Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
"David Casey" <sgtcasey@IH8SPAMcableone.net> wrote in message
news:1pktq7fnwhhwx.dlg@sgtcaseycableone.net...
> On Wed, 6 Oct 2004 06:45:57 -0400, Tom Scales wrote in
> <news:6bKdnTgp_5hEUf7cRVn-qw@comcast.com>:
>
>> He still hasn't responded about how NOT flashing the BIOS can destroy a
>> motherboard.
>>
>> I even repeated his quote for him. When challenged he just throws
>> insults
>> or ignores the quote.
>
> Now check out his friend Brian. What's up with those two? I guess they
> just can't handle the fact some folks like to determine on their own what
> is best for their system.
>
> Dave
> Damn, hope they don't find out I searched Google to come up with the above
> post. *yawn*
> --
> You can talk about us, but you can't talk without us!
> US Army Signal Corps!!
>
>
http://www.geocities.com/davidcasey98
>
> Remove IH8SPAM to reply by email!
I google all of the time, to the point that I had to get glasses. I am no
surreptitious googler. I would google wirelessly in the streets if I had the
ability.
Everyone should google at least now and then. No engineer or technician
knows it all, or even close.
With regards to the Prescott/SP2 issue, I just plain had no idea. I don't
have that chip, and I've not run across a machine with it to make that
mistake (yet). I was personally glad to get the (helpful) heads
up/information from this group.
In the scores of machines I've handled, I've seen perhaps only one half
dozen bad BIOS flashes that killed the mainboard. That's hardly a 'chicken
little', 'hair on fire' number of systems, but sufficient in the end result
to warrant a respectful amount of caution.
I've a Sony VAIO here right now with a BIOS error at pre-POST, showing
between the drive information and the PCI/IRQ tables at boot. The error
does NOT hang the system or cause any *functional* issues with the machine.
The error?:
"BIOS update data incorrect" "CPUID = 00000F29".
A quick google shows that this is not an uncommon error on Asustek
motherboards with mid-2GHz Northwood processors. Lo and behold, another
check reveals the system board in this Sony to be made by ASUS. Additional
searches show that a BIOS flash corrects the error message in some machines
and does not in others.
The machine is out of warranty and was brought to me for software issues
caused by the end user. Now, should I flash it or not?
No way in hell I'm flashing it. The risk of buying this gentleman a new
motherboard over a flash that may or may not correct the small message would
be dumb in my estimation. The machine is running perfectly after repair,
passes all diagnostics and is ready to go.
The end user has not even noticed the error, and I will be sure to discuss
it with him when the PC is delivered.
Stew