VOGONS


Reply 400 of 412, by smtkr

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
DenizOezmen wrote on 2024-05-26, 11:25:
smtkr wrote on 2024-05-23, 22:55:

Have you checked in the video BIOS?

Do you mean the video BIOS of a graphics card? No, I wouldn't suspect chipset-specific programming there(?). The mainboard BIOS does not have a video BIOS of its own. Up to now, I've looked in the main image and the boot block.

Yes, the VGA BIOS on the video card. I was under the impression that SBA and fastwrite were on the video card side.

Reply 401 of 412, by Danger Manfred

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I flashed the BIOS of my ASUS CUBX from a real floppy using aflash.exe and the BIOS provided here, then swapped my PIII 733 for a Via C3 1200A (Nehemiah).
Voltage is correctly set to 1.45 curiously, but the CPU isn't recognized, instead it defaults to a Pentium II w/ 9*100 MHz and no cache whatsoever.
Almost looks like the BIOS did nothing at all, despite the flashtool saying the BIOS had been flashed correctly.

Anyone got an idea why this is the case? Or can I just use a different flashtool to make sure the update did really work?

Reply 402 of 412, by darry

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
Danger Manfred wrote on 2024-05-26, 20:55:
I flashed the BIOS of my ASUS CUBX from a real floppy using aflash.exe and the BIOS provided here, then swapped my PIII 733 for […]
Show full quote

I flashed the BIOS of my ASUS CUBX from a real floppy using aflash.exe and the BIOS provided here, then swapped my PIII 733 for a Via C3 1200A (Nehemiah).
Voltage is correctly set to 1.45 curiously, but the CPU isn't recognized, instead it defaults to a Pentium II w/ 9*100 MHz and no cache whatsoever.
Almost looks like the BIOS did nothing at all, despite the flashtool saying the BIOS had been flashed correctly.

Anyone got an idea why this is the case? Or can I just use a different flashtool to make sure the update did really work?

As a first step
a) make sure you used the right file when flashing (maybe retry the flash with a freshly re-downloaded file, just in case)
b) dump/save the current BIOS on your motherboard and compare it with the one you think was flashed.

If you confirm that that right file was used and that the BIOS is not actually getting written, I suggest that you make sure there is no read protect jumper set on the motherboard or some similar setting the CMOS setup.

Reply 403 of 412, by shevalier

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
smtkr wrote on 2024-05-26, 17:50:
DenizOezmen wrote on 2024-05-26, 11:25:
smtkr wrote on 2024-05-23, 22:55:

Have you checked in the video BIOS?

Do you mean the video BIOS of a graphics card? No, I wouldn't suspect chipset-specific programming there(?). The mainboard BIOS does not have a video BIOS of its own. Up to now, I've looked in the main image and the boot block.

Yes, the VGA BIOS on the video card. I was under the impression that SBA and fastwrite were on the video card side.

Not for all cards have BIOS editors
For Matrox, for example, I have not heard of the existence of editors.
Sometimes the driver forcibly turns on SBA and you have to use RivaTuner.
Sometimes the card is used with different motherboards.
By setting the motherboard BIOS, this can be done more quickly and reliably.

Aopen MX3S, PIII-S Tualatin 1133, Radeon 9800Pro@XT BIOS, Diamond monster sound MX300
JetWay K8T8AS, Athlon DH-E6 3000+, Radeon HD2600Pro AGP, Audigy 2 Value

Reply 404 of 412, by Danger Manfred

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
darry wrote on 2024-05-26, 22:56:
As a first step a) make sure you used the right file when flashing (maybe retry the flash with a freshly re-downloaded file, jus […]
Show full quote

As a first step
a) make sure you used the right file when flashing (maybe retry the flash with a freshly re-downloaded file, just in case)
b) dump/save the current BIOS on your motherboard and compare it with the one you think was flashed.

If you confirm that that right file was used and that the BIOS is not actually getting written, I suggest that you make sure there is no read protect jumper set on the motherboard or some similar setting the CMOS setup.

Did both, I used the right file and it differs from the BIOS currently on the board (that being the unmodified version 1008.004).
The board does not have anything like a r/w protection jumper or CMOS setting.

