I think I bricked my ASUS AM1I-A mobo, please help!!!???

[ArthurDurand]

I used EZ-Flash to update to the latest BIOS (v0801) and it updated successfully! The EZ-Flash utility then prompted to restart the system, upon restart the mobo didn't POST so I left it running for about five minutes! After five minutes - still nothing, so I powered off the PC by holding the power button for a few seconds! I switched on, and still no POST! I've tried a couple of things including resetting the BIOS and reseating all the components! I don't have a PC speaker connected, so I can't hear any beeps! I also can't see anything on-screen!

According to the manufacturer's specifications, this board features ASUS Crash Free BIOS 3, I am just not sure how to recover the BIOS or what to do now?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Two ways, put the install CD/DVD that came with the system into a CD/DVD drive connected to the board and try starting it up and letting it run. If you have a case speaker you can connect, put it on there too so you can hear. Crash Free makes 2 short "beeps" sound indicating that the BIOS file is recognized. If you hear 5 short "beeps", it mean no BIOS file is found/wrong format etc) If you hear the 2 beeps, this wait at least 4-5 minutes before restarting.

Or you can also put BIOS File on FAT32 USB Stick and connect to the black USB Ports. Small cheap USB (128MB-2GB) work much better than large USB drives

If you use USB Method, rename the BIOS to AM1IA.CAP, this is the recovery name of the BIOS it will look for on USB

Also, if you use VGA/D-Sub sometimes you can see crash free info on screen

Video example shown below at post #5
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threa...-3.243686/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LirQ-oM9XBI

If you still cannot get it, you'll need to order a flash programmer and chip extractor, these are cheap.
CH341A Flash programmer $2.58 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/201596100116
Chip Extractor $1 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/123167465408

Here is software package for programmer, many versions inside and main driver installer
If you end up getting this, before you write anything to the chip get a verified and valid backup made with the programmer, otherwise you will loose your board details (Serial, UUID, LAN MAC ID etc). Programmer will say "Chip and Buffer match" means verified, but you still need to check via hex or other methods if this is a valid BIOS backup or all FF's or 00's, if/when that happens you need to try again with different software version until you get a verified and valid backup. Once you have that, you can write to the chip, but you cannot write BIOS from Asus download, , you need to extract the .rom/.bin from the .cap (Capsule) first from of the Asus downloads. That is done with UEIFTool, right click on capsule and choose extract body, or via hex by removing the first 2KB (800h)

If it comes to that, message here or PM me when you get the programmer I will help you get it all sorted out.

[ArthurDurand]

Two ways, put the install CD/DVD that came with the system into a CD/DVD drive connected to the board and try starting it up and letting it run.  If you have a case speaker you can connect, put it on there too so you can hear.  Crash Free makes 2 short "beeps" sound indicating that the BIOS file is recognized. If you hear 5 short "beeps", it mean no BIOS file is found/wrong format etc)  If you hear the 2 beeps, this wait at least 4-5 minutes before restarting.  

Or you can also put BIOS File on FAT32 USB Stick and connect to the black USB Ports.  Small cheap USB (128MB-2GB) work much better than large USB drives

If you use USB Method, rename the BIOS to AM1IA.CAP, this is the recovery name of the BIOS it will look for on USB

Also, if you use VGA/D-Sub sometimes you can see crash free info on screen

Video example shown below at post #5
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threa...-3.243686/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LirQ-oM9XBI

If you still cannot get it, you'll need to order a flash programmer and chip extractor, these are cheap.
CH341A Flash programmer $2.58 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/201596100116
Chip Extractor $1 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/123167465408

Here is software package for programmer, many versions inside and main driver installer
If you end up getting this, before you write anything to the chip get a verified and valid backup made with the programmer, otherwise you will loose your board details (Serial, UUID, LAN MAC ID etc).  Programmer will say "Chip and Buffer match" means verified, but you still need to check via hex or other methods if this is a valid BIOS backup or all FF's or 00's, if/when that happens you need to try again with different software version until you get a verified and valid backup.   Once you have that, you can write to the chip, but you cannot write BIOS from Asus download, , you need to extract the .rom/.bin from the .cap (Capsule) first from of the Asus downloads.  That is done with UEIFTool, right click on capsule and choose extract body, or via hex by removing the first 2KB (800h)

If it comes to that, message here or PM me when you get the programmer I will help you get it all sorted out.

Thank you so much!

I unfortunately don't have the support disc that came with the mobo, but I will try the USB drive method later today and give feedback!

Will the USB drive method work even though nothing is being displayed on my monitor (connected via VGA)?

[Lost_N_BIOS]

You can maybe purchase one on ebay, if the USB doesn't work for you (Try many USB Sticks, some will not be compatible)

I do not know about if nothing is displayed via VGA, that could be sometimes/model specific etc. Connect a case speaker at least, then you will know for sure. If you do not have one, find one, look in old HP/Dell OEM type PC's you might have around the house

[ArthurDurand]

Two ways, put the install CD/DVD that came with the system into a CD/DVD drive connected to the board and try starting it up and letting it run.  If you have a case speaker you can connect, put it on there too so you can hear.  Crash Free makes 2 short "beeps" sound indicating that the BIOS file is recognized. If you hear 5 short "beeps", it mean no BIOS file is found/wrong format etc)  If you hear the 2 beeps, this wait at least 4-5 minutes before restarting.  

Or you can also put BIOS File on FAT32 USB Stick and connect to the black USB Ports.  Small cheap USB (128MB-2GB) work much better than large USB drives

If you use USB Method, rename the BIOS to AM1IA.CAP, this is the recovery name of the BIOS it will look for on USB

Also, if you use VGA/D-Sub sometimes you can see crash free info on screen

Video example shown below at post #5
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threa...-3.243686/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LirQ-oM9XBI

If you still cannot get it, you'll need to order a flash programmer and chip extractor, these are cheap.
CH341A Flash programmer $2.58 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/201596100116
Chip Extractor $1 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/123167465408

Here is software package for programmer, many versions inside and main driver installer
If you end up getting this, before you write anything to the chip get a verified and valid backup made with the programmer, otherwise you will loose your board details (Serial, UUID, LAN MAC ID etc).  Programmer will say "Chip and Buffer match" means verified, but you still need to check via hex or other methods if this is a valid BIOS backup or all FF's or 00's, if/when that happens you need to try again with different software version until you get a verified and valid backup.   Once you have that, you can write to the chip, but you cannot write BIOS from Asus download, , you need to extract the .rom/.bin from the .cap (Capsule) first from of the Asus downloads.  That is done with UEIFTool, right click on capsule and choose extract body, or via hex by removing the first 2KB (800h)

If it comes to that, message here or PM me when you get the programmer I will help you get it all sorted out.

I finally got a chance to can get the mobo running again!

I tried with a USB drive, the PC speaker gives me five beeps followed by a short 1-2 second pause and then four beeps!

I've tried several times with different USB drives and different versions of the BIOS!

I have absolutely no idea what five beeps followed by a pause and four beeps means!

[Lost_N_BIOS]

I don't know about 5 beeps then 4 either, but 5 beeps means wrong BIOS format or file, so I would begin there. It could still also be meaning wrong BIOS/format due to not working/compatible USB. What all sizes USB did you try, and you clean format them all via windows right click to FAT32 correct? You can try again FAT16 too, all BIOS file on root of USB named AM1IA.CAP