How do I???

[zolp]

I was just wondering,
How do I flash/update the mobo's bios when the PC can't even boot (for example, when the mobo needs a bios update to support the CPU, so the PC can't boot until you update it) is there any way? Or am I stuck with having to send it back to the retailer/producer to do it?

 

[sykopath79]

You would need to insert an older CPU that the current BIOS will support, flash the BIOS, then swap CPUs and put the new one in.

 

[VictorLazlo]

If you have another computer sitting around with the same (or almost the same) motherboard, you could do a hot flash.

 

[VictorLazlo]

I don't know what kind of motherboard we are talking about here, but perhaps you could underclock the CPU (with jumpers) just long enough to get the bios flashed.

 

[sykopath79]

Originally posted by: VictorLazlo
If you have another computer sitting around with the same (or almost the same) motherboard, you could do a hot flash.

Don't you have to be middle-aged and female for hot flashes?

Serious: what do you mean by hot flash?

 

[VictorLazlo]

Originally posted by: sykopath79

Originally posted by: VictorLazlo
If you have another computer sitting around with the same (or almost the same) motherboard, you could do a hot flash.

Don't you have to be middle-aged and female for hot flashes?

Serious: what do you mean by hot flash?

If you happen to have another computer nearby with the same motherboard, you can:
boot the working machine
pop out the bios chip while the machine is running.
insert the bad bios chip
flash the bios
return both bios chips to their origional boards.

Needless to say, this is a delicate and risky procedure. I worked at a computer repair shop a few years ago, and we saved a couple of motherboards this way.

 

[Calin]

Yes, I heard that kind of "operation" worked once. At the fourth try... and it wasn't even the exactly same type of mainboard.

Calin