However, during my second attempt at flashing the target BIOS, I noticed that aflash.exe doesn't offer me to "Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD" but rather "Update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD"!

Is there an alternative tool that should work for this kind of BIOS (Award Medallion BIOS v6.0)?

Reply 405 of 412, by Gmlb256

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Danger Manfred wrote on 2024-05-27, 05:16:

Is there an alternative tool that should work for this kind of BIOS (Award Medallion BIOS v6.0)?

Would UniFlash help?

Didn't need it for my ASUS P2-99, but I used it on a Socket 7 Gigabyte motherboard to update the BIOS with no problems.

VIA C3 Nehemiah 1.2A @ 1.46 GHz | ASUS P2-99 | 256 MB PC133 SDRAM | GeForce3 Ti 200 64 MB | Voodoo2 12 MB | SBLive! | AWE64 | SBPro2 | GUS

Reply 406 of 412, by Danger Manfred

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Gmlb256 wrote on 2024-05-27, 13:23:

Would UniFlash help?

I was hopeful, but this is really weird.

Unlike Aflash, Uniflash doesn't even detect the BIOS chip, refuses to write to it, and even asks whether I missed to disable write protection.

I don't see any BIOS write protection settings in the BIOS settings, nor do I see a jumper on the board, the manual also doesn't mention either.

I must be making some stupid mistake here.

Reply 407 of 412, by Gmlb256

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
Danger Manfred wrote on 2024-05-27, 14:14:
I was hopeful, but this is really weird. […]
Show full quote
Gmlb256 wrote on 2024-05-27, 13:23:

Would UniFlash help?

I was hopeful, but this is really weird.

Unlike Aflash, Uniflash doesn't even detect the BIOS chip, refuses to write to it, and even asks whether I missed to disable write protection.

I don't see any BIOS write protection settings in the BIOS settings, nor do I see a jumper on the board, the manual also doesn't mention either.

I must be making some stupid mistake here.

Tried the -ASUS command line switch?

VIA C3 Nehemiah 1.2A @ 1.46 GHz | ASUS P2-99 | 256 MB PC133 SDRAM | GeForce3 Ti 200 64 MB | Voodoo2 12 MB | SBLive! | AWE64 | SBPro2 | GUS

Reply 408 of 412, by Danger Manfred

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Gmlb256 wrote on 2024-05-27, 14:51:

Tried the -ASUS command line switch?

I hadn't but I tried just now, and it keeps freezing my PC before I get to the options, at the exact same spot.

There is a blinking cursor that is not visible in the picture, and the computer no longer responds to anything like CRTL+C or CRT+ALT+DEL, only hard reset or hard power down.

Here is a comparison of without vs with the -asus switch.

As you can see, with the -asus switch it does succeed top identify the Flash ROM chip, but hangs between displaying PCI chipset and Last Write Status.

When the -asus switch is not used, "Redetect FLash ROM" changes nothing.

EDIT: I then swapped the CPU from VIA C3 1200A (Nehemiah) to PIII 850 (Coppermine) which does get detected properly, including cache, thinking that might help (I suspected the "missing" cache might be causing issues).

So with the PIII Coppermine the result is still the same with uniflash without the -asus switch, but WITH it, it gets farther now: it detects everything and then instantly reboots /facepalm.

I saved a logfile from that, though. Here are my attempts with the VIA C3 and the PIII:

