Biostar TF560-A2 BIOS Chip Problem

[bad4u]

My first problem with the BIOS chip of my TF560-A2 was that I killed it with a bad flash.

The second problem arose when I tried to buy a replacement or find someone who would re-flash sthe chip.

Not Badflash.

Not Biosman.

I found no US source that would replace or re-flash this chip.

The choices:
- Send the board back to Biostar.
- Send the chip back to Biostar for re-flash.

[LanceH]

You can recover from a bad flash using a floppy. There is no need to replace the serial flash chip.

The procedure is fully detailed on the Biostar site.

[uddarts]

http://www.biostar-usa.com/knowledge...sp?faqid=99992

Question:
What do I do if the system BIOS gets corrupted by my attempts to update it?
Answer:
All modern Biostar motherboards are equipped with the BootBlocker technology. This could be your last resort to salvaging a corrupt system BIOS.

1. Make a bootable floppy disk using Windows 95/98/ME.
2. Download the appropriate BIOS file and Award flashing utility from Biostar web site and copy them to the bootable floppy disk. If the Award flashing program isn't named "AWDFLASH.EXE", please rename it to "AWDFLASH.EXE". This is very important.
3. Insert the bootable floppy disk into the floppy drive. Power up the computer.
4. At this point you will not see any video display on the monitor, but the LED on the floppy drive should flash indicating activity.
5. Wait at least 3 minutes, then turn off the system and remove the floppy disk.
6. Power on again. If the BIOS was restored successfully, you will see the familiar POST screen.
7. If the BIOS was not restored, you'd need to return the board to your supplier for replacement.

ud

[undersea]

Did it work?

[bad4u]

I'm aware of the procedure - and rep[eated it several times.

I used the Rebels Haven modded 803 BIOS with AwardFlash 887 on a DOS startup disk.

The chip is on the way to Biostar USA for re-flash.

The only other source of re-flash is a Belgian site, per Jack at Badflash.

Thanks for the advice.

[Radiohead]

This is the first bios chip I've seen corrupted on a 560. Did you use the method you described above for your initial flash that went bad or did you use that method to attempt recovery.
Guess its a good thing I have 3 of these boxes. I can hot flash if the need arises.

[bad4u]

I downloaded the Rebel Havens modded 803 with Awardflash 887, and ran up.bat.

The display was as expected, as it sequenced through the blocks and reported success.

Shut down, clear cmos with jumpers and attempted start-up. All lights on, all fans running - but not a peep from the bios.

I've probably flashed BIOS 20 times on a variety of boards. First failure. It's a disppointment that Biostar used an oddball BIOS chip, rather than conventional DIP or PLCC chips.

[undersea]

Mine went weird with the Phenom bios. After clearing and flashing it came back though.

Have you tried the stock bios?

[Radiohead]

I don't think thats the same bios that brother-gc used and he's around fairly often but I don't know if he still has his biostar. He did get a bios from rebels haven but I thought it began with 802. I do know he mentioned trying the above bios and ran into issues of the system going a bit boggy. Any way you can try hotflashing the chip?

[LanceH]

FYI, all the BIOSes work on mine. Including the latest 110 version. The board came with B06, which everyone bangs on about being Phenom only! I run a 5600 X2.

None of them are any better or worse than each other. None of them offer any different performance. All of them work just fine with XP and Ubuntu, 32 or 64 bit.

What I do know is that none of them work in terms of the Automatic overclocking. Only V6 works (as in doesn't crash completely), but screws performance. Anything higher and the BIOS takes a dump.

Not sure where the "Phenom" only BIOS handle originated? Perhaps in the midst of myth.

[Radiohead]

What method do you use to flash Lance? I've never had an issue with any of the bin files either or at least with flashing. Only advantage a couple of the bin files at rebels haven have are the option to change your CAS latency in your memory options as well as they offer the command rate option which isn't always a given in some of the stock bios releases from Biostar proper.

[LanceH]

I always use the BIOS update integrated in the BIOS - V1.05 if my memory serves me. And then load from Floppy. Works like a charm.

By my own confession, I am a bit of a BIOS testing meddler. I have never had problems trying different BIOSes on anything, including the TF560.

For me, I tend to update to the latest at the earliest opportunity. On the basis that the firmware engineers have had good reason to spend time and money correcting or improving.

I have no idea why the later BIOSes are deemed Phenom only - clearly they aren't if the newer boards (like mine) are shipped with one of these. If one thinks about it, Biostar could not issue BIOS just for one type of CPU, it would be impossible to market.

[uddarts]

biostar bios download translated

Solve some of the dual-core CPU does not boot problems

ud

[RebelsHaven]

Anyone that needs their chip flashed, contact me over at Rebels Haven. No charge: Polygon

[undersea]

Anyone that needs their chip flashed, contact me over at Rebels Haven. No charge: Polygon

You rock,

Thanks for all your hard work with the bios!