Hey,
I used a SY-6BA+ III motherboard back in the day.
The BIOS update that was used for it is 6ba32ba6.bin, and it is 100% the same as the 6ba32ba6-620527676d6ab646851921.zip file you attached.
That BIOS is 256 kB, and that is surely the normal size for such i440BX chipset motherboards. Your other SY-6BA+ III BACKUP.ZIP 128kB file is therefor incomplete or something, and should not be used for anything.

Also my notes say that this board/system was used successfully with these harddisks:
"20,4GB Maxtor, later 40GB Maxtor"

Here is some related snippet about that BIOS file, for completion.

file name: 6ba32ba6.bin checksum: CDB7 release date: 09/18/2000 BIOS revision: BA+ III_2BA6 Changes: When using PPGA cpu, it han […]
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file name: 6ba32ba6.bin
checksum: CDB7
release date: 09/18/2000
BIOS revision: BA+ III_2BA6
Changes: When using PPGA cpu, it hang up.

file name: 6ba32ba5.bin
checksum: D6C6
release date: 08/16/2000
BIOS revision: BA+ III_2BA5
Changes: Support VIA Cyrix III cpu.

file name: 6ba32ba4.bin
checksum: EC8A
release date: 05/24/2000
BIOS revision: BA+ III_2BA4
Changes: Fixed ATI VGA can't use.

file name: 6ba32ba3.bin
checksum: 4DD6
release date: 05/09/2000
BIOS revision: BA+ III_2BA3
Changes: Support Phoenix Net.

I am more confused than before, I don't know why the BIOS update I did with Award AWDFLASH v8.99 failed.

vico wrote on 2023-06-21, 21:25:

I am more confused than before, I don't know why the BIOS update I did with Award AWDFLASH v8.99 failed.

I understand. No idea why it has failed to write with AWDFLASH v8. Back then I probably used AWDFLASH v8.22, since that was the file next to the BIOS image.
Though I did notice my own backup BIOS file of 256kB contains no proper data, mostly repeating bytes. So there is that.

If you have a similar system running with DIP32 BIOS Chip, there is the option of doing a "HotFlash". I always use Uniflash software to do that (instead of awdflash or something).

Attached an image proving the system was running with a 40GB harddisk. At that time the CPU was a 1266MHz Tualatin on a Slot-T adapter.
Also found a BIOS-post-screen photo, that I made, of it booting up with a VIA CPU.

It is very strange the fact that the backup is only 128k and that the boot screen before the motherboard got bricked did not look like in your screenshot.

vico wrote on 2023-06-22, 03:03:

It is very strange the fact that the backup is only 128k and that the boot screen before the motherboard got bricked did not look like in your screenshot.

In the BIOS change-log that I attached earlier, it says "Support Phoenix Net." in the version 6ba32ba3.bin of 05/09/2000. So I figure older BIOS versions looked different. That is also how I remember it.

Edit: I looked up "Phoenix.net BIOS". Seems to be some kind of early and discontinued spyware/adware integration project. So in that regard the newer BIOS versions are a downgrade.

http://www.cexx.org/phoenix.htm

Update: As of sometime 2001, PhoenixNet BIOS has been discontinued and is no longer being produced. Phoenix Technologies cites the demise of the Internet advertising market as the reason for discontinuing the product.

Q. What is the difference between installing a PhoenixNet-enabled motherboard and a non-PhoenixNet-enabled motherboard?
A. If your computer is built with a PhoenixNet-enabled motherboard, a portion of the PhoenixNet software resides safely within the BIOS ROM (Read Only Memory). PhoenixNet solutions launch automatically at the initial start-up of your new PC and it sets the home page and search page default based on system settings detected on the computer. If you don't have a PhoenixNet-enabled motherboard, PhoenixNet software is available on the CD-ROM containing the motherboard drivers. If you decide to pre-install PhoenixNet software for your end-user, the home page and search page will be automatically set up the first time the end-user connects to the Internet.

Update:
I got a TL866 and was able to recover the moherboard by installing the updated BIOS version, now my 40GB HDD is recognized and the boot screen is different, now it shows "Phoenix".

Thanks for your help Gerwin.

Good news. Well done.

I've had other problems, not sure if it's due to the bios but I can't boot from a CD-ROM drive like before the update. The CD-ROM is recognized since I can use it from Windows 98.

vico wrote on 2023-06-26, 03:40:

I've had other problems, not sure if it's due to the bios but I can't boot from a CD-ROM drive like before the update. The CD-ROM is recognized because I can use it from Windows 98.

There is always floppy boot...

I can imagine such a Phoenix.net BIOS overhaul may have introduced some issues...
Here is someone reverting to an older BIOS because of different issues with the newer BIOS.
https://arstechnica.com/civis/threads/extreme … problem.999891/

Here are all six BIOS versions for this motherboard:
https://www.elhvb.com/mobokive/Archive/Soyo/b … /index-old.html

I have taken the quickest route and installed 6ba32ba2.bin and now the booting from CD-ROM issue is also fixed.
Thanks again, Gerwin.