18:36:56.79: UniFlash v1.40 started: A:\UNIFLASH.EXE -log -asus
18:36:57.83: Asus flash interface enabled
18:36:58.54: Chipset detected: Intel AGPSet 440BX/ZX [ASUS FLASH]
18:36:59.37: Flat Real Mode initialized
18:37:00.19: CMOS size detected: 256b
18:37:00.96: Found DMI 2.3 board info: ASUSTeK Computer INC. <CUBX> REV 1.xx
18:37:01.73: Detected Award BIOS ID: <CUBX>
18:39:42.33: UniFlash v1.40 started: A:\UNIFLASH.EXE -log
18:39:42.88: Chipset detected: Intel AGPSet 440BX/ZX
18:39:43.65: Flat Real Mode initialized
18:39:45.90: CMOS size detected: 256b
18:39:46.23: Found DMI 2.3 board info: ASUSTeK Computer INC. <CUBX> REV 1.xx
18:39:47.06: Detected Award BIOS ID: <CUBX>
18:39:47.82: Intel method: reg $4C = 00200009
18:39:48.65: Intel method: reg $4C changed to 02E40009
18:39:49.47: System ROM selected
18:39:50.24: Beginning Flash ROM detection...
18:39:51.06: DetectLoop
18:39:51.89: DetectLoop
18:39:52.66: Flash ROM detection complete
18:39:53.43: Allocating memory block 00020000
18:39:54.25: Flash ROM chip not detected
18:39:56.28: Flash ROM ID: FFFF,FFFF
18:39:56.78: UniFlash running in interactive mode
18:40:02.10: Exiting UniFlash...
18:40:02.82: Intel method: restoring reg $4C from 02E40009
18:40:03.42: Turning off logging, shutting down to real mode
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:53:52.47: UniFlash v1.40 started: A:\UNIFLASH.EXE -log -asus
18:53:53.02: Asus flash interface enabled
18:53:53.79: Chipset detected: Intel AGPSet 440BX/ZX [ASUS FLASH]
18:53:54.34: Flat Real Mode initialized
18:53:55.00: CMOS size detected: 256b
18:53:55.76: Found DMI 2.3 board info: ASUSTeK Computer INC. <CUBX> REV 1.xx
18:53:57.47: Detected Award BIOS ID: <CUBX>
18:53:57.85: Asus flash interface - flash enable
18:53:58.57: System ROM selected
18:53:59.17: Beginning Flash ROM detection...
18:53:59.77: DetectLoop
18:54:00.38: DetectLoop
18:54:00.98: Flash ROM detection complete
18:54:01.53: Allocating memory block 00040000
18:54:02.14: Allocating memory block 00040000
18:54:02.74: Allocating memory block 00020080
18:54:03.34: Flash ROM chip detected: PMC Pm29F002T/5V
18:54:03.95: Flash ROM ID: 9D1D,FFFF

Other things I've tried: taking out the BIOS chip, cleaning it with IPA, putting it back (in case there had been oxidization or it wasn't seated properly); Underclocking the PIII 850 to 566 MHz.

EDIT: Also tried AWDFlash now.

Reply 409 of 412, by DenizOezmen

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Danger Manfred wrote on 2024-05-27, 05:16:
Did both, I used the right file and it differs from the BIOS currently on the board (that being the unmodified version 1008.004) […]
Show full quote
darry wrote on 2024-05-26, 22:56:
As a first step a) make sure you used the right file when flashing (maybe retry the flash with a freshly re-downloaded file, jus […]
Show full quote

As a first step
a) make sure you used the right file when flashing (maybe retry the flash with a freshly re-downloaded file, just in case)
b) dump/save the current BIOS on your motherboard and compare it with the one you think was flashed.

If you confirm that that right file was used and that the BIOS is not actually getting written, I suggest that you make sure there is no read protect jumper set on the motherboard or some similar setting the CMOS setup.

Did both, I used the right file and it differs from the BIOS currently on the board (that being the unmodified version 1008.004).
The board does not have anything like a r/w protection jumper or CMOS setting.

However, during my second attempt at flashing the target BIOS, I noticed that aflash.exe doesn't offer me to "Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD" but rather "Update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD"!

Is there an alternative tool that should work for this kind of BIOS (Award Medallion BIOS v6.0)?

Don't really have an idea why flashing does not work, so just two notes here:

  • Aflash only shows the option to program the boot block when started with the parameter /boot. This might be worth a try ...
  • A BIOS dump might differ from the source file even when flashed correctly, because the BIOS will store ESCD and DMI data on the chip. In case of the CUBX, I guess this area should be in the range 0x38000 - 0x39fff. As long as the differences are only in this range, flashing was successful. (But I doubt that's the case here.)

Edit: I assume the marking on the chip actually identifies it as a PM29F002?

