Has anyone changed their motherboard's FLASH chip?

[euphoria]

The thing is that i was updating my bios and the worst happened, my motherboard died. So my question is, has anyone took of the flash chip and tried to flash it using another motherboard? The chip is hellofa tight stuck to the socket and i don't want to break it. Is there a 'way' to get it off or just brute force?

Replys appreciated.

Btw. Motherboard is Asus A7V

[Eagle]

Well, yes I have replaced a standard EEPROM before. You just have to carefully pry it loose, but another motherboard wont fix it, the only way to fix it is to get an EEPROM writer. Once the EEPROM software is damaged, there is no way to boot the motherboard, regardless of which motherboard its in (unless you have a mobo with a backup bios like some of the new ones have). And if you cant boot the motherboard, you cant flash the bios. Your only solution is to send it to the motherboard maker to have it re-written or replaced.

[Eagle]

BTW, the EEPROM I replaced was my scanners firmware, but BIOS chips are the same thing.

[ra5555]

yea that happened to me once, but lucky me, all I had to do was bring it back to the manufacture and they replaced my motherboard for free. (I didn't tell them everything I did, well, I just said, I can't boot up anymore :sly: ). My advice is that don't flash when you don't need to, just in case something screws up.

[Eagle]

Yeah, I never flash unless there is a bug fix or a CPU support update that I need.

[euphoria]

Well thanks guys, i got the chip out in one piece last night.
The other motherboard thing i was talking about, i meant that i have an practically identical motherboard (Asus A7V133) so i thought that booting that up and just before running the flashing software i'd change the chips onboard and flash the dead one with its BIOS and change the chips back again.
I just had a couple of thoughts regarding this method,
Will the chip be damaged when changed on-the-fly?
And will the flashing operation change anything else on the motherboard, so that when i boot up after the whole process will the A7V133 think that something has changed or worse will there be data from the A7V somewhere on it? :cry:

phew.

I really don't wanna pay 50€ for updating the goddamn flash chip!

[Eagle]

Whoa there, dont try to remove the bios while its running, dont try to remove it while it pluged in, thats a bad idea. You will end up trashing both the bios and the motherboard.

[Siggie]

If you boot the good mainboard and load the flashutil you can just remove the bios chip. Put in the bad one and flash it.
Have done that a couple of times at work without a problem.
Just make sure both mainboards are exactly same.

Good Luck

[euphoria]

Originally posted by Siggie
If you boot the good mainboard and load the flashutil you can just remove the bios chip. Put in the bad one and flash it.
Have done that a couple of times at work without a problem.
Just make sure both mainboards are exactly same.

Good Luck

Thanks. The thing is that the motherboards are not exactly the same, but close as hell since the only difference is the CPU bus speed. But that could make the difference that is crucial. I'll have to think what i'm going to do...

[Trotterwatch]

The CPU multiplier settings are kept in CMOS, so you'll be fine with that. You could just reset CMOS before booting up - is all.

[Eagle]

Originally posted by Siggie
If you boot the good mainboard and load the flashutil you can just remove the bios chip. Put in the bad one and flash it.
Have done that a couple of times at work without a problem.
Just make sure both mainboards are exactly same.

Good Luck

Thats dangerous, your gonna end up shorting the system. I dont know how you guys remove a flash chip but the standard way is to insert a screw driver or something flat under it to gently apply leverage. Should that driver hit a solder point say bye bye motherboard.

[Siggie]

I used plastic pliers in some occasions. Also a standard screw driver. And yes, you have to be carefull.

[Lex]

My mobo has Dual bios :cool: :p

[Cyberman]

Originally posted by Lex
My mobo has Dual bios :cool: :p
Does this help the poor guy in anyway? (lol)
That's like thumbing your nose at the guy changing a flat tire because your's isn't flat.. sheesh :)


Cyb
:linux:

[Flash]

Originally posted by Siggie
I used plastic pliers in some occasions. Also a standard screw driver. And yes, you have to be carefull.

If he have 4-sided small PGA chip changing on the fly can be real pain in the arse ....


But there's a simple solution
http://jazzman.newmail.ru/squid.jpg

Sorry for an ugly picture, but i don't have any CAD utility installed now.

It's made from steel wire.

[euphoria]

Well the chip is EN29F002 (http://www.eonsdi.com/Products/EN29F002.pdf) and the 2-sided model.

Your link to the amazing picture isn't working because of the file being Squid.jpg not squid.jpg ;) but thanks for your kind help anyway.

I might have a chance finding a FLASH-writer from my school that i could use, it'd be a little safer... let's see.

[neoak]

I have the same problem. I flashed (i was an idiot) in Win98. The Windows locked up (weird thing!) and the BIOS was UNcomplete.

I can't find a chip to replace it. The Mobo is a Intel 430 VX. Yeap! I'm stuck! <_< :cry:

[Reznor007]

Originally posted by Eagle
Thats dangerous, your gonna end up shorting the system. I dont know how you guys remove a flash chip but the standard way is to insert a screw driver or something flat under it to gently apply leverage. Should that driver hit a solder point say bye bye motherboard.

Usually in newer boards the BIOS is a PLCC chip in a socket, which can be somewhat easily extracted if you have the proper tool. The chip I'm assuming you are talking about is a standard DIP EEPROM, and those are even easier.

The only chips I even get really cautious about replacing are surface mounted QFP's, surface mounted PLCC's, and BGA's.

[supergamer]

Maybe you can reset some jumpers and get anything back to work without changing your chip (sometimes it does work).