Recover or Undo Corrupt AMI BIOS Flash Update
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) which also commonly known as boot loader or boot ROM, is a firmware code that run by an IBM compatible PC computer when first powered on or booting up, in order to prepare the machine so that other software programs especially operating system stored on various media (such as hard drives, floppies, and CDs) can load, execute, and assume control of the PC. There are a few suppliers or vendors for motherboard’s BIOS, one of them is from American Megatrends (AMI) with the BIOS commonly called AMI BIOS or AMIBIOS.
Modern day BIOS fireware is normally stored on EEPROM (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) or flash memory devices, which can be easily updated or flashed by users. Flash is the term used to describe process to write a new BIOS code into the ROM, replacing the existing BIOS. However, there is risk that users improperly execute or abort a BIOS update, and cause BIOS corrupts, and render the computer or device unusable or unable to boot up. Bad flash or flash mistake cause a lot of problem and disable the system, In this case, users with corrupted BIOS can only staring at the blank screen, or POST process screen indefinitely.
If for any reason your motherboard (mobo) BIOS corrupted, if you’re motherboards comes with a backup BIOS (Dual BIOS boards or Quard BIOS board from Gigabyte), then you still be able to boot up and log on to operating system. If you’re not, and your computer or motherboard is using an AMI BIOS, then you can use the following fail safe emergency BIOS load trick to try to recover the BIOS corruption. The hack works on the basis that AMI BIOSes have a recovery process that embedded in “boot block” which is a portion of the ROM that runs first and is not updateable. Code in boot block verify that the rest of the BIOS is intact (via checksum, hash, etc.) and if it detects that the main BIOS in “system block” is corrupt, the recovery routine is called and for AMI BIOS, it will boot to a floppy to access any new BIOS file with the name AMIBOOT.ROM. If found, the file will be read and flash or write to the system block, replacing the corrupted or bad main BIOS.
Recovery procedures for AMI BIOS
- Download the latest version or your choose version of BIOS file for your computer or motherboard from the manufacturer’s support site.
- Rename the downloaded file to AMIBOOT.ROM.
- Copy the file to a floppy disk.
- Insert the floppy disk to the floppy drive.
- Turn on the system.
- The system should automatically access the floppy drive (indicated LED will light up). If no floppy access occurs press and hold Ctrl-Home to force update. Follow any on screen instruction to restore and recover the good BIOS from the floppy disk.
- When 4 beeps are heard or a reboot prompt you may remove the floppy disk.
- Restart the computer.
Note: If USB keyboard cannot work, try PS/2 keyboard. Sometimes, take out the CMOS battery to clear the configuration settings or reset the CMOS jumper switch to clear the CMOS may help too. Only the BIOS file is needed. For AMI BIOS recovery, the floppy no need to be bootable, and no flash utility needs to exists too.
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Entries (RSS)
March 10th, 2007 05:29
Hey look mom I made the news…lol
Here’s how to recover from a corrupt Award BIOS.
1. Make a bootable floopy disk
2. Copy the Award flash utility & BIOS file to the floppy disk
3. Create an autoexec.bat with “Award_Flash_Utility BiosFilename” in the content (e.g. awdfl823K w6378vms.130)
Sample on how to create an autoexec:
a. In Windows, open NotePad
b. In NotePad, write “awdfl823K w6378vms.130″ (without the ” “)
c. Save the file as autoexec.bat
4. Boot up system with the floppy (it will take less than 2 minutes before screen comes out)
5. Re-flash the BIOS & reboot.
SirReal
March 10th, 2007 08:56
marmo’s hints brought my mobo back to life.
A world of thanks again.
P.S. please remove the links to “ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe (by aSolRam)” !!!
March 13th, 2007 17:20
@ Admin:
Point 2 has to be
rename to AMIBOOT.ROM not AMIBIOS.ROM
March 13th, 2007 17:45
Agnoia, thanks for point out, have since corrected the error.
March 24th, 2007 16:19
[...] SirReal and [...]
April 10th, 2007 16:54
“Quard BIOS” wot is a ‘quard’ ??? Maybe you had a finger slip and meant it to be QUAD BIOS.
(3rd para, line 2)
April 10th, 2007 23:47
And what about laptops without floppy drives ??
October 25th, 2007 22:22
For laptops without floppy drives, burn a cd disc with the AMIBOOT.ROM file, and press the same keys, it should work the same way.
January 30th, 2008 05:39
If you have a dual bios (for ex. Ga-M59SLI-S5) and it failed and the backup bios doesnt take over then ur FkCeD like me ;D Tried everything. Hot swap is the only solution I guess.
March 3rd, 2008 09:03
Hi all, i have a problem with my ECS motherboard, I incountered this problem when i try to update the BIOS of my computer, during the UPDATE my computer got hung-up and i reset, after i reset i got a black screen in my monitor…. anyone can help me how to recover the BIOS?
Note: I copied the original bios file before i update.
July 23rd, 2008 06:30
Hello, I got a problem on my desktop computer with an ECS P4m890t-m V2 motherboard, I made a bios update, because my computer dont run WinXP properly, the case is… I Just get Blank Screen after the bios update… I have no FloppyDisk Driver on my PC, CD didnt work, do some one know what can I do to recover the bios?? thanks !