Flashing BIOS for Sempron CPU(edited)

Raven · Post by **Raven** » 2004-11-08 04:02pm

Enter day 3 of my computer hell.
If something can go wrong, it will. If some things can go wrong, they will all do so at once.

I picked up a Gigabye K7N400 from a friend for cheap (free) that's supposed to be in working condition (refurbished).

I also have a semi-used AMD 1900 Athlon XP, similar condition.

Now the system won't even POST.
I don't want to remove the CPU, since the stupid heatsink a nightmare to remove, and I'm afraid that if I break something I'll void the warranty (or that I might damage the CPU, which may not be already damaged as it was working yesterday, and is not covered by warranty).

Is it time to suck it up and try swapping CPU's anyway? The only other one I have to test with is also of dubious quality (it works, but there might be something wrong with it, and I don't want to mess it up in the case that it IS still working.)

Do I have any other options?

Tech^salvager · Post by **Tech^salvager** » 2004-11-08 07:07pm

Ok here we go. Take the mobo out of the case and set it down on the desk ( make sure its a non conductive surface like wood or a book ). Use only the needed parts-mobo, ram, cpu and hsf, video card Do Not attach the rest of the parts to it. see if it boots now. Now if it dosen't try switching the ram around each slot. Next try different PSU's. Try it with a different video card. Also see if reseting the Bios does anything.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » 2004-11-08 07:20pm

I did all that. It turned out the CPU is bad.

I want to install a 2300 Sempron now, but I don't think the current BIOS version supports it.
How do I flash the BIOS? Just stick the Sempron on there then install the update? Or will it not run/catch fire/explode? Do I need an Athlon/Duron to flash the BIOS, then swap it for the Sempron? How dangerous is flashing BIOS?

Tech^salvager · Post by **Tech^salvager** » 2004-11-08 07:31pm

Raven wrote:I did all that. It turned out the CPU is bad.

I want to install a 2300 Sempron now, but I don't think the current BIOS version supports it.
How do I flash the BIOS? Just stick the Sempron on there then install the update? Or will it not run/catch fire/explode? Do I need an Athlon/Duron to flash the BIOS, then swap it for the Sempron? How dangerous is flashing BIOS?

Ok well you did read what the disclamer says for it. Its your fault if you Flash it wrong and screw it up. But first does it support the Sempron after Flashed to the new bios update? 2nd I would suppect it would either run with the cpu but look like a different cpu or not run at all ( as in no post ). I never heard off something cathcing fire like or exploding. It would be better if you had a athlon or duron to use. Well your responsible for the outcome and only you, but I haven't done a bad flash yet. You should be fine if you follow like they say to.

How do you flash the bios well usually you cop.....just do as the intructions say thats all.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » 2004-11-08 08:06pm

Tech^salvager wrote: Ok well you did read what the disclamer says for it. Its your fault if you Flash it wrong and screw it up.

I know. It was a free motherboard anyway.

But first does it support the Sempron after Flashed to the new bios update?

http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Pro ... -7N400.htm

It will support Sempron after the update. The BIOS version 11 was released to support Sempron.

2nd I would suppect it would either run with the cpu but look like a different cpu or not run at all ( as in no post ).

Yes, that's the point of my question. I don't know what it'll do if I try to run with the Sempron prior to upgrading the BIOS. If it doesn't run, I'm out of luck, since I need it to run. Catch-22. Even worse, I'm worried that it might cause damage (is this possible?).

I never heard off something cathcing fire like or exploding.

I know, it was a joke.

It would be better if you had a athlon or duron to use.

Unfortunately, I don't.

Well your responsible for the outcome and only you, but I haven't done a bad flash yet. You should be fine if you follow like they say to.

How do you flash the bios well usually you cop.....just do as the intructions say thats all.

Yes, that's why I want to be sure of what to do before I try.

Motherboard

BIOS version 11

Tech^salvager · Post by **Tech^salvager** » 2004-11-08 08:33pm

Yes, that's the point of my question. I don't know what it'll do if I try to run with the Sempron prior to upgrading the BIOS. If it doesn't run, I'm out of luck, since I need it to run. Catch-22. Even worse, I'm worried that it might cause damage (is this possible?).

