M68M-S2P - Backup BIOS?

[Dark Mantis]

I have just received an answer from GGTS regarding a question I posed them a while ago regarding the operation of the Backup BIOS and it's functionality.

Why doesn't the DualBIOS work? The backup BIOS is supposed to automatically take over from the main BIOS in the event of corruption. It doesn't happen and not just on this board.

Their answer amazed me and I thought I should post it on the forum.

The Backup BIOS will not kick in if the main BIOS Boot Rom is seriously corrupted.

If this is true then what is the point of having and advertising a Backup BIOS? It is one of the attractions of the Gigabyte motherboards and forms part of their sales pitch yet it doesn't actually work.

[Peteruk]

Well ROM means Read only memory so unless they mean you have a main BIOS Boot ROM with two EEPROM one main one backup for the BIOS code and setups and the main BIOS Boot ROM some how gets corrupted to load the main or backup BIOS ?

Or it is that they have two EEPROM one main one backup for the BIOS code and the switch to backup BIOS code is on the main BIOS and that gets corrupted then this is a bad design.       

[F5BJR]

*
I have see for ASUS motherboard exist same dual bios but

- the 2 * eprom flash are mounted in a socket ( DIL8 )

repair is easy with an SPI EEProm Programmer ( some 25 $ ) to EBay



Pierre

[Dark Mantis]

*
I have see for ASUS motherboard exist same dual bios but
- the 2 * eprom flash are mounted in a socket ( DIL8 )
repair is easy with an SPI EEProm Programmer ( some 25 $ ) to EBay

Yes that is the type I am more used to seeing. It is much easier to swap if necessary. Not possible with these surface mount soldered on chips.

Well ROM means Read only memory so unless they mean you have a main BIOS Boot ROM with two EEPROM one main one backup for the BIOS code and setups and the main BIOS Boot ROM some how gets corrupted to load the main or backup BIOS ?

Or it is that they have two EEPROM one main one backup for the BIOS code and the switch to backup BIOS code is on the main BIOS and that gets corrupted then this is a bad design.       

I know that the backup ROM is just that, only readable not writeable(or at least in theory by the end user) and is just there to rewrite the main BIOS chip in case of  corruption.

DualBIOS™ - Patented Dual Hardware BIOS Protection
DualBIOS™ is a GIGABYTE patented technology that automatically recovers BIOS data when main BIOS has crashed or failed. Featuring 2 physical BIOS ROMs integrated onboard, GIGABYTE DualBIOS™ allows quick and seamless recovery from BIOS damage or failure due to viruses or improper BIOS updating.

[F5BJR]

*
That is possible to flash the SPI EEprom but with a SOIP 3M clip without unsolder

But that is hard for find this !!



Pierre

[runn3R]

Hi Dark Mantis

Dual BIOS works in the most of the cases indeed. Please read the answer of GGTS precisely: "Backup BIOS will not kick in if the main BIOS Boot Rom is seriously corrupted".

In case of usual corruption (like for instance some bits of Main BIOS EEPROM chip have wrong contents and its checksum doesn't match as the result) the Backup BIOS will copy it's contents to the Main BIOS. But in case of some serious damage of Main BIOS EEPROM chip (like it cannot be written at all) the procedure will fail.

P.S. I noticed that your GGTS question was about M68M-S2P, so why you put it into MB's for Intel CPU's section, when it's MB for AMD CPU's? Shall I move it?

[Dark Mantis]

Dual BIOS works in the most of the cases indeed. Please read the answer of GGTS precisely: "Backup BIOS will not kick in if the main BIOS Boot Rom is seriously corrupted".

In case of usual corruption (like for instance some bits of Main BIOS EEPROM chip have wrong contents and its checksum doesn't match as the result) the Backup BIOS will copy it's contents to the Main BIOS. But in case of some serious damage of Main BIOS EEPROM chip (like it cannot be written at all) the procedure will fail.

P.S. I noticed that your GGTS question was about M68M-S2P, so why you put it into MB's for Intel CPU's section, when it's MB for AMD CPU's? Shall I move it?

Hi runn3R

I did copy the complete answer from GGTS in my original post. If they left something important out or they failed to give the right information then that is hardly my fault. Personally I wouldn't call the inability of a chip to be physically written to as "corrupt" seriously or otherwise, it is more damaged.

Regarding the placement of the thread, I took some time over the decision to put it where I did and considered that as it originally was for the AMD chip but was non platform specific that I would place it here. However I have no problem with you moving it if you feel I was wrong.

[runn3R]

I agree, maybe the answer you received from GGTS was just too short and this could cause misunderstanding which may led you to put posts like "The Dual BIOS doesn't work( I have officail confirmation of that)" .

Anyway I will discuss with GGTS team about the way they reply for future improvement.

[Dark Mantis]

OK thanks runn3R, I am always ready to be proved wrong and am quite willing to accept that mistakes are made by myself as well as others.

[absic]

Ah, how does that humble pie taste DM??

I know from my own experiences that it can sometimes leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth. 

[Dark Mantis]

To be honest absic I don't feel at this juncture that I have said anything wrong. If GGTS can't make it clear what they mean then that is their shortfall. After all they are paid to do the job and I am not.

[absic]

Damn, I thought I'd got you there.

This humble pie really doesn't taste good when you're the only one eating it! 

[Dark Mantis]

Don't worry absic I can still remeber the taste well enough from past experiences

[Dark Mantis]

This is the log of my conversation with GGTS for anyone who is interested. It may help some understand the situation more clearly.

From :  Dark Mantis
Sent :  8/26/2010 06:56
 
Question :  Why doesn't the DualBIOS work? The backup BIOS is supposed to automatically take over from the main BIOS in the event of corruption. It doesn't happen and not just on this board.

Answer - 965790
Answer :  Hi,

The Backup BIOS will not kick in if the main BIOS Boot Rom is seriously corrupted.
  
Question - 965790
Question - 971196
From :  Dark Mantis
Sent :  9/7/2010 00:29
 
Question :  If that is so what is the point of having the second backup BIOS chip on the board?

Answer - 971196
Answer :  Hi,

If the bios is damaged, the bios will auto rescue from hard disk. If there is no hard disk, it will recover from backup bios.

Question - 971674
From :  Dark Mantis
Sent :  9/8/2010 00:50
 
Question :  Surely that is dependant on the setting being enabled in the BIOS? The "backup BIOS image to hard drive" is "disabled" by default.
 
Answer - 971674
Answer :  Hi,

The second backup BIOS will kick into the Main BIOS only if the Main BIOS is normally corrupted (CRC error). But when Main BIOS is seriously corrupeted e.g. physically / electrically destroyed then there is nowhere for backup BIOS to be copied into, so it won't kick in. But such situation happens seldom.

The hard disc auto rescue must have the option enabled in BIOS, that's correct. But anyway Main BIOS must be able to be electrically programmed in order for this function to work.

We hope it clearifies your questions.

Question - 972733
From :  Dark Mantis
Sent :  9/9/2010 23:31
 
Question :  If that is the case why is the setting in the BIOS "disabled" by default? Surely the safer option would be to have it set to "enabled".

I am still waiting for the answer to this.
 

[Dark Mantis]

Answer - 972733
Answer :  Hi,

Most of customers do not like our bios image to occupy their HDD space without notice. Therefore the default is set as disabled.


Dark Mantis
Sent :  9/16/2010 22:35

Question :  Fair enough I suppose but i can't really see it being an issue as the total BIOS is only 8Mb and with todays storage it is not even noticeable. I think that given the choice people would go for the safe option over the space they lose.