BIOS Updates forum

Hello forum,

First, my question: if both the chipset and the BIOS chip are supported by Uniflash, and if the chip will fit on the motherboard, then I can flash that chip on that motherboard regardless of ROM size and pin assignment? Correct?

Now, if you have time, read the rest, which, without being key to understanding the question, provides some context information.

I just want to make sure what I have been able to gather about Uniflash is correct. And seeing as Rainbow reads this forum, I would like to suggest that he includes the answer I am hoping to get with the documentation that comes with Uniflash.

And now, if you still have time, why not read the whole story? I have access to two (pretty old) motherboards: one is BIOS dead and mine, the other is my friend's and alive, I want to use my friend's motherboard to hot-flash the BIOS chip from my own motherboard. The chips the motherboards use are both 5V DIPs, but mine is 256KB and his is 128KB, hence the pin assignment is also different. Now had both been mine, I wouldn't hesitate, but if the hot-flashing goes wrong, I will owe my friend a motherboard. And that is why I am posting this, I want to be sure that if I hot-flash, me making a mistake will be the only source of risk.

Thanks for reading this whole thing! And thanks for answering!

enjoy!
Artom

Sorry, I just realized I posted this in the wrong place. Never noticed there was an "BIOS Utilities & Flash Programs" section.

enjoy!
Artom

In general, boards that came with 128KB chips can't flash 256KB chips. However, there are some exceptions like PC Chips M726 or SanLi/SuperPower SL-586V.

I came up with an idea, I'd like some input on whether it's crazy or not. Even if my friend's motherboard only supports 128KB chips, can I use it to hot-flash those first 128KB on my 256KB chip? The boot block on my chip would then be functional, and I could use to flash the rest of the chip? This makes sense to me, since only the A17 pin is different on the 2 BIOS chips, my friend's BIOS chip having that pin assigned as NC. Let me also give out the technical specs:

Me: MSI MS-5187 version 1 board with a VIA Apollo MVP4 chipset, using the Winbond W29C020C BIOS chip.

My friend: ASUS P/I-P55TVP4, with an Intel 430VX chipset using the SST29EE010 BIOS chip.

Both are Socket 7 boards.

Thanks!

enjoy!
Artom

It should be able to flash half of the chip - but which half? It depends on the state of the A17 pin. Bootblock is in the upper half, so A17 must be high (5V).
If the Asus board does not support 256KB chips, that pin might be hardwired to GND or 5V or simply not connected.
So some possibilites:
1. The board supports 256KB chips -> nothing to solve
2. The pin is connected to 5V -> you can flash half of the chip that includes bootblock
3. The pin is not connected -> you can connect it to A17 pin on the ISA bus - it should be able to flash the chip completely
4. The pin is connected to GND -> you can bend the pin out of the socket and connect to the A17 pin on ISA

But if the pin is connected to 5V, why can't we also bend it and connect it to the A17 pin on an ISA slot?

And this is so cool! Thanks for the information!

Artom

Of course you can do that too.