BIOS ROM checksum error (story inside)
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 5:42 pm
Hi,
I don't quite know where to start. There are several posts like this one with the same subject, but I can't quite get an option on what to do in my current situation.
Recently I put together a new computer - everything worked fine. Winxp had some trouble detecting the raid array, and from previous experiences, "peculiar" problems has several times for me been solved by a flash to the most recent bios. To eliminate any problems related to an old or outdated bios, I thought that was a good place to start.
Some info about my system:
Shuttle SN25P (http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault ... ead-10611/)
AMD64 4000+
1GB DDR
Pci-e graphics card
etc.
It's all working, or at least it were. There should be no problems with the hardware components.
I downloaded the newest bios image file, fn25s01d.bin, from this location: (http://global.shuttle.com/Download/Down ... Item=SN25P)
I'm 100% sure I used the correct bios. I cannot however be sure whether the image was a working one (allthough I assume it was, coming from an official webpage).
My first attempt in flashing resulted in this error message:
"System was not new AWARD BIOS version. Please update ROM BIOS first" (at least that was what I think showed up the first time..)
After reading forums, I had the impression my awdflash.exe was out of date, and yes indeed a newer version (i think i tried something 8.54b?, or something) went further on. The first version I tried was downloaded from shuttle's ftp (ftp.shuttle.com).
This time the bios started flashing. At least I thought it were. It went on for a while and then again I recieved an error message. From all my latest frustration I think I somehow forgot what message showed up this time, but I'm pretty sure it was the same as the last time ("System was not new AWARD BIOS version.. blabla"). I thought, well what now. Do I need yet another version of awdflash? (I'm starting to dislike that utility by the way).
I tried to reboot, and what happens then is somewhat directly related to the subject of this thread.
Computer is now booting to the AWARD BOOTBLOCK BIOS 1.0, and I get the BIOS ROM checksum error message. It tells me to boot from a floppy, and yes indeed, it works - meaning - keyboard is working and I do have access to the floppy drive and the basic dos prompt commands.
After reading similar threads, there seems to be a way to to "re-flash" the "main" bios from this point. When I try to do so, I get the same error message. Does this mean, by any chance, I'm using a bad version of awdflash.exe? Anyway, after experimenting with various switches and parameters, I got abit further (sorry, I'm at work now and cannot quite recall what I tried out of desperation). I now recieve the message: "Flash rom is write protected. Please make sure lockout jumpers..." (it ends in something with jumpers are set in unlock position.
The motherboard is jumper-free, and has no such option. I believe this message might be the result of something else. Are there any spesific version of awdflash I should try, or any special switches I do not know about? Perhaps any other flash utility that might override the write protection?
This is as far as I have come, for now. I'm just wondering what my options are? I know for sure that the bios chip is not soldered, so a new one could do the trick, but - by reading the forum it seems that people have been in worse situations than me, and still being able to recover. I was hoping to avoid replacing it.
One thing for sure, the motherboard is completely new so the cmos battery is not dead.
I paid alot of money for this one and.. I'm really frustrated I thought it could perhaps be smart to ask on a forum before I go berserk with tools and utilities and make the situation even worse as it is. I'd be grateful for any help.
Again, sorry for making it this long but I thought it was better to include as much info as possible compared to the contrary. Feel free to ask if anything remains unclear and I'll do my best to answer. I'm at work now so will be checking in later in the evening.
Thanks
-harm
I don't quite know where to start. There are several posts like this one with the same subject, but I can't quite get an option on what to do in my current situation.
Recently I put together a new computer - everything worked fine. Winxp had some trouble detecting the raid array, and from previous experiences, "peculiar" problems has several times for me been solved by a flash to the most recent bios. To eliminate any problems related to an old or outdated bios, I thought that was a good place to start.
Some info about my system:
Shuttle SN25P (http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault ... ead-10611/)
AMD64 4000+
1GB DDR
Pci-e graphics card
etc.
It's all working, or at least it were. There should be no problems with the hardware components.
I downloaded the newest bios image file, fn25s01d.bin, from this location: (http://global.shuttle.com/Download/Down ... Item=SN25P)
I'm 100% sure I used the correct bios. I cannot however be sure whether the image was a working one (allthough I assume it was, coming from an official webpage).
My first attempt in flashing resulted in this error message:
"System was not new AWARD BIOS version. Please update ROM BIOS first" (at least that was what I think showed up the first time..)
After reading forums, I had the impression my awdflash.exe was out of date, and yes indeed a newer version (i think i tried something 8.54b?, or something) went further on. The first version I tried was downloaded from shuttle's ftp (ftp.shuttle.com).
This time the bios started flashing. At least I thought it were. It went on for a while and then again I recieved an error message. From all my latest frustration I think I somehow forgot what message showed up this time, but I'm pretty sure it was the same as the last time ("System was not new AWARD BIOS version.. blabla"). I thought, well what now. Do I need yet another version of awdflash? (I'm starting to dislike that utility by the way).
I tried to reboot, and what happens then is somewhat directly related to the subject of this thread.
Computer is now booting to the AWARD BOOTBLOCK BIOS 1.0, and I get the BIOS ROM checksum error message. It tells me to boot from a floppy, and yes indeed, it works - meaning - keyboard is working and I do have access to the floppy drive and the basic dos prompt commands.
After reading similar threads, there seems to be a way to to "re-flash" the "main" bios from this point. When I try to do so, I get the same error message. Does this mean, by any chance, I'm using a bad version of awdflash.exe? Anyway, after experimenting with various switches and parameters, I got abit further (sorry, I'm at work now and cannot quite recall what I tried out of desperation). I now recieve the message: "Flash rom is write protected. Please make sure lockout jumpers..." (it ends in something with jumpers are set in unlock position.
The motherboard is jumper-free, and has no such option. I believe this message might be the result of something else. Are there any spesific version of awdflash I should try, or any special switches I do not know about? Perhaps any other flash utility that might override the write protection?
This is as far as I have come, for now. I'm just wondering what my options are? I know for sure that the bios chip is not soldered, so a new one could do the trick, but - by reading the forum it seems that people have been in worse situations than me, and still being able to recover. I was hoping to avoid replacing it.
One thing for sure, the motherboard is completely new so the cmos battery is not dead.
I paid alot of money for this one and.. I'm really frustrated I thought it could perhaps be smart to ask on a forum before I go berserk with tools and utilities and make the situation even worse as it is. I'd be grateful for any help.
Again, sorry for making it this long but I thought it was better to include as much info as possible compared to the contrary. Feel free to ask if anything remains unclear and I'll do my best to answer. I'm at work now so will be checking in later in the evening.
Thanks
-harm