Need BIOS Chip

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 68

After a BIOS flash that presumably went well, but now system wont boot, I contacted manufacture and they said I could get a new BIOS chip for $10. They would flash it with the lates BIOS version for my motherboard.

However, they wanted me to give my credit card information through email or via phone, and I was uncomfortable with doing that....well maybe a disposable credit card number might help.

I looked online at several websites, but was wondering if there are other places I could buy a new BIOS chip, for about the same price. I've had this brand new PC for about a month already, and only got to "play" with it for one whole day.

In case your wondering, here is the motherboard info:
Manufacturer: MSI
MB: K9N4 SLI

Oh, and there is nothing wrong with the current BIOS chip. If I could find a place locally that could RE-Flash it, then I could get my PC working again. However, I cannot find anyone locally that can do that either, or inexpensively.

Thanx in advance.

12quidkidinnit · Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

There's a seller on ebay who might have what you need.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Programmed-NEW-BIOS-CHIP-motherboard_W0QQitemZ27...5160099

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1134 Location: Central FL, USA

News Flash!

Every bios chip is proprietary to the board manufacturer and is specific to that exact mobo, by model number and revision level.
No one out there in 'Never-Never Land' is going to have one laying around.

If MSI is willing to help you..... LET THEM!
I doubt you'd find anyone more reliable to give your CC# to.

Hopefully, the chip is socketed and not soldered in.
If it IS socketed and you change it yourself, be extremely careful in extracting the old chip, that you don't crack the socket.

On my own MSI mobo, the BIOS chip IS socketed.

I'm just curious, why you'd ever try to flash a bios chip on essentially a NEW mobo? Was it absolutely necessary?

Good Luck,
The Doctor

goretsky

Hello,

MSI is a reputable company, and $10.00USD is rather inexpensive for a replacement BIOS chip. As an example, BadFlash.Com charges about $30.00 for a replacement BIOS chip.

You could always ask them if they will take a check or money order, if you prefer not to use a credit card.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Psycho-Joe · Joined: Nov 04, 2003 Posts: 68

Thx gore,

I had asked them the moment they said they wanted to get my CC over the phone/email and they only do CC. And I do prefer using a credit card, but its the method they wanted that I didnt like.

I think I might give that eBay person a try... but I'm going to use a disposable credit card number, just to be safe.

Joe

hamhox · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 45

[quote]Every bios chip is proprietary to the board manufacturer and is specific to that exact mobo, by model number and revision level.

hamhox · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 45

My reply was to DRwho07, NOT to Goretsky.

Hamhox

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1134 Location: Central FL, USA

This is not the place or forum for Arguments, but.

Although the chip itself may be the same used by many mobo manufacturers, the data on that chip is certainly NOT.

I too have exhaustive experience with erasable ROM chips.
I used to burn my own for the Commodore 64 with my custom Kernel on them.

But, the bios data for an Asus mobo, will not work on an MSI mobo, for instance. It's specific to the exact hardware on the mobo.

The man doesn't want to buy a blank chip, but one that is already loaded with data specific to his own mobo.

I'm done here.
Doc

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 808

Doesn't this MB have a "reset" in case the flash goes wrong?
The way I understand it, the new ones do. (or should)

Just wondering...

Question

alphanumeric · Joined: Jun 02, 2004 Posts: 633

Just about every motherboard has a BIOS reset jumper but that won't help you out if the BIOS code is messed up by a bad flash. Some motherboards like Gigabyte have dual BIOS and boot block that can bail you out of a bad flash. If you only have the one chip and it goes south you are screwed. The BIOS code has to be good to flash the BIOS so the only way out is to replace the chip with one that has the correct BIOS on it.