RetroElectric wrote on 2024-02-03, 23:32:

long story short. first time in my life i killed bios during upgrade. any chances to restore/rewrite/recover? board did not reco […]
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long story short. first time in my life i killed bios during upgrade. any chances to restore/rewrite/recover?
board did not recognized cpu, tried to update bios . cpu was recognised but no hdd detection at all! (in bios setings or during post)
tried downgrade to old bios version. at the end got message - bios successfully updated- restart computer.
after restart Black Screen Of Death. nothing going on, just black screen.
is it possible some how to recover it or get a new programed chip?

Which bios was the original and what did you try to upgrade too ? Where did you get them ? What cpu are you using ?
Pull the label partly off the bios and give us the actual eeprom make and model....
It may be possible to recover but only if the boot block is intact....

added: here is the official bios revision history in PDF, you can compare to this listing https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/msi-ms-5128-tr4#bios
the original bios from archive include the proper flash tool and doc's.....Without asking around would not try the Unicore Software versions with out doing some major research.....

hello

original version was wh78 and i tried to update to unicore2.2 (and it was my mistake ,i shoud do to wh79)

cpu: idt winchip2
i attached some other pictures .
by the way i downloaded from retroweb. and some info is not acurate between ms-5128 v1.1 and ms-5128 v1

and i couldnt find bios executor or flashing program for wh79 version.

attachments are: before upgrade bios and bios chip.

thanks for any help

Options for BIOS recovery in most cases:

1) use an EEPROM programmer like the TL866. Essential kit if you mess around with vintage stuff a lot (not just for this sort of situation, but also to make bootROMS for cards, test SRAM and 74-logic chips etc etc)
2) hot-flash on a different board that supports the same EEPROM chip and a not-too-choosy flash tool (eg. most low end boards and UNIFLASH)
3) bootblock procedure for your BIOS vendor (Award in this case).

I'm assuming you don't have an EEPROM flasher, otherwise you wouldn't have started this topic. Still, once again: order it even if you fix this using another method. Given my hatred of floppy drives (and their media) I generally used to hot-flash before I got my EEPROM programmer. It's theoretically risky but so long as you have minimal hand-eye coordination (and are not drunk when doing it), your board and chips should be safe. Nonetheless, the fact it generally works better on generic low-end stuff than prime high-end boards (with non-standard BIOS stiff - like Asus too often did) is a reassurance.

To prepare, check that the board you will use to flash is actually working and put the ROM image onto something it can access from DOS as well as the UNIFLASH program. Then turn it completely off and loosen its BIOS EEPROM in its socket so it does still (just) make contact, but can easily be lifted out when needed. Then boot the board into DOS and navigate to where the ROM image and UNIFLASH are stored. Now comes the tricky bit: while the system is still running, pull its BIOS EEPROM out of the socket. Then gently and carefully insert the BIOS EEPROM you need to recover. Be sure to get orientation right - don't look at any stickers, only look at the notch at one end. It must line up with the socket. Then flash the chip (UNIFLASH -E IMAGE.ROM).

No errors while flashing? Congratulations. Turn off the flasher computer, remove the EEPROM, put it back into the board you were recovering and see if it works.

Errors? That could have three reasons:
1) doesn't even start? The board probably doesn't like UNIFLASH (try another), or there's a write-protect/enable jumper that needs setting
2) starts but shows errors everywhere on verification? Same.
3) starts but shows errors in one specific spot on verification? Probably your EEPROM is dead. Try another.

Ok I attach the original wh79 bios with the flasher from archive. Maybe it will help.....

added: link to an Amptron pdf about bootblock, hot flash etc... https://www.oocities.org/rrbhaius/recoverbios.pdf

dionb wrote on 2024-02-10, 18:00:

Options for BIOS recovery in most cases: […]
Show full quote

Options for BIOS recovery in most cases:

1) use an EEPROM programmer like the TL866. Essential kit if you mess around with vintage stuff a lot (not just for this sort of situation, but also to make bootROMS for cards, test SRAM and 74-logic chips etc etc)
2) hot-flash on a different board that supports the same EEPROM chip and a not-too-choosy flash tool (eg. most low end boards and UNIFLASH)
3) bootblock procedure for your BIOS vendor (Award in this case).

I'm assuming you don't have an EEPROM flasher, otherwise you wouldn't have started this topic. Still, once again: order it even if you fix this using another method. Given my hatred of floppy drives (and their media) I generally used to hot-flash before I got my EEPROM programmer. It's theoretically risky but so long as you have minimal hand-eye coordination (and are not drunk when doing it), your board and chips should be safe. Nonetheless, the fact it generally works better on generic low-end stuff than prime high-end boards (with non-standard BIOS stiff - like Asus too often did) is a reassurance.

To prepare, check that the board you will use to flash is actually working and put the ROM image onto something it can access from DOS as well as the UNIFLASH program. Then turn it completely off and loosen its BIOS EEPROM in its socket so it does still (just) make contact, but can easily be lifted out when needed. Then boot the board into DOS and navigate to where the ROM image and UNIFLASH are stored. Now comes the tricky bit: while the system is still running, pull its BIOS EEPROM out of the socket. Then gently and carefully insert the BIOS EEPROM you need to recover. Be sure to get orientation right - don't look at any stickers, only look at the notch at one end. It must line up with the socket. Then flash the chip (UNIFLASH -E IMAGE.ROM).

No errors while flashing? Congratulations. Turn off the flasher computer, remove the EEPROM, put it back into the board you were recovering and see if it works.

Errors? That could have three reasons:
1) doesn't even start? The board probably doesn't like UNIFLASH (try another), or there's a write-protect/enable jumper that needs setting
2) starts but shows errors everywhere on verification? Same.
3) starts but shows errors in one specific spot on verification? Probably your EEPROM is dead. Try another.

1) Agreed. If you're the least bit serious about retro stuff, you're gonna want a HW programmer at some point anyways. The sooner you get it, the better value for money. I'd recommend an Xgecu T48 though, afaik the market isn't flooded by shoddy clones of those yet.

2) Back in my hotflashing days, I tried to even out the electrostatic potential by touching the EMI shield on a connector on the mobo (PS/2, USB, Ethernet... ) for a while before inserting the chip. An ESD bracelet is even better. Wear it on the hand you're working with, attach the clip to a connector shield. Other than that, my procedure was basically identical to yours.

OK

thanks

tl866 on the way

and i assume it is easy like a root cellphone or smth.

No experience with rooting cellphones, but the TL866 is about as simple as it gets: hook up the device, install the software, select your EEPROM type, select file you want to flash, press the button - and a few seconds later it should be written and verified.