F-i90HD Many problems

[wei]

found the new 1.3 bios on [H]ard_Forum and upgraded it with flashmenu. now it wont post anymore. saddly....

not sure it's a bad flash or not. so, beware when you try to flash.

[BUFF]

did you use " V1.0.0.5 or later version" as the readme says?

If you are using 2 DIMMs that require higher voltage than 1.8V try using only 1 to POST, set the required voltage etc.

[wei]

yes, i think it's version 1.5.0.somthing.

I'm using 2x512mb Geil 5300, 1.8v. worked fine before flashing. Now I leave CMOS discharging and see if this works. otherwise RMA :..(

[romeo9]

Despite all these troubles I remain impressed by this board and how it has been positioned, priced and timed to market. I think ASRock were contemplating their release but perhaps this has just become an OEM relationship. I recall reading an HP desktop spec that had X1250 mentioned in the spec. Not much point with HP hobbling the BIOS and (more importantly for me) forcing the case and PSU style in their favor for invalidating my intentions for a computer based on this chipset.

Out of a grand total of six machines, build on either Antec NSK1300 or NSK2400 I've now witnessed the demise of four. All have been RMA'd and confirmed as lemons by the dealer.

CPU = E4300
RAM = Either GeIL PC2-6400C4 512MB 2.1V sticks or 1GB sticks (in pairs never more).
No other cards installed other than extra ethernet ports.


The boards have not been overclocked, just economic performance platforms for business applications (private developments).

Faults include (and these have included CMOS reset, single DIMM and Vdimm changes to satisfy the possibility that these are not JEDEC compliant DIMMS [although the same DIMMs start fine in pairs on an Intel G33M-DS2R]). One that was did was "not for resale" BIOS, others have been 1.1, no betas given the warnings of others) :


1. VGA RGB has had missing red, then progressed to a failure to POST at all.
2. 2 upper most (D3,D4 red/black) DIMM sockets not recognising memory inserted that was fine in the lower slots. Failed within 1 day.
3. No VGA after 3 weeks of casual operation, from time to time.
4. Heat sink knocked off in shipping despite other boards in the same consignment from dealer being OK.


I have no warning to give over the 4th board with the NB/GPU heatsink having been dislodged. Odd to blame the courier when it travelled with two other boards packed side by side.

2 left and of course I am concerned about their prospects. Pity, as while they work these ar good performers. Abit have a reputation to trust so one assumes that either the AMD/ATI silicon is flakey or that the packaging system ought to include antistatic bags and a cushioned base. Although this has apparently been fixed.

Strangely the oldest two boards in the serial numbers seem to have been the reliable ones out of the bunch. That maybe more perception than science.

I do hope Abit release 1.1 hardware for this. I wouldn't trust any firmware modification the way things have turned out.

The F-I90HD felt so right before things went bad. Too many fatalities...
<groan>

So if you demand what this board has to offer, have a dealer build and prove it for you. It'll save you a lot of heartache. Have them soak and boot test this for an extra week or two. Even if it costs you double the price of the board.

[Typhoon]

ARGHHHHHHH This board is a nightmare, my second one is on its last legs. Im getting the same "can only boot so far" as i did with the first board before it died. That now means another RMA at my expense AGAIN. Im beggining to wonder if this board is actually worth all the hastle. I may well just get onto tekheads in the morning and see if i can get it replaced for something different.

[yahui168]

Has anyone gotten bios 13 to work? Thanks.

[burgerri]

Does anyone here know how I can change the memory command rate for the Abit Fatal1ty F-I90HD mobo? It seems to default to the memory SPD of 2T but my memory is capable of supporting 1T. There doesnt seem to be any setting in the bios to change the command rate. Any ideas??

[graymen2]

Has anyone gotten bios 13 to work? Thanks.

Another victim here! Upgraded to 13, accidentally used FlashMenu 1.4.X, which I realize now is a mistake since the 1.0.0.5 is a typo.

Computer will no longer boot. Tried clearing cmos, booting with 1 dimm, removing the battery and changing memory. Nothing works. I HATE ABIT NOW.

Was debating for days between this board and the GIGABYTE GA-G33M-DS2R and now I really regret not getting the Gigabyte board.

