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.

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?

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.

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.

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)?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

Sorry for sounding stupid but where can I download the modded bios? first post doesn't have a download link, or am I blind?

True is the link gone missing?

Eimer wrote on 2024-08-11, 16:32:

Sorry for sounding stupid but where can I download the modded bios? first post doesn't have a download link, or am I blind?

It's still visible for me. I'll try and make it more obvious in the first post. Meanwhile, here it is again: https://oezmen.eu/bios/

Thank you DenizOezmen! All good here on Asus CUV4X-E with VIA 1.0A C3 & P3-933.

recently i got the HP E60 dual SLOT1 mobo.

it has proprietary PHOENIX bios with lack of CPU support. Coppermines and even Tualatins are detected but complaining about microcodes,caches, etc...
Board has very similar layout to Asus P2B-DS. of course there is some differencies, no HW monitoring chip, Adaptec Controller and just one ISA SLOT...

So, i thought, replacing bios with ASUS P2B-DS may help...

Yeah, at least it's POSTing. but no go to boot. Immidiately after POST a beeper start buzzing ( monitoring chip ?) and boot stuck.
Also what i noticed is a missing of Interrupts for PCI devices in Summary screen.

So, the question is, can we mod ASUS P2B-DS bios to match HP E60 board?

update.

Actually, board is booting with another drive but speed is limited to ~ 200mhz. beep alarm sounds constantly.

i tried to find the way to disable monitoring using modbin, but no success.

update 2.
was able to insert acpi tables from HP bios, interrupts seems to work fine now.

now i need a way to complete disable hw monitor checks

still, need some help with that board.

Hello!
Thank you for the new BIOS!

I flashed it on my ASUS P3B-F.
Can I use a Tualatin CPU now? I use a P3 @ 1 Ghz with a Slotket Adapter in the moment.

Thanks!

I've gotten this board: https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/asus-p2b-vm-fsc-oem

There's also a variant with installed on-board video card that has the latest 1014 beta bios: https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/asus-p … d-rage-pro#bios

I can confirm that the p2b-vm 1014 beta 003 with audio from the latter link does work on my board, which lacks on-board video.

Would it be possible to apply adjustments on this like for other P2B boards?
You have done a bios for P2B-N - this also has SOLO1 sound card on board. I might try that out in the mean time.

I have patched the before mentioned 1014 beta 003 bios with Bios Patcher 4.23 and it reports one of my coppermine-128 celerons now as celeron instead of a pentium 3. What more can be gained over Bios Patcher improvements from your work? 😀

DenizOezmen wrote on 2022-01-21, 20:38:

Thanks for the confirmation! (And no, there's no magic involved, but a surprising amount of dumb luck. ;-)) Please give the atta […]
Show full quote

mockingbird wrote on 2022-01-21, 02:53:

Yes, you are correct! (and may I say a real wizard too - at that).

It's this fan, and indeed it is a 1200RPM fan.

Thanks for the confirmation! (And no, there's no magic involved, but a surprising amount of dumb luck. 😉) Please give the attached BIOS a try. It boots over here and seems to display reasonable fan speeds. For the sake of simplicity, the behaviour of all three fan monitors has been adjusted.

Note that there's a drawback to this change: The measurement resolution is now halved in comparison to the stock BIOS. Since the conversion is not linear, this may become apparent especially at higher fan speeds. (At 4000 RPM the interval between steps has already reached around 100 RPM, at 5000 RPM it is around 160 RPM.)

----

For the sake of documentation: The P3B-F uses ASUS's custom AS99127F monitoring IC, which seems to be a variant of Winbond's W83781D. The datasheet of the W83781D explains that the fan monitor outputs are something like a count of internal clock cylces during one rotation of the fan. The raw value is a single byte. To get different RPM ranges or resolutions, the chip can be programmed with predefined divisors. The actual RPM is computed via this formula: 1,350,000 / (raw_value * divisor).

The stock BIOS uses a divisor of 4, which gives a theoretical minimum of 1,350,000 / (254 * 4) ~ 1,329 RPM. In the modification, the initialization and the computation have been changed to use a divisor of 8 with a theoretical minimum of around 664 RPM.

[Edit: Uploaded attachment to first post.]

I realise I'm years late, but for the sake of the next searcher:
I've been looking at the schematic for the p2b, and I'm basically 100% certain that the as97127f is not a hardware monitoring chip. And therefore I'm 99% certain the as99127f is also not a hardware monitoring Ic.

So what are they?

I'm pretty sure they're the same apm chips laptops use to manage charging, LEDs, wake and sleep events (Eg lid closed, wake on lan) They don't appear to have much if any external means of communication.

I think Asus just decided to bundle a bunch of gates into one chip.

Imagine most of Pg 26 of the following as one chip:

https://www.gadget-manual.com/intel/
(INTEL MODEL 440BX)