Is there anyway to recover from a bad flash?

[eternaljammer]

Is there anyway to recover from a bad flash? I have a P5k Premium

[loonym]

If it has a socketed bios you can hotflash the chip in another board.

[tact¡cal]

if you find a way to recover from a bad flash on an ASUS board let me know. i'll suddenly have an army of ASUS machines. :p

[Kenski]

I thought with those boards you may be able to recover from a floppy, There's a copy of the original bios on the mobo cd, I think you copy that and maybe another file or two to a floppy (I think there's instructions in the manual somewhere), clear the cmos for a while, pull battery, set jumper etc, then try to boot with the floppy in the drive a few times, I've recovered an older Asus board the same way.

[fireice2]

Thats what I do not like about hard soldered bioses. I think its RMA time for the board.

[Brama]

If you can find for 10 minutes a flash programmer, there is a small connector near the battery that is standard for external flash programmers.

[ymer]

Yep you either have to swap it if it's socketed or reflash it with a programmer

[Bei Fei]

This was taken from another forum. I have used it to recover from a bad AMI BIOS flash.

Post BIOS Recovery procedures
I thought it would be nice to start a thread like this to make life easyer for those of us who have to go thru recovery procedure.
So here is my litle contribution...
It will be nice if you add your expirience of how did you recoverd from a bad flash.

HP Tool:
http://rapidshare.com/files/11391796...ormat_Tool.rar
MiniDOS:
http://rapidshare.com/files/113919628/MiniDOS.rar


Phoenix BIOS Recovery

This is the latest PHLASH16 I could find:
http://rapidshare.com/files/12110635...16_1_4_59a.zip

Here is the Archive with all the files needed and How to for Phoenix BIOS Recovery.

Metod 1.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105944512/P ... covery.rar

How To:

1. Use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool with MiniDOS files to make your Bootable: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F)and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Metod 2.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105952250/Metod_2.rar

How To:

1. Click on the Phoenix_Crisis_Recovery.exe to make: Flopy, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Metod 3.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105952818/Metod_3.rar

How To:

1. Use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool with MiniDOS files to make your Bootable: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Stick, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

Metod 4.
http://rapidshare.com/files/105953337/Metod_4.rar

How To:

1. Click on the Phoenix_Crisis_Recovery.exe to make: Flopy, USB Flopy.
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Copy all the files from Rescue to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
3. Rename your BIOS file to bios.wph and copy it to your: Flopy, USB Flopy.
4. Remove the battery, unplug the computer from the power.
5. Hold down: Fn+B or WinKey+B (On some new Acer Laptop's Fn+Esc and on some new Fujitsu Siemens Laptop's Fn+F) and while holding plug the computer in to power (do not plug the battery) and pres the power button.
6. Now you should hear the flopy drive working, hold the keys for a while and then let go.
7. Leve the computer for at least 10 min. and if the computer does not restart it self turn the power down.
8. Plug the battery and the power sorce and if everything went OK the computer shold start normaly.
Note: This procedure is for Phoenix BIOS`es only and in some cases the USB Stick might not work.

The HP Tool is located in the archive of the first metod.
Use the metods in order form 1 to 4, unless you think otherwise...
Hope you never use this and if you ever have to GOOD LUCK.


AMI BIOS Recovery

Here is something that I took from biosman.com...
Later I will update it with the tools neded.

AMI has an embedded recovery technique in the 'boot block' of the BIOS. In the event that the BIOS becomes corrupt the boot block can be used to restore the BIOS to a working state. The routine is called when the 'system block' of the BIOS is empty or corrupt. The restore routine when called will access the floppy drive (1.44Mb floppy disk drive) looking for a file named AMIBOOT.ROM.
This is the reason the floppy drive light comes on and the drive appears to be in use. If the file (AMIBOOT.ROM) is found it is loaded into the 'system block' of the BIOS to replace the corrupted information.
To restore your BIOS copy the most recent version of your motherboards BIOS file to a floppy diskette and rename it AMIBOOT.ROM. The diskette does not need to be bootable or contain a flash utility. It will access the floppy from 2-5 minutes the system will beep four times. Remove the floppy diskette from the drive and reboot the computer. if when you turn on the system it does not try to access the floppy, press and hold the 'CTRL' and 'HOME' keys at the same time. This will force the system (assuming the 'boot block' isn't corrupted) to access the flopy and look for the AMIBOOT.ROM file.

