BIOS

[Rusty]

I should have included that info in the original post - yes, this BIOS
chip is a socketed DIP chip. I'm totally ignorant about programming
eeproms, how it works, what it does or how it will help me recover the
use of the board (which I can then swap into a system with a Duron
board/processor, and then get rid of it (anyone interested? I don't
know what the board is, but it has a Duron 900 or 1 Ghz cpu).

I could mail the chip easily enough, not sure about heading to Topeka,
but I'd like to learn more about the process if possible. Knowledge is
never a bad thing to increase, right?

I'll see if anyone else offers assistance and go from there. It might
be a good excuse to get myself to a meeting or something, too...

Thanks!
 
--- Charles Steinkuehler <charles at steinkuehler.net> wrote:
> Rusty wrote:
> > A couple of weeks ago I posted about a failed BIOS update on a MB
> that
> > left the system DOA. I replaced the MB (and processor), hoping to
> get a
> > replacement from the manufacturer for the dead one. Unfortunately
> they
> > left me hanging. There were a couple of folks on the list who had
> > mentioned reprogramming the chip. I'd be interested in talking to
> > whomever is able to assist in resurrecting this board. Or, if
> someone
> > is interested in buying the set, I'd listen to that too. Its an
> iWill
> > XP-333R board, built in RAID etc. etc. and an AMD XP-1900 CPU (1.6
> > GHz).
> 
> Judging from the smallish picture of this board on the IWill site, it
> 
> looks like not only is the BIOS ROM socketed, but it's in a DIP
> package. 
>   This is the ideal scenerio, but may not be how your board is
> actually 
> setup (frequently marketing photos of hardware are taken of early 
> engineering prototypes, which are often fabricated with different 
> options than production boards).
> 
> You should be able to pop the ROM out and take it anywhere you can
> get 
> access to a programmer and burn a new image.  To be sure, it would be
> 
> helpful if you could:
> 
> - Verify the part on your is socketed
> - Verify the package used:
>    DIP - Large package with pins sticking out on two sides that
>      make a right-angle bend and go through the PCB (or straight
>      into the socket)
>    PLCC - Smaller rectangle with pins on all 4 sides that curve
>      under the part
>    Other SMT - It could also be anything from a TSOP to a BGA, in
> which
>      case it's likely soldered directly to the board :<
> - If possible, try to get a partnumber off of the BIOS chip
> 
> I'm willing to help, but I'm in Topeka.  If you ever want to swing by
> 
> this way (or mail the part), let me know, but there's probably
> someone 
> else on-list with a programmer who's already in KC.
> 
> -- 
> Charles Steinkuehler
> charles at steinkuehler.net

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