NF7-S Bios Woes
Tim
Recently built a NF7-S baised system for a friend.. Got it running nice.
As I was about to leave.. It struck me. I should update the bios.
Went to Abit's site got the NF7_17 update. Set up my floppy.. Reboot. Goto
flash.. tells me the Model number in the file and on the bios are differant.
I was very confused.. I was quite sure I downloaded the correct file. Well..
lets make sure.. I reboot. go through, find it again.. Download the same
file.. set up my floppy and try again.. same deal, model mis-match Well I
figure i know best and tell it to go ahead with the update. Now it won't
boot. It's dead. (man, i suck)..
Have a few questions. One why the hell is the wrong update on the NF7-S
page??? I've checked it a few times now, am i not seeing somthing?
Two, I have another NF7-S based system.. had no problem updating this
one not sure if it is the NF7_17 update. To get the old BIOS back. Can I
boot the (working) system pull out the good bios put in the bad bios an
reprogram it, with the machine still running?? Will the old BIOS be safe?
Or is this just as stupid as programing the BIOS with a non-working update
to begin with?
Any help would as always be apreciated.
I don't belive you need the specs for the system....
but..
NF7-S
AMD 2500+
512 MB PC2700
let me know if you need more.
Thanks,
Tim (The loving owner of 7 abit based machines)
tfar...@optonline.net
Shonk
they are a different part and take a different bios
because of the new north bridge
dont force a flash with the 1.1/1.2 bios to the 2.0 as it will die
"Tim" <tfari...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:78lsa.73459$A41.10...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
Tim
like this occurs they put warnings all over the place.
WTF?
Tim
Now how do i fix it?
"Shonk" <a...@a.ca> wrote in message
news:Cvlsa.351$eS....@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net...
dr_hardware
hosed.
You may be able to hat swap flash it when you get the new BIOS chip, but
that's risky.
Just chalk it up to experience and move on.
BTW, we've *all* been there at one time or another, so don't feel too bad
about ;-)
"Tim" <tfari...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3Rlsa.74165$A41.10...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
Phasor
dual bios in case something goes wrong....I have a NF7-S ver 1.2 and having
the Bios Savior has saved my bacon several times....
Phasor
"dr_hardware" <robr...@nospam.adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:pDmsa.6989$hT2.4...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Tim
But take a look at the page..
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/nf7-s/biosdrive.php
Do you see and warning or even an acknowledgement that there are different
versions.. I was not even aware.. I had done my initial investigation.. Then
just bought it on newegg.com.. I never knew. I think this was at least
partly abit's fault. But.. I still love them. Reimbursement wouldn't hurt
though ;)
Is the chip that was wrongly programmed salvageable? Would be nice to have
as an extra.. usually takes me a couple times to learn from a mistake...
Ignorantly?,
Tim
"Tim" <tfari...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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dr_hardware
get one here:
http://www.ioss.com.tw/web/English/RD1BIOSSavior.html
The PMC4 is used in the NF7-S rev 2.0
"Phasor" <pha...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:VYmsa.169919$Si4.1...@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
dr_hardware
of the chip, but not all. The wrong BIOS overwrites parts that shouldn't be
written to and the only way to get it all back is to reprogram it. Unless
you have a EEPROM writer and the hex code for the BIOS....basically, just
chuck it.
"Tim" <tfari...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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dr_hardware
read the manual, it points you to here:
http://fae.abit.com.tw/eng/download/bios/i_new.htm#AMD and you'll notice the
separate selections for the NF7-S and the NF7-S ver 2.0.
It's a very easy mistake to make and to be honest, I almost didn't see the
separate listing on the above URL myself.
Abit should accept some of the blame, yes. But, what do you think they will
do?
Tell you to read the manual, no doubt ;-)
"dr_hardware" <robr...@nospam.adelphia.net> wrote in message
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Leon Rowell
Here is a post from a previous thread if you should decide to try the Hot Swap/Hot
Flash method.
"Hot Flashing" is a recommended technique when a flash has gone bad and
the mobo won't reboot. Just take a like Bios chip and remove it from another
board, install in dead board, boot, remove EPROM while running, insert dead
EPROM while running, flash Bios and your up and running.
I have used hotflashing for over 20 years. If you remove the chip quickly
(by loosening it first and by removing the end of the chip where the power
pins are located first (near pin 1) then all will be OK."
You will also find some info on it if you type "abit hot flash bios" or "abit hot
swap bios" (without the quotes) into http"//www.google.com
Leon Rowell
Leon Rowell
Leon
Tim,
Here is a post from a previous thread if you should decide to try the Hot Swap/Hot
Flash method.
"Hot Flashing" is a recommended technique when a flash has gone bad and
the mobo won't reboot. Just take a like Bios chip and remove it from another
board, install in dead board, boot, remove EPROM while running, insert dead
EPROM while running, flash Bios and your up and running.
I have used hotflashing for over 20 years. If you remove the chip quickly
(by loosening it first and by removing the end of the chip where the power
pins are located first (near pin 1) then all will be OK."
You will also find some info on it if you type "abit hot flash bios" or "abit hot
swap bios" (without the quotes) into http://www.google.com
Leon Rowell
Doug G.
tfari...@yahoo.com says...
> Ok this is probably where I went wrong.. but normaly when some 'anomaly'
> like this occurs they put warnings all over the place.
>
> WTF?
When you went to flash the BIOS using that file it gave you a warning
" tells me the Model number in the file and on the bios are different."
When you see such a warning you should stop what your doing and track
down the reason your getting the warning. You should never have to force
a BIOS flash as you did.
> Now how do i fix it?
Go here http://www.badflash.com/
Doug
Tim
looking through Abit's entire site. But was in somewhat of a hurry and say
the NF7-S link right on the main page.. which is what I had done for my
other NF7-S not knowing that it was a 1.2.. not knowing what I had now was a
2.0 Yes, it did warn me when I went to flash it.. But I went back and
checked the site again.. thought I was in the right... This is where the
warning at teh top of the page would have been useful.
I have had situations 'like' this before. With the BE6's. There were
three or four revisions. The BE6, BE6 rev 2, The BE6-2 etc.. Abit posted
many warnings to tell you to make sure you flashed with the correct version,
and howto's to figure out which model you had. That's all I expected. Like
I said I was unaware that differant versions even existed for the NF7-S all
it would take Is one line in red bold print at the top of the page:
"For the Idiots : There are differant versions of the Abit NF7-S, make sure
you download the appropriate BIOS update"
Either way it's done over with, new EPROM by next Wednesday programmed with
the latest software.. The only thing I can screw up is putting it in right.
Thanks for the info guys.
Tim
dr_hardware
Don't be so hard on yourself...it's human not only to make mistakes, but to
make really stupid ones. I'm not saying you made a stupid mistake, but that
stupid mistakes is the norm for most of us ;-).
BTW, regarding installing the BIOS chip. It is *very* easy to plug that in
backwards. The "key" is that one corner of the socket and of the chip does
not have a sharp, 90 degree edge.
GTD
>if the new board is nf7-s version 2.0
>they are a different part and take a different bios
>because of the new north bridge
>
>dont force a flash with the 1.1/1.2 bios to the 2.0 as it will die
>
So where can wer find the 2.0 bios's?
dr_hardware
news:dn2ebvcvp67fte76e...@4ax.com...
Abit's web site. However, they aren't very clear as to which it is. Try
this site; it will give you a lot of great info on the NF7-S also:
http://8rdafaq.com/NF7/index.php Check at the BIOS tab and it will have the
links to D/L the proper BIOS file. The current one for the version 2 is
nf7d 11.