FIC 486-PIO-3 BIOS Flash Fails Every Time

I'm trying to flash the BIOS on an old FIC 486-PIO-3 motherboard, but the
flash utility fails before it flashes the BIOS. Details:

· FIC 486-PIO-3 (486-PIO3 silkscreened on the motherboard); Award Modular
BIOS v4.50G; current BIOS version 1.15G105; current BIOS string at POST is
04/01/96-VT496G-2A4L6F0IC-00; 16MB RAM. Oddly, I have 128k cache RAM
installed, but it reports "Cache Memory: None" on the BIOS POST info
screen.

· Copied the flash utility (AFLASH3.EXE) and BIOS file (1175G705.BIN) to
blank bootable floppy; created a CONFIG.SYS file on the floppy and added
HIMEM.SYS.

· Booted off the floppy; started the flash utility; put in the BIOS
filename; it starts, saying "Blanking Flash Memory - 00000 OK" then
immediately terminates to the DOS prompt.

· Tried flashing straight from the Command Prompt with "AFLASH3
1175G705.BIN /Py /Sn" and it did the same thing.

· For grins and giggles I tried using an older BIOS (115G705.AWD) with a
different flash utility (FLASH52C.EXE) and got a similar result - the same
message from the flash utility, but it didn't make it back to the DOS
prompt.

I suspect there's a jumper on the motherboard that serves to block BIOS
writes, but I can't find anything in the documentation that indicates what
particular jumper it may be. There are a several jumpers on the
motherboard that aren't defined in the motherboard documentation (JP1, JP2,
OUTLET, RESUME), but I don't want to start experimenting with mystery
jumpers unless it's my last resort.

Any ideas?

TIA for the replies,

Dave

You may be right about the jumper (or look in the BIOS setup to check for
write-protection), but you also may want to try taking out the HIMEM.SYS
line and basically do a clean boot with no TSRs (nothing in the config.sys
or autoexec.bat). If that doesn't work, try flashing from the hard disk
(sounds odd, but I've worked with many MSI boards that required flashing
from the hard disk and not a floppy).

Dave wrote:

I'm trying to flash the BIOS on an old FIC 486-PIO-3 motherboard, but the
flash utility fails before it flashes the BIOS. Details:

· FIC 486-PIO-3 (486-PIO3 silkscreened on the motherboard); Award Modular
BIOS v4.50G; current BIOS version 1.15G105; current BIOS string at POST is
04/01/96-VT496G-2A4L6F0IC-00; 16MB RAM. Oddly, I have 128k cache RAM
installed, but it reports "Cache Memory: None" on the BIOS POST info
screen.

· Copied the flash utility (AFLASH3.EXE) and BIOS file (1175G705.BIN) to
blank bootable floppy; created a CONFIG.SYS file on the floppy and added
HIMEM.SYS.

· Booted off the floppy; started the flash utility; put in the BIOS
filename; it starts, saying "Blanking Flash Memory - 00000 OK" then
immediately terminates to the DOS prompt.

· Tried flashing straight from the Command Prompt with "AFLASH3
1175G705.BIN /Py /Sn" and it did the same thing.

· For grins and giggles I tried using an older BIOS (115G705.AWD) with a
different flash utility (FLASH52C.EXE) and got a similar result - the same
message from the flash utility, but it didn't make it back to the DOS
prompt.

I suspect there's a jumper on the motherboard that serves to block BIOS
writes, but I can't find anything in the documentation that indicates what
particular jumper it may be. There are a several jumpers on the
motherboard that aren't defined in the motherboard documentation (JP1, JP2,
OUTLET, RESUME), but I don't want to start experimenting with mystery
jumpers unless it's my last resort.

Any ideas?

TIA for the replies,

Dave
In addition to what Crimson said about removing the Config.sys file, I
would disable Cache memory in CMOS. Generally it is not good to have
anything between the writing of the chip and the reading of the data you
wish to write. I know this does not seem to be a problem since you say
your computer does not detect any cache RAM, but it is a wise thing to
do regardless.
It goes without saying that you have a Flash ROM chip installed in the
BIOS chip socket. Some computers have had EPROMs installed instead of
EEPROMs and obviously that will not allow an update. I am sure you know
how to tell if a chip is a EEPROM. Also look for a jumper near the chip
with three pins. One pin often would go to pin #1 which was a write
enable for the EEPROM chip and a jumper would put either +5 or +12 volts
on the enable lead for these chips. If it is not there the chip will
not program. Generally one outside pin of the three will have +5 and
the other outside pin will have +12 volts. The center pin will go to
pin #1 of the chip. If you are uncertain of the purpose of the pins,
establishing continuity of the center pin to 1 of the chip is one sure
way. Needless to say you should do this with power off.

Ken