Help with 8RDA+ requested

Allan · #1 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 03:27 PM

I've had my 8RDA+ for some months now, and I have been very happy with it.

However, today I was messing with my new Barton 2500+ to see how far I could get it. I overclocked, and if it got too far, it wouldn't boot and it would start an alarm thing. I would then clear CMOS, and things were back to normal - and I could use it again.

Now, the last time it wouldn't boot up (had it to 186 FSB x12) I cleared the CMOS, but that doesn't help! It still won't boot, and I still get the alarm after a few seconds.

Display shows "C1".

I've tried switching RAM, CPU, video card etc but to no avail. Tried clearing CMOS a million times, removing the battery too.

What do I do? Is my mobo dead? I wouldn't think messing with FSB speeds and RAM timings/speed could kill it.

Help me, EPoX-Tech Kenobi.. you're my only hope! (Ah, Holst is there too!)

jcool · #2 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 03:55 PM

You can't kill your Mobo by only messing around with some settings. But you might need to get another bioschip

It can happen that your bios gets corrupted when you're experimenting with your settings for too long - it happened to me once.
Really, the only thing that could possibly be corrupted is your bios...

Allan · #3 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 03:59 PM

Thanks for your reply. I was beginning to suspect the BIOS chip as well.

C1 indicates memory error, to the best of my knowledge. But I tried with a different stick (One that I know works in another machine), and problem was the same.

Funny thing is, with my Barton in it it says "C1". When I put and old Duron 800 in it, it says "FF".

Where do I go about getting a new BIOS chip?

jcool · #4 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 04:22 PM

mmh, I dunno...
I got my 2nd one from ebay...
Maybe one of the epox.uk guys can send u one??

Allan · #5 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 04:35 PM

Yeah, thanks. If there were any way to make sure it is a bad BIOS chip... :-/

jcool · #6 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 05:29 PM

Don't you know anyone who ows a 8RDA+ or at least another state-of-the-art socket A mobo so that you could hotflash it?

Allan · #7 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 05:39 PM

I've used 8RDA+ mobos in the recent 3 PC's I've built for friends, I'll try to get hold on one of them and his PC. Thanks for the suggestion, I haven't really had time to pay much attention to hot flashing, but I'm reading UB's fine article right now.

lacky · #8 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 06:04 PM

Sometimes you can get to the the bios by tapping the insert key when rebooting. Hope it works for you.

Allan · #9 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lacky

Sometimes you can get to the the bios by tapping the insert key when rebooting. Hope it works for you.

Thanks, I've tried that a few times already, but it didn't help. Has anyone actually ever had success doing this?

Neofate · #10 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan

Thanks, I've tried that a few times already, but it didn't help. Has anyone actually ever had success doing this?

When you turn on the computer does it try to access the floppy drive at all?

If so, then you can reflash your bios chip, albeit "blindly". I'm not gonna go into detail on the exact switches and creating a batch file, but if your computer seeks to the floppy drive at all you are fine.

Also, remove the motherboard from the case. Then only have the floppy drive, PSU, chip/hs etc.. Bare essentials connected, make sure CMOS is cleared, and power on.

If you search around, you should be able to find an already pre-set batch file and of course the 8rda bios bin file from the website. Basically if it will read a floppy it is using the write protected boot-block portion of your bios chip. This allows you the chance to flash the EEPROM back from corruption. The disk should be a bootable disk, that contains the awdflash program, the 8rda.bin file, and a batch program either created by yourself or downloaded with the proper command line and switches to execute the flash with one simple command.

If all goes well, it will flash, then reboot (if that switch is put into the batch file), and your good as new.

If the boot-block of your EEPROM is bad as well, then a hotflash is the only way you can go about it (easily). With the same boards, it's just a matter of using a good chip to boot into dos with, and then popping your "bad" chip in and running the flasher.

Good luck

Allan · #11 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

When you turn on the computer does it try to access the floppy drive at all?

If so, then you can reflash your bios chip, albeit "blindly". I'm not gonna go into detail on the exact switches and creating a batch file, but if your computer seeks to the floppy drive at all you are fine.

Also, remove the motherboard from the case. Then only have the floppy drive, PSU, chip/hs etc.. Bare essentials connected, make sure CMOS is cleared, and power on.

If you search around, you should be able to find an already pre-set batch file and of course the 8rda bios bin file from the website. Basically if it will read a floppy it is using the write protected boot-block portion of your bios chip. This allows you the chance to flash the EEPROM back from corruption. The disk should be a bootable disk, that contains the awdflash program, the 8rda.bin file, and a batch program either created by yourself or downloaded with the proper command line and switches to execute the flash with one simple command.

If all goes well, it will flash, then reboot (if that switch is put into the batch file), and your good as new.

