BIOS Flash Killed My Crossfire - Beware! (and help if poss!)

[trogdor]

I was trying to install Vista RC1 x64, but was getting an error before setup even began about a missing ACPI controller. After some research the problem appeared to be solvable by a new system BIOS. So I head over to the Forum and see that my machine (Crossfire 3400) is actually a MiTAC, and BIOS updates can be found there.

Happily, I visit the MiTAC site. I locate updates for both the system and the kbc BIOS, and after a little bit of Google, instructions on how to install both. I download these and the flashing tools, and (lacking a floppy drive) use Nero to make a DOS boot CD that will run them. I boot to this.

Installing the KBC BIOS is a breeze (if a little surreal, with little smiley faces filling up a progress bar, and the notebook then switching itself off with NO lights - not even the battery status. Edit: I forgot to mention that whilst flashing, the mother of all fans that I have never heard before kicked in. The machine sounded like a jet engine). I boot the machine back into Windows (XP x86 SP2), just to check that nothing was borked, then go back to the boot CD to install the system BIOS.

I type the requested instructions, and the BIOS flasher appears, does its job, then verifies and shows the green text to show that the update was successfully installed. Little did I know that that would be the last coherent text my notebook displayed. THe machine shut itself down, and upon pressing the power button again, I see scrolling vertical lines of gibberish (rather reminiscent of The Matrix, but in white rather than green). After a short length I see what looks like the prompt for my BIOS password (yes, I'm paranoid). Thinking if I can get past this screen, I might be able to make some progress, I type in my password and press return, and the machine even beeps to say it's accepted, but then I see (hidden behind the garbage lines) what looks like DOS error messages. No beef.

I'm going to head over to MiTAC service now to see whether they can help, but let this serve as a warning to all Novatech Crossfire users: do not install the O1.09 system bios flash for the MiTAC 8355 unless you fancy hosing your machine.

Have a nice day, everyone! I know I'm not!

Edit: The product code was NNB-203. The serial number has been rubbed off from extensive lap-top use.

[Coops]

You may have used the wrong BIOS i fear.

the 8355 Unit that was used in the 203 was in fact the higher spec version of the Chassis which is the 8355H.

Please confirm was it 8355 or 8355H that you used?

As you mentioned O1.09 i am sure you did use wrong one as this is for the 8355 where as file listed as just 1.09 is for 8355H

[trogdor]

Unfortunately, I did indeed use the 8355 flash, as the back of the machine says in big letters "Model No: 8355". No H. Bugger.

[Coops]

Yes the difference between the 2 is the graphics board.

Therefore the BIOS is slightly different to take this in to account

[trogdor]

That's quite an interesting difference - on desktop machines, the BIOS is the same regardless of what graphics card is attached.

[Coops]

Yes sadly this is because laptop and PC design is quite different. Mainly due to the fact everything has to be that smaller.

But once again even in PC mainboards there are slight variations of the same motherboard that require different BIOS to support addition features.

[trogdor]

I managed to fix the problem this evening - burned the correct BIOS, flashit1.exe, and an autoexec.bat written to reflash the BIOS to a boot CD in Nero, inserted it into the machine, and waited. And it worked. Thanks for all the help.