Athlon 64 2800, Something Is Really Wrong!

Aggressor Prime · Post by **Aggressor Prime** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:39 pm

I have a Chaintech ZNF3-250 motherboard.
Ok, I tried updating the BIOS in Windows with WinFlash. Since there are two ZNF3-250, I decided to go with this one since the other one, mine, was giving me problems. Then I restarted. I couldn't load my SATA drive. I tried using the hard drive from this system, still didnt work. Then I download the .zip mentioned in this forum by the second post. Then I tried it. It said something about it not matching my system. I restarted. Now I get this screen:

"Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0
Copyright Â© 2000, Award Software, Inc.
BIOS ROM checksum error
Detecting floppy drive A media...
INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER"

I inserted the disk that I downloaded from that forum. Then I got an error message "Source File Not Found !"

What do I do now?

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:47 pm

Find someone with an EEPROM burner. Thats about all you can do.

Aggressor Prime · Post by **Aggressor Prime** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:57 pm

Who would have that?
If I wanted to buy it, how much would it cost and who would I buy it from?

fliptw · Post by **fliptw** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:13 am

time to give up computing?

serveral tips:

1. as with any kind of BIOS/firmware, don't fix it if it aint broke.

2. use only the flashing utils that from your hardware maker.

3. only use BIOS/firmware updates for your particular revision of your hardware.

4. the most important: Back-up your current BIOS/firmware before flashing!

BUBBALOU · Post by **BUBBALOU** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:07 am

Aggressor Prime are you related to thewolfe or AceCombat by any chance?

fliptw wrote:as with any kind of BIOS/firmware, don't fix it if it aint broke.

Soo True

DigiJo · Post by **DigiJo** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:08 am

heh for trying to flash out of a running windows you deserve a slap with a large trout

ok here is what you do:

http://www.descentforum.net/digijo/znf3250_flash.zip

download that zip and extract it to a hdd on a working computer, there are 2 files in:

the newest bios for your mainboard:
ZN120715.BIN

and the newest dos-flash utility for your board:
af824g.exe

now here is what you have to do:
-find a working computer somewhere, and a good 3,5" hd floppy.
-put the floppy in the computer and go to start ->run, type in cmd and press enter.
-type "format a: /u /s" press enter. if any error on the floppy occurs, use a different.
-now you should have a bootable dos-floppy with a bootsector and command.com on it
-copy both files:
ZN120715.BIN
af824g.exe
onto the floppydisk
-insert the floppy into your computer with the chaintech mainboard and boot from that dosdisk
-on the commandprompt where you see "c:>" with a blinking cursor, type:

af824g ZN120715.BIN

now the tool should flash the new bios,
have fun.

Aggressor Prime · Post by **Aggressor Prime** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:08 am

I inserted the disk and now I get this error:

"Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0
Copyright Â© 2000, Award Software, Inc.
BIOS ROM checksum error
Detecting floppy drive A media...

Drive media is : 1.44Mb

Automatic Load AWDFLASH.EXE .....
!! ERROR -- AWDFLASH.EXE Not Found !!
Replace the DISK AND PRESS ENTER"

What do I do now?

Also, I have the VNF3-250 board. The Z and V looked the same in my head when I was checking for the BIOS update.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:18 am

The motherboard is engaging in auto-flash so that it can load a BIOS image from the floppy to your mobo. You need that utility since it will execute that program to flash the bios.

It doesnt matter where you get that utility from, the mobo programmer manufacturing company is the same (AWARD).

ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/asus/mb/socka ... dflash.zip

Put the exe into the floppy drive and try again.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:21 am

I need to carlfy:

you will need to rename your bios image so that the auto flasher can find it. Unless the bios image name is simple (say bios.bin) you dont need to do that.

But if you were smart, you would have gone to the website of your motherboard since every manufacturer posts specific instructions on their website regarding BIOS recovery. I suggest you go there instead of here.

Aggressor Prime · Post by **Aggressor Prime** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:28 am

"But if you were smart, you would have gone to the website of your motherboard since every manufacturer posts specific instructions on their website regarding BIOS recovery. I suggest you go there instead of here."

I can't find that on their website.

"you will need to rename your bios image so that the auto flasher can find it. Unless the bios image name is simple (say bios.bin) you dont need to do that. "

It says, "Source File Not Found !"

Update:
I did something different this time. I put AWDFLASH.EXE on a disk along with the wrong BIOS, ZN120715.BIN, which I used to update my BIOS. I launched it and it did not give me the "Source File Not Found !" error. Instead, it put the driverâ??s name in the â??File Name to Program :â?

Aggressor Prime · Post by **Aggressor Prime** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 11:28 am

When I try to update the BIOS to the right one, I receive this error:
"-> The program file's part number <-
-> does not match with your system! <-"

I can access my IDE drives.
Should I take the IDE hard drive out of my K7 and put it in my K8 formatted and all, install Windows, and then reset the BIOS from there? It sounds like DOS BIOS updates won't work because I reidentified my system through Windows.

AceCombat · Post by **AceCombat** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:16 pm

BUBBALOU wrote:Aggressor Prime are you related to thewolfe or AceCombat by any chance?

hell no he is not related to me, i can flash a BIOS. hell ive already flashed my server with 3 updates from Tyan.

i wish i could flash my HP with a FIC Generic BIOS and unlock several features i would like to have, but HP altered the contents and its not the same as the FIC BIOS

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:18 pm

You should have Googled your problem:

http://www.msi.com.tw/html/support/bios/note/boot.htm

Different mobo manufacturer, same BIOS program company. Be sure you have the name of the BIOS image that you are flashing back, and make sure its the correct one for your mobo.

If this does'nt work, then talk to tech support. That is what they are for.