P5K-E BIOS problem

[Xoni]

Last night I installed Vista 64 on my main PC - I noted that there had been improvements to the BIOS regarding 64 bit systems since the one I had installed - 0503.

I tried to use the Windows-based Asus update program to update the BIOS, but after it had deleted the old one, it said it was unable to write the new one and was returning the BIOS to its previous configuration.

I tried a second time, with the same outcome.

I then cancelled the update and continued using the PC for a while before shutting down.

This morning, after switching on, the PC won't boot - it won't even POST.

In the manual, there are methods described to recover from a corrupted BIOS, but I can't do that, because the PC is not running for long enough.

It starts up, runs for about 5 seconds, then shuts off, before the fans have stopped, it tries again, runs for 5 secs, then repeats ad infinitum. It's like when you start it normally - the lights come on, the fans spin, but for a few seconds only - then after a pause, it jumps to life. Only mine doesn't.

Apart from the obvious "buy a new motherboard", anyone know if there's anything I can do to recover, or had this happen to them?

I have removed all components, cleaned up and reinstalled it all - so its unlikely to be a hardware issue, unless something has gone belly-up

This is especially demoralising as my HD 4870 is due to arrive today - scrub that - it's just arrived! Help me, please!!

[Splash]

The Asus Update program that you run within Windows is a piece of poo, even Asus warn you against using it these days.

Can you reset the CMOS, then boot from the CD that came with it? The disc should have a recovery utility that will reflash it back to the original BIOS. If this works I'd advise that you then download the latest stable BIOS version and put it on a USB key, then flash using the tool built into the BIOS.

[moogle]

you had a flash fail in windows and you shut down?
you've just busted the bios I say. Should have kept reflashing with different bios'es from the ASUS site before shutting down. If you get lucky and get it working with a CMOS clear or the ASUS EZ-Flash then thats good otherwise you'll have to RMA it for a reflashing or reflash it out of the board yourself somehow.

[Xoni]

No, I waited until it had told me that the previous BIOS was restored before I closed the program (give me some credit!).

Unfortunately, as I'm not a magician, there was no way of checking that everything was okay before shutting down the PC.

Anyway, I have the original BIOS on other media, but if the thing won't run for more than 5 seconds, there's nothing I can do.

Splash - I tried the clear CMOS first - but it made no difference. Thanx for the MoBo CD advice - I didn't know that.

I'm not sure if Asus will accept liability - it was their program that screwed up, after all. I'll have to give them a ring.

[Splash]

I'm not sure if Asus will accept liability - it was their program that screwed up, after all. I'll have to give them a ring.

Without wanting to put a downer on things I don't think that they will. While Asus make pretty decent boards their service is atrocious, and they do advise that you don't use the Windows flashing utility.

[Agent]

If you can extract the chip, I can probably reflash it for you

[moogle]

I'm not sure if Asus will accept liability - it was their program that screwed up, after all. I'll have to give them a ring.

They flashed it for one of my boards. Well it wasn't them directly but it did get fixed. You could try using the ASUS EZ Flash if you have that feature on your board. It's in the manual somewhere you just need a flash drive and you need to put the bios on there and it will attempt to reflash when you press some certain keys on startup.

[Xoni]

Sorry for the delay in answering - had problems with my 2nd PC, too!

I've been in contact with Asus online service and they've asked me to return the board, via Scan - where I bought it from, although I've been advised on the CPC Forum to get in touch directly with the new Asus UK Tech Repairs in Glasgow.

In any case, of course if I can get it sorted without returning it - that'd be best.

Asus have to accept responsibility because I tried to update using their AsusUpdate program, and in the MoBo manual they state that you should always get the latest updates - so they have left themselves open to liability.

moogle - I have tried to get the PC to look elsewhere (it's Alt-F2 according to the manual) but it really isn't running long enough to do anything at all.

So Agent - I will get in touch with you via pm after I've checked - thanks for the offer.

EDIT: Unfortunately the BIOS chip is not removable - it's soldered to the mainboard.

[Agent]

My word, thats just another reason to the list of why I don't buy ASUS anymore.

A soldered chip can still be flashed, but it requires manually soldering each leg (usually with AWG30 or so) up to a programmer.

Its not a hard task, just time consuming - I can't currently offer to do that one, sorry

[moogle]

damn Xoni. It seems that EZ Flash thing doesn't do anything special. I thought the newest mobo's had 2 bios'es where if one fails the other will boot up. It would be nice if this was implemented. So if you fail your bios flash you switch a jumper on your mobo and it loads up a secondary read only bios (ie not flashable bios) and you can flash the other one till it's fine then switch back. Or does this already exist and I'm not with the times in regard to bios'es?

[Xoni]

Agent - well thanks for trying - yeah, I think it's a bit dumb, too. Maybe they were so confident their update program wouldn't make a mess of it.

moogle - I though that this was the case, too. I had a graphics card (ATi V9550 Guru) that I bought 4 years ago that had two BIOS chips on it. It was aimed at overclockers - a really great card. If you messed one up, there was a hardware switch to use the backup BIOS so that you could then repair the standard one.

Why MoBo manufacturers don't do this is beyond me.

I've now bought a cheaper MoBo to keep me going whilst the P5K problem gets sorted.

The only problem there is that if they want me to try something, I'll have to dismantle it to get the bits, as all my other CPUs are AMD...

[peterb]

http://bios-repair.co.uk/

might be of use/interest

[moogle]

The only problem there is that if they want me to try something, I'll have to dismantle it to get the bits, as all my other CPUs are AMD...

Ouch, don't we all hate that. I just zip tied my cables in my system and then got a problem having to take it all out. right pita.

[squareeyes]

I have a P5K and it's spooky but the same happened to me.
On boot up POST warned me a new BIOS was needed as my CPU was not supported fully. I installed Vista 64bit Ent and, well it worked, then I ran Asus updater (the latest version from the WebSite) and it tried , failes and rolled back. I carried on using the pc then crashed. Today it wont boot and keeps power cycling. i.e. fans spin up but it shuts down before the POST beep then tries starting up again and on and on. I have removed the cmos battery and used the reset jumper but it still power cycles.
I have to say that this is worse than cra99y. All the motherboards I have bought from premium manufacturers lately have been pretty poor. The better products have actually been from the so called cheaper competitors. I'll try to RMA it.

[squareeyes]

Well I frankly didn't fancy gutting my pc and sending it all back so I went went to
bios-repair.co.uk and have ordered a replacement chip with the latest BIOS programmed on it which I can just plug in.

I'll let you know how it goes if any of you are interested.

squareeyes

[Sk!mD4Rk]

From the Asus manual -

1. Put the support cd/dvd in the drive

2. reboot

3. When found, the utility reads the BIOS and starts flashing the corrupted Bios

Apologies if you already tried this, hey it worked for me though