Help...Abit Flash Util Killed my Mobo..

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 09:45PM #1

Guys..I have a BH-7 Abit Mobo in my machine, I had been holding back from the flashing the bios as I had long since remove a floppy drive and I couldn'y be arse making a boot CD...

Abit released a quick'n'easy windows based flash util recently so I downloaded.

There is a guick'n'easy button (or similar) on the main screen and away I went...

It told me everything was successful but now my Pc won't boot. Power kicks in for maybe 4 seconds before everything cuts out.....all this from an Abit Bios Flash Tool run according to all instructions....any ideas?

KdjaCL · 20-06-2004 09:49PM

Kill the CMOS tke out the battery or jumper the Cmos jumper ,should say how to do it in your manual usually just take the jumper of few seconds and stick it back on.

kdjac

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 09:58PM

Doesn't seem to do any good...

KdjaCL · 20-06-2004 10:01PM

your options are to either try take out parts maybe one of them doesnt like the new bios .
Check their forums for simliar problems.
Find someone with a good bios and hot swap them (exceptionaly dangerous but you had a bad flash you have no choice)

Check out forums etc ,try remove hardware then and only then try the hot swap.

kdjac

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 10:07PM

I have stripped everything down....

I just have one stick of memory in, the graphics card, one hard drive and thats it!

Still no joy...surely Abit would be liable to replace the Mobo seeing as I flashed it with their utility? (As per instructions)

KdjaCL · 20-06-2004 10:13PM

I bet the 1st thing on the page is " ABIT accepts no responsibility" and in the EULA is "flashing may cause damage" oh they well covered.

Know anyone with same mobo???
You can open your pc take the bios chip out slightly and boot with his good one ,qucikly replace his good one with your bad one and in bios make any change it will save the original bios to yours on reboot.

Very dangerous

But your only hope if you killed it, do some research maybe it somfin stupid.

kdjac

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 10:26PM

http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/bios/flashmenu.php

That is the link to the util....Doesn't seem to be any warnings anywhere...

I've been looking on the Abit forums and elsewhere, no joy at all...

Mutant_Fruit · 20-06-2004 10:34PM

no no no, no hotflashing!

Grab your manual, i'm 99% sure there is a built-in recovery method to fix what happened to you. All youhave to do is hold alt-F12 (or seomthing like that) when you boot, and you can reflash from a floppy. Check that out.

joePC · 20-06-2004 10:39PM

Did you flash the system while it was overclocked?

This is a big No, no & can cause alot of problems.

Thanks JoePC

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 10:45PM

It seems to be cutting out even before the POST ....

I didn't flash the mobo while Overclocked.... I haven;t overclocked in ages, my GRFX card plays up when I oc....

BloodBath · 20-06-2004 11:22PM

I have read about people with the same problem and the only way they could fix it was either with a new BIOS chip or manually writing the BIOS. This is hard as you can't even see what your writing when you do it so you can't make mistakes.

BloodBath

Col_Loki · 20-06-2004 11:39PM

http://www.excaliberpc.com/product_info.php?cPath=156_157&products_id=2323

Theres a BIOS chip for $16 , shipping $13 ........ works out a little over €20. Might be some help!!

The Brigadier · 20-06-2004 11:45PM

I am pissed off at Abit for this......If I had made a boo-boo myself in flashing I would hold my hands up and say my fault...but I used their automated one touch flash util as instructred

I am going to see if I can RMA with them....I wouldn't spend any money on the Mobo as it is only a BH-7, worth what 40 euro? I think I'll get a cheapo 2nd hand mobo to keep me ticking over until my autumn big upgrade....

KdjaCL · 21-06-2004 12:31AM

Hotswap

I did it before on a ECS board and it worked.
So glad you posted here i was gonna use that Flashing util also as i have no floppy either.

kdjac

unkel · 21-06-2004 01:46AM

Hold your horses James!

First of all, don't blame Abit. Flashing bios of a mobo carries risks. No mobo manufacturer will take the blame if this goes wrong and Abit are the best of them all in providing fixes, tools etc.

In fact flashing any hardware carries risks. Anybody that flashes regularly will tell you this. Be it mobos, graphic cards, DVD players, Satellite receivers, Access Points or even mobile phones, etc.

