Rewrite bios through port serial

Maybe. You can possibly remove the BIOS chip from the motherboard, insert it into an EPROM programmer board, which communicates with a PC via serial, parallel, or USB. I use a Willem EPROM programmer for the purpose.

Obviously, you can't do this on the PC with the BIOS chip removed, so you'll need a 2nd PC.

If the BIOS is in a flash RAM chip, it's most likely not removeable. Most such systems have a jumper near the BIOS chip to enable a recovery mode. That will usually allow a floppy disk boot, with the BIOS recovery software. If that's not an option, you can also rewrite the BIOS using the JTAG port, but that requires detailed info from the motherboard manufacturer which is often not available.

You might have better luck with the Bus Pirate device (about $30US). It can talk to the newer BIOS chips that use I2C or SPI. More info here:

John

the buspirate works with plcc bios chip?

Regards

might be helpful if you'd disclose what you're trying to accomplish. is this a computer? processor? OS? model? motherboard? age? something!!! Does it run and you want to update? fixing a failed bios update? Trying to clear a bios lock password? other? Are those your only options? no cdrom, floppy, bootable usb, network boot? Some older systems had means to recover flash with a parallelport dongle, I think? Without ANY clues, it's hard to help.

the mobo is PcChips 810ML socket 462, bios Ami 1999.

know which version of AMI BIOS or what kind of motherboard does restore the bios with the procedure AMI :

Quick Flash Instructions For AMI Motherboards: (FLASH UTILITY NOT REQUIRED)

- Unzip file, copy the "ROM" file to a diskette in "A" drive. (Diskette does not have to be bootable).

- Make sure you are using the on board floppy controller.

- With system powered off and diskette with "ROM" file in "A" drive.

- Hold down on the "CTRL & HOME" keys and then power on system.

- There will be no video and notice floppy drive being accessed.

- You should hear 1 beep let go of keys.

- Then you will hear 2 beeps and then 3 beeps.

- System should reset and notice new BIOS release date at top of screen.

- Enter BIOS SETUP run the OPTIMAL SETINGS OPTION.

- Change BIOS SETTINGS for your configuration.

Regards

For what it's worth...

The documentation for my ASUS board specifically says "Do not update the BIOS unless you are absolutely certain the problem is BIOS-related, and the newer BIOS will fix it." This is probably CYA on ASUS's part, but it makes sense.

Identify the board properly (including version number), download the bios and flash using the recommended method. Being a PC CHIPS board, be sure that you really want to use it. Their boards are generally crap and I wouldn't really be suprised to see bad capacitors failing on it, never mind the bios update process actually suceeding.

Looking at bios flashing instructions for other motherboards will confuse you.

pahm Inscribed thus:

One of my clients had a machine with that M/B. Bad caps ! The power devices in the CPU PSU got so hot the solder melted and the devices slid off their pads destroying the board. If I remember correctly the CPU is soldered directly to the board.