PC Partners Mainboard....

[Garak]

well - switched the BIOS chips over, still same error, im going to try reflashing with the award BIOS (great how i have the same BIOS chip twice really )

[Ruslan]

Did You identify the motherboard's model?
What exactly the model numbers,by the way?

[Garak]

PC Partners LXB801D (AMI version)

nice to see you on the boards again ruslan

[Ruslan]

Yes, that motherboard has two versions of BIOS - AMI and AWARD. And yes, it's possible to change BIOS from AMI to Award (there is AWARD BIOS version written exactly for that particular motherboard, as You can see). And it's not true, by the way, what it's impossible to return it back (as it has been said on their site )
I do remember that board - I used to have the same one.

1.You should run AMIflash utility (I currently use 8.53 version)
2. Uncheck boxes "reset after flash","BIOS tag check","keep DMI data","auto" in "FLAG" options.
3. Check boxes "Flash Boot Block","Flash NVRAM" and "Clear CMOS after flash".
4. Choose file (unzipped!) You want to flash and go!

Using that AMIflash util You can also return it back as well, if needed.

Good luck!

[Ruslan]

Oh well, forgot to mention one important thing about PCPartner motherboards...
There are few special jumpers located near the BIOS chip. These jumpers MUST (!) be properly installed according to the BIOS flash IC type.
If those jumpers were installed incorrectly, motherboard will not boot at all or will act strangely...
Check it. Refer to the manual for details...

[Garak]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ruslan:
Oh well, forgot to mention one important thing about PCPartner motherboards...
There are few special jumpers located near the BIOS chip. These jumpers MUST (!) be properly installed according to the BIOS flash IC type.
If those jumpers were installed incorrectly, motherboard will not boot at all or will act strangely...
Check it. Refer to the manual for details...

---

No manuals, com ports or lpt ports :S
any ideas what im looking for, also - have you got a copy of that AWARD flash tool?

if so, can you mail it to me, at my email address
Thanks.

[Ruslan]

Manual, BIOS update and so on for that motherboard can be found here:
http://www.pcpartner.com.hk/bios/i440.htm

AMIflash utility can be downloaded here:
http://ftp.gigabyte.com.tw/support/temp/flash855.zip

It's 8.55 version (even newer than I'm using now )
May be worth to read some instructions from Gigabyte: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/support/procedure1.htm

I also e-mailed to You AMIflash ver. 8.53 .
Check Your e-mail box.

[Garak]

Thanks Ruslan,

I prefer AWARD over AMI any day of the week... don't know why.

will be working some hours tonight i thinks....

G.

[Ruslan]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garak:
Thanks Ruslan,

I prefer AWARD over AMI any day of the week... don't know why.

G.

---

Believe me - AMIflash is now one of the coolest flash utils. Gigabyte uses that util as well as unilversal tool for flashing all the BIOSes they have at their www-site, both AMI and Award...
They are seriously consider that tool as Universal flash utility... http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/support/bios.htm

You cann't reflash AMI or any other than Award BIOSes using awdflash utility - it's suxx...
Besides that, awdflash util by default is unable to reflash boot-block, and it caused most of the problems with BIOS updating I have ever seen...

[Garak]

tried the flash program and got the following error "Chipset not avaidable"

looked in manual, nothing about configuring jumpers before flashing BIOS..

help

[Ruslan]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garak:
tried the flash program and got the following error "Chipset not avaidable"

looked in manual, nothing about configuring jumpers before flashing BIOS..

help

---

1. Strange thing. I've got it worked even on seemed to be incompatible with AMIflash ASUS an old i430VX VX-97 motherboard... Have had no problem so far on any motherboard I have laying around...
Did You follow instructions in link above (on Gigabyte's site)?
Did You try another version of AMIflash util?
2. There are no jumpers for enabling/disabling reflashing on PCPartner's motherboards. But there few jumpers for setting up flash IC type. These jumpers are located beetwen slots near the BIOS socket.
I'm downloading the manual for that motherbord right now (what PCB revision, by the way)?
I'll let You know exactly which exactly jumpers...

[Garak]

35-8801-03 is the PCB revision.

Only tried version 853 which you sent me,

[Ruslan]

In the first and second manuals - JP8 and JP15 (page no.6).
In the last manual - shown position of those jumpers by default.
But really - there is no detailed description of these jumpers,though.
By the way what the flash chip type is?
Is it 12V programming IC or 5V?

Sorry, now it too late in Ukraine - I'll answer Your questions tomorrow..

[Garak]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ruslan:
In the first and second manuals - JP8 and JP15 (page no.6).
In the last manual - shown position of those jumpers by default.
But really - there is no detailed description of these jumpers,though.
By the way what the flash chip type is?
Is it 12V programming IC or 5V?

Sorry, now it too late in Ukraine - I'll answer Your questions tomorrow..

---

thank you, i will look it up..

EDIT:- tested the batteries

one rad 1.54 and the other read 2.49 - now here comes the funny bit - what does that mean??

[Ruslan]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garak:

EDIT:- tested the batteries

one rad 1.54 and the other read 2.49 - now here comes the funny bit - what does that mean??

---

Congratulations!
But You have to replace both of the batteries - they are dead ... should be 3 Volts (or at least 2,6V)...
They are cheap nowadays (here in Odessa it costs something about 40-60 US cents for each).
It could cause Your problem with NVRAM, by the way...