# Asus Motherboard Dead After BIOS update



## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

Hello and thanks for looking at this Thread.

I recently built myself a 2nd computer. Please see below for the specs:

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Asus P4V800-X Motherboard
P4 2.0GHz skt 478 400MHz (100MHz QDR) FSB 512k L2 Cache
512MB (2x 256MB) DDR333 Crucial RAM
20GB Western Digital HDD with 2MB Buffer
ATi Radeon 7000 AGP 4x Graphics Card
DVD ROM & Separate CD Writer
1x 92mm fan, 2x 80mm fans, 1x 120mm PSU fan.
ColorsIT 400W PSU, Sony 3.5" FDD.
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A half decent 2nd computer, not much good for gaming, but sufficient for web surfing, DTP, and other similar tasks and to be a back-up for my 3.0GHz Prescott Based main (Gaming) PC. 

The problem I am having though, is with a recent BIOS update I performed. I downloaded the relevant BIOS file from the ASUS web site. Put it on a floppy disk and used the ASUS EZFlash utility (pressing ALT+F2 during POST with the floppy disk in the drive) to update the BIOS.

The utility reported that the BIOS update had been successful and then auto-re-booted the computer, only to come back on saying there was a BIOS checksum error and that the BIOS needed to be repaired. The computer then searched the available drives and reloaded the BIOS file from the floppy disk. It then said I needed to power-off then power-on the computer to get the system back. I did this, but when the computer re-booted, the screen failed to come on and nothing appeared to be happening. Thinking this might be just a glitch I tried re-booting again, but with the same result, the motherboard seemed to not be functioning. All the fans, lights, drives etc came on as usual, but there was no display and the monitor didn’t activate. Also, although the HDD came on and spun up, it didn’t appear to be doing anything other than that. 

Although I had followed the manual to the letter, I checked and rechecked that I had done everything correctly and after several checks it appears that (according to the manual) I had indeed made no mistakes. Frustrated by this, I went to the ASUS web site and looked up the phenomenon within their help section. I found some information describing what I was experiencing, but not linking it to a BIOS update. The information suggested that I turn off the power, unplug the power cable, unplug all P&P devices such as VGA card, DVD Drive etc, then clear the CMOS manually using a jumper on the motherboard, then reattach everything and then power back on again and re-set all of the BIOS settings. This seemed easy enough and so I followed the instructions and looked hopefully at my screen when powering back on again. My hope was dashed however when the screen failed to activate again and everything appeared to be as it was before I had tried ASUS’s supposed fix.

I am now Highly Annoyed as the motherboard cost me about £30.00 ($55.00) and I have only had it for about 3 weeks.

I know that the problem has occurred as a direct result of the BIOS update, as everything was working perfectly before the update and had been for all of the time I had the motherboard. I know I got the correct BIOS for my motherboard and know I updated the BIOS as per the manual's instructions. I have done everything correctly, according to the manual and the ASUS web site. I can't do anything to fix the computer myself, as the monitor is always blank now, so I can't see the POST screen, BIOS screen or any other screen and I don’t even know if the computer is even going into POST at all...

I would very much appreciate any help and advice anybody could give me to help solve this problem. I don’t really want to pay for another motherboard to solve the problem, although that may turn out to be the only way in the end…

Thanks in advance for your help and comments!


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## Sarkast (Sep 12, 2004)

When you clear the CMOS dont just use the jumper/ also pull the battery out for 20-30 mins. Some boards refuse to do it right with the jumper (dont know why).


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

read your manual on how to recover the bios
Whenever BIOS gets corrupted, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 allows users to reboot the computer and perform an smart auto-recovery procedure through the motherboard support CD.
you recover with the original bios off the cd not the one that you d/loaded


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

*Thanks for replying, but...*

*Sarkast:* Thanks for your input. I tried removing the CMOS battery as you suggested and left it out of the system for a little over 30 minutes. After replacing the battery, I re-booted, but unfortunately the monitor was still blank and everything was as it was before I tried your suggestion. Thanks for replying anyway, I appreciate your help.

*dai:* Thanks for your advice also. I read through the BIOS section of my motherboard manual and there is indeed a section on BIOS recovery. Unfortunately the steps suggested there to fix the BIOS require me to actually be able to see the POST screen and subsequent BIOS recovery screens. As the monitor is not displaying anything at all (there is nothing wrong with the Vid Card or Monitor by-the-way) I cannot apply your suggested solution. What I did do though, was to insert the motherboard CD which should contain the original BIOS and booted the computer to see if it would repair the BIOS automatically from the CD, even though I cannot see what is going on. It didn't do this however. I tried pressing Alt+F2 with the CD in the drive in the hope that the system would restore the BIOS this way, but on re-boot, this seems to have failed also. Thanks for your advice though, it was appreciated, even if it didn't work out this time.

I will now try to copy the original BIOS from the motherboard CD on to a floppy disk and then try to Alt+F2 (EZflash) the BIOS from floppy with the original BIOS and see if that works. It is hard to know what is going on though, as the monitor isn't activating on boot, so I can't see what's happening... I'll keep you updated on the results of attempts to fix the BIOS and as always, appreciate anything else anybody can come up with that might work...


