BIOS Updates forum

I'm not that much of a computer tech anymore, I've forgotten most of what I learned several years ago.

My PC was home built by my stepfather, who has no clue what's in it anymore (yay). I can't install a Firewire/USB 2.0 PCI card that I just got. I was told I should try to upgrade my BIOS before getting a new MB (cheaper).

I ran the Award utility as that's what my startup screen says my BIOS is. It's in a foreign language, so I copied from it what I could manage to read:

Award BIOS V6.00PG
Award ID String: 01/16/2001-8371-686A-TA6LKC0CC-00
Chipset: 8371
PnP: PnP V1.0/ESCD, DMI V2.2, SM V2.2
Bus: ISA
Computer ID: FC, Subtyp: 02, BIOS-Level: 116

If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Chaintech 7ATA/7ATA0
-> Have a look at the board - there should be a Flashrom chip with an Award sticker and a small white sticker .
Onto the white sticker the model number should be written onto it

Please also tell us the maker/model of the card you are trying to install, and what happens when you try. Also include the version of the OS you are using. Thanks.

Card is unknown maker, uses Viatech chips (one for Firewire, one for USB2). It works fine in other PC's. On mine, it stops booting once it passes the drive/memroy check stage (blank black screen).

I'm running XP Pro, w/ SP1 according to the "system" info thing in the control panel.

I entered the bios and told it to let the OS do PnP instead of it, would that help? I haven't been able to try as I let a friend use the card to see if it works.

Quick note that it's fixed. Card was conflicting with my PCI video card. Installed an AGP and all works fine. Thanks for the help.