HELP!!!BIOS ROM Check Sum Error????What?

[alm99]

I upgraded last nnight. Went from and Abit BX6Rev2 to KT7A-Raid. I have the MB, Vid, HDD, Floppy, and DVD-Rom installed. The computer boots up, I get the first screen where it supposed to check the RAM and cpu speed, but instead it gives me:

BIOS ROM CHECK SUM ERROR

DETECTING FLOPPY DRIVE A MEDIA
DRIVE MEDIA IS 1.44MB

From there I put in the Driver disk that came with the MB and nothing, I get Non-Sytem disk. Help, what should I do? This is the first time I have ever put in a MB and don't know where to go from here.

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

The error you're getting indicates that the BIOS chip of you motherboard has failed during the CHECKSUM test. It could also be that another component in your computer is causing the system to fail at POST. This often generates the same error. Did you flash your BIOS recently? Did you buy this mobo used? I would pull everything but the bare minimum out and see if the system will boot. Then add the other devices back in until you see the error again...whammo, you've found the bad hardware. If you have more than one DIMM, try isolating for a bad stick. Good luck!



(Bare minimum)

-PSU
-CPU
-mobo
-RAM
-Video card
-HDD

 

[alm99]

I bought the MB off someone here in the FS/FT forum, who claimed it was new. I tried it with the bare minimum and still having the same problems.

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

Looks like someone sold you a board with a bad BIOS chip...

If this was a CMOS checksum error you could just reset the BIOS via the jumper or replace the battery, but a BIOS checksum error means the actual BIOS has been damaged or corrupted. I don't think you will even be able to flash the BIOS (hard to do when it won't POST) but you could certainly "hot swap" a BIOS chip so that you could do a flash. Know anyone with a KT7A-Raid? Actually, any KT7A CMOS would probably work...maybe even a KT7 CMOS!

Good luck!

 

[tweakmm]

nm, you said bios not cmos

 

[pcclub2000]

somebody flashed bios wrong.
try to reset the bios with the jumper or take the bios batterie out for a few minutes.
I fit still doesn't work, then you will need a new bios.

 

[Markfw]

I have this motherboard. Is it the raid version ? Did you plug the HD in the regular or the RAID socket ? Did it say to press F1 to enter BIOS, F2 to Continue ? If so, did you try F1 ? And if it went into BIOS, did you try autodetecting the HD ? DON'T flash the BIOS unless you are sure of all the facts and you have done it before. If you make a mistake there, you trash the motherboard !!

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

I have this motherboard. Is it the raid version ? Did you plug the HD in the regular or the RAID socket ? Did it say to press F1 to enter BIOS, F2 to Continue ? If so, did you try F1 ? And if it went into BIOS, did you try autodetecting the HD ? DON'T flash the BIOS unless you are sure of all the facts and you have done it before. If you make a mistake there, you trash the motherboard !!


Hey Markfw900, welcome to Anandtech.

I think alm99's options are a bit limited in what he can do. Since the BIOS is failing the check sum test he won't be able to enter it using F1 or DEL. I don't think using the RAID headers would be a problem as they default to standard ATA100 controllers when a RAID array has not been created. Autodetection of the HDD should not cause this problem either, in my experience.

 

[LordAccord]

Id talk to who you bought it from first of all....

LoRdAccord

 

[Markfw]

ST4RCUTTER/alm99: On this motherboard when you first buy it (speaking from experience) The very first time it boots, it gives the checksum error and that prompt about F1... to enter BIOS setup (maybe just my BIOS version??). Also, when you plug a drive into the RAID port, and there is no RAID array setup sucCessfully, it will not see ANY hard drives at boot time (fairly sure of this, maybe when I get home tonight I can try on my KT7A-raid this again to verify with a spare HD).

ST4RCUTTER: Thanks for the Welcome. I have set-up about 200 PC's over the last 9 years for all of my family and friends, but this is my first entry into the forum. ( a week ago). When you know how to help and do it for free, you get a lot more friends by word of mouth!

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

On this motherboard when you first buy it (speaking from experience) The very first time it boots, it gives the checksum error and that prompt about F1... to enter BIOS setup (maybe just my BIOS version??). Also, when you plug a drive into the RAID port, and there is no RAID array setup sucCessfully, it will not see ANY hard drives at boot time (fairly sure of this, maybe when I get home tonight I can try on my KT7A-raid this again to verify with a spare HD).


Good points here. I've only experience with the KT7-RAID, but from what I've read over at Paul's Unofficial KT7 site, which you should bookmark alm99, is that pressing the DEL key at this screen might get you into the BIOS. Try that out and let us know if it works. Personally, I've never experienced a BIOS CHECKSUM error unless I overclocked the mutha' out of a board. Paul says that all the boards use the same BIOS chip also. As far as using non-RAIDed drives on the RAID controllers, you can...you just have to have Highpoint controllers enabled on the Integrated Peripherals screen.

 

[alm99]

I have tried everything suggested, holding del, F1, the hdd is not in the RAID controllers, taken the battery out, nothing. I do not even get a prompt to press F1. All I get is:
BIOS check sum error
Detecting Floppy Drive Media
Drive Media is 1.44mb

thats it..I can't go beyond that, I insert every system disk I have(Win98 boot disk, HDD format, anything) nothing works.

P.S. I also told the person I bought it from about the problem and since they had guaranteed it Non-DOA that I would like a refund. He told me that since he had never touched the MB that I should contact ABit(Basically saying its my problem now). I thought of doing that, but he guaranteed it Non-DOA and now I am asking for a refund. Is it reasonable to ask for my money back?

 

[SaturnX]

P.S. I also told the person I bought it from about the problem and since they had guaranteed it Non-DOA that I would like a refund. He told me that since he had never touched the MB that I should contact ABit(Basically saying its my problem now). I thought of doing that, but he guaranteed it Non-DOA and now I am asking for a refund. Is it reasonable to ask for my money back?

I've been seeing this a lot on the FS/T Forums, people saying something is brand new and working, but without even testing it to know for sure. You can't claim something works if you haven't even used it yourself. Personally, I feel you're entitled to a refund, or even, have the seller cover the $25 cost for RMA-ing the board directly to Abit.

Best of luck,

--Mark