BIOS Update Error

[kapgun]

I have a MSI P45 Neo3 MB and I updated the BIOS using the Live Utility it comes with.


Now when I boot Windows XP it hangs when the Windows XP logo appears and the blue status loading bar.

But I can boot into safe mode just fine. Since I have no floppy drive I am not sure how to install the older BIOS since the Live Utility updates the BIOS normally and there seems to be no option with the Live Utility to install a selected BIOS version.


Any idea what I can do?

I tried reseting the CMOS but that didnt help.

I think I need to install the version of the BIOS I had before but am unsure how to go about this. I tried d/ling the older BIOS and putting them on a CD and made a bootable CD but for whatever reason it wont execute the BIOS utility on the CD from the bootable CD.

 

[Zenthar]

Most recent boards can also load BIOS from USB sticks.

After you updated the BIOS, did you reset the settings to default values (different than resetting the CMOS I think)? It is sometimes necessary for it to work properly.

 

[Zoron]

Try and think if you changed any settings when you first set everything up... because updating the BIOS usually reverts your CMOS settings to default... losing any changes you may have made.

 

[Zorg]

I don't think it's a corrupt BIOS causing this, I think somehow XP got corrupt. I could be wrong.

Go into safe mode and click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore and do a restore to an earlier point.

By the way, never use windows based BIOS updating, although I don't think that was your problem here.

 

[doormatderek]

like Zoron said, anytime you update your BIOS it reverts to DEFAULT settings. Get back in there and set it up again.

 

[royalcrown]

I don't think it's a corrupt BIOS causing this, I think somehow XP got corrupt. I could be wrong.

Go into safe mode and click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore and do a restore to an earlier point.

By the way, never use windows based BIOS updating, although I don't think that was your problem here.

I use it, NOTHING wrong with it, not like the win 98 days old timer

 

[Zorg]

It makes no sense to do an update through windows and add it to the mix of things that can go wrong. I've seen too many posts where people upgraded through the windows based BIOS update and wound up with a corrupt BIOS and hence a bricked mobo. I've even seen people that had stability problems in Windows decide they would use the windows based update, which is insane.

If you like it by all means enjoy. Let us know if your mobo gets bricked, so others may be saved from the same fate.

 

[JonathanDeane]

It makes no sense to do an update through windows and add it to the mix of things that can go wrong. I've seen too many posts where people upgraded through the windows based BIOS update and wound up with a corrupt BIOS and hence a bricked mobo. I've even seen people that had stability problems in Windows decide they would use the windows based update, which is insane.

If you like it by all means enjoy. Let us know if your mobo gets bricked, so others may be saved from the same fate.

I can bare witness to bricking an ASUS mobo with the Windows BIOS update tool (way back when it first hit.... I was like "Wow thats awesome." which equally fast turned into "Oh god that sucked")
Anyway long story short, I now only buy Mobo's with dual BIOS, thank you ASUS.... The reason I buy mobo's with dual BIOS is so that I can use the windows based BIOS update tools.

One last note on this most BIOS these days have what is called a boot block and as long as you don't flash that part of the BIOS you can always boot off a Dos disk and reflash the BIOS even on non Dual BIOS BIOS's.

 

[Zoron]

The thing I like about flashing within Windows is that if the flash fails, you can still download another file if necessary or try flashing again with the same file before you reboot. I've had no issues whatsoever flashing the BIOS within Windows. It's usually advisable to turn off your antivirus before you flash... especially if it's one of the over-protective ones.

 

[Zorg]

I can bare witness to bricking an ASUS mobo with the Windows BIOS update tool (way back when it first hit.... I was like "Wow thats awesome." which equally fast turned into "Oh god that sucked")
Anyway long story short, I now only buy Mobo's with dual BIOS, thank you ASUS.... The reason I buy mobo's with dual BIOS is so that I can use the windows based BIOS update tools.

One last note on this most BIOS these days have what is called a boot block and as long as you don't flash that part of the BIOS you can always boot off a Dos disk and reflash the BIOS even on non Dual BIOS BIOS's.

