the bios for GA-6VM7A+ F4 (I assumed F4 was the bios version). I restarted and there was a blank screen and a lot of beeps. I suspect the bios chip might be dead. Is it?
How can I fix it? Somebody on IRC suggested that I try and find a computer repair shop with a rom burner.

NB: I have my old bios stored on the hard drive.

Thanks in advance

Hi Mattbo - did you read the FAQ at the main Wim's BIOS site about what to try if your board is dead (bootblock recovery etc) ? e.g. does your diskette drive try to read a diskette automatically ? Alternatives include "hot-swap" flashing aka "hot-flash"

That should have been the right BIOS if your old BIOS message says "GA-6VM7A+ F3"; it should just be the latest BIOS for 6VM7A+.

Thanks for the reply, Nicks
I read the Faq and I think bootblock recovery might be worth a try as my floppy drive tries to read a disk when I turn on my PC. To do a bootblock recovery, I understand that I need to put an award flasher and the correct bios.bin file (my backup .bin file -the old one?) on to a floppy disk.
Which version flasher do I use and do I need to rename my old bios .bin file to awdflash*.bin and then type awdflash*.bin into autoexec.bat?

I haven't done this for a while, but IIRC:
You need a bootable diskette with no config.sys; the autoexec.bat should contain only the line
awdflash 6vm7apf4.bin /py /sn /cc /cd /cp
and you should have copied onto the diskette:
- the awdflash utility.
- the BIOS file 6vm7ap.f4 renamed to 6vm7apf4.bin.
Which version of AWDflash ? I have 7.8 at the moment

Ok I've put these files onto a floppy disk;
-awdflash.exe (Award flasher v8.08, was called awd808.exe, renamed it)
-Autoexec.bat with the line "awdflash 6vm7apf3.bin /py /sn /cc /cd /cp "
- 6vm7apf3.bin (This was my original bios, the one I backed up before I updated)

Do I now just put the floppy disk into my floppy drive and turn on my PC? (Neither of my graphics cards are an ISA card btw, ones AGP and ones PCI. Does it matter if I can't see whats on the screen? Can I just hit enter or another key if necessary?)

Mattbo wrote:Do I now just put the floppy disk into my floppy drive and turn on my PC?

Yes.

(Neither of my graphics cards are an ISA card btw, ones AGP and ones PCI. Does it matter if I can't see whats on the screen? Can I just hit enter or another key if necessary?)

It doesn't matter. Just be sure to leave sufficient time for the flashing after the FDD light goes out. I don't know whether it will reboot automatically, but give it five minutes.

Tried this and nothing happened;the fdd led just stayed on. What now?

Does the FDD light and motor come on and stay on without stepping the head every second or so ? If so, it looks as though the bootblock may be trying to use an ISA diskette interface, in which case you're probably at the end of the line for this approach. Of course, if it comes on as soon as you put the power on and stays on, you've got the cable reversed.

Another thought: just check the files you are using are not read-only and that the diskette is not write-protected.

I forgot to ask; did you clear the CMOS after flashing ? If not, try it and see if it helps.

Next suggestion -
http://www.pppr.sk/rainbow/hardware/hotflash.html

The FDD motor comes on for a second and then the light just stays on without stepping the head at all (it just stays yellow). Which cable could be reveresed? IDE or power cable? I think the cables right because the fdd works in Windows.

I checked the files and the diskette; all 3 files are not read only and the disk isn't write protected.
I haven't cleared the cmos. How do you do this? After which flashing? The one where I updated the bios or tried to put the old one back? (I don't think the old bios is back though somehow.)

If the motor isn't running contantly the light on the front being on constantly, the data cable is not reversed (BTW, it's a much older interface than IDE with only 34 pins. If the power cable was reversed, you'd know by the smell, don't ask me how I know ) So I think the bootblock can't drive the floppy properly through the on-board controller. An ISA floppy controller might just work - it has done for me in the past - but I think you're probably heading for hot-flash or a BIOS programming service.

How to clear CMOS - either by a jumper (refer to your motherboard manual) or by removing the CMOS back-up battery for a period, possibly overnight. Make sure the power cable is out of the PSU before doing either of these.

Used the jumper setting to clear cmos. Turned computer on when it was at this setting and nothing seemed to happen, left it like this for a few minutes. I then switched back to default jumper setting and the beeps came back and my PC wouldn't boot up. I might have to ask my local pc shop whether they do bios programming\fixing.

I don't expect it to help, but you don't apply the power while you're clearing the CMOS. You pull the power cable out of the PC (assuming ATX, with AT just switch off), put the jumper in the "clear" position, leave it there for a few minutes, switch it back, put the power cable back in.