• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Flashed wrong BIOS, can't flash back.

F

Friamannen

n00b
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
31
Yesterday I tried to flash my NF7-S rev2.0-BIOS, I had been using it for a year without flashing. I started up Flashmenu. The stupid thing I did was that I downloaded the wrong BIOS (downloaded manually from Abit not via Flashmenu). I downloaded the BIOS to "NF7-S2" (which I thought meant NF7-S rev2.0 but apparently it was a sequel which I didn't know existed). Flashmenu just went on as usual without any warnings and then flash was complete, but when I then rebooted the computer I noticed something was pretty f**ked up. I couldn't prevent anything in BIOS, my settings wouldn't change anything. Which means I'm running my 1700+ @ 100*11... and other things. Luckily enough I managed to get my Internet connection working but still I must flash back to the correct BIOS.

I've already tried with Flashmenu and floppies but it doesn't work ("BIOS isn't Award BIOS", thanks for not telling me that in the first place Abit...). But isn't there someway to like.. FORCE the BIOS back, like override it or something. Anyone who knows? I can't hotswap or so, everything has to be made from this one and only computer.

Thanks in advance.
 
Standard Procedure:
1. a:\***flash -b backup.rom [Enter] -> (to backup the Orginal BIOS)
2. a:\***flash -p -u -f file.rom [Enter] -> (to flash with a new BIOS)

Non Standard Procedure:
( can be used if the Standard Procedure gives Error Messages)
3. a:\***flash -5 -f file.rom [Enter]
or
4. a:\***flash -5 -6 -f file.rom [Enter]

overridetype 5 Allow firmware and adapter PCI device ID mismatch.
overridesub 6 Allow firmware and adapter PCI subsystem ID mismatch

Note: you have to do it manually from a floppy with the flasher and bios rom
SPECIFICALLY desiigned for your BIOS (NO AUTO FLASH - command line only)
The asterisks above are for your flasher's name
You have to go to YOUR flash help menu (?)
And get THE SPECIFIC override numbers (switches) for your flasher - IF they have them
The dashes and spaces are absolutely needed (there is a space between f and file)
 
I've tried some different commands now... (explained here: http://forums.tech-arena.com/archive/index.php/t-3970Asus_A7n8x_Deluexe_Problems.html).
I don't really understand what you mean with -5 -6 and I can't find switches for that in AWDFLASH, and then I'm not a computer 1337 either... :(

The strange thing is that AWDFLASH always tells me that the BIOS-binarys I have on floppy aren't award bios... which they are... I'm getting kind of confused of that.
 
here is a very powerful flasher
it uses more juice than the regular ones
and its a universal flasher so it might not care what bootblock it sees.
http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/15/2/15-2-31.shtml
http://www.uniflash.org/download.htm
looks like the last vers was a year and a half ago.

i have used it in the past to save some really dead bios.
but you are on your own here
repeat - you are on your own here
most of these things, if you type a "?" or "help" (without quotes), it will give switch options
I'm basically too lazy to investigate your situation.

what you need is some kind of a switch to enable bootblock programming or skip errors or
bypass incorrect recognition for flasher.
I wonder if an AMI flasher would allow you to program an Award Bios - you just did the opposite. :p

Example......
Many Mainboard-Manufacturers makes suggestions to start "awdflash.exe" with the following parameter:

"A:\>awdflash.exe kt7a_kk.bin /cc /cd /cp /py /sy /cks /R"

kt7a_kk.bin = Update filename (example)
/cc = clear CMOS after Programming
/cd = clear DMI after Programming
/cp = clear PNP(ESCD) after Programming
/py = Program Flash Memory (yes-auto)
/pn = (no) program auto
/sy = save (yes) the old BIOS to: "OLDBIOS.BIN"
/sn = save no
/cks = show Update Binfile Checksum
/sb = skip bootblock programming
/pb = program bootblock <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
/R = Reset System after Programming

But if you are unsure - best to send $5 to your mobo maker for a new chip
 
Thanks a lot for your support man... I'm gonna try out that Uniflash, I've got nothing to lose anyway. If I wont fint any solution I'll still need a new chip so :)
 
just try to flash your (now???) AMI bios, back to award, with an AMI flasher, and an Award file.rom, which is what happened in reverse by you, I think.
 
Yeah your mobo has an award bios chip, but the BIOS string at the bottom of monitor should show a non Award known rom number.

anyway, the big thing is to relax, not panic.
being depressed comes with owning a computer - right?

er, what was the exact full name of the file you flashed?
 
I've got all the time in the world, so go on :) Really nice of you to take your time, I really appreciate it
 
O.K. Man that is some confusing shit.
I see what you mean.

So heres where we stand:

www.abit-usa.com/downloads/bios/bios_revision1.php?categories=1&model=124

NF7-NF7S Bios 25 (v 2 mobo)

nf7d25.exe


http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/bios.php?categories=1&model=204

NF7S2 Bios V12

nf7212.exe

you flashed the 12 instead of the 25

Man this is mindbending crap - Abit ought to be shot.

