BIOS recovery : D845GVSR mobo

Cross posted to comp.sys.intel, 24hoursupport.helpdesk

Hi

I have an Intel D845GVSR motherboard which I use mainly for old DOS
work (the more recent mobo does not work as expected :-( )

Ok, this board was having problems with the mouse and I wanted to
upgrade the bios, from the original version 3 to the latest version 20
at Intel site.

The upgrading went ok and everything worked well but no USB under Win
XP SP3! (I need it to copy stuff from one machine to another).

I thought of going back and tried the bios version 5 (which said the
mouse problem has been corrected). The Intel bios burning program
asked me to confirm I really wanted to flash an older version and when
I hit ok the bios was flashed.

Now the computer does not boot. When I set the jumper to the
maintenance setting the bios settings screen comes up and it shows the
bios version as 5. But any change in the settings are not saved.

According to Intel, in the recovery mode the system is supposed to
read the *.bio file in a floppy or CD will be written to the bios. I
have tried *.bio files from nay versions both in CD and floppy but
have failed.

If any of you know a method to flash the bios please let me know. The
mobo is not dead as the bios settings do display in the maintenance
mode.

Thanks in advance for any help
--
CluLess

On Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:32:32 +0530, ClueLess wrote:

According to Intel, in the recovery mode the system is supposed to read
the *.bio file in a floppy or CD will be written to the bios. I have
tried *.bio files from nay versions both in CD and floppy but have
failed.

If any of you know a method to flash the bios please let me know. The
mobo is not dead as the bios settings do display in the maintenance
mode.

That is the only way to flash the bios. Give me a description of the
process, any errors you might get.



--
Live Fast, Die Young and Leave a Pretty Corpse

ClueLess wrote:

Intel D845GVSR motherboard

Ok, this board was having problems with the mouse and I wanted to
upgrade the bios, from the original version 3 to the latest version 20
at Intel site. The upgrading went ok and everything worked well but no USB under Win
XP SP3! (I need it to copy stuff from one machine to another).

Was USB support working before?

If USB support was not there before with the old v3 BIOS, perhaps the
chipset drivers weren't installed into Windows XP to afford that
support. Did you follow with an install of the Intel chipset drivers?

I thought of going back and tried the bios version 5 (which said the
mouse problem has been corrected). The Intel bios burning program
asked me to confirm I really wanted to flash an older version and when
I hit ok the bios was flashed.

When you did the first BIOS flash update, did the writer program not
first offer to save a backup of the existing BIOS code to a .bio file?
I don't recall ever doing a BIOS update where either the program did not
ask me to backup the existing code or the instructions told me how to do
it using that same writer program. Do you have the old v3 .bio file to
flash into your BIOS so you are back to square one?

Now the computer does not boot. When I set the jumper to the
maintenance setting the bios settings screen comes up and it shows the
bios version as 5. But any change in the settings are not saved.

What does "not boot" mean? That you don't even get to the POST screen?
Or that the hardware boot actually completes and it is the load of
Windows XP that halts, errors, or something else yet to be described?

According to Intel, in the recovery mode the system is supposed to
read the *.bio file in a floppy or CD will be written to the bios. I
have tried *.bio files from nay versions both in CD and floppy but
have failed.

What does "failed" mean? That your host won't boot using a bootable
floppy or CD? Or that the .bio file gets rejected as incompatible with
your hardware? The writer program can't find the storage media on which
the .bio file exists?

If any of you know a method to flash the bios please let me know. The
mobo is not dead as the bios settings do display in the maintenance
mode.

After flashing the BIOS, did you short the "CMOS clear" 2-pin header on
the motherboard? The settings saved in the CMOS may not match those now
in the EEPROM for the BIOS. They may not even align to the same byte
positions in the BIOS table to those that are saved in CMOS for the old
table. If you have customized the BIOS (in the CMOS copy), write down
all the settings that were modified from their defaults. After doing
the flash update to the BIOS, clear the old CMOS copy by shorting the
2-pin jumper for clearing the CMOS. Then do a *cold* reboot.