If the boot-block of your EEPROM is bad as well, then a hotflash is the only way you can go about it (easily). With the same boards, it's just a matter of using a good chip to boot into dos with, and then popping your "bad" chip in and running the flasher.

Good luck

Thanks a lot, Your help is appreciated.

I'm afraid it doesn't check the floppy nor show anything on the screen at all. It powers up, and goes to "C1" right away. Then a few seconds after, the siren goes on.

Tomorrow I will give yet another stick of RAM a shot, but if that doesn't help I'm gonna either hot flash or get a new chip.

Neofate · #12 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan

Thanks a lot, Your help is appreciated.

I'm afraid it doesn't check the floppy nor show anything on the screen at all. It powers up, and goes to "C1" right away. Then a few seconds after, the siren goes on.

Tomorrow I will give yet another stick of RAM a shot, but if that doesn't help I'm gonna either hot flash or get a new chip.

Having it post a C1 code, and an audible siren means you have a fighting chance

Have you taken it down to the bare essentials like I said? Move the ram to all different slots, try 1 stick, 2 sticks, etc.

Also, power the computer off, then unplug the AC from the back of the PSU. Plug it back in, then hold down the insert key on your keyboard. While holding down insert turn on the computer, you can tap it really fast as well. If it doesn't do anything right away, keeping holding/tapping insert and pressing the reset button a few times. Sometimes this will get you out of the woods.

What does it do with the RAM out?

Have you taken your battery out of the machine for 30mins?

Have you checked the powersupply rails? The Power Good line?

Have you unseated and reseated everything?

Is the MB out of the case?

Try any and all combinations of things.

Allan · #13 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

Having it post a C1 code, and an audible siren means you have a fighting chance

Sounds good!

And thanks again for your time and help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

Have you taken it down to the bare essentials like I said? Move the ram to all different slots, try 1 stick, 2 sticks, etc.

Yup, tried all 3 slots. Removed just about everything, hdd, cdroms, usb's etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

If it doesn't do anything right away, keeping holding/tapping insert and pressing the reset button a few times. Sometimes this will get you out of the woods.

I tried that again, but still without luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

What does it do with the RAM out?

"C1", then siren.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

Have you taken your battery out of the machine for 30mins?
Have you checked the powersupply rails? The Power Good line?
Have you unseated and reseated everything?

3 x yes!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofate

Is the MB out of the case?

Nope, not yet. I fail to see, how that could help.

Neofate · #14 (**permalink**) 14th July, 2003, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan

Sounds good!

And thanks again for your time and help.

Yup, tried all 3 slots. Removed just about everything, hdd, cdroms, usb's etc.

I tried that again, but still without luck.

"C1", then siren.

3 x yes!

Nope, not yet. I fail to see, how that could help.

Well sometimes the motherboard can be contacting the case, IE: if you don't have the spacers between the risers and the board itself. It is just simply easier to work with, and inspect when out of the case. Best thing to do is to take it out, and place it on a cardboard box with the motherboards anti-static sleeve under it. I mean if you've done all the other things mentioned (3 times), then I don't see how taking the board out of the case would be that much trouble. Might take all of 5 mins?

It's just a matter of ruling out any and all possibilities.

Do you have any other AMD chips you could put in the board to test? Any other equipement to swap across? Another board? etc..

The reason I'm saying this, is because it is attempting to go through the post and seems to be hanging on the RAM check code, rather than a completely unresponsive F, or FF code.

Best of luck

Allan · #15 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 04:05 AM

Ok ok, I'll remove the board from the case. But I have to take out the WC equipment first, so it might totalt to 10 mins of work!

As written above, I've tried with different RAM, different CPU's, different Video card etc. When I put in a Duron it says "FF" though.

Thanks again!

jutboy · #16 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 05:12 AM

I would think that its your barton giving you the prob....does your duron boot-up completly fine???

If it does try the barton in another rig

Allan · #17 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 05:16 AM

The Duron won't boot up either. I've tried both a Duron 700 and Duron 800, both known to work in other systems.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

jutboy · #18 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 05:20 AM

So does FF also stand for an error code....why would they ever mix an error code + a successful boot display message???

I'm just going by probability in my mind - seems a lot more likely you screwed your cpu then your bios chip.....

good luck

Allan · #19 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jutboy

So does FF also stand for an error code....why would they ever mix an error code + a successful boot display message???

I'm just going by probability in my mind - seems a lot more likely you screwed your cpu then your bios chip.....

good luck

Perhaps - but I wasn't really stressing the CPU when it happened. I was trying 2250 Mhz or so with 1.725 Vcore..

The RAM and CPU were the first things I found replacements for, but that didn't help.

jcool · #20 (**permalink**) 15th July, 2003, 05:37 AM

lol its certainly NOT your CPU or one of the Durons would work...
Anyways, you couldn't have killed your Barton with 1,725V lol
I was running mine @2,05V for quite a few month actually...
--->BIOS or mobo

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