checksum error? reboot? buy Award BIOS upgrade?

winglesslight

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Feb 10, 2001
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Hi,
I have ASUS i440BX P2B-F mobo.
And HDD is not working on it.
When I boot Western Digital 10gb HDD is shown on boot screen as primary master HDD.
But I cannot access C: from DOS.
I cannot install OS.
Also, I constantly get checksum errors- defaults loaded.
It's removed whenever I load default BIOS in BIOS settings.
But after some times of booting, it appears again.
What is and how do I fix checksum error?

When I went to AWARD BIOS website which merged with ASUS.
It asks to buy BIOS upgrade: I got 2 questions.
1. I dont' know what BIOS I need for this mobo, ASUS i440BX P2B-F mobo with Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG 1984-98 copyright ASUS P2B-F ACPI BIOS Revision 1008.

2. I don't know if it will fix HDD problem after I pay for BIOS.

3. I also have a power button that works exactly like reset button. Does this mean I need to get a new case?
So I am thinking of getting new mobo and maybe case too.

4. Will it hurt computer parts if I turn off power by pulling cord or switch on the power surge protector?

Thank you very much.
 

winglesslight

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I see.
I found silver coin like thing.
It reads "DL 2032 + DURACELL" must be the battery for CMOS?
Where can I buy this?
Only Battery right?
Thank you very much.
 

svol

Champion
Buy BIOS update? Does that mean that you buy a whole new BIOS chip. Can't you find a BIOS update flash, they use to be free?

My case has so many fans that it hovers above the ground :eek: .
 

winglesslight

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There is a company that specialize BIOS for all cases.
My mobo P2B-F is not supported in ASUS website. I can't find BIOS either.
They sell BIOS for my mobo to use upto 137GB HDD at $70 with 1 year support.

try AWARD BIOS website(find it at yahoo), it leads you to BIOS sellers:

unicore.com
firmware.com

and so on.

Thanksfully Crashman send me BIOS link in Taiwan ASUS website, which is also invisible to web-users I think.

I have Superpower7 A586B whose company is out of business, so no more support, no BIOS I guess unless you go to BIOS specialist companies.
 

svol

Champion
Can you send me that link to, maybe I can update my brother's PC with it, he has my old P2B-F.

There also may be a small change that a tweaker-site has the BIOS, but that will be hard to find. I think the price of a new BIOS from that company is a little high.

My case has so many fans that it hovers above the ground :eek: .
 

winglesslight

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NEW AWARD BIOS for ASUS P2B-F Rev 1013.a

http://cgi.asus.com.tw/cgi-bin/dl.asp?filename=mb/slot1/440bx/p2b-f/bx2f113a.zip

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Flash tool.

http://cgi.asus.com.tw/cgi-bin/dl.asp?filename=mb/flash/aflash.exe
Make a bootable floppy and put the aflash utility and the bx2f113a.awd BIOS file on it, at the prompt type aflash bx2f113a.awd

Make sure you SAVE FIRST existing BIOS to a floppy for going back to old BIOS. Otherwise you cannot have it again.

What's the frequency, Kenneth?

Great Thanks to Crashman.