If the "failed" problem is that the writer halted or errored during
writing the new/replacement code into the EEPROM for the BIOS then it
sounds like the prior flash was incomplete or corrupted. This can even
result in not being able to boot using floppy, CD, USB drive, or other
storage media to do another flash attempt. The only recourse at that
point is to buy replacement EEPROMs for your motherboard (which requires
extremely good soldering skills and the requisite soldering tools since
I saw no socketed chips in the mobo pic at http://tinyurl.com/2b335nu).
You might also try calling Intel support to find out how much it would
cost to have them replace the EEPROM chips for BIOS (and put in the
latest *applicable* version for that mobo). From their web site, it
looks like support has been discontinued for this legacy product so
you'll probably have to pay them to do the repair.

On 11/15/2010 08:02 AM, ClueLess wrote:
Cross posted to comp.sys.intel, 24hoursupport.helpdesk

Hi

I have an Intel D845GVSR motherboard which I use mainly for old DOS
work (the more recent mobo does not work as expected :-( )

Ok, this board was having problems with the mouse and I wanted to
upgrade the bios, from the original version 3 to the latest version 20
at Intel site.

The upgrading went ok and everything worked well but no USB under Win
XP SP3! (I need it to copy stuff from one machine to another).

I thought of going back and tried the bios version 5 (which said the
mouse problem has been corrected). The Intel bios burning program
asked me to confirm I really wanted to flash an older version and when
I hit ok the bios was flashed.

Now the computer does not boot. When I set the jumper to the
maintenance setting the bios settings screen comes up and it shows the
bios version as 5. But any change in the settings are not saved.

According to Intel, in the recovery mode the system is supposed to
read the *.bio file in a floppy or CD will be written to the bios. I
have tried *.bio files from nay versions both in CD and floppy but
have failed.

If any of you know a method to flash the bios please let me know. The
mobo is not dead as the bios settings do display in the maintenance
mode.

Thanks in advance for any help


Re-flash it with a newer bios

then look at the settings...legacy USB support is often turned off by
default and you need to turn it on

On Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:51:28 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:


Intel D845GVSR motherboard

Basically I have downloaded every thing that is available for this
mobo from Intel site and have carefully gone through the instructions
before attempting flsh.

Was USB support working before?

If USB support was not there before with the old v3 BIOS, perhaps the
chipset drivers weren't installed into Windows XP to afford that
support. Did you follow with an install of the Intel chipset drivers?

USB worked before and all the drivers including USB 2.0 from Intel
were loaded.

When you did the first BIOS flash update, did the writer program not
first offer to save a backup of the existing BIOS code to a .bio file?
I don't recall ever doing a BIOS update where either the program did not
ask me to backup the existing code or the instructions told me how to do
it using that same writer program. Do you have the old v3 .bio file to
flash into your BIOS so you are back to square one?

When I flashed first the P20 (latest at Intel site for this mobo) I
used the Win utility and it just updated the bios. Nothing about
saving the old bios. Everything was ok except there was no USB. Device
Manager did not show the USB and in BIOS setting all USB settings were
grayed!

What does "not boot" mean? That you don't even get to the POST screen?
Or that the hardware boot actually completes and it is the load of
Windows XP that halts, errors, or something else yet to be described?

This is after I tried to flash P5 version of bios (mouse error
corrected per Intel in this version) this was also done under Windows
using the utility provided by Intel. A question "Do you really wanted
to flash an older version of bios" did come up and I clicked yes.

After this the computer does not boot. Just a blank screen - no video
output at all (monitor LED is just blinking showing no video input)
and no beep at all.


What does "failed" mean? That your host won't boot using a bootable
floppy or CD? Or that the .bio file gets rejected as incompatible with
your hardware? The writer program can't find the storage media on which
the .bio file exists?

It just does not boot. When I put the jumpers in the maintenance mode
bios setting comes up with the additional maintenance page (enables
passwords to be cleared) and the general page indicated the bios
version as 5. That means bios was flashed with some errors, I believe.

After flashing the BIOS, did you short the "CMOS clear" 2-pin header on
the motherboard? The settings saved in the CMOS may not match those now
in the EEPROM for the BIOS. They may not even align to the same byte
positions in the BIOS table to those that are saved in CMOS for the old
table. If you have customized the BIOS (in the CMOS copy), write down
all the settings that were modified from their defaults. After doing
the flash update to the BIOS, clear the old CMOS copy by shorting the
2-pin jumper for clearing the CMOS. Then do a *cold* reboot.

