Bios upgrade - amateur foolishness!

[baldBoy]

Hi,

I 'updated' my BIOS on my Shuttle SB75G2. It doesn't work anymore!

When I start it up I get:

1. A new screen showing an XPC graphic.
2. A black screen listing PCI devices and telling me 'disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter'.

You might be able to help me. I've searched around this and other sites but haven't found an exact answer to my problem as yet.

I know i was foolish to try and update the bios(!) it was on the recommendation of some diagnostic/tools software I wanted to install from Shuttle.

If I restart with my Windows CD in the drive it recognises the CD but if I try to intall windows it can't see my HDD - so I guess the new BIOS was either the wrong one or just not compatible with some of my hardware.

The setup I have is:

• motherboard is FB75S01G
• ram 1gb
• intel pentium 4
• 160 gb sata HDD
• I was running XP media edition

I found some advice about running an autoexec.bat from a floppy on wimbios,com (I can't post the URL). It sounds like it's a way of flashing the BIOS??

I have downloaded another BIOS but have no floppies. Might I be able to do the same via a CD?

I understand the concept of bat files but wouldn't know exactly what to write in it? Can anyone help? Should I just open my wallet and go to a shuttle reseller for some help? Could I break things even further by trying this?

I'll appreciate any help offered.

Thanks.

[BigFatCat]

If this was a clean install it sounds like your boot CD can't see the HDD, and you need to F6 to select another HDD controller driver when prompted at the start of the XP install. Get the SATA drivers off the mobo manufatcturer's website and put them on a floppy.

If it's an existing install, did the upgrade include any SATA related updates which may knock out any existing SATA drivers installed?

[baldBoy]

BigFatCat - thanks for your quick reply.

The clean install - do you mean of the BIOS? I'm not sure. WIN XP media edition was on the HDD when I did the BIOS upgrade.

I just checked the page that I got the BIOS from and there is a mention of SATA driver in the read me file (still can't post the URL but if you go to shuttle dot com, click support and then BIOS, Drivers and then model number SB75G2 you'll see it).

If I restart the machine with no kybd it lists three IDE channels:
0 Master: DVD player
0 Slave: none
1 slave: none

Are you suggesting that I press F6 as the windows CD loads and that then installing some SATA drivers MIGHT fix the problem?

I really am an amateur that should never have attempted this. Feel like a fool, only had the machine (2nd hand) for a day

[BigFatCat]

Is the SATA controller actully enabled in the BIOS setup screens, well worth checking?

[machinist]

Normally when you upgrade BIOS, it resets to manufacturer defaults...have you been in to the BIOS to ensure everything is turned on/off as you would expect ?

[baldBoy]

BigFatCat - Would I enable the SATA controller via the CMOS setup utility (holding 'delete' down on startup)? I looked around in here but really had no idea what to do!

machinist - are you suggesting something similar? I wouldn't know what to expect in the BIOS settings.

Basically I know nothing about this side of computing - I can design you a brilliantly usable website - but have no idea about this stuff...at all.

[BigFatCat]

Yup, assault that DEL key on boot and marvel at the wanton carnage you can then cause.

[baldBoy]

OMG!!

I did some fiddling around in the CMOS settings (based on your comments re "is the SATA stuff enabled") and windows has just started up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a copy of the old BIOS on the HDD - should I try and install that? Or is that just more foolishness?

[killie99]

OMG!!

Or is that just more foolishness?

I think you know the answer.......

[Supercharged]

When you flash the bios it returns to the manufacturers defaults... on some old boards SATA is off out of the box, what you've one is fine - upgraded the bios and enabled SATA

[Yellowbeard]

I have a copy of the old BIOS on the HDD - should I try and install that? Or is that just more foolishness?

Now, it is no longer broken so DON'T fix it