BIOSTAR SUCKS! (Windows BIOS flash problem)

[VirtualLarry]

Well, I got in on a combo deal a while back at Newegg, combo for a Rosewill mid-tower ATX case, and a BIOSTAR 6150 AM2+ motherboard for $40. I got two of them. Used both cases, had mobos lying around.

Put one of the mobos into a nice micro-ATX case, along with a HD, DVD burner, and a BE-2300 (1.9Ghz dual-core).

Installed Win7 HP 64-bit no problems, all drivers automatically installed by Windows.

Decided to update the BIOS, before I activated Win7, just so I wouldn't have to activate again after flashing it.

That was the start of all of my troubles.

I went to www.biostar.com.tw , found the mobo.
http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/content.php?S_ID=370

Clicked on BIOS. There are two available, so I downloaded both. Note that the newest uploaded version, has a lower numeric suffix on the actual file. Not a good sign, which one is newer?

Worse, there's only a Windows flasher program, no DOS flash! Uh-oh number 2.

I crossed my fingers, figured, what could go wrong with a BIOS flash, it's a fresh install, no conflicting drivers, the flash program says it works with Win7 64-bit explicitly.

So I run the flash program, it shows me the BIOS date of 9/3/09. So I click on the BIOS I downloaded with the most recent date, figuring the flash program will tell me the date of the BIOS embedded in the file itself. Nope. Right away, it starts by erasing the flash, programming the main BIOS, verifying the main BIOS, and get this - then it flashes the BOOTBLOCK. Horrors! And it didn't verify the bootblock that I could see.

It prompted me to reboot, and then I did.

It never came back up.

Hit reset, no boot, no video out of the integrated VGA port.

Powered off, on, same deal, no video signal even.

So I did what I could, I removed the CMOS battery, and I left it sitting that way, until I can get back to it later today.

What a mess. At least I have an identical backup board. Such a hassle, all because BIOSTAR doesn't provide a DOS flash utility.

 

[Texashiker]

A lot of motherboards have a keystroke that you can push on boot to restore the original bios settings. Have you looked to see if that board has a bios backup, and a key stroke to restore it?

I tried to update a supermicro MB a few years ago and the same thing happened. But the board I was dealing with had a way to restore the original settings. Just hold down certain keys on boot, and the original bios was restored.

 

[WT]

I feel for ya, Larry. I just flashed a Biostar AM2 board last week and ran into the same nonsense. The website is a mess, and you'll find the occasional mixup with the BIOS listings just like you did.

Worst part was, the WarpSpeeder III OC'ing utility that I had been using (since I couldn't get the OC to work from the BIOS) locks up tightly every time I use it. The 3600+ I use previously hit 2800mhz using that utility, but after the flash it just locks up the PC tight.

Tis a shame you bit on that deal, as I considered it for a build, but it was just too budget for my tastes. AM3 capable, but using an old 6150 onboard setup ??

Its like my buddy always says when I mention a BIOS flash .... 'If it ain't broke ....'

 

[VirtualLarry]

A lot of motherboards have a keystroke that you can push on boot to restore the original bios settings.

I tried holding down "Ins" and powering on. That was the fail-safe CMOS settings keystroke for AMI BIOSes, I think. I don't know if there's a fail-safe for other BIOS vendors.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Its like my buddy always says when I mention a BIOS flash .... 'If it ain't broke ....'

Yeah. I hear you (now). I generally tend to try to update everything to the newest possible, meaning drivers, BIOS, etc., when installing a new rig. I wanted also to make certain that this mobo could take all of the Athlon II/Phenom II CPUs, in case I upgraded the BE-2300 to an Athlon II X4 chip.

After reading the CPU support list, it seems like they were already supported in the shipping BIOS.

Edit: It appears that these boards aren't in my newegg history. I must have had a friend order them for me. Oh well. At least I have a spare.

The funny thing is, it didn't hang or anything during the flash process, so in theory, it flashed up OK. I just wonder what's going on here.

