GA-MA785GMT-UD2H - BIOS Upgrade Resulting in Failure to Boot

[aetius]

I'm (was?) running Ubuntu Lucid on this board, with a Phenom II CPU and 4Gb RAM.

Having had problems with trying to boot a test OS from a USB Stick, I wondered if this might have been sorted with a BIOS upgrade. I downloaded the F9 upgrade, then using QFlash I updated the system, with the update being read from a floppy.

Trying to reboot afterwards, all I got was whirring fans  and a blank screen - not even any POST beeps. I then went through the usual: shorting CMOS jumpers (no effect) and taking out the CMOS battery and replacing it a hour later (also no effect).

I realise that reflashing BIOS is risky but I followed the recognised processes. Do I have to replace the board, or has anyone found a way of rescuing one from a situation like this?

Any suggestions would be most gratefully received...

Stan

[absic]

Hi,

You can try and kick in the backup BIOS by shutting down the PC from the wall, then holding down your case's  power button so that it is on and at the same time, turn on the power supply at the wall socket.
A few seconds later the board will start, immediately shut off the power supply at the wall socket.
Then you can turn on the power supply again and power up the board normally and DualBIOS should kick in.

Hopefully you can understand this procedure OK and it should work. If not, don't panic there is one more thing we can try to get the back-up BIOS to kick in, if needed.

[aetius]

Many thanks for replying.

I tried exactly as you suggested, but when I plugged in the machine at the wall with the "on" button pressed, all I got was the blank screen and the fans.  The DVD drive blinked a few times, but no life from the HDD and no POST sounds to be heard. I tried powering on and off from the wall a few times, but all I saw was more of the same...

Plan B?

Cheers, Stan   

[aetius]

So... nothing yet

I've ordered a MSI board as a replacement as I can't trust Gigabyte anymore.

Yes, I know they're probably made by the same people in Huang Dong province or wherever, but to different and hopefully better specs. The reason for my bitterness is not the lack of reaction on this forum - absic excepted - but the total silence from the Gigabyte techies to whom I explained the problem.

They obviously couldn't give a toss. If that's the atttitude of the company, then I'm off elsewhere.

There won't be any positive comments about Gigabyte boards from me if I'm ever asked... In business jargon, lose - lose...

[absic]

Hi there,

sorry that GGTS haven't got back to you but I do know they have been extremely busy and that they can take a long time to respond. Gigabyte are actually one of the few companies that do care about what their customers feel and I would urge you not to give up on them just yet.