New bios for Soyo 6BA+IV, but...

[6583]

there's a problem. I have tried the one before the latest one, but even this one still not working, the bios updates the HPT driver to 1.28. When it comes the blue Highpoing-tech screen, the "www.highpoint-tech.com" sign gone, and became something like "japan...power you up". This problem is I can't boot at all. Tell me if anyone here have or not same problem. Thanks

6583

 

[peemo]

Happened to me too!

I recovered by bootign again with the system disk containing the awdflash.exe prog and the BAD 6ba42ba4.bin bios. I navigated from the a: prompt to where I had the old but good 6ba42ba3.bin bios then copied it to the floppy. I then reflashed with the 2ba3 bios and was able to get my system working again.

WTF! Did some prankster at Soyo post teh new bios? You're right, it says "Value Me Up!" or some such nonsense and the machine hangs after verifying DMI pool - update success.

I'm going to write to Soyo and I suggest you do too. I can email you teh 6ba42ba3.bin bios file if you need it. Just let me know.

Good luck.

 

[mastertech01]

May be a problem with some Soyo flash programs.. I just purchased one that had been recently updated and then it wouldnt save settings upon reboot.. I havent toyed with it but the guy who owned it was pretty well experienced with computers and he finally sold it off because of the problems.

 

[Kanly]

I just flashed to the ba4 bios yesteday with no problems.

You guys sure you went into the bios and loaded setup default right after the reboot from the flash?

(I know you will probably say yes but just checking)

 

[peemo]

DukeLeto,

Yup loaded system defaults and turned my PIII700 into a 466. Tried to get into Windows with default settings but no luck.

Could you specify the exact order of steps you took to upgrade? E.g. boot from floppy, run awflash.exe, etc.

Where did you download the new bios from? Soyo USA? Soyo Taiwan? Where did you get the awdflash.exe programme? What does your Highpoint bios screen look like on boot up? Does it show "Value Me Up" and some third party company in Japan? Highpoint?

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Kanly]

Peemo, ok my short-term memory isn't what it used to be but:

1) Got the bios from a webnews link on the frontpage of Anand's that took me to the Taiwan ftp site I believe.

2) The Awadflash.exe is one that I downloaded from the US site a few months ago.

3)After all of my successful bios upgrades, my 600E always becomes a 400 in the first post. I go right into the bios and change it.

4) The HighPoint bios screen is something like Valu-Me up.

My Steps for flash:

1) Boot with flash floppy
2) Run flash exe
3) I don't save the bios because I have a floppy with each of my previous bioses on it
4) Watch little progress meter
5) Reboot system
6) As system reboots, hold down Ins key
7) At Post screen, wrong CPU speed is there.
8) Enter Bios and load setup defaults
9) Reboot
10)Enter Bios and change CPU speed
11) loads into windows
12) Reboot and enter bios to put settings back where I had them.

I'm preety sure that's how it went

 

[peemo]

Well, that's what I did too. At first I thought it might be the awdflash.exe but I can rule that out since it sucessfully reflashed to 6ba42ba3. Maybe something to do with my particular drives or boot order. I guess I'll talk to a local shop I know that uses a lot of Soyo boards and see whether they have had similar experiences.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Kanly]

My HD is a Western Digital

I have found little difference in the boot options between SCSI or ATA, and the A,C, SCSI options. Maybe that's just me though.

I have heard of prolems with the IBM 75GXP and HighPoint that some of these new bioses were supposed to fix. Only other problem I heard of was with WinMe and the 75GXP.

Good luck peemo.

I've also found the alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.soyo newsgroup to be very informative.

 

[6583]

Thanks for all the messages. Btw, I thought no reply after I posted it for about 2 days. Anyway, I just talked to my friend about my problem, and he said he read something from forum. He said there's someone had the same problem like mine, and after that he unplugged all the harddrives then only perform the bios flashing and then plug it back. That's it. I will try later, and hope it works for us.

6583

 

[peemo]

I think the new 2ba4 bios doesn't recognize my boot sector. I don't know why. I'm staying with the 2ba3 bios for now. I don't see why you shoul dhave to unplud your drive to flash the bios; in fact, that sounds a bit risky.

Good luck 6583. Let us know what happens.

 

[Kanly]

I read in the soyo newsgroup that the ba4 bios got pulled from the soyo site, haven't checked myself.

 

[peemo]

Looks like that suspect 2ba4 bios is still available from both Soyo Taiwan and Soyo USA. Hey Soyo! Look into it!

 

[Kanly]

Well, so much for the newsgroup, lol



Maybe I'll be less lazy next time and check for myself before posting.

Edit: Just checked and the post mentioned it was taken off the European site.

And, indeed it is not on the Netherlands list of upgrades.

Very strange.

 

[6583]

Hi Peemo:
I know this is weird that I said we might have to unplug the hard before flashing the bios, but I'm not sure why you said it is risky to do so. Please explain or share your idea. Btw, I haven't flashed my bios yet.

6583

 

[peemo]

Ack! That bastard bios is on the Soyo Germany site too. The newsgroup are rife with complaints about failuire to boot or to assign IRQs or just crashes by people who got "Valued-Up" by System TALKS Inc..

6583,

I don't know much about setting up hard drives so don't rely on any advice I give you. If it were me, I wouldn't want to get part way through a bios flash and not have my hard drive plugged in. If the new bios doesn't correctly recognize the boot sector then what happens when you plug your drive in? I assume that you have a boot floppy disk with 2ba3.bin on it as well as the new System-F*cks bios? I guess you could recover like I did by reflashing if your hard drive isn't available.

At this point, why risk trying extra measures to use a beta bios created by a third party which is known to casue problems?

Relax, have a beer, upgrade something else...