If it were me I just stick in and see what I get when it turns on. Yes its possible, I want to say I doubt it will cause damage but I haven't messed with those Semprons yet so I do not trully know. I'm going to investage it more for you. bbl about 30 minutes from this post.

Tech^salvager · Post by **Tech^salvager** » 2004-11-08 08:37pm

Peter M from sysopt.com wrote:The socket-A Semprons are absolutely the same thing as the Athlon XP, core wise. The name differs, the ratings are higher (because they compare to Celerons, not P4 anymore).

Semprons are all 166 MHz and 256 KBytes of L2 cache (except the top one, 3000+, which is 512 KBytes). Actual clock speeds available are 1500 to 2000 MHz, rated 2200+ to 3000+. (The 3100+ is a socket-754 chip.)

Sempron 2600+ is 1833 MHz on 166 MHz bus, 256 KByte cache, thus no match to the Athlon XP 2600+. The latter is 1917 MHz on 166 MHz bus, 512 KBytes of L2 cache.

166 MHz FSB and BIOS update provided, any socket-A board should be able to run a Sempron.

Ok after seeing that I would just try it in and see if it boots and posts or not. All I make sure off when it boots is that it is running at the correct FSB and not higher.

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2004-11-09 01:27am

I recently helped someone install a Sempron on the same make and model of mainboard. If you drop it in without the BIOS update, the board will run just fine, although it will think you have a very slow Athlon XP until you do the BIOS upgrade.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-11-09 01:35am

Drop the Sempron in, run, get windows\Linux working and get the BIOS update that runs from inside the OS ASAP, install, it will request a restart, do so, let it load your OS, then restart, check your BIOS, it will then show your brand new Sempron.

Enjoy.

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2004-11-09 02:56am

Honestly, I prefer to flash the old-school way using a DOS bootdisk.

Seeing as your board has an award BIOS, I suggest you use awdflash which should be on the CD that came with the board. If you don't have it, you can download it here. Then just format a floppy with the system command line switch (format a: /s) to make it bootable. Then stick awdflash and the binary you wish to burn to the bios chip and reboot your system. If your system is set to boot from the floppy first, it'll boot to a DOS prompt. Just type "awdflash" and follow the on-screen prompts. Its really simple to do. If memory serves, it will also ask you to specify a name for a backup copy of the old bios just "in-case". Then it should ask you for the filename of the bios you wish to burn to the chip. Let it do its thing (shouldn't take more than a minute or two) and when it says its complete, shut your computer down completely and restart. (Don't forget to eject your floppy while the machine is off.) You're good to go!

I highly recommend that when you flash your BIOS, that you do it from the lowest level possible (ie: outside of windows). You don't want ANYTHING running when you're screwing around with the most critical part of your computer. The last thing you need is to have some poorly coded windows app to crash the OS right in the middle of a flash...

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2004-11-09 02:22pm

The semprons are renamed AXP's.

If you don't mind your BIOS reporting it incorrectly, you don't have to do an update. Just make sure that your voltage, FSB and multiplier settings in the BIOS are correct for your chip after you initally boot up.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » 2004-11-09 04:32pm

Thanks for all the replies. I planned on using a DOS based boot disk, which I'll do as soon as I get the CPU from Newegg.

Now onto a completely different system:

Syntax K7 SV266AD

It gets stuck at boot (stuck on the manufacturer logo "SYNTAX" screen), but only if I have a hard drive hooked up.

I can boot from floppy or CD-ROM, but if I have a hard drive connected, it'll get stuck on that screen (before processor and memory test).

Swapping power supply: nothing.
Swapping IDE cables: nothing.

The last time I tried it, the CPU fan started buzzing pretty loudly. (CPU temp registered only in the mid-30s; I turned it off right away.)
I don't have another fan to switch out right now, but could that be causing the problem?

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2004-11-09 09:26pm

Motherboard IDE Controller or the hard drive itself, most likely. If you have another HDD, toss it in for a few minutes to see if that freezes it up. If, by chance, you have a PCI IDE controller lying about, toss that in and hook the hard drive up to it.

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2004-11-10 12:34am

Another vote here for the ide controller.