New Build, Bad Bios Checksum

[rodd]

Hi all,

I've built a new system just this week. And after the first 'power-on' i get the following:

Boot Block Compatible ver .020
Bad bios Checksum
Starting Recovery
Checking for floppy..
Floppy not found
Checking for CD ROM..
CD Rom Found
Reading file M4N78SE.ROM
Start erasing...
Start Programming../
Please restart to get system back.

I've done as it has asked, but i get the same message upon restarting.

I've read around that it might be RAM, so i tried to boot with a single ram stick (2Gb) instead of 4 Gb. No success though.

I've tried resetting the bios jumper. No success either.
I'm really stumped now.
Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong? Or anything else i can try?

Specs:
Motherboard: Asus M4N78-SE
CPU: Athlon II X4 620, 2.6Ghz
CPU Cooler: Arctic Freezer Pro 7 Rev 2.0
RAM: OCZ PC6400 4gb @ 800Mhz
PSU: Cooler Master M520
GPU: MSI 4850

Thanks,
Rodd

 

[o1die]

Have you set your bios yet? Disable "spread spectrum" to get rid of the checksum error. Set your boot order, and your hardrives to Ide mode for sata if you're not using raid. I also use the hardrive software to prep any new drives. Maxblast 5 works with all windows versions and maxtor and seagate drives. Other brands have similar software.

 

[rodd]

Have you set your bios yet? Disable "spread spectrum" to get rid of the checksum error. Set your boot order, and your hardrives to Ide mode for sata if you're not using raid. I also use the hardrive software to prep any new drives. Maxblast 5 works with all windows versions and maxtor and seagate drives. Other brands have similar software.

Hi o1die,

No i have not been able to access the bios menu. The very first thing i see when i turn the system on is that 'bad bios checksum' error. The keyboard doesn't fucntion, so pressing del or f1/f12 doesn't work.

 

[aford10]

Try resetting the BIOS by pulling the motherboard battery for 5 or 6 minutes.

 

[rodd]

Try resetting the BIOS by pulling the motherboard battery for 5 or 6 minutes.

Hi aford10,

I wasn't sure this would work, since resetting the cmos via the jumper didn't work. So i just did not try it.
Will it have a (possible)better effect than just resetting the cmos via jumper? Either way, im pretty much stumped so i will try it in a moment.

 

[aford10]

They should do the same thing. It may or may not work. Figured it's worth a shot though.

 

[rodd]

They should do the same thing. It may or may not work. Figured it's worth a shot though.

Ok, i've tried pulling the battery. Reinserted after 15mins, but no luck whatsoever . Still the same Bad Bios Checksum error .

Any ideas?.

Btw flashing a new bios onto the chip is out of the question since this board is brand new (came in friday). Flashing would equal voiding my warranty

 

[huron]

I didn't realize that flashing the BIOS voided warranties - interesting.

 

[o1die]

Try using just one stick of ram to boot, then change some of the bios settings I recommended, save and exit.

 

[rodd]

Hi o1die,

I've done as you suggested (booting up with 1 RAM stick). To my surprise it did work. I've tried it before with the ram stick in the B slot instead of the A slot. However it didnt work then. Now i;ve booted up with 1 stick in the A slot and it worked. So I'm thinking either one of the sticks is dead, or the mobo slot (B) might be dead.

As soon as i tried booting with both sticks, i got the exact same error (Bad bios checksum etc..)


I've talked to the guys @ the store where i bought the components and they told me to send them the mobo, CPU and ram. So i'm gonna do that now.

Any other idea's as to what might be wrong ?

 

[huron]

I was thinking that if it booted with one bad stick of RAM, then the other (or the other slot on the motherboard) could be bad. I typically RMA the RAM before the motherboard, but if they will check everything and you can deal without that computer, I would let them check it.