32 replies to this topic

[MaLing]

The Dr.? One of my student.:

I have had a glance at the manual. There is no such 'enable P/S2 mouse' option in your BIOS. The only thing you may try is at the main page, load 'Optimized defaults' and see.

In MSI forum, there are also some people having this problem, so it may be an error in the BIOS. As Jito, Tron, and Shawn have advised, return to the previous version (v1.8).

But, you may not be able to use the AutoUpdate function, you will need to download it manually, and I had a look there, it saids you needed to flash the BIOS in DOS. But if you are familiar with DOS, then it is not a problem for you.

[Attila]

Thanks so much for looking for me Ma Ling. That was very kind of you. I hope I can help you out one day also to return the favour. I did find the intstructions on the MSI website about how to update the bios in DOS. I have never done that before from DOS but I printed the instructions and hopefully it will be straightforward.

I do think going back to an earlier BIOS is the solution after all. I guess the famous saying comes to mind "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" or in this case my bios was working fine so why oh why did I have to try to update it? Bleh....
Perhaps the load optimized defaults is what I will try first. Ah well. Thanks again for your time everyone and a special thank you to Ma Ling!

Edit: I'll post back once I have the solution to not keep you all in suspense! LOL

Edited by Attila, 12 August 2005 - 07:51 AM.

[MaLing]

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it', this is good, but there is one as well: 'Trial and Error'. You never know in life if you do not try. We learn new things by trying new things. I now think you do not feel DOS is that hard, do you? I prefer the way 'Trial and Error'. That is why I always make mistakes.

Anyway, wish you good luck.

[tobiasmerlin]

Download this file and then follow these instructions (I had a similar problem with my Award BIOS and flashing manually helped):
1. Extract the BIOS that you have downloaded by double click it and extract it to a blank formatted floppy disk.
2. Boot the system with a bootable floppy disk
a. A Windows 98/ME startup disk can be used
b. Or you can create an MS-DOS startup disk under Windows XP, to create an MS-DOS startup disk under Windows XP, right click on the 3 ½ floppy drive icon under my computer and select format. On the format dialog box, check the box next to “Create MS-DOS startup disk” and then click the start button to make a MS-DOS startup disk.
3 Once you boot off of the bootable floppy disk, replace the bootable floppy disk with the floppy disk containing the bios files.
4. At the A:\ prompt, you will type in the following command
a. A:\FLASHUTILITY BIOSFILE.VER
b. The flash utility will be the .EXE file included in the BIOS you downloaded. For example: ADSFI712.EXE = BIOS FLASH UTILITY
c. The BIOS file will end with the version number you downloaded. For example:
A6728ims.210 = BIOS file version 2.10
5. To update the BIOS using the example above you would type the following command.
a. A:\ADSFI712 A6728ims.210, then push the enter key.
b. Follow the onscreen prompts to update the BIOS.
6. DO NOT TURN OFF THE POWER or RESET/REBOOT the SYSTEM before the BIOS update is completed, stopping the BIOS UPATE before it is completed will cause the system to become non-functional.
7. Reboot the system once the bios update has been completed.

[Attila]

Thank you tobiasmerlin!

[Attila]

Well everyone. Success at last!!!

Though I almost had a heart attack in the process. I downloaded the latest Bios as per TobiasMerlins email above which was 1.9 and I also went to the MSI website and downloaded 1.8 as well as 1.7 which was the version I had before I updated to 1.9. So I installed 1.9 from DOS with no effect, the PS/2 port was still not working. So I went back into DOS and installed the 1.8 version. I reboot and....nothing. Absolutely nothing. The computer would not boot up!!! I thought I was going to *##@ myself. Could I have downloaded the wrong BIOS file and toasted my board?!?! Each time I turned off and turned on, nothing no boot up! So I stopped my screaming (as it was 0100 in the morning and I don't think my neighbors would have appreciated it) and put on my thinking cap. I remembered reading somewhere that if you take the battery out of the board wait a bit and then put it back it can re-set the CMOS and that may coax the system to boot up again. So that is what I did, said a quick prayer and lo and behold it worked!! A miracle, I promptly said another prayer of thanksgiving and here I am! So thanks again all for your help and suggestions. My PS/2 port is working again and all is well and good in the world!

Lesson of the day. If your BIOS is working properly and you don't have to update...then DON'T!!

[Tron]

LOL..... That goes for most things! I can not tell you how many times I have updated software because there was an update (Mine was working just fine), and for no other reason. And upon updating I no longer could use the software!!!!! I end up going back. I have learned to wait a while to see if other people have troubles first now... LOL....

[MaLing]

Congratulations. Very glad to hear that you have killed your problem. The process was really exciting. Luckily you knew some technics of motherboard, and could calm down in time to figure a solution out.

Well, I should say updating motherboard Bios was very risky indeed. Updating operating systems is often said to be very risky, but it is nothing if you compare it to updating Bios. Just a wrong minor step in updating Bios, you can say goodbye to your computer. The only option for you is to send the board to the sevice centre of the manufacturer.

In addition, I never update my Bios in Windows, I am too frightened that I will risk to import some viruses into the Bios, once viruses are written into Bios, there are no ways to rectify, anti-virus applications can never help.

I always reboot by a clean floppy disc to do this job, not only because of the virus infection, but also in Dos the environment is a lot more stable, in Windows there are too many unknown drivers and background applications which influence the process, and thus make the job fail, and thus cause me a big trouble.

Edited by MaLing, 15 August 2005 - 07:31 AM.

[Charalambos]

Well, as far as I know the BIOS is supposed to be updated in DOS mode, not in Windows. In fact, each manufacturer together with the updates provides exact step-by-step guides on how to do it which must be exactly followed in order to ensure that the proccess will not fail( at least). I know because I also thought to update my computer's BIOS once but, since the updates were still older than Windows XP , I changed my mind. You see, I was a bit unlucky: My PC is a Pentium 3 1GHz( the last Pentium 3 upgrade ). That's what you can say bad timing, I suppose, but I don't mind. It still does its job.

Attila, I was happy to read that you solved your problem .

You didn't sell your problem of course as I firstly wrote. It seems I must be more carefull when typing...

Edited by Charalambos, 16 August 2005 - 03:46 PM.

[Attila]

Thank you MaLing and Charalambos for the very interesting insights. I think I will follow your lead on this one MaLing and perhaps not update my bios anymore. Afer all, if everything is working fine....why bother? Take care everyone.

[Jito463]

There are times when BIOS updates are important. To fix a glitch in the system, to support new processors and to fix compatibility issues. As an example of the last reason, we just built a brand new demo system at work with the following specs:

DFI LanPartyUT Ultra-D board
3500+ AMD64 Socket-939 (Venice core)
2 x 512MB PC4000 Buffallo Firestix RAM
GeForce 6600GT PCIe
400WT DeVanni PSU

Whenever we ran more than one stick of RAM or one of the sticks in the first slot instead of the second, the install would BSOD constantly if it even started at all. Once we updated the BIOS, it worked fine and installed Windows without a hitch. So while it's true you shouldn't worry if everything's working, there are times when it's important.

[MaLing]

Attila, you take care as well.

Charalambos, is it smooth to run Windows XP on a Pentium III 1G? How much Ram does it need so?

[Charalambos]

Yes, it runs allright and 128 MB of RAM are pretty enough( I have 256 MB). The only program so far that I tried and it doesn't work very well is Cassini Sega Saturn Emulator, at least with Panzer Dragoon Saga( it needs a P4 unfortunatelly). The good thing is that I have both a Saturn and the original game.