ECS Elitegroup P4VMM2 REV:8.1 bad flash

[Ranmamez]

Hello.
I was trying to add a pci Via vt6421a sata controller rom module into the original Award 6.00PG bios, so I tried with one version of CBROM and it seemed to work but when I installed the pci card with the hard disk attached to it, after the initial POST it appeared on screen the Via text telling me that no bios (or firmware or rom) were installed. So I tried with anoterh CBROM version and it told me that the motherboard bios file didn't have enough space to fit the new module.
Finally I decided to try to use Award BIOS Editor 1.02, that seemed to be working ok with this bios: after loading it, clicking on the properties of the bios file it showed me that there were enough space for injecting the new module, so I added it and saved into a new file.
So I tried to flash the new modded bios and here comes the bummer
The motherboard doesn't POST anymore and just beeps fastly: using the integrated videocard it doesn't show anything but installing an AGP videocard it appears this text on screen:

Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0
Copyright © 2000, Award Software, Inc.

BIOS ROM checksum error

Detecting floppy drive A media...
Drive A error. System halt

I inserted a floppy on the drive before switching it on but it didn't even spin once!
What should I do to recover this motherboard bios?
Please help me I really need it!

[kasar]

did you tried this?

AWARD BIOS Recovery


The AWARD BIOS has a similar procedure to AMI. To recover an AWARD BIOS you will need to create a bootable floppy diskette and add the desired BIOS file (we recommend using the most recent). Award BIOS's generally are in .BIN format, where as AMI was .ROM format. You will also add an AWARD flash utility (usually awdflash.exe) and an AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
The AWARD BIOS does not automatically restore the BIOS information to the 'system block' like the AMI BIOS does. You will need to add the commands necessary to flash the BIOS in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The system will run the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, which contains the flash instructions.

Step by Step:
1. Create bootable floppy
2. Rename your bios to bios.bin
3. Copy the BIOS file and flash utility to the diskette.
4. Create an text file with any standard text editor and add the following lines :

@ECHO OFF
awdflash893.exe bios.bin /py/sn/f/cc/r

and save it as autoexec.bat

5. Copy it to the bootable flopy.
6. Start your computer and if no flopy acces occurs press and hold Ctrl+Home to force update.
7. When there is no more activity, wait for a while and restart your computer.

py = program yes
sn = save no
f = flash
cc = clear cmos
r = reboot

here also talk about many recovery methods, the user aparently got the system back to operational mode.

it is on spanish anyway:

http://rpc.yoreparo.com/reparacion_de_co...87052.html

[Ranmamez]

Hi. Thank you for your reply.
I already tried to make it boot from the floppy, but it always didn't even spin once, so all of that procedures are futile
I only didn't try to hit ctrl+home, but now I can't anymore: I already unsoldered the bios chip from the board, with some minor damage tho ><
I tried to hot-flash with another s478 motherboard, but unfortunately I didn't find a way, since this other motherboard has an AMI Bios instead of the Award Phoenix, so I couldn't achieve it, and I've tried some versions of the award flash and even uniflash, everything to no avail
Now I'm going to try to solder a plcc socket I removed from another old mobo, then to plug in the old bios chip, and I'll try to make it boot and force it with the ctrl+home as you said.
I'm kind of desperate, since I don't have any money to buy what I need to fix it better...

[kasar]

oh, sorry for the late answer.

did you fixed it?

I am also suffering now bios issues with my laptop, but In my case the bios chip got phisically damaged due soldering/unsolder it several times.

how many legs do the chip have?

you can try building a cheap parallel port or serial programer for your chip, I made mine for less than 10 $, and as I can see you already have the soldering iron ^^

[Ranmamez]

Thanks for your late answer. As you can see i late-answered too (but I was busy in the meanwhile ^^).
No, I didn't fixed it, unluckily
The chip is a PLCC32 that means it has 32 pins (lol, not "legs" ^^).
How did you build your parallel/serial port programmer? Have you found any layout/schematic somewhere?
Thanks in advance.

[kasar]

hehe, srry, here on spain we say usually legs, but on english pins is probably more acurate


well, my chip was 8 pins.

I managed to get it back to working status by doing what I wrote at the page 129 of this topic

http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps...e-129.html



in your case, 32 pins seems to much headache.

your computer may have a spi port (JSPI1)

this topic may be usefull for you

http://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=139099.0