Reply 410 of 412, by Kahenraz

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

You might need to get an EEPROM programmer if you're unable to flash the chip otherwise. At least then you'll be able to confirm that everything has been written to the BIOS chip as expected.

Reply 411 of 412, by Danger Manfred

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Kahenraz wrote on 2024-05-27, 19:57:

You might need to get an EEPROM programmer if you're unable to flash the chip otherwise. At least then you'll be able to confirm that everything has been written to the BIOS chip as expected.

Ordered a new BIOS chip to an acquaintance of mine who does own one, after he flashed the chip for me, it now works flawlessly!

If I should test anything, feel free to tell me. I have some different Coppermine CPUs, (733, 800, 850, 866 MHz), a 500 MHz Celeron, a 1200 MHz Celeron and the VIA I currently use.

Although running the FSB at 133 MHz raises AGP frequency to 89 MHz (33 PCI, 8 ISA), the S3 Savage 4 Pro 32 MB seems happy with it.

I'll try a 60 GB SATA SSD on an IDE converter next.

Reply 412 of 412, by karakarga

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

People fixing SSD drives for retro systems are silly?

Why because, those operating systems are not for SSD units, no trim, no delayed writing etc. their lifespan shortens. But, if you say that, 60 GB is too tiny to use for today's new operating systems, well then. Another fact is that, a good old Pata 40GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 for example, is really fast, no complications, much better support by software. You can use DiscWizard and can partition 2GB units more than 4. Like C, D, E, F, + disk sizes, 32 GB jumper can be used as well for 60+ GB drives to left drive letters for CD & DVD Rom drives and Ram disk. Maximum capacity is 750 GB with Seagate 7200.10 series if 48 bit LBA is supported by the controller. You can find many HDD utilities, but with a SSD they will? Unknown behavior. To install a SSD hassle free, you need to install Windows 7 for true support for SSD drives. Because of Slot 1 & Socket 370 systems can not complete Windows 7 updates after install, it is not possible for Pentium III systems good for SSD drive support.

For a BX chipset, only Gigabyte can adjust fsb 133 with 33 fsb bus, those two are Gigabyte GA‑BX2000+ and Gigabyte GA‑BX2000 as far as I know. Long periods of use with 89 fsb is too much to be stay at safe limits.

16 MHz signal can be boosted upto 20 MHz safely, this is the difference between 32 bit 16 MHz EISA bus to IBM 32 bit 20 MHz MCA (micro channel architecture) the percentage is 1,25 a 89 MHz is over from it, 1,33 times. I personally increased my Pentium 83 MHz overdrive to 90 MHz speed with the help of 16 MHz to 17,5 MHz oscillator replacement. I did not push it harder to 24 MHz to achieve 100 MHz because of the onboard IC regulator, not to be blown up!

Why do you need 133 fsb? Because of speed or being a fanatic of Pentium III? For old operating systems they need AGP cards because of driver issue. An AGP card can be plugged on a 478 pin processor based mainboard as well. They optionally use double channel ram and many more GB. Before they become retro and really expensive, try to obtain a good old 478 pin mainboard if you need more speed. They have SSE2 instructions as well, todays browsers strictly need SSE2 minimum! I have managed to find a Tualatin Pentium ııı/S 1400 MHz Intel 815E mainboard, but the memory limit is 512 MB maximum. Add on Highpoint, Adaptec, Silicon Image cards can not boot as an external controller, many pentium 3 mainboards are bad at that point. Pentium 4 mainboards do not have this issue. You may even have a HT processor on them, either SD-Ram, Rambus Ram and DDR ram are good with them. Nearly all Pentium 4 mainboards have onboard sound and ethernet cards, not necessary to buy extra PCI cards for Pentium 3 mainboards to add these. I have a Pentium 4 2400 MHz 512 kb cache 400 fsb Northwood processor on Asus P4T533-C mainboard. I have pushed it to 533 fsb and managed to run it at 3200 MHz stable after applying 1,65 Volts instead of 1.5 Volts. Pentium 4 2000 does not need even Voltage increase for 2666 MHz likewise. So you do not need to stick on Pentium 3 variant. If an ISA card is needed they are really hard to find and expensive. Do not waste your money for them, ISA cards are totally obsolete.