O.K. I'm running win 98 so I have to reboot into safe to do extractions of both.
They both would appear to be AWARD
Just for the hell of it I used Winrar, and it said corrupted files but extracted, but let me reboot and try it.
 
yeah ok, awfully nice of you to go through all this... I'll wait for your reply man :)

"Man this is mindbending crap - Abit ought to be shot." Finally someone who agrees with me! ;)
 
geez I hafta keep looking to make sure I got the right one.

anyway, I have a triple boot Win98/Xp/Linux and i can boot into safe only into the first O/S in list - XP.

So here's the plan - the nf7d_25.exe is supposed to make a floppy I think, but it doesnt in XP. All I get is a quick command screen.

So we have to manually extract the files using some utility. Powerarchiver would be best., but all I have installed is winrar. So open winrar or PA and steer to and highlight the downloaded .exe and extract it to a folder you make called BIOS.

In this folder will be nf7d_25.bin and awardflash.exe
Insert a fresh floppy
Now right click the "A" drive and click format, then system files only.
Right click copy nf7d_25.bin and awardflash.exe there to floppy also

command.com
drivespace.bin
IO.sys
msdos.sys
nfd7_25.bin
awardflash.exe

927kb

insert floppy, and boot, hopefully your bios is set to "A" first
note - you must use _ (underslash) in .bin file name when you type it.

let me know when you get this far

NOTE THAT IN WINRAR I AM GETTING CORRUPTED ARCHIVE FILE MESSAGE for the nf7d25.exe, but there is an alternate language there in the text file. Or maybe because the .rar extension is missing.
 
I've already tried flashing from floppys several times, just so you know. And the computer I'm writing this from is from is the computer with wrong BIOS, I've got no secondary :(
Basically you mean a bootable disk with the BIOS bin right? I've got one of those already.
 
first I just found out why you get error message:

Please use AWDFLASH 8.23D or later to update NF7 series BIOS. With incorrect AWDFLASH version, the GUID will be erased, and leads to IEEE1394 peer to peer function failed. AWDFLASH 8.23K is included in this BIOS package.


The 2 awardflash.exe are DIFFERENT!!! 39KB and 42KB

After you put in floppy does it boot to A prompt?
what do you type then??

What exact files are on your floppy??
 
I've tried both awdflash... I boot into A: yes. After that I've tried a lot of different switches etc. and I always get the same error message "BIOS is not Award BIOS". That's what confuses me the most, as both BIOS seem to be award..
 
yeah, youve erased the header

(or ABIT uploaded a corrupt file - its happened)

YOU MUST DO THIS STUFF CAREFULLY
Close doesnt get it.

get rid of everything you have now
redownload the file
http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/bios/bios_revision1.php?categories=1&model=124
extract it
make the floppy with that flasher
remove anything like autoexec rumme abitfae .txt

JUST THOSE 6 files I listed
THATS ALL

then type
awdflash.exe nf7d_25.bin /cc /cd /cp /py /sy /cks /R (note spaces before each slash and before n)
 
aaarrrgggh!

some bios have a bios write protection option in one of the screens to prevent virus, cant flash unless it is disabled.
 
er not drivespace.bin? Isn't that like a prog for extending floppy space or something like that? I don't have that file anyways...
 
Hm, I can control some stuff in BIOS, I MIGHT be able to disable that... I could change boot order for example.. but not memory cpu and so on..
 
Floppy:

command.com
drivespace.bin
IO.sys
msdos.sys
nfd7_25.bin
awardflash.exe

927kb total space

I already posted this
 
I know but I don't have any "drivespace.bin"
I've only got five of them...

I had no Virus protection option in BIOS so I suppose it doesn't exist..
 
yeah, no bios protection

O.K. Try the uniflasher, instead of awardflash.exe

uh, you do have the cmos jumper on 1-2
 
yeah ok, I'm just gonna check out the switches I need too. I need to go to bed soon too, the clock is 0:35AM here (I live in Sweden) and I'm going to school tomorrow, I'll just try the uniflash then
 
No it's not corrupt... I mean I'm writing this from the machine with the "corrupted BIOS" and trust me, I've booted it several times, I can even change some thing in BIOS, so it's not corrupt.
 
Uniflash... "Drive is not ready" "Unable to read file"... oh my bloody god, why do I always stumble upon those exotic unsolvable problems? Ah well, thanks for all your support, I gotta go to bed now... I'll be back here tomorrow.
 
Looks like afudos will do it. not awardflash
well, i found the (secret) switches if avail, I believe Abit also has afudos on their bios page

I found this text file on my ASUS CD.

How to run the utility under DOS
-------------------------------------------
1. Run the file afudos.exe

Usage
-------------------------------------------
afuXXX /i<ROM filename> [/o<save ROM filename>] [/nr] [/p[n][c]]

/nr - don't check ROM ID
/pbnc -
b - Program Boot Block
n - Program NVRAM
c - Destroy System CMOS

example:
afudos /ip4p1010.rom /op4p800.old /nr /pbnc

(old is backup - you dont need)
note the i (in) and small letter o (out)

(I believe AMI uses n instead of nr)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top