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Thread ID: 113109 2010-10-05 18:04:00 Flashing the BIOS? lostsoul62 (16011) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1141988 2010-10-05 18:04:00 I have a abit VA-20 motherboard and I think I got the right file and when I put it into a bootable floppy and double click on it, it says it's not a true 32 bit. I have the message "BIOS ROM checksum error Detecting floppy drive A media. I did everything I can think of which is about 4 hours worth of troubleshooting and it still won't boot. So I'm trying to flash the BIOS with no luck. I'm not experience in this so any help would be appreciated. lostsoul62 (16011)
1141989 2010-10-05 19:24:00 Is this the BIOS update you downloaded ? www.abit.com.tw va2013.exe?

Follow this www.abit.com.tw
Speedy Gonzales (78)
1141990 2010-10-05 19:32:00 Welcome to PF1 :)

According to Abits site (www.abit.com.tw) the latest BIOS for the VA-20 was back in 2005. This page (www.abit.com.tw) has the guides on "how to do it".


4 hours worth of troubleshooting and it still won't boot. With the age of the Board, I wouldn't at all be surprised if its developed a fault. Can you even get into the BIOS to check whats currently installed (BIOS Version) ?
wainuitech (129)
1141991 2010-10-05 19:38:00 I put the VA2010.exe but it won't boot and I can't get into the BOIS so I'm wondering if I should buy another cmos battery or just throw this thing in the garbage can but I would like to know if it can be fix just for knowlege if nothing else. I'm using a DOS boot disk with the Flash files on it. lostsoul62 (16011)
1141992 2010-10-05 19:40:00 Follow the 2nd link, Waninui and I posted. Is that what you did? Speedy Gonzales (78)
1141993 2010-10-05 20:40:00 BAD caps (almost certainly)
sorry mate

www.badcaps.net
1101 (13337)
1141994 2010-10-05 20:59:00 Follow the 2nd link, Waninui and I posted. Is that what you did?

I did that and I can't get by
"Insert system disk and enter"
So it can't get a BOIS flash
I think my last chance is to replace the cmos battery but I think this motherboard is toast. After 8 hours of working on it should be good enough and to think this is what I use to do for a living before I retired a decade ago.
lostsoul62 (16011)
1141995 2010-10-05 21:01:00 Not always bad caps -- I've had 2 customers boards fail over the last couple of weeks, and the caps look fine, no signs of bulging or leakage.

One was due to a power surge we suspect, as they had one a day before it blew, and the other said they could smell a burning/hot smell just before it shutdown - the PSU is OK (tested)
wainuitech (129)
1141996 2010-10-05 22:57:00 I meant that board is known to have the bad caps issue . It may not be worth the hassles . . .

Sometime the wrong bios can be on the website -been caught myself with that (HP 3000), pretty rare thou . You end up with a board that wont POST or wont function correctly .

A heads up with some newer HP DOS based bios updates . The downloaded exe file is a self extractor except after extracting it actually runs the bios update without warning, bad if you are trying to make a bios update floppy on another PC
Another quality untested product . :badpc:
1101 (13337)
1141997 2010-10-05 23:31:00 BAD caps (almost certainly)
sorry mate

www.badcaps.net
Rather a large jump to the conclusion.:groan:
He is only try to flash the bios and he is not very experienced.
mikebartnz (21)
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