Aw9D - Max Dead BIOS

[sniper2o2o]

I've heard a lot of people say about this board having serious problems when updating to version 1.2, stupidly tho i thought that abit wouldn't put a problematic file on their site. So I flashed it and guess what I now how a £1400 paperweight, the worst thing is trying to get a new BIOS from abit. I've had this same problem with MSI, and Asus but i've never used abit boards before, now without doubt the abit boards are far better quality, but MSI when I rang simply asked for all the info off the board stickers, then the next day there was a new BIOS chip with no cost, and pretty much the same as Asus, but when I rang abit I was told id have to fill in a form that he would send by e-mail (2 days later no e-mail), this board is also one of those with the 8mbit bios chip so no chance of loading another machine, and a quick swap then flash. I'm guessing this is going to take a few weeks so i'm limited to working on my laptop with no chance of doing any work for the next 2 weeks. Tempted to just buy the MSI board as who can go without their PC for 2 weeks, i think if abit are going to take so long then they need to think about dual BIOS systems. If anyone has any ideas on how I can get this up and running again would be greatly apreciated, I love this board had tempsensors on every part and nothing runs hot, and my Highly overclocked Core 2 Extreme is amazing on this board this is my one and only complaint (well other than the fact you cant add a PCI card if you have Crossfire enabled, because it just wont fit)......Cost me £108 for 5 days use...

[BUFF]

you're the 1st person that I've seen mention problems flashing to 1.2 on an AW9D.
I take it that you have tried clearing CMOS?

Anyway:

"Before you consider buying a BIOS, please make sure it is the BIOS that causes the problems rather than something else.
Discharge the CMOS by the CCMOS jumper (details please refer to the manual) for a few times sometime will reverse the settings back to factory defaults.
Please note that once the BIOS chip was sold, it is NOT REFUNDABLE.

If the BIOS is a PLCC form of chip which is likely going to be, You must use PLCC extractor to remove the BIOS chip. Without the extractor, you are likely to break the BIOS housing socket.
You can find PLCC extractor from CPC.co.uk, RS components or Maplin, etc.

A BIOS chip will cost you £17.63 Sterling pounds.
Or return your BIOS chip with £11.75 for reprogram.
If you want proceed any one of above. Please send a Stamped Self Addressed padded jiffy bag and postal orders made payable to Abit Computer Corp. Ltd. to the address lists at the end of the letter. DO NOT forget to write your details on the back of postal orders.

We also require a covering letter from you. This letter must states the mainboard model, version and the LAN address (a barcode sticker looks like
[V or L **-**-**-**-****]). If you have IEEE1394 onboard, we will also need the 1394 port address (a barcode sticker looks like [I **-**-**-**-****]).
You should able to find these stickers on the board, parallel port or PCI slot.
These are important information for the new BIOS you are going to purchase. If the information is not provided, you may not get full functions of your computer after you installed the new BIOS. It depends on how the computer is setup for.

Once you have received the BIOS, please do as followings.
1, Disconnect the main power.
2, Discharge CMOS memory by using the CCMOS jumper. Details please refer to the
manual.
(The idea timing is about 30-60 seconds, for the assurance, you may remove)
(the battery while you are discharging the CMOS).
3, Place or replace the BIOS chip on the mainboard.
(beware of orientation)
4, Reconnect the main, and power on.
5, You should see an error message "CMOS checksum error" display on the screen.
You can verify the BIOS ID at this moment to made sure you have the correct
BIOS.
Then Please enter the BIOS setup screen, load the optimize default and re-set
other settings according to your configurations.

---Please note-----
*
The relative information must be correctly provided. Incorrect information will lead to incorrect BIOS.
How to identify the BIOS ID? Please refer to the manual appendix.
If you know which version (ID) of BIOS you need. You can mention it in the letter. Otherwise, we will give you whichever the latest version we have in the U.K office.

**
All BIOSes are difference in certain degreed. Some of than may not fully compatible with previous version. This usually happens when there is an embedded Highpoint/Silicon Image/Intel BIOS for the boards Raid controller.
Please do make sure you have been visited http://fae.abit.com.tw and fully understand the differences between the BIOSes.
Since the latest BIOS includes all previous BIOSes update. Therefore, Update from the first release BIOS to the latest BIOS will change a large part of the BIOS. In this case, one should pay particular attention to this issue.

***
Above services only suitable for the users who are located within United Kingdom.
If you are out side of United Kingdom and you wish to use this service. It is up to you to manage to send us the Sterling Pound. However, we can not accept credit card, foreign cheque or other foreign currencies.
Also, the SAE must have sufficient stamps on it and can be used at the United Kingdom Royal mail services.
Abit is not responsible for the delay of parcels if any industrial actions are taking places.

If you have further questions, please contact us by the email address listed below.




Technical Department
Abit Computer Corp. Ltd.

Unit 3
24-26
Boulton Road
Stevenage
Herts SG1 4QX

technical@abitcomputer.co.uk
Tel: 01438 362088
Fax: 01438 223666
"

[sniper2o2o]

Ok yesturdaqy went further into it, took the BIOS chip out and put it in my programmer, and attempted, to put Version 1.2 on it and it wouldn't program so I took off the label on the BIOS chip and found it was aq Winbond chip, not an SST, also it's a winbond chip that isn't compatible with the SST49LF008A which is suppoosed to come on this board. So I'm guessing this is the reason for the bad flash the board doen'st support it and the4refore killed the chip (I don't know how it read it in the first place to be hoinest.). I've taken a BIOS chip off a Gigabyte board it is the SST chip so programmed that and have got my PC back, and fortunately Gigabyte being the company with the good idea of 2 Bios's it still works perfectly, so just got to wqait a few days for Gigabyte to send me a new one.

[Goody]

I have to get a new bios chip but i can't find the Lan address sticker you are on about Buff please help.

[ABIT Sean]

I have to get a new bios chip but i can't find the Lan address sticker you are on about Buff please help.

Should be located on top of the LAN port

[Goody]

I've found two stickers starting with UL on where i plug my modem and theres a sticker starting with 12 by the cpu and one starting with aw9 by the dimm slots if thats any use m8 or should i just send all of them.
I still don't see why i have to pay £17 for a bios chip because the bios was from abit website that was corrupt? asus send you a free chip if under warranty,can't i rma the motherboard?

[ABIT Sean]

Should look something like this UL 00-50-8D-94-4433

[Goody]

Is that the only numbers you need or shall i just write the others down aswell?
Sorry for all questions m8 it seems alot of hassle to get a new chip especially when the usa site you just click on the one you need and pay by paypal not by postal order so i could be waiting a week for chip.
You've been very helpfull though m8.

[Goody]

Sniper2020 how long did it take from sending postal order to recieving bios chip and yes it does suck having to send postal orders etc it's 2007 not 1987.

[ABIT Sean]

We are hoping to upgrade our system this year. So that all our parts can be purchased online. The MAC address is needed to program the LAN & firewire ports, without it you won't be able to use them.

[sniper2o2o]

Sniper2020 how long did it take from sending postal order to recieving bios chip and yes it does suck having to send postal orders etc it's 2007 not 1987.

About 21 days m8 in the end just got it off ebay for £10 less and next day, and didn't have to do nething with the MAC address...

[Goody]

Got mine from ebay aswell m8 and all works fine,i couldn't be bothered with sending postal orders etc.