Award Bios Flash Upgrade Problem - Please Help

[Rnetter]

I decided to upgrade the BIOS in my system so that I could run my new 60GB hard drive off the MOBO I/O controller rather than an add on card. I went to the Award site, used their BIOS Agent program and ordered the Flash Upgrade. Since I have done the flash I have had SOOOOO many problems. Most of them seem to be centered around the PCI devices. If I try to install the driver for my Linksys LNX100 Ethernet controller in either WIN98 or WIN2000 the install hangs and then the boot up cycle stops. I have to go into SAFE mode, disable the device and then re-boot and the system is operable but, of course, the controller is not. I also have an internal Creative Labs Modem Blaster. I can successfully install the drivers for the card, run the diagnostics and get a response from the modem and use the handset connected to the PHONE OUT port. However, if I try to dial out on the modem I get an error that says "No Dial Tone". I also have an Ensonic ES137x AudioPCI that came on the motherboard. If I try to install the drivers for this I then get error messages during the boot up of WIN98 saying something like this "The system has incorrectly routed the interrupt. In Device Manger use Automatic Configuration". I did some searches on that and found it to be a common problem for the VIA chipset, but I am using an Intel chipset and there were no reported problems. I also am seeing one other problem that does not seem to have anything to do with the PCI. I am running a USR Sportster External Modem. If I plug it into the COM1 Serial Port it works fine. If I plug it into the COM2 Serial Port the system does not even see it.

I have tried everything I can think of to resolve all (or any) of these problems with no success. I spoke with the Award Tech Support people and they said that the BIOS upgrade could not have caused these errors. I can not believe that since the only thing I have added to the environment is the new BIOS code. If anybody can suggest a course of action to correct any of these problems I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks.

Russell Netter.

 

[Mem]

Welome to AT (Anandtech)btw what motherboard do you have?... I presume you have tried "failsafe defaults" in bios if so I would think about a reformat and clean install of OS and start adding hardware one at a time.

 

[Rnetter]

I've got a Tyan S1897 Micro-ATX (I think they call it a TigerCub 100). As for reinstalling the OSes, I have done that a number of times because some of the attempts that I have made to correct the error have really screwed things up. I also tried loading the BIOS defaults but it did not do me any good.

Russ.

 

[kimy9131]

start from scratch.use ONLY a floppy, cdrom, and your hard drive.format.load your os.load your motherboard drivers.reboot.load video drivers.shutdown.install sound card into pci#2.boot up,load sound drivers.shutdown.install modem into pci33.BOOT UP, AND LOAD YOUR MODEM DRIVERS.

 

[Rnetter]

Kimy9131,

I have already tried the procedure that you outlined with the exception of the Audio chip. This is an on-board chip
so I have no way of removing it during the OS install or changing the position of it. As for the Modem and Ethernet
cards, I have already tried them in different slots with no success. However, I thank you for the suggestion.