 

[BTA]

Updated my Biostar AM3 board and had no issue.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, good news. It lives! Leaving the battery out for like 4 hours didn't help, but I took the case apart and found the clear CMOS jumper, and used that, and then it booted right back up. Strange. Ah well, disaster averted.

 

[WT]

Well, good news. It lives! Leaving the battery out for like 4 hours didn't help, but I took the case apart and found the clear CMOS jumper, and used that, and then it booted right back up. Strange. Ah well, disaster averted.

:thumbsup: Always good to hear of a crisis averted. Did you make a backup of the BIOS before the flash as well ? Not that it would do you any good if the board was nuked anyhow.
This was only the second time I have flashed from within Windows, and as a rule I do not do a Windows flash, but in our case, there was no option.

Funny thing is, I was strongly considering a Biostar board for my next build. Not that I'm ruling it out, but their newer 880/890 boards are clearly a much better product than the older Biostar boards which feel very PC Chips/ECS-like in their overall quality and support.
Example: When I launched the Warpspeeder III utility when it DID work, there was a typo in the context menu as such "Lanuch Warpspeeder"

 

[faxon]

"windows bios flash" says it all. these things break stuff all the time, the only reliable ones i have ever seen are from HP and even then they can break things if the system isnt stable as well.

 

[Numenorean]

What was the reason for flashing the BIOS? Did the new version have something that you needed?

Next time, only flash a BIOS if the new version has a fix for a problem you're actually having. Otherwise if things are working fine, don't fix it until it's broken.

More advice - never buy a Biostar motherboard. Or ECS for that matter. Complete junk.

 

[Absolution75]

Glad you got your system back up and running


Side note: never had a problem with windows flashes. Using that WinFlash utility is pretty sketchy though. MSI has pretty solid windows bios updates.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Oh, for future reference, it looks like the BIOS is socketed. Biostar did something right.

 

[jjsbasmt]

Surprised to hear of this issue. In the past several years I have built each a Socket 939 Dual Core, and a P4 Socket 478, HT system with Biostar motherboards and have flashed them both from Windows without issue, and both are still in use. One thing I ALWAYS have done is flash with a UPS attached to the computer. Not taking any chances with power issues during a flash.

 

[Dadofamunky]

No BIOS-based flash utility? Every board I've had recently has a flash updater in a page of the actual BIOS screen.

 

[RussianSensation]

"windows bios flash" says it all. these things break stuff all the time, the only reliable ones i have ever seen are from HP and even then they can break things if the system isnt stable as well.

That's nonsense and 10 years ago mindset. The top brands like Gigabyte have been doing Windows BIOS flash for years+ with no issues whatsoever. Juts because BIOSTAR can't develop a proper Windows based flash utility, doesn't mean it can't be done. I only flash in Windows unless I am forced to because the brand doesn't have a Windows based BIOS flash utility. After 3 Gigabyte boards, I have probably gone through 20+ Windows bios flashes with 0 issues.

 

[tcsenter]

I've had to use the clear CMOS jumper on a few boards after a BIOS update in the past year or so.

 

[Tsavo]

That's nonsense and 10 years ago mindset. The top brands like Gigabyte have been doing Windows BIOS flash for years+ with no issues whatsoever. Juts because BIOSTAR can't develop a proper Windows based flash utility, doesn't mean it can't be done. I only flash in Windows unless I am forced to because the brand doesn't have a Windows based BIOS flash utility. After 3 Gigabyte boards, I have probably gone through 20+ Windows bios flashes with 0 issues.

I've done dozens and dozens of BIOS updates via Windows on Gigabyte and Asus boards without problems except once...and had a failed flash on a Gigabyte board that bricked it. Now I only flash with the BIOS flasher or via a DOS thumb drive.

 

[tcsenter]

Just make sure you use the compatibility features; Run as Administrator in compatibility mode for Windows XP.