What did I break? (flashed bios)

[Guywiththegun]

I have a cheap ECS GF7050-VT that I got with a C2D a couple of years ago. It was a Fry's deal that I actually got from somebody on Ebay (live nowhere near a Fry's).

Anyway, I've never updated the bios, until I recently installed Windows 7 x64 and had some crashing issues with Left 4 Dead 2. After running through several unsuccessful "solutions", I flashed the MB bios. It seemed to go fine, but no "finished" prompt came up or anything. It just stopped. I exited out, rebooted, and now I get this "Bad Checksum" and "Date/Time not set" error at boot-up. It forces me into Setup, where I change the date/time, disable A: drive, etc. I boot up again, and the same error comes up.

I've read this is a battery issue, but is that really the case? Why would the battery just die after flashing bios? Some horrible coincidence?

That's not the end of it. I can get into Windows 7 still, but its horribly slow and Windows claims it is not genuine now! Its telling me I may be a victim of piracy. No, I'm not. What is going on?

I've decided to build a new PC (its about time anyway), but I still want to figure out whats going on with this thing so I can use it as a spare somewhere. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[dma0991]

Those messages that show up during POST is a common problem with the CMOS battery. As to why it died while you were flashing your BIOS is unknown and if you have not changed the battery before then it could mean that it chose to die out naturally while you were flashing your BIOS.

As for the non genuine Windows 7, that problem is caused because your system time has changed. Windows 7 was released in 2009 and if your system time has reset to a time before that then it would recognize it as not genuine because it does not make sense to the OS that you are running before it was even created. I think of it as more of a bug that Microsoft didn't bother fixing.

 

[Guywiththegun]

Thanks. You think I could just take a battery off an older MB or are there specific types for certain MB's?

 

[dma0991]

The CMOS battery is standard sized and I have replaced a motherboard's battery with another from an older motherboard without any problems unless the battery from your older motherboard is also dead.

 

[deimos3428]

Did you move a jumper on the motherboard to clear the CMOS as part of the process by any chance? If so, make sure it's back to normal -- or it'll keep on clearing your CMOS for you.

 

[Guywiththegun]

No, I didn't do anything but use the flash utility in the download zip. I'll try the other battery as soon as I get home.

 

[Fayd]

turn off, clear CMOS.

turn on, set optimized defaults in bios settings.

save, reboot. set whatever specific settings you have.

this *should* work.

 

[Guywiththegun]

Well, nothing is working. I've tried two separate batteries and I still get the same thing. I don't get it. I'm about to just junk this thing and get a mini-ITX C2D motherboard for an HTPC. I'll never buy ECS again.

 

[jackstar7]

When you flashed, was it via a USB stick? You mentioned a utility, but was that within Windows?

If it was me, I'd check all the files and such and try another flash (maybe first to an earlier bios, then back to the new one). But I'd use a USB stick outside of Windows method if one is available.

Since you're basically saying you don't have much to lose... well... these are my nothing to lose ideas.

Good luck!

 

[Guywiththegun]

Yeah, it was within Windows. The DOS version doesn't even work for me.

 

[dma0991]

It could be that the unfinished BIOS flashing caused it to be partially corrupt. I've heard before that any interruption during flashing would result in a dead board but to still get to the OS is still good. Try flashing your BIOS again with the original or a stable version.

 

[Guywiththegun]

I know, right? I'm using this motherboard right now to type this message. It seems like a shame to trash it. It makes no sense, it must be fixable if its fully functional like this.

Maybe I should just yell at it.

Tomorrow I'll find the old CD that came with it, maybe there's something on there I could use. Ugh.

 

[Iron Woode]

you can flash off a cd. You can google lots of examples of how to do this.

After a reboot go into the BIOS and click load setup defaults. Save and exit. Then try the system out.