Flash bios please help

[triplemaya]

Hi

I have an A30p, and I need to flash the bios. The problem is that the reason I need to flash the bios is that the screen shows only garbled characters on the basic boot up screens. This means that I cannot read the instructions when flashing the bios. The only real problem is that I don't know what the instructions are going to be, or I could do it 'blind'. So, does anyone know what I need to put in as the process runs? I can make sense of the first screen where the second option is to 'update system program', but I have not dared to go any further. If someone could tell me the sequence of instructions I would be very grateful. Best of ALL would be the location of a manual which describes the sequence of screens with pictures, but I have searched and searched IBM's site without success.

Please help if you can. Thanks

[whizkid]

Can you use an external monitor?

[beerak]

Can you use an external monitor?

But will be possible to run external monitor at the startup ? Will his damaged BIOS allow it ?

[triplemaya]

Hi
Thanks for the suggestion
Sadly, an external display doesn't help, it has the exact same problem. The problem is clearly with the graphics driver at a low level, and nothing to do with the display itself. I can run windows ok, but the display is corrupt. Runs Linux perfectly!

[GomJabbar]

Look at the links on the following page, under 'Additional Information'. There you will see diskette versions of the BIOS update program, that do not require Windows. You just need a floppy drive to boot from.

BIOS and Embedded Contoller Updates

You could also try pressing F8 at the beginning of the boot sequence, and when the 'Safe Mode' menu shows up, choose to boot from "Last Known Good Configuration". Windows should now boot up where the display is no longer corrupt. If this works, you will not need the diskette version of the BIOS update program.

EDIT: Or you could boot up into 'Safe Mode', and change the display driver to standard VGA. You might even be able to run the BIOS update program from 'Safe Mode'.

[whizkid]

It sounds to me like your character generator got toasted. Somehow. I doubt a BIOS update would fix it, but it's worth a try. (I would try it, anyway.) All you really need is someone with an A30p to write down which keys to press. IBM's instructions say to follow the screen prompts.

My hunch is that the system board will need to be replaced, but I hope I'm wrong.

Safe Mode will not help, as this is independent of any OS and happens before the OS loads.

[triplemaya]

Thanks for your post wizzkid.
As you so rightly say, safe mode etc is irrelevant.
Well, I got through the bios update successfully, I think! Anyway, it still works aftewards, and the problem seems slighly improved, but not solved.
Anyone got a spare system board?
Anyone want some expensive parts other than a system board?!!

[GomJabbar]

Safe Mode will not help, as this is independent of any OS and happens before the OS loads.

I can run windows ok, but the display is corrupt. Runs Linux perfectly!

As you so rightly say, safe mode etc is irrelevant.

What am I missing here? Is not Linux an OS?

[triplemaya]

Hi GomJabbar
Thanks for the link to the IBM page.
The computer has a problem, and the problem is with the display, probably the display hardware. The problem shows up in different ways at different times. The basic screens where you see the prompt when the computer is booting up are not displayed correctly. Also, instead of a plain blue screen, blue screens show as screens covered in exclamation marks.
Once you get into an OS that problem may not matter, as the OS organises the display itself. With the Linux OS the display is organised perfectly. Unfortuantely, Windows does not manage the same trick, and the display under windows is corrupt for all screens.
HTH

[GomJabbar]

Interesting. Thanks for the reply.

I can understand in a basic sense what you are saying. I guess it's kind of like you can make settings in the BIOS, but often times Windows just ignores them, and does settings differently all on it's own. Or maybe like a hard drive overlay program that will allow the full capacity of a hard drive on a system where the BIOS does not have that capability.

So in this case, I guess Linux is accessing the graphics chip, bypassing some component on the motherboard.

I haven't used Linux, so I am really in the dark when it comes to Linux issues and capabilities.