Have anybody experience with bad flash of BIOS in MSI K7T 266 Pro2?

**saculcz** · March 23rd, 2005, 06:21 AM

a have updated my bios ,but i've updated it with bad (pro2-A) bios, now my computer doesn't start booting, is there any possibility to make a hotswap on other MSI motherboar or somthing else?thanx

**confus-ed** · March 23rd, 2005, 07:44 AM

You can definately recover from these situations

- have you read the 'sticky' in this forum ? Here ?

There's a couple of links on that which are very helpful - if you get stuck (as I'm not really the man to ask about this, as I have to follow other peoples instructions about it

) then try a pm (private message) to 'Ruslan' who was/is a 'bench techie' & most helpful (when he has time) as well as very knowledgeable

& of course welcome to WD forums

**saculcz** · March 23rd, 2005, 11:33 AM

confus-ed

k,i've read that before you posted(not all), yeah i know that exist hot-swap method but I must be sure it is ok with my eprom or on which kind of MB i can do it, i don't want to make second mistake and burn or damage motherboard of someone else if you understand me

but thanx for reply

**Ruslan** · March 23rd, 2005, 09:57 PM

Welcome to Windrivers Forums, saculcz!
You're right - "better to be safe than sorry". Originally my "BIOS Recovery" topic was posted in Tech-to-Tech Forums and oriented for experienced techs only who did hotswaps before...

Hotswaps are always risky - mostly because of present risk of shorting pins on the BIOS socket or damage some traces on the motherboard by extracting tools... And notice, "hotswap" means power is ON... And although BIOS chips are usually protected by buffer chips, there is always risk to put chip backwards (and as result, fry the chip),or damage the socket, bend some pins, and so on...
In your case, your MB has a BIOS chip in small PLCC32 package which is not easy to extract without special tools... (Before most of MB were using BIOS chips in DIP32 cases, and hotswaps were much easier to do).

However, it is still possible to do now, but ... :
1. You need to know what type your chip is, what's the programming voltage and pinouts for original BIOS chip as well as for another MB will be used as host... They must be of the same type/size or at least compatible... Nothing to say, some experience is needed... Failing to do so that can cause damage to the BIOS chip and/or to the MB.
2. MB supposed to be used as a host must be able to run with BIOS flashing software suitable for hotswap (DOS version of Awardflash is useless here).
3. You'll need non-metal made (non-conductive) extracting tools... some people use a small cotton rope placed under the chip before pulling the chip up... or something similar...

Considering all that, it may be too complicated to fix just only one motherboard... Especially if you never did it before...
May be it would be better to order programmed chip from specialized company (like mentioned in my topic)...

It is different situation if you're a PC tech and have a lot of spare parts laying around (collecting dust), including BIOS chips,spare motherboards and so on... So you can build testing/flashing station to use daily...
For example, I now use for BIOS flashing an old PCChips M571 socket7 rev3.2 motherboard (which as you can guess didn't cost me much) with 2Mbit BIOS chip inserted into ZIF socket (with mentioned PLCC-to-DIP converter)... Number of supported chips is bit limited,though (by chipset,used in MB), but still usable...

**Ruslan** · March 23rd, 2005, 10:09 PM

By the way, the boot-block in your MB may be still alive - did you see any attempts by BIOS to access the floppy drive?

**WJim4C** · March 24th, 2005, 03:47 PM

If you look at the MSI site under your MB for bios updates, they list the bios recovery method for their AMI and Award bios's. I have used it before and it will work as that section is not updated.

**saculcz** · April 1st, 2005, 02:08 PM

Ruslan:well i'm not sure now, but i think that motherboard wasnt atempting to read floppy,on my DLED analyzer

had four diods red color ,the system din't boot and freeze

,in my school we have eprom programer hardware ,do you think it is possible to flash it with bios file through that hardware?
WJim4C

k,i will look there, thank you

**Ruslan** · April 3rd, 2005, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by saculcz

well i'm not sure now, but i think that motherboard wasnt atempting to read floppy,on my DLED analyzer

had four diods red color ,the system din't boot and freeze

,in my school we have eprom programer hardware ,do you think it is possible to flash it with bios file through that hardware?

Yeah, looks like your BIOS chip is screwed... should be at least some green lights on that LED POST indicator...
But you still have chances to reprogram your chip using EPROM programmer, if that programmer can support the chip's type... check it out... Good luck!

**saculcz** · April 4th, 2005, 10:19 AM

do someone know programing voltage of ami?

**Ruslan** · April 4th, 2005, 07:35 PM

Sorry, but AMI has nothing to do with programming voltage, that is BIOS software developer, not a chip manufacturer... You need to know who is the actual chip maker and chip's type... You can find it under AMI logo sticker,what covering the chip.

**tyamada** · April 5th, 2005, 01:03 PM

On the old mother boards to try to get the boot block update to work from the floppy.

Rename the Bios file to AMIBOOT.rom
Copy the file to a Floppy.
Insert it into the floppy drive.
Hold down the CTRL and HOME key down and swithch on the power.
Release the keys after three seconds.
The system should seek the floppy and read the bios file, if it dosn't your boot block update part of your bios is fried.

If that is the case, only an eprom programmer will reprogram the Bios chip.
Most of the Eprom programmers have the correct settings for the chip in the software.

Good luck

**saculcz** · April 11th, 2005, 01:57 PM

Ruslan

k I agree
tyamada :thanx but I've tryed it,no efect..

Ok, now I try to find the BIOS chip manufacturer and type, I know it is writed on the chip, but when I'had unsticked that Ami seal from the chip, the text on the chip cleared off, now I don't know the chip type and cant re-program it, word that is only readable is manufacturer " EON ", i think for 80%.
SO THE QUSTION IS, DOES SOMEBODY KNOW THE BIOS CHIP MANUFACTURER FOR MOTHERBOARD MSI K7T266 PRO2 ?thanx for your replies

**Garak** · April 12th, 2005, 06:23 PM

Reprogramming the chip can be tricky business as Ruslan has already pointed out, I have come across EON chips before, usually 5v too. If you have the sticker still, there maybe traces of the package coding on there from when it removed itself from the chip. But other than that, I would suggest ordering a replacement chip (providing the current one is removable - I have noticed alot of boards now solder the said bios chip to the motherboards).

Hopefully this will be some help to you.

**Ruslan** · April 12th, 2005, 08:03 PM

I just did some reseach regarding that motherboard and look what I've found so far:

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...ail.php?UID=28

Is it your motheboard?

1. BIOS file size is 256KB what mean your BIOS chip is 2-Mbit. Most likely regular flash 5V chip - but I can only guess without additional information...
Can it be EON 29F002 ? I can only guess...

If so,it makes your task a bit easier (2 Mbit chip is much easier to find as most of 2-5 years old motherboard were using similar types).

2. You can use almost any 2Mbit chip (taken from another defective PII/PIII or socket462 motherboard, for example), and reprogram it. But replacement chip must be having the same programming voltage and be not a "FWH" type (FirmWare Hub) or LPC FWH (Low-Pin-Count) - they have different pinouts.

3. EEPROM Programmer you have access to at your school may be able to program that chip - find if it can support that chip (identify the chip, if it is still possible). Or you can find similar chip which is supported by that programmer...