BIOS ROM Checksum Error

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 14:53

New motherboard today, got an Abit IP35 Pro and it's refusing to do anything.

I managed to get past the continuous beeps by unplugging an old IDE hard drive that I didn't even notice was plugged in! but now it's just saying

BIOS ROM checksum error

Detecting floppy drive A media...

on the screen.

I don't even have a floppy drive!

Is the bios fubared? I've not even managed to get into it to change any settings so it's not my fault

leezer3 · 12 Dec 2007 at 14:56

Means what it says

The BIOS is fubarred, & its looking for a floppy automatically to reflash. (Safety feature on some BIOS)

I'd try resetting the CMOS, if that does nothing, RMA the board; Not worth the hastle.

-Leezer-

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 15:16

This is getting tedious now, Do any motherboards work reliably?

DS3 broke twice with the "no post no beeps" problem
now this one doesn't even boot out of the box.

Cheers, I've raised a query where I bought it

BUFF · 12 Dec 2007 at 15:59

does sound like it's trying to recover from the bootblock.
have you tried clearing CMOS (not that I really expect that to help)?

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 16:01

Yes, it says bootblock at the top of the screen!

Yeah, tried clearing it plenty of times

It gets to that screen maybe 5% of the time, the rest of the time it just hangs with bios codes that mean nothing, or long beeps (continuous)

BUFF · 12 Dec 2007 at 16:52

what are the codes?

The continuous long beep is usually RAM (which is also what C1 was that you mentioned in the other thread).
Try using just 1 DIMM.

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jefn/bootblock.html

Bony Maloney · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:08

I had this, only boot with one stick of ram after altering the bios DDR2 voltage, set it to the manufacturers recommended voltage. Boot into windows, if all ok fit your other sticks of ram and you should be good to go. The default DDR2 for the Abit board is set @ 1.8v, my Geil needed 2.1v, so with 4 sticks it couldn't boot and I got the checksum error. Reduced it to 1 stick of ram and altered the bios DDR2 voltage and bingo no more problems.
Oh and BTW other than this little glitch, it is a great board.

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:09

Tried using 1 DIMM in each slot, I've come to the conclusion that one stick might be Fubared as that never works but the other stick gets to the bootblock message most of the time.

The codes are

09, 41, AE (only had AE once)

Bony Maloney · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:09

Try using 1 stick full stop and read my post above

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:11

I would go into the bios, IF I COULD EVEN GET THERE WITH ONE STICK!

read my post above

Bony Maloney · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:21

OK , insert only 1 stick of ram in slot 1 ( furthest away from processor). Power off, disconnect power lead. Press computers power on button to drain capacitors. Remove the CMOS battery and leave it out for ten mins, Reset CMOS at the back of the mobo, then power up, press Del to enter set up and alter your DDR2 voltage as stated above.

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 17:22

Computer Says No

And slot one is closest to CPU

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 18:02

And BUFF - I'm attempting that bootblock method but the bios is too big to fit on the floppy disk!!

BUFF · 12 Dec 2007 at 18:38

http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=129825

worst come to the worst contact Sean at abit UK for a replacement BIOS chip.

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 18:44

Cheers BUFF, what I ended up doing to test it out was just omit the actual bios file as I figured it would boot into AWDFLASH before needing the bios file.

It didn't do it, and it didn't even read the floppy disk

Waiting for the retailer to get back to me, if I don't hear by tomorrow I'll go through Abit directly.

Bony Maloney · 12 Dec 2007 at 19:11

Sidewinder do you have a Corsair/ Seasonic PSU? I believe there was an issue with checksum errors and this brand of PSU. I have a Seasonic but the method above sorted it for me. Hope you get it sorted.

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 19:32

It's a corsair 520W, and if there is a problem then that sucks

Nothing sorted as of now, taking it out of the case to see if it works just on the desk.

And that's a no, doesn't work out of the case either

gonna see if I can get hold of some other DDR2 to check if it's the RAM that's dead.

BUFF · 12 Dec 2007 at 20:23

Bony Maloney said:
Sidewinder do you have a Corsair/ Seasonic PSU? I believe there was an issue with checksum errors and this brand of PSU.

not a checksum error it's some kind of signalling issue between a small no. of IP35s & some Seasonic oemed PSUs. Thing is that neither abit or Corsair/Seasonic appear able to replicate it & therefore don't know whether it's the PSUs or the mobos at fault ...
It doesn't sound like SidewinderINC has that problem.

SidewinderINC · 12 Dec 2007 at 20:26

I'm going round a friends to re-check my Crucial 10th RAM on saturday but I don't know anyone in the area who can check my CPU, they're all on AMD for some bizarre reason.

Bony Maloney · 12 Dec 2007 at 20:46

BUFF said:
not a checksum error it's some kind of signalling issue between a small no. of IP35s & some Seasonic oemed PSUs. Thing is that neither abit or Corsair/Seasonic appear able to replicate it & therefore don't know whether it's the PSUs or the mobos at fault ...
It doesn't sound like SidewinderINC has that problem.

Okey dokely, did they have booting issues with this error Buff?