BIOS update problem with D865GBF system

I have a PC with an Intel D865GBF board and a Pentium IV 2.2GHz CPU, 3 HDDs,
DVD-ROM drive, 512MB RAM. Windows 2000 SP4 is the only OS on it.

I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it previously
had P6 in it. The BIOS update seemed to be successful (I heard the PC
speaker beep as the update was being applied), and I saw the POST as usual
when the PC rebooted after having applied the update, but now it is asking
me to "Enter CURRENT Password:". Trouble is, I have never set a password on
this PC. Now I can't get into the BIOS setup program or boot the OS on the
HDD. I have tried a few "obvious" passwords, but haven't yet found what it
is expecting. Any ideas?

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it
previously
had P6 in it. The BIOS update seemed to be successful (I heard the PC
speaker beep as the update was being applied), and I saw the POST as usual
when the PC rebooted after having applied the update, but now it is asking
me to "Enter CURRENT Password:". Trouble is, I have never set a password
on
this PC. Now I can't get into the BIOS setup program or boot the OS on
the
HDD. I have tried a few "obvious" passwords, but haven't yet found what
it
is expecting. Any ideas?


Crisis averted (I think): I downloaded and read through the manual for the
D865GBF board, and discovered that it has a BIOS mode jumper, one of the
settings for it causes the system to go straight to the BIOS setup program,
bypassing the passwords, where there is an option to clear all the
passwords.

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it now
won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they were
working fine before the BIOS update...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
"Matthew" wrote in message
...
I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it
previously
had P6 in it. The BIOS update seemed to be successful (I heard the PC
speaker beep as the update was being applied), and I saw the POST as
usual
when the PC rebooted after having applied the update, but now it is
asking
me to "Enter CURRENT Password:". Trouble is, I have never set a
password
on
this PC. Now I can't get into the BIOS setup program or boot the OS on
the
HDD. I have tried a few "obvious" passwords, but haven't yet found what
it
is expecting. Any ideas?


Crisis averted (I think): I downloaded and read through the manual for the
D865GBF board, and discovered that it has a BIOS mode jumper, one of the
settings for it causes the system to go straight to the BIOS setup
program,
bypassing the passwords, where there is an option to clear all the
passwords.

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it now
won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they were
working fine before the BIOS update...

I've see the password trick on one BIOS upgrade for an D875PBZ. Did the same
workaround as you. I've also see other (infrequent) postings here with the
same symptom. I don't know why it happens, but it does.

On the primary IDE HD's are you using Cable Select or Master/Slave settings
on the drives? If Cable Select, try changing over to Master/Slave. If you
are already using Master/Slave, I have no other suggestions.

"MyndPhlyp" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
"Matthew" wrote in message
...
I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it
previously
had P6 in it.

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it
now
won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they were
working fine before the BIOS update...

On the primary IDE HD's are you using Cable Select or Master/Slave
settings
on the drives? If Cable Select, try changing over to Master/Slave. If you
are already using Master/Slave, I have no other suggestions.

Loading the Setup defaults in the BIOS setup program seems to have fixed the
problem with the on-board IDE controller.

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
"MyndPhlyp" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
"Matthew" wrote in message
...
I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it
previously
had P6 in it.

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it
now
won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they
were
working fine before the BIOS update...

On the primary IDE HD's are you using Cable Select or Master/Slave
settings
on the drives? If Cable Select, try changing over to Master/Slave. If
you
are already using Master/Slave, I have no other suggestions.

Loading the Setup defaults in the BIOS setup program seems to have fixed
the
problem with the on-board IDE controller.

IIRC, it is the recommended first step after flashing the BIOS and the last
step just prior to flashing the BIOS is writing down the settings.

Good to hear it's working again.

Matthew wrote:
"MyndPhlyp" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...

I recently downloaded and applied BIOS update P21 to it, where it

previously

had P6 in it.

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it

now

won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they were
working fine before the BIOS update...

On the primary IDE HD's are you using Cable Select or Master/Slave

settings

on the drives? If Cable Select, try changing over to Master/Slave. If you
are already using Master/Slave, I have no other suggestions.


Loading the Setup defaults in the BIOS setup program seems to have fixed the
problem with the on-board IDE controller.


BIOS if it gets corrupted or locked up usually will not read the IDE
drives correctly. The resetting the default simply resets BIOS.

Matthew wrote:

Now that problem has been resolved, I have to try to figure out why it now
won't detect the HDDs on the primary IDE connector even though they were
working fine before the BIOS update...

In BIOS setup press F9 to load default settings. Exit with "Exit and
save settings" and you are done.

Elar

"MyndPhlyp" wrote in message
link.net...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
Loading the Setup defaults in the BIOS setup program seems to have fixed
the
problem with the on-board IDE controller.

IIRC, it is the recommended first step after flashing the BIOS and the
last
step just prior to flashing the BIOS is writing down the settings.

If this is an "official" recommendation from Intel as part of the procedure
for updating the BIOS software, then I do not remember seeing any mention of
it in the release notes accompanying the file I downloaded from Intel.

It is certainly something I shall keep in mind should I ever need to update
BIOS software in the future, though.

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
"MyndPhlyp" wrote in message
link.net...

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
Loading the Setup defaults in the BIOS setup program seems to have fixed
the
problem with the on-board IDE controller.

IIRC, it is the recommended first step after flashing the BIOS and the
last
step just prior to flashing the BIOS is writing down the settings.

If this is an "official" recommendation from Intel as part of the procedure
for updating the BIOS software, then I do not remember seeing any mention of
it in the release notes accompanying the file I downloaded from Intel.

It is certainly something I shall keep in mind should I ever need to update
BIOS software in the future, though.



No, it's not. What Intel recommends is that before you upgrade, you
save the current settings under "Save Custom Defaults" on the Exit menu.
Then, after you upgrade, load the Optimal Defaults and save, then load
the Custom Defaults and save. This has the effect of setting any new
features to a reasonable default setting while preserving your old settings
as much as possible.

Bob

"Bob Bailin" wrote in message
om...

No, it's not. What Intel recommends is that before you upgrade, you
save the current settings under "Save Custom Defaults" on the Exit menu.
Then, after you upgrade, load the Optimal Defaults and save, then load
the Custom Defaults and save. This has the effect of setting any new
features to a reasonable default setting while preserving your old
settings
as much as possible.

But wouldn't "custom" simply overwrite "optimal," or is custom literally
only the things you've changed (as opposed to all the current settings as
they were when you saved them)? I always assumed it was the former, but if
it's the latter, that's nice.

Does anyone know why this problem happened in the first place? I've never
made such a large jump as he did (15 revisions), which conceivably might
have something to do with it, but I've flashed countless times and have
never seen this happen.