Help for BIOS recovery

[Jurie-chan]

Hello!

The problem's for my dad's computer, which is now in my custody. It runs on Windows XP. Last time he used it, he selected "install updates and shut down" option and it never worked again. The POST happens and the splash screens appears but that is all. The motherboard is an Intel D101GGC. There have been no recent harware change (I added a 1 gb RAM a little more than a year ago).

Here's what have already been done (or tried to do...) and didn't worked
- CMOS battery have been changed.
- Changed jumper settings to configure mode
- Changed jumper to enter recovery mode (this works beautifully) and boot from CD (epic failure since the available bios files are for floppy so...)

I got myself an external floppy drive and followed the support instructions, which are:
- Format the floppy for an MS-Dos (used my mother's computer for this)
- Copy the files GC_xxxx.BIN (where xxxx reprents the bios version), AWDFLASH.EXE and AUTOEXEC.BAT (answered "yes" to replace it when prompted).

I connected the floppy to my dad's computer and powered it (while still in recovery mode).

The computer recognized the floppy (still does) and read from it. However, instead of asking me to back up the current BIOS and continue like it's supposed to do, it says:
INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

Second lists of things that have been done and still didn't worked:
- Pressed enter a lot of times
- Formated and reformated floppies many times (sometimes is MS-Dos, sometmes not just in case....)
- Renamed the BIN file (GC_xxxx, GC-xxxx, GCxxxx, xxxx)
- Made sure the files (and extensions) were named EXACTLY like in the READ ME file (except the BIN file for obvious reasons)
- Searched the net for answers (apparently, the READ ME file solution worked of all of the others...)

I just don't know what to try anymore....does anybody have a suggestion?

 

[Noworldorder]

First of all, welcome to the forum. We can help.
Sadly, what has happened to your father's computer can happen when multiple Micro$oft updates are done at once and each needed a reboot.
Windows has become corrupted. What needs be done if to do a repair install using the OEM Windows XP disc. If you do not have that disc and the original XP is on a recovery partition, then you need to tap the F10 key during boot until it puts you in the recovery mode. It's self-explanatory from there.
You will be doing a destructive recovery, so be ready for the possibility that all user installed files may be lost.
The only way around this is to remove the HD from the comp, attach it to a working comp via a USB external enclosure (there are other ways if you have the cable), and have the 2nd comp read it as a secondary drive, then copy the files you need to the C: drive until you get the HD working by reinstalling Windows.

I suggest no one...anywhere in the universe... use the shutdown after updates option.

 

[Jurie-chan]

Thank you very much, both for the welcome and the advice!

It hadn't occured to me that the problem would be coming from Windows. In my past experiences, when Windows didn't worked and needed repair or reinstalling, the start up sequence would at least reach the point where it tried to boot from it(then I'd get error messages or constant rebooting, etc.) I'll definitly try it though! I'll let you know the results!

 

[Jurie-chan]

So, I've tried, but it didn't work.

With the motherboard's normal jumper config, I still get no further than the Intel splash screen, even with the cd in at boot.

With the jumper in recovery mode, I still get the same error message (I've tried with the window CD before it read from the floppy and after failling with the floppy and it asked me to insert system disk).

But I had pen and paper this time so I wrote everything it said:

Award BootBlock BIOS v1.0
Copyright (c) 2000, Award Software Inc.

BIOS ROM checksum error

(Then the floppy thing I already mentionned in the first post)

 

[Noworldorder]

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/15113/eng/D101GGC_ProductGuide_English.pdf
JDid you do the jumper as on page 44 here?

 

[Jurie-chan]

Well, I really apologize for the long delay in answering. A friend suggested to use an internal floppy drive so I've spent a while hunting for one still working.

Good news is the update process was a success. Most visible proof of this is that the splash screen totally changed. Sadly, it didn't solved the problem. The situation remains as before : when I turn on the computer, I get the splash screen and stay on it. The red light (the one that flashes when reading) remains on for a while then goes off and nothing else happens.

If you're still willing to help, I remain open to suggestions! Thank you for your time!

 

[compulsivebuilder]

Hello!

I connected the floppy to my dad's computer and powered it (while still in recovery mode).

The computer recognized the floppy (still does) and read from it. However, instead of asking me to back up the current BIOS and continue like it's supposed to do, it says:
INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.


I just don't know what to try anymore....does anybody have a suggestion?

It may be too late to help, but the reason you got "Insert system disk and press Enter" is because the floppy wasn't bootable - it hadn't been formatted as a "system disk". The PC was attempting to boot from the floppy, and failed. That's the normal message when that happens (as an aside - that message is written into the boot sector of any floppy formatted as a non-system disk).

The next thing to do is to get it to boot from the Windows XP CD (or DVD) - you may need to alter the BIOS settings to enable booting from the CD. Once you get it to boot from the Windows XP CD you can try running a Repair on the installation. This may or may not work.

 

[Jurie-chan]

Oh, no actually. I really believe the reason I kept getting the error message was because the BIOS couldn't function the USB floppy drive. The legacy settings were most likely disabled. The disk used when it worked with the internal floppy is the same as when I struggled with the USB floppy drive, so the disk itself wasn't the problem.

I would love to boot from the Windows CD, really, but I can't. Can't access BIOS settings either. This motherboard is programmed to display a splash screen (an Intel logo screen) when in POST. Then, it usually shifts to the good old black screen where it tests memory, you can access BIOS, it tells you what your master and slaves drives are and boot Windows from your hard drive.

Except I can't get further than the splash screen and recovery mode only works for updating the BIOS. That's why I was so sure it was a BIOS problem. I'm now looking for anything else...

I've tried this morning to disconnect every drive except the hard drive (could be an electricity problem) but the results were the same. I've just plugged the hard drive in my computer and I can access it no problem, I can copy/paste files with no difficulty, so I'm guessing the issue's not coming from there either.

 

[Noworldorder]

I think the BIOS chip is cooked.

 

[Jurie-chan]

Best answer selected by Jurie-chan.

 

[Jurie-chan]

Yup, that's what the tech we finally brought the computer to said. The chip was changed and some RAM too (apparently, one was slowly dying). We also had the floppy drive installed....just in case....

Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[Noworldorder]

Glad you got it sorted!
Glad also that you work so diligently to take care of your dad.