Step by Step:


Metod 1.
1. Rename the desired AMI BIOS file to AMIBOOT.ROM and save it on a blank floppy disk. e.g. Rename 12345678.ROM to AMIBOOT.ROM
2. Insert this floppy disk in the floppy drive. Turn On the system
3. If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. Follow insructions on the screen and it will read the AMIBOOT.ROM file and recover the BIOS from the A drive.
4. When 4 beeps are heard you may remove the floppy disk.
5. When there is no more activity, wait for a while and restart the computer.

If this does not work, try this:

Metod 2. Asus only...
1. Create bootable flopy using the HP Tool and MiniDOS:
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Create new text document and type the folowing:
Afudos.exe /iamiboot.rom /pbnc /n
Autoexec.bat download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/123981086/autoexec.rar
save it as autoexec.bat and copy it to the boot flopy you have created.
3. Rename your BIOS to amiboot.rom and copy it to the bootable flopy.
4. If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl+Home to force update.
5. When there is no more activity, wait for a while and restart the computer.

Latest Afudos that I could find:
http://rapidshare.com/files/123979630/AFUDOS.rar
Tool provided by @offon7544

Metod 3.
1. Create bootable flopy using the HP Tool and MiniDOS:
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Create new text document and type the folowing:
amif895.exe /iamiboot.rom /pbnc /n
save it as autoexec.bat and copy it to the boot flopy you have created.
Atoexec.bat download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/115841024/Autoexec.rar
3. Rename your BIOS to amiboot.rom and copy it to the bootable flopy.
4. Start you computer.
5. If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl+Home to force update.
6. When there is no more activity, wait for a while and restart the computer.

Latest amiflash I could find amiflash 8.95:
http://rapidshare.com/files/113925838/amf895.zip
Tool provided by @amiga

AWARD BIOS Recovery


Here is something that I took from biosman.com...
Later I will update it with the tools neded.

The AWARD BIOS has a similar procedure to AMI. To recover an AWARD BIOS you will need to create a bootable floppy diskette and add the desired BIOS file (we recommend using the most recent). Award BIOS's generally are in .BIN format, where as AMI was .ROM format. You will also add an AWARD flash utility (usually awdflash.exe) and an AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
The AWARD BIOS does not automatically restore the BIOS information to the 'system block' like the AMI BIOS does. You will need to add the commands necessary to flash the BIOS in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The system will run the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, which contains the flash instructions.

Step by Step:
1. Create bootable flopy using the HP Tool and MiniDOS:
When creating the boot Floppy, select from Folder Options to view the hiden and system files and delete or rename the file config.sys if present.
Couse we need DOS with no additional programs that are loaded, which could interfere with the operation of the BIOS flash application.
2. Reaname your bios to bios.bin
3. Copy the BIOS file and flash utility to the diskette.
4. Create an text file with any standard text editor and add the following lines :
@ECHO OFF
awd873.exe bios.bin /py/sn/f/cc/r
and save it as autoexec.bat
Autoexec.bat download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/115841287/Autoexec.rar
5. Copy it to the bootable flopy.
6. Start your computer and if no flopy acces occurs press and hold Ctrl+Home to force update.
7. When there is no more activity, wait for a while and restart your computer.

py = program yes
sn = save no
f = flash
cc = clear cmos
r = reboot

Here is the latest awdflash I could find awdflash v8.73
http://rapidshare.com/files/113927890/awd873.rar
Tool provided by @amiga

[tact¡cal]

i don't know about anyone else. but when my asus board flashes go awry... those steps listed above won't work because they board does nothing. a bad flash on asus means you can't put video to the screen or anything.

[eternaljammer]

i don't know about anyone else. but when my asus board flashes go awry... those steps listed above won't work because they board does nothing. a bad flash on asus means you can't put video to the screen or anything.

man that really blows. I need my board.

[mikey976]

well call asus, see if you board is available for advanced rma. thats what i did when my p5wdg2-ws pro ( jees thats long name)
they send u a replacement and you send the oldone back, minimizes downtime

[lapdog]

I had to use a regular PCI video card to do a Award BIOS recovery. Booted a floppy and flashed it no problems. I never did it with a AMI BIOS but it still has a boot block if you did not mess that up.

[RottenMutt]

i don't know about anyone else. but when my asus board flashes go awry... those steps listed above won't work because they board does nothing. a bad flash on asus means you can't put video to the screen or anything.

the boot-block has no video support and is usually not over written when flashing bios, it is done as described above without video.