Flashed a graphics card going horribly wrong. Had to write down instructions, boot up and blindly type in instructions - all was well after

Easiest solution for you is to stick in a floppy drive. Download the original or any working bios. Boot up and do the same as I did with my graphics card

I decided years ago not to bother with a floppy drive for my new pc. I'm glad now that I changed my mind at the time

Floppy drive in my system is 10 years old

Don't hot swap or replace the chip unless it is absolutely necessary, although it would be a mark of achievement on your totempole if succesful I suppose

The Brigadier · 21-06-2004 07:16AM

Even if I stick in a floppy it won't boot. The power is cutting before the POST.

Mutant_Fruit · 21-06-2004 07:54AM

have you tried holding the key combination to load up the emergency flash recovery program?

BadCharlie · 21-06-2004 09:23AM

I used that flash program from abit for My nf7-s v2 board and it worked fine. I was also oc everything at the time i guess i was lucky.

The Brigadier · 22-06-2004 09:48PM

Found the problem... For some reason the new bios doesn't like the slow spin speed of my whisper quiet HSF combo. It was cutting out as a precaution over heating...

I changed the case fan onto the CPU fan header and it works fine...

BadCharlie · 22-06-2004 10:15PM

Computers can be a right pain. Im glad you found the problem.

OfflerCrocGod · 22-06-2004 10:53PM

Originally posted by The Brigadier
Found the problem... For some reason the new bios doesn't like the slow spin speed of my whisper quiet HSF combo. It was cutting out as a precaution over heating...

I changed the case fan onto the CPU fan header and it works fine...

That is so obscure! - I would have trown the MB out in a rage before figuring that one out!

hostyle · 22-06-2004 11:11PM

Glad you got it fixed. I was about to suggest the obscure (and yes this does work for certain BIOSes) method of placing you BIOS chip on a photo copier and scanning (flashing) it a few time. Depends on the chip.

Mutant_Fruit · 22-06-2004 11:23PM

Originally posted by hostyle
Glad you got it fixed. I was about to suggest the obscure (and yes this does work for certain BIOSes) method of placing you BIOS chip on a photo copier and scanning (flashing) it a few time. Depends on the chip.

What in the hell would that do? Couldn't you just shine a torch on the chip instead? Sounds like an urban myth to me.

BigEejit · 23-06-2004 09:25AM

those chips are Electrically Erasable not UV erasable ... photocopying wont do shit.....

hostyle · 23-06-2004 09:54AM

I've seen it done. But there is the possibility I've been duped (palming the old BIOS and swapping with a working one) ...

Gerry · 23-06-2004 10:07AM

Originally posted by The Brigadier
Found the problem... For some reason the new bios doesn't like the slow spin speed of my whisper quiet HSF combo. It was cutting out as a precaution over heating...

I changed the case fan onto the CPU fan header and it works fine...

Nice work finding the problem

I remember they did this before with the kt7a, really annoying. Was it not mentioned anywhere i the bios readme or release notes?

Stephen · 23-06-2004 10:07AM

You should be able to run your new HSF off the CPU fan header if you just change a setting in the bios to disable power off on CPU fan failure.

The Brigadier · 23-06-2004 10:46AM

Nothing in the readme notes.....I was on to tech support and had to ask them why it would be cutting out...They said it could be a fan error. When I say the fans all spin up nicely I decided to dig a bitt deeper..

dent · 23-06-2004 02:34PM

I guess you should say sorry to abit LOL. Damn computers.

Col_Loki · 23-06-2004 03:44PM

Yea i had that with an Abit KD7, was changing a few things including the CPU Heatsink. Put everything back toghter and wouldnt fully boot.

After about 20mins of checkin i tried the old Heatsink and it worked. Then put the new one back on again and it still worked......... very strange, i put it down to the mobo thinkin there was no Heatsink on it at all, very strange.

I was about to suggest the obscure (and yes this does work for certain BIOSes) method of placing you BIOS chip on a photo copier and scanning (flashing) it a few time. Depends on the chip.

lol, that sounds like someone is yankin your chain. Hehehe, flashing the BIOS. Might try that one on someone.......

Help...Abit Flash Util Killed my Mobo..

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