Sorry to hear of your flash troubles. You have guts to continue to use windows after what you went through, especially since the new mobos make it so easy to flash from the post screen or from within BIOS using any FAT formatted drive i.e., $5 flash drive.

The Dual BIOS thing is a little over hyped, IMO. I had problems with a GA-P35-DQ6 BIOS and it wasn't even due to a flash. It was a major pain in the butt to bring that thing back to life.

I had an old MSI NEO2 P965 mobo that needed a flash to see larger HDs. I paid $75 to some clowns that were supposed to be the guys that provided BIOSs for the abandoned MSI mobos, rather than take my chances on an unknown. I specifically asked and was told that the BIOS was exactly the right BIOS for my mobo. Needless to say, it wasn't. I put a PCI VGA in the machine and it did boot to the bootblock. Unfortunately, the mobo didn't recognize the floppy, so I was screwed. They forced me to send them the mobo instead of just sending me an EEPROM.

The point here is that dual BIOS and bootblock are not the panacea that you think they are.

 

[Zorg]

The thing I like about flashing within Windows is that if the flash fails, you can still download another file if necessary or try flashing again with the same file before you reboot. I've had no issues whatsoever flashing the BIOS within Windows. It's usually advisable to turn off your antivirus before you flash... especially if it's one of the over-protective ones.

Many times when a BIOS flash fails you will get no indication until you reboot to a black screen. I've never had to find out, but I suspect you can flash a BIOS again, if the flash indicates that it has failed, using the BIOS based flash. The updated BIOS isn't loaded from the EEPROM until you reboot.

Windows is a more risky way to flash, but if you like it, party on.

 

[Zoron]

The flash programs tells me the flash failed... so I know it hasn't worked before I reboot. I know this from experience... it was an Asus board and I was flashing within Windows. It told me "BIOS update failed" and I thought "OH CRAP!!" But out of desperation (and the need to save the board) I flashed it again with the same file and it succeeded. Rebooted, no issues. That board is still fully functional despite being at least 5 years old.

 

[Zorg]

I didn't say that you wouldn't get a failed indication on a failed flash. I specifically said:

Many times when a BIOS flash fails you will get no indication until you reboot to a black screen.

I'm not trying to change your mind, use the Windows based flash, I don't care.

Good luck with it.

 

[Zoron]

Not saying that you are, just saying that flashing in Windows is now no more "dangerous" than flashing through "DOS". The only boards I've ever lost during a BIOS flash I've lost when flashing through DOS... so my experiences are the exact opposite.

*Shrug*

If the option is available, I say go for it.

 

[Zorg]

Enjoy.

 

[bobbknight]

I like that some of the new Bios's have the ability to flash from usb from the bios it's self.
Much safer.
And you don't need to get out that old floppy and and floppy drive.

 

[Zoron]

Yes, I like having that option available as well. I've flashed my new board twice now through Windows... no issues. The more options available though, the better.

 

[Zorg]

I like that some of the new Bios's have the ability to flash from usb from the bios it's self.
Much safer.
And you don't need to get out that old floppy and and floppy drive.

That is the option I was referring to. You can also flash off a hard drive if you have a partition that is FAT32.

I agree, MUCH safer.

 

[JonathanDeane]

Yeah my new Asus PK5 or P5K (tired lol) is nice that way I can flash pretty much anyway I want, in windows off USB and even from the HD from inside the BIOS itself (have to place the BIOS file in the root of C: but I haven't tested this to see if it can see NTFS volumes...) I have only had 2 updates for it so far but both times I have used the windows based utility and it seems to work ok these days, but trust me the last 2 times are the first times since Asus had the same utility back when XP first came out.... It takes me a long time to get over being burned.
Every BIOS update before that I used either a Dos floppy disk or a Dos CD burned with the tools and bin files on it.
I should also note that this is the second Mobo since that time that had the Asus name on it.... both of them recent so they lost out on like 4 sales from that little bit of ignoring my emails....

Edit: Should mention the mobo in question was a P3 with a nice new coppermine 733Mhz on it and was less then 10 days old when it died from there software crashing during the flash.... They pulled the utility from there web site less then a week later