I think I bricked my motherboard - FIXED IT!

masscrazy · 1 Feb 2020 at 19:53

Actually certain of it :cry:

I 'instant flashed' my Asrock Z68 Fatal1ty and it was "successful" went to restart and the bios debug numbers on the board now just flash instead of showing proper error codes and no post screen.

I've tried it all, removed CMOS battery and jumper swap. Removed all but 1 RAM and GPU, and boots with PSU on off switch but mobo debug led's show a series of flashing numbers.

So, I guess there is nothing that can be done. I've tried loading a USB with a different bios and hoping somehow it will detect the USB and flash it but thats a long shot.

EDIT: Fixed it!

Doogles · 1 Feb 2020 at 19:58

At least you can get a nice upgrade now! If you're decent with a soldering iron you could always get a BIOS chip on eBay...

Mcnumpty2323 · 1 Feb 2020 at 20:05

Soldered bios chip
On that board or socketed?
I have hot plugged a mates socketed
Bios chip before to recover my board
Try Take bios battery out
For no less than 10
Minutes see if that works

Finners · 1 Feb 2020 at 21:07

quick google seems like its just a plug in BIOS chip and a replacement can be brought from a popular auction site for less than a tenner.

Mcnumpty2323 · 1 Feb 2020 at 21:20

Then if it's socketed/pluggable
If you know someone with the same board
You can hot plug flash it

masscrazy · 2 Feb 2020 at 02:00

I did not know that.

Just ordered BIOS-Chip ASROCK Fatal1ty Z68 Professional looool lets see if that works!!

Feb 6th :fingerscrossed:

On upgrade note. I am considering x570, but the additional power it uses and mobo fan concerns me. More moving parts and power consumptions means less longevity! So was looking at x470 but minimal options for Ryzen 3rd gen sooo, or i7 9700k but that is only 8 cores and zero bang for buck, i9 but its way too much. Alas choices choices.

ChrisLX200 · 2 Feb 2020 at 07:38

wish mine was socketed lol, I have a gigabyte GA-Z97X gaming 7 with dead bios, ordered a couple of chips and will have to solder them in. Not tried that before so I propose to cut the legs off then desolder the individual pins, then clean up the pads. Soldering in the new ones should be straight forward (he says)

masscrazy · 2 Feb 2020 at 10:51

That sucks man, good luck with it.

Apparently you can do it yourself, if you have a separate chip, with USB programmers. like NANO USB Programmer. This can then reflash the chip.

Anyone tried..

ChrisLX200 · 2 Feb 2020 at 12:20

Yes you can if you happen to have a suitable programmer, but it's not worth buying a programmer just for that job when you can buy a new programmed chip for a few quid (not much more than buying the blank chip in fact). I have a programmer (not sure I have the right chip holder though...) but I think the original BIOS chip is toast so likely would have to be replaced anyway. I would rather be sure and use a brand new chip than trust the old one not to lose it's memory again

drakulton · 2 Feb 2020 at 13:37

ChrisLX200 said:
wish mine was socketed lol, I have a gigabyte GA-Z97X gaming 7 with dead bios, ordered a couple of chips and will have to solder them in. Not tried that before so I propose to cut the legs off then desolder the individual pins, then clean up the pads. Soldering in the new ones should be straight forward (he says)

If you have access to a heat gun it can make it easier to remove the chip in one go, without damaging the pads. When soldering the legs to the pads use plenty of flux.

ChrisLX200 · 2 Feb 2020 at 15:05

drakulton said:
If you have access to a heat gun it can make it easier to remove the chip in one go, without damaging the pads. When soldering the legs to the pads use plenty of flux.

Not a great idea on a packed multi-layer motherboard to use a heat gun - and yes, I have a decent desoldering workstation with hot air gun and solder-sucker but I wouldn't like to use it on this job. it's going to be fairly high melting point lead-free solder and the thick board will suck away the heat - a heat gun may damage nearby plastic components before it comes off. If it's possible (and with my BIOS chips it is as the legs are fairly big and accessible..) shear each leg from the chip with cutters then it is easy to desolder each leg one-by-one using a fine soldering iron. Clean up with fluxed solder braid. Well that's the theory anyway

masscrazy · 2 Feb 2020 at 17:42

ChrisLX200 said:
Yes you can if you happen to have a suitable programmer, but it's not worth buying a programmer just for that job when you can buy a new programmed chip for a few quid (not much more than buying the blank chip in fact). I have a programmer (not sure I have the right chip holder though...) but I think the original BIOS chip is toast so likely would have to be replaced anyway. I would rather be sure and use a brand new chip than trust the old one not to lose it's memory again

I got one from Ebay but its gonna be another week and a bit till i receive it :|

ChrisLX200 · 2 Feb 2020 at 19:20

masscrazy said:
I got one from Ebay but its gonna be another week and a bit till i receive it :|

Good luck with that! The one I have is a TL866 II together with a bundled set of chip adapters. It works OK and regular updates for chip support (until they bring out a new model then you can just junk the old one lol)

masscrazy · 4 Feb 2020 at 20:27

Finners said:
quick google seems like its just a plug in BIOS chip and a replacement can be brought from a popular auction site for less than a tenner.

LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did just as you said. And guess what, its ALIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

So happy

Ordered the chip on Sunday night, received today. Replaced and boom turned on POST and we're back!

Mcnumpty2323 · 4 Feb 2020 at 20:30

masscrazy said:
LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did just as you said. And guess what, its ALIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

So happy

Ordered the chip on Sunday night, received today. Replaced and boom turned on POST and we're back!

If you want to
Hot plug flash it
Then you would have a
Spare bios chip just in case
Ever happened again

Finners · 4 Feb 2020 at 20:32

masscrazy said:
LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did just as you said. And guess what, its ALIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

So happy

Ordered the chip on Sunday night, received today. Replaced and boom turned on POST and we're back!

Glad you got it sorted, A tenner on a new BIOS chip is much easier to swallow than a new board or being forced into a whole new upgrade

masscrazy · 4 Feb 2020 at 20:39

Mcnumpty2323 said:
If you want to
Hot plug flash it
Then you would have a
Spare bios chip just in case
Ever happened again

Not sure I have the appetite to remove that thing again lool

Finners said:
Glad you got it sorted, A tenner on a new BIOS chip is much easier to swallow than a new board or being forced into a whole new upgrade

IKR thanks again! I was considering AMD/Intel but can't see a win win just yet on either. Will wait till May see what Intel do. But so glad not need to buy a new 1155 mobo. I had like 7 in my ebay watch list, costing around £60/70. Decent ones, nothing compared to my dual lan, 10 sata (6 sata3), beauty.

ChrisLX200 · 4 Feb 2020 at 20:52

I wish I could say the same - installed new BIOS chips on mine and it still won't POST. I can't think what else the issue is, maybe the board is broken elsewhere. Oh well, a new PC is on the way anyway.

Quartz · 4 Feb 2020 at 22:04

ChrisLX200 said:
I wish I could say the same - installed new BIOS chips on mine and it still won't POST.

Silly question time: did you plug it in the right way around?

ChrisLX200 · 4 Feb 2020 at 22:26

Quartz said:
Silly question time: did you plug it in the right way around?

lol, yes. There are two BIOS chips - main and backup. They had to be soldered in not plugged in. and yes, I know what I'm doing. Thanks anyway