BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

[faustis]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Hi, everyone.

This is my first time posting here, but I sure do need some help.
Here is the situation.
I bought the Gigabyte ep45-ds3r, and managed to get everything built up and started. (This is my second build by the way, first was an ASUS motherboard and went smoothly) However like many other people who have bought this easy to set-up board (note the sarcasm) it is hanging at verifying DMI pool data. I did everything to try to clear this problem up, from force flushing the DMI by removing everything from the motherboard and powering it up, cleared the c-mos twice, once by touching the clear c-mos pins, another time by removing the battery. I then followed the instructions on this site for updating the bios and did that successfully, however it still hangs, even after it said
"verifying DMI pool date....success!"
The only time it ever gets past that point is if I disconnect my 640GB Samsung Sata HD642JI, once I start up without the HD it get past the DMI verification fine and will go to the boot up of the OS that I want to install, but since the HD is disconnected it is just a tiny bit difficult to install the OS. (P.S. I really feel like starting a bonfire with this MB, so if anyone can help me solve this problem please let me know) Thanks in advance.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Sounds like maybe a bad disk, can you test that disk in another system? Or do you have incorrect settings for your disk in the BIOS?

But since it hangs and does not show you a disk error, I am leaning towards a bad disk myself. DOA disks happen more often then anyone would like to admit. So please if you can test this disk in another setup

[faustis]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

I am pretty sure that I have the Disk settings correct, since it is showing up as the master disk in the Bios. I was thinking (and let me know your opinion on this) of just getting another motherboard (the exact same one and checking if it had the same problem, or do you think that is a waste of time, and that I should just buy another disk drive and see if that works. (At the moment I have no way to test out my hard drive since the computer I am using at the moment is ancient and cannot take a Sata Hard-drive. I was thinking of just getting an IDE HD that way I can test it out on my old pc if neccessary. To be honest I am getting a little frustrated since I have already spent about $800 dollars on this build and don't really want to spend anymore. Also is it just me or is it that this model board has some real issues that Gigabyte needs to resolve. This experience just teaches me that I really need to check up on the cons of a boards before I buy it. (Sorry this is so long winded, I get this way when I am stressed)
Again your advice is appreciated

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Yeap, that sounds wrong. There is no master or slave in SATA. First please check and remove any jumper you see on the back of the drive (These limit speed to SATA I, they do not set slave/master)

And then please put all disks to None in Standard CMOS page, except for your cd or dvd drives like this >>>



And in each one set it to None




Then be sure you go into Advanced BIOS page and set your drive as the first boot device, or second if you use floppy as first

Then on the Integrated Peripherals BIOS page set >>>>

Sata RAID/AHCI mode .................... Disabled
SATA port0-3 Native Mode ..............Enabled

The boards are fine, I have seen no real issues other then users not knowing how to setup their MIT overclocking or ram settings.

A new board would be the same for you until you get the settings right. Some disks alo HAVE to be setup with the manufacturers tools for first disk usage to be set primary and active, they will not work until you do. I am not sure if your disk is that type or not though, but either way you need your settings correct first

To bad you could test it on another board to see if you could get the no OS error or not, without being able to test you have no way of seeing if the drive is bad or not. This may help you see once you have correct settings. It is the diagnostic tool >>>
SAMSUNG Hard Disk Drive - support - utilities

Do not format it with that, as you would have no way to set it active and primary again, unless you have some BootCD's

[faustis]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Hi thanks for your reply.

Well you were right it was a bad disk, I went over to a repair shop and they hooked it up for me free of charge, and said it was a bad disk, so I bought a new one and no longer have the DMI hang,......but murphy's law.... I have a new problem, after the verifying pool data and success message it goes to boot up the OS disk, and I get this new message, it says. "The file is possibly corrupt. The file header checksum does not match the computed checksum" ANy idea what is wrong?

Oh should I start a new thread?
Thanks again.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Nice to see you were able to test that and find out what it was easily. I thought that may be it from your comments.

Is this error message after you have installed the OS or when you are first trying to install?

Either way try with only one stick of ram in slot one, with the ram voltage manually set to what you see on the sticker

[ScottyP]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Gday all...hopefully can help me here. Has been an unbelievable mammoth task to get my EP45-DS3P up and running. Won't bore you with details, but for now, am in middle of updating my BIOS (hopefully to rectify unsaid issues)...and have been for near on 30 minutes!

Updating via floppy, to F7, and it's just sitting on reading BIOS File. It's got to the end of the progress bar and the drive is just ticking away, and has been for a good 1/2 hour. Not really sure on next course of action. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[ScottyP]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Ok, I am back up and running. I couldn't wait due to me doing this at work and my shift finishing very soon.

FYI - I took the gamble (no other choice open to me really) and switched my box off. Performed a CMOS reset and switched power back on. To my relief, was able to enter the BIOS. Checked the revision and it didn't update...still sitting at F5. There's hope yet!

Exited BIOS and restarted, got to verifying DMI pool data...then next screen was something akin to the Windows advanced options menu which displays Safe Mode, Last Known Good etc.

Thre was actually a Last Known Good option for the BIOS firmware, which I selected and system is now as it was before my little BIOS update adventure.

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I think is a good reference for someone who if by chance has a similar issue.

I still have my original problem to deal with, that being my IDE DVD/WR stops functioning as soon as XP loads, but this for another thread I think.

Cheers,
Scott

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Sounds like your ram or voltages were not stable when you first tried, it should only take less then one minute to flash. (Always best to load optimized before you flash to be on the safe side, and then set performance enhance to standard)

The Screen you mention is CMOS CheckSum error screen, and you will see that anytime you properly clear the CMOS or your BIOS corrupts and corrects itself. This is normal and is explained on page one of this thread

Last known good, would of course be your old BIOS. If you need help flashing to the latest BIOS still let me know I can help you.

As for your DVD drive, did you load all the windows updates and install the latest Intel Chipset driver package yet? If not, that would be why most likely

[Dymblos]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Hi

How can i flash the bios of my motherboard GA-965P-DS3 Rev3.3
I have download the bios F14b, i extract it, inside are "965PDS3.14b" "autoexec" "FLASHSPI"
and i bought a Sony USB Drive 1GB

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Just put the 965PDS3.14b file on your USB stick and enter Qflash. From the BIOS that is F8 on the main page, from bootup you can push the End key to get there as well

Change "Keep DMI" to disabled and Flash, if you see a 4 letter checksum you are good to go ahead with the flash

Legacy USB Storage Dectect MUST be enabled in Integrated Peripherals Page of the BIOS and you must leave your USB Stick plugged in when you reboot to flash

[Dymblos]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Ok, the "autoexec" "FLASHSPI" are useless?
and after reboot i need load optimized defaults or load safe-failt default?
the "Keep DMI" option is in the bios options or in the Q-FLASH ?
and the pendrive must be formated in FAT or FAT32?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Yes, if you are using USB Stick you do not need those. Those files are for Floppy or CD to be used with DOS

Load optimized and then set your ram voltage and reboot BACK to the BIOS and set all your disk settings again

Keep DMI is enabled by default, change it to Disable. It is in Qflash

Must be FAT32 or 16 or 12, Just use FAT32. Most ALL USB's are already formatted to this and you do not need to do anything or delete files from it, just add your BIOS file and go into Qflash

[mathewgx]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

What is the option "keep DMI" ? Is it better to disable it or not ?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

I always disable it so that it will delete the DMI Pool and create a new one once you load optimized defaults and eventually let it go thru the full boot to windows.

That assures you that all data is updated with the flash