[BUFF]

if you're in the UK I'm sure that Sean will flash your BIOS for you.

[ABIT Sean]

Another victim here! Upgraded to 13, accidentally used FlashMenu 1.4.X, which I realize now is a mistake since the 1.0.0.5 is a typo.

Computer will no longer boot. Tried clearing cmos, booting with 1 dimm, removing the battery and changing memory. Nothing works. I HATE ABIT NOW.

Was debating for days between this board and the GIGABYTE GA-G33M-DS2R and now I really regret not getting the Gigabyte board.

I would be more than happy to help. (If you located in the UK)

PM me with your details.

[graymen2]

Sorry I am in SF CA USA. Thanks for the offer. Board is sooo going back.

[romeo9]

As the latest BIOS mentioned that it fixed RAM compatibility issues I decided to download 1.3 despite the warnings. I also downloaded the BIOS installation utility for Windows. I used the utility link on the website that pointed to 1.503. I assumed this was also a typo as you'd expect a BIOS that requires you to download the latest utility to also have all links to the utility updated to point to the newest or at least the most suitable flashing utility. I downloaded the utility from Europe, fwiw.

Well, the update completed and the BIOS boot sector thingie was installed after verification.

The board that was reliable, one of the two remaning, now won't POST.


I'm in the UK Sean. What can you do to help please? Do I need to extract the flash EPROM or is this likely to be recoverable using a boot floppy and BIOS recovery technique?

"This BIOS does not support older version of FlashMenu.
Please update FlashMenu to V1.5.0.5 or later version prior making this update. "

If is is correct then where should we have downloaded 1.5.0.5 from as 1.503 looks to be older, if you ignore the points.

[ABIT Sean]

If can PM me with your details I can arrange for a new bios chip.

[graymen2]

Who do I contact in the USA? I called tech support and they said they couldn't help me because they "didn't have the part" and transfered me to the RMA/Parts department and all I got was a answering machine. Left two messages but no one called back.

[romeo9]

In the UK the RMA process defaults to the dealer/reseller. Warranty repair RMA goes to the UK agent representing or wholly owned as a subsidiary of the manufacturer. Credit card protection covers the shortfalls of either.

Maybe this is different in the USA?

I've probably not been here long enough to post a link.
Try google for "abit usa forums". I think the employees may look there as well as Abit UK look here.
Although with the weekend, nobody is probably looking too hard until Monday AM or later.

Otherwise you may find an independent company who'd be able to provide you with an eprom BIOS.
Try a national or international check on ebay for F-I90HD BIOS or F-190HD BIOS.
The chip is an SST 3.3V-read 49LF080A (PLCC32 package). 8Mbit serial EPROM.
Best sourced from Abit though for a number of reasons. Besides, they seem to want to help and ultimately there has been some sort of mistake here.

I've read elsewhere that the 1.3 BIOS does work but that at least on some boards the 1.05.03 FlashMenu fails to do the job properly. Repeative tests have proven that onboard burning of 1.3 fails on that same board with the same Windows based flashing tool. 1.0 and 1.1 didn't exhibit this trouble. I've also read that with the CMOS reset you are less likely to need to go down to a single stick of memory. I guess in this state there is more than 1.8V delivered to some or all manufacturers/assemblers of RAM. However the note also read that you need to save the right voltage before expecting the next boot to work. This workaround is for CMOS reset only.

F-I90HD is a good(fantastic value, great performance, future looking, reasonable expansion) board in all other respects. Other mATX boards that have just come out or are about to are not quite as elegant IMHO. I'm talking about when you've got a board that doesn't fail in ways other than just this BIOS trouble.

[dogfoo]

I am also now the (not so) proud owner of a dead F-I90D

I checked through the abit website for the elusive 1.5.0.5 flash utility and could only find 1.5.0.3. So, I checked the readme in the m612a13.zip:

"This BIOS does not support older version of FlashMenu.
Please update FlashMenu to V1.0.0.5 or later version prior making this update."

1.0.0.5? I assumed as this was in the readme that the reference to 1.5.0.5 must be a mistake. I'm totally gutted as I now have a massive brick under my TV.

ABIT Sean, can you please RUSH me through a chip as well please. It's my birthday on monday and was looking forward to the day off work, feet up and loads of films