How To Fix a Damaged BIOS?

[acphenom]

I recently used the @Bios program that came with my Gigabyte GA-K8NS nForce3 250 Socket-754 motherboard, in an attempt to update the BIOS. Unfortunately, after rebooting, the system failed to start properly. The monitor showed a blank screen. I tried clearing the CMOS, but it didn't resolve the issue.

So does this mean I have to buy a new motherboard, or can I find a cheaper solution to this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kage]

Hmm, you'd expect the bios program to of came with it to work fine, and update the right one with no problems.

You can actually buy bios chips, but I'm afraid I dont know from where. It would be a cheaper solution than changing the entire motherboard though, and I don't know if a guarantee would still be kept flashing the biso to send it back to get a replacement.

Though, they do allow you to update it within the motherboard program, and so if something went wrong with that, and not something you've done specifically, they might let you replace it.

 

[acphenom]

Many thanks for the reply, Kage.

What do you mean by the motherboard program? I don't know if i can do anything with the computer now, as since the BIOS seems to be corrupted, i can't see how i can boot from a floppy...or can I?

 

[Kage]

I meant the one you were talking about which you used to update it. Which I guess you did within the BIOS with a floppy or something with the update on it? Or how did you try and update it?

Also, what was the BIOS on the chip? The make of it? For instance, Pheonix, or DualAward.

I just saw this website that might help determine what one you have for if you decide to get a replacement. Pluis tells you a few places you can go to get it replaced once you know what it is:

http://www.pctechguide.com/tutorials/BIOS_Replace.htm

EDIT:

These instructions might help for next time if you wanted to flash and might give you a safer guide :

http://www.wimsbios.com/HTML1/faq.html

I hope this helps

 

[TRDCorolla1]

The easy way out is to simply buy a new motherboard. That's what most techs working for company's would do. I've done it because that was the procedure where I worked.

You can try going to the manufacturer and download a flash utility for your BIOS and put them on a floppy disk. Boot with it into DOS and follow the directions given from that website.

 

[acphenom]

@Bios is a Windows-based utility Gigabyte give you in the motherboard CD. So i updated it via Windows, then rebooted it.

Thanks for the links, i'll check them out.

And Corolla, how do i boot from Floppy? I can't seem to access the BIOS.

Oh ya, and the BIOS is Award.

 

[Kage]

In that case, the motherboard program should have found the right bios flash and so shouldn't have gone wrong... So its not your fault, and in that case, i guess it could be possible just to replace the motherboard from where you bought it.

Those links will hopefully help you though

 

[Opteronix]

SImply go to gigabyte's site, get the BIOS you need, insert a floppy with the bootable flash systematics and new BIOS in before startup, start the PC, and POOF, new BIOS.

 

[Kage]

Wow, I knew that type of thing worked, but I thought if its been flashed with the wrong BIOS in the first place, and so won't start up or go to BIOS, then this process wouldn't work

 

[acphenom]

How do i give it the 'bootable flash systematics'? I have downloaded the correct BIOS off the Gigabyte website. I have a floppy at hand, so what's the next step?