Intel Bios update gone sour

[andrescuantico]

Hi all!

So, here's the reason I haven been sleeping for the last couple of days...

I updated the bios on my dp35dp (needed 4 core support for vmware esx...) using the express installer from windows. The machine rebooted and started updating. After a message of succesful update it rebooted again, and the screen went black.

No post, no beeps, no splash screen, nothing. I already tried:

- with no memory modules i get beeps, so that seems to be ok
- tried to recover bios using a .bio on a cd, but recovery won't start. Tried three different bios versions, including the orginal one.
- can't access bios on manteinance mode either (shorting pins 2 and 3)
- cleared cmos by unplugging machine and taking out battery, left it for an hour, but still nothing. I tried to recover the bios after that, but that didn't work either
- stripped the machine of all components, even the video card, and tried to recover the bios... no good.

Weirdest thing of all is, if I unplug the keyboard, the system will boot into windows, although still no post or bios splash. Just a black screen until the windows welcome screen appears. When keyboard is plugged in, I just get a black screen.

Once I booted into windows, I tried to reflash the bios with the express update, but still no good...

Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[o1die]

Try a different keyboard interface (if using usb, try ps2). I sometimes find keyboards used at computer stores or goodwill. This might get you into the bios.

 

[andrescuantico]

Hi!

I tried a different usb keyboard, but that didn't help. Unfortunately, my mobo lacks ps/2 ports, so I can't try that either...

 

[Tel864]

If any auxillary usb ports are connected on the motherboard, try disconnecting them so the only usb port connected will be the one the keyboard is plugged in to. BTW, write down the pin order, so it will be easier to hook them back up. (Unlike I do sometimes)

 

[andrescuantico]

Well, there's nothing else connected, not even the usb ports for the case. The only usb device connected is the keyboard, and the internal usb headers are free... is that what you meant?

 

[Tel864]

That's what I meant. Oh well, it was worth a shot. Does it have a 3.5" drive? Maybe you could make a boot floppy that would run the bios update.

 

[andrescuantico]

Well... i'm out of luck there too... there's no floppy connector on the motherboard...

 

[Tel864]

It sounds like you've lost usb legacy support in the bios. You would probably be just as well off buying a new board than buying a replacement bios chip. Unless you're like me and have several old motherboards lying about with a compatible bios.

 

[vvhocare5]

I had something similar after a bios update, black screens, but no windows mode either. I was able to get it working by flashing to the version I used to have. There was something different in the newer versions that my MB did not like at all. Never found any documentation on it.

It does sound like your BIOS is corrupted and there is very little you can do about it if true.

When you say you booted into Windows and the update was still no good, were you trying to reload the bios version you once had - or the new version? I would focus upon getting back to the version that worked and then try moving forward.

I dont lilke the Windows based update because if it fails, your bios is not generally configured to boot from CD first or a USB stick, if you need to attempt a recovery. I know, 99% of the time it works just fine. But that one time was pretty painful...

Try the old version of bios but you may be looking at a replacement if it doesnt work...

good luck..

 

[Tel864]

Well... i'm out of luck there too... there's no floppy connector on the motherboard...

If you knew someone with the exact same motherboard that really liked you, you could try to hot swap the bios chips. That is, loosely plug in both bios chips, boot into your computer with the borrowed bios, swap chips and then flash your chip. I've attempted to do it twice and it worked one time.

 

[andrescuantico]

When you say you booted into Windows and the update was still no good, were you trying to reload the bios version you once had - or the new version? I would focus upon getting back to the version that worked and then try moving forward.

Well, i did try that. As soon as i booted back into windows, I downloaded the express update for the exact same version I previouly had, but that didn't work either...

I dont lilke the Windows based update because if it fails, your bios is not generally configured to boot from CD first or a USB stick, if you need to attempt a recovery. I know, 99% of the time it works just fine. But that one time was pretty painful...

After some googling around, i found out that a lot of people prefer the jumper method for upgrading, saying it's safer... funny how the intel website says otherwise...

At any rate, i didn't trust the express update, so i wanted to use the iso method. For some reason it didn't work. Now i guess it was telling me something

 

[andrescuantico]

loosely plug in both bios chips, boot into your computer with the borrowed bios, swap chips and then flash your chip

That's a cool idea... unfortunately I don't know anyone with that mobo...