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

*Tried to Repair BIOS from floppy, but...*

... it didn't work.

I copied the original BIOS file from the motherboard CD to a floppy disk, inserted it into the floppy drive, powered on the computer, but, nothing happened. The FDD didn't even activate, let-alone load the BIOS file to the motherboard.

I tried pressing Alt+F2 on boot to see if that would work, but the only thing that happened was that the computer drives (HDD, Optical) made sounds that strongly suggested the computer was re-booting. 

In retrospect, it appears that whenever I have pressed any key on the keyboard since updating the BIOS to the one that has stopped the computer from working, the computer has re-booted, or at lease the drives have made sounds that suggest a reboot is taking place.

It's very difficult to know what is going on, as the monitor isn't displaying the POST screen or any other screen and instead is just blank. Also it appears that the FDD isn't be accessed at all by the computer at any point when it is powered-on...

I really don't know how to solve this problem. Without being able to see what messages the computer is supposedly displaying when powered-on, I don't know what action to take. This is turning out to be a bit of nightmare, the only solution to which seems to be to buy another motherboard... Any help and advice is very much appreciated.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

while clearing the cmos / did you have the power supply cord unplugged ?????


guessing


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

*Power Supply Cord.*

*linderman:* Yes. I did have the power supply cord unplugged while clearing the CMOS. I also have an on/off switch built into my PSU, which effectively stops mains power from getting to my computer when in the off position. I pulled the mains power supply cord as well as using this on/off switch. I thought this was the correct thing to do. Please advise if I have made a mistake by doing this. Thanks for your reply!


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## whodat (Mar 13, 2005)

no, you didnt make a mistake.


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

*Thanks.*

*whodatknocking:* Thanks.

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If anybody has any idea how I can solve this problem, I will be very happy to know! Any suggestions are most welcome! Thanks all!

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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

when you turn it on are all the fans operating until you turn it off
are the floppy and cd lights flashing and the ide light?
tap the delete key to enter the bios as you are booting and see if anything comes up


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## UncleMacro (Jan 26, 2005)

Well, if you've already done the "blind flash" BIOS recovery procedures properly and they didn't work, as a last resort you could always order a new BIOS from ASUS. I think it's about US$15. It sucks but it's cheaper than getting a new motherboard.


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

*Lights, fans, new BIOS...*

*dai:* Thanks for responding again. Please see below for the sequence of events that occur when the computer is powered-on.

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1. System is powered on by myself.

2. All fans (inc PSU fan) activate and stay on for as long as the system is on.

3. The monitor does not activate and remains as blank when the system is on, as when it is off.

4. Power light comes on and stays on for as long as the system is on.

5. HDD light comes on and stays on constantly for about 20 seconds. After 20 seconds it stops being constant and instead flashes quickly, once about every 1.7 seconds. It continues to do this as long as the system is on.

6. The lights of the optical drives flash for about 5 seconds and then stop. The optical drives also make the usual boot-up sounds.

7. The FDD light does not illuminate at any point after powering-on the system, nor does the FDD make any noise at all.
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Holding down, or tapping the DEL key, or any other key for that matter, results in the system appearing to re-boot its self. Nothing else I'm afraid.

It's probably worth mentioning again, that the whole system was working flawlessly previous to the BIOS update I performed. All drives and all other hardware were functioning, as they should. It is only after applying the correct BIOS update, using one of the methods described to do so in the motherboard manual, without making any mistakes, that the system stopped working.

*UncleMacro:* Thanks for your input. I was kind-of aware that you could get a new BIOS chip, but I've haven't done so before and I don't know how to remove the old one and install another... I guess it's a fairly simple procedure though and I'm sure I could research it and learn how to. Based on what you've said, it certainly sounds cheaper than a new motherboard and if it's reasonably safe to do, I think I rather go for that option. I'll look into getting a new BIOS chip and in the mean time, if anybody can come up with any other solutions, I'd be more than happy to hear them! Thanks for your advice!!


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

*pull bios & reprog*

Annoyed:

Pulling the bios is no big deal / it takes quite a bit of pressure to remove it though / send it to someone to be reflashed / i had to do that / it just sux waiting for the mail man  you may have to change yur log in name to severely annoyed??? ebay has bios preprog guys or you can send to asus but they are alot slower turnaround



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1244&item=6772199148&rd=1


Goodluck
Joe


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## Highly-Annoyed (May 29, 2005)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
*linderman (Joe) :* Thanks for the link and advice. I think UncleMarco and Yourself have probably solved my problem. I live in the UK, but the guy in the link you gave me will ship world-wide, so that's no problem.

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Thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread! All of your help and advice has been appreciated.

Highly-Annoyed 
(aka Tom)

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

*bios chip orientation*

Tom:

pay close attention to the small indent (looks like a real small cut-out) on one end of the rectangualr bios chip / when you put the new one in / if you dont put it in the correct orientation it will fry you freshly reprogged chip 

I would write down in the mobo manual where the pictured blown up layout is / make a note of the orientation of the chip.

that will smoke the ole nervous system / been there done that !!!!!!



Joe


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