If the "failed" problem is that the writer halted or errored during
writing the new/replacement code into the EEPROM for the BIOS then it
sounds like the prior flash was incomplete or corrupted. This can even
result in not being able to boot using floppy, CD, USB drive, or other
storage media to do another flash attempt. The only recourse at that
point is to buy replacement EEPROMs for your motherboard (which requires
extremely good soldering skills and the requisite soldering tools since
I saw no socketed chips in the mobo pic at http://tinyurl.com/2b335nu).
You might also try calling Intel support to find out how much it would
cost to have them replace the EEPROM chips for BIOS (and put in the
latest *applicable* version for that mobo). From their web site, it
looks like support has been discontinued for this legacy product so
you'll probably have to pay them to do the repair.

When cmos jumpers are left open it is supposed to automatically read
the *.bio files from either floppy or CD and do a silent flash (no
display of any notice). I have tried both the floppy and CD way. I
have tried putting only the *.bio file and then tried with all the
following files in the floppy and CD and still no way. In these cases
the floppy light stays on and I have kept for nearly 30 minutes; I
have also tried various later bios including P20.

P08-0023.BI1
P08-0023.BI2
P08-0023.BI3
P08-0023.BI4
P08-0023.BI5
P08-0023.BI6
P08-0023.BIO
P08-0023.SIG

I have some stuff like programmer for 8051 under DOS and the later
faster motherboards with me (eg. ASUS P5KPL-AM/PS) do not recognize
the equipment. But for this I would have chucked the 845 board.

I hope that I will get some lead on this problem
Thanks to the other also who have pitched in to help me.

--
ClueLess

In message , ClueLess pondered the
following:

After this the computer does not boot. Just a blank screen - no video
output at all (monitor LED is just blinking showing no video input)
and no beep at all.

you done ****ed up the chip and/or have corrupted data residing on it.
try what these guys offer since yer at the end of your rope and insist on
keeping that mobo:
http://www.biosman.com/bios-flash.html

HTH

--
http://www.republicorp.us/
http://stopbeck.com|www.snuhwolf.9f.com|www.eyeonpalin.or g|www.youropenbook.org

ClueLess wrote:

After flashing the BIOS, did you short the "CMOS clear" 2-pin header
on the motherboard? The settings saved in the CMOS may not match
those now in the EEPROM for the BIOS. They may not even align to
the same byte positions in the BIOS table to those that are saved in
CMOS for the old table. ... After doing the flash update to the
BIOS, clear the old CMOS copy by shorting the 2-pin jumper for
clearing the CMOS. Then do a *cold* reboot.

When cmos jumpers are left open it is supposed to automatically read
the *.bio files from either floppy or CD and do a silent flash (no
display of any notice).

The 2-pin "CMOS clear" motherboard header of which I speak is always
left open (no shorting jumper) until you decide to wipe the CMOS copy of
the table holding the BIOS settings (that were copied from the EEPROM
and then modified in the CMOS copy of the table). When you short the 2
pins, it is only momentary, like perhaps a few seconds. Then you remove
the jumper.

The CMOS clear header isn't just to wipe passwords. It wipes the CMOS
table. That forces a reload of the BIOS settings from EEPROM into CMOS.
Well, that's how it works in most mobos. The manual for your mobo is at
http://downloadmirror.intel.com/1521...de_English.pdf.
Page 37 shows the "BIOS configuration" jumper. None of the positions it
shows describes a *clearing* of the CMOS copy of the BIOS. My guess is
that you need to use the Maintenance setting and somewhere in its
screens is an option to revert to defaults or to reload the BIOS from
the EEPROM. That it says "Use this menu to clear passwords" may be just
one function of the maintenance menu mode. When you go into maintenance
menu mode, is there any other options other than just clearing
passwords? On page 49 is described several BIOS config screens.

If the maintenance mode gives you the config screens shown starting on
page 47, did you check if USB was enabled as per the settings shown on
page 63? I couldn't find a reset or reload function in their BIOS
screens. The closest was "Load Optimal Defaults". Maybe that reads the
EEPROM to load the defaults into the CMOS table. Personally I would've
preferred a 2-pin CMOS Clear jumper on the mobo to get back to scratch
but it doesn't look like Intel gives you that for this mobo.