Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Zaeem on September 21, 2011, 11:49:49 AM
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I recently had to replace my motherboard because of BIOS failure. The system won't boot up! And all that happened suddenly, overnight! Last night I shut the computer down without any problem and the next day nothing shows up on screen, with the fans of GPU and CPU running (because the PSU was OK). Can you experienced people tell me, why does BIOS fail at all? What are the reasons? Or, is it just pure bad-luck?
Thanks in advance!
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There's no such thing as "bios failure". So please describe your problem IN DETAIL.
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There's no such thing as "bios failure". So please describe your problem IN DETAIL.
I agree. Look at the documentation for the motherboard. If the BIOS is generating error messages, it is working. Please explain why you use the term BIOS Failure" The first order of the BIOS is to report failures of hardware sub systems. If VGA or RAM does not work, it sends 'beep' codes.
Award BIOS beep codes.
• 1 short – DRAM refresh failure
• 2 short – Parity circuit failure
• 4 short – System timer failure
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with the fans of GPU and CPU running (because the PSU was OK).
This is not a guarantee that the PSU is healthy. A failing PSU could still provide enough power to make fans operate.
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This is not a guarantee that the PSU is healthy. A failing PSU could still provide enough power to make fans operate.
True. Fans tolerate voltage variations. A 12 volt foes work on 9 volts. But a hard drive will not.
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My bad! I should have used "Corrupted BIOS" instead of "BIOS Failure". A situation that causes the motherboard to be out-of-order; when your are unable to see anything on screen. Now, tell me what causes BIOS to get corrupted?
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Same answer - bios doesn't get corrupted. AGAIN - Please explain the problem in detail and forget about the bios. Thank you.
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LOLs brothers!
Check this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Corrupted-BIOS-Firmware
What's the problem they are helping to solve?
What I mean to say (in simple terms) is that:
If your:
1) CPU is OK
2) GPU is OK
3) RAM is OK
4) PSU is OK
then, you just do a replacement of Motherboard and nothing more, and your computer is fixed, what might have caused the old (faulty) motherboard to become out-of-order?
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what might have caused the old (faulty) motherboard to become out-of-order?
Old Age
Excessive humidity/moisture
Physical jarring
Bad Power components
Bad Karma
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LOLs brothers!
Check this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Corrupted-BIOS-Firmware (http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Corrupted-BIOS-Firmware)
What's the problem they are helping to solve?
If you try to install a new bios version and the upgrade doesn't go as expected (power outage during the flash, etc) then yes, the bios can become corrupted. Other than that, bios' don't go bad on their own. As patio says, motherboards are just another piece of hardware and hardware can go bad over time.
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The BIOS is a firmware program that resides in a programmable chip that is most often solderer to the motherboard.Write operations to firmware are allowed only in very specific conditions. There is a special sequence used to write anything to the firmware.
http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Corrupted-BIOS-Firmware
The guy who wrote that is more goofy that I am. Do any motherboards now come with BIOS in a socket? If so, then all you need to do is buy a new BIOS chip and plug it in.
To answer his question directly; firmware is most often corrupted by an attempt to flash the firmware and the process does do work right. The possibility that a random software error could flash part of the BIOS is very remote.
Any environmental condition that would compromise the firmware chip would also endanger most of the other components. Heat, mechanical shock, static discharge. or cosmic rays can damage most components. A power surge bad enough to cook the BIOS would also take out the other support chips.
One other possible cause of premature BIOS chip failure is a manufacturing defeat that cause s one of more cells to lost is state, thus causing a binary 1 to become a 0, or the other way. One bit bit is enough to derail the program logic.
If the defect is persistent, flashing the firmware is of little value. Or maybe a temporary fix if it is a weak cell that only holds state for a limited time.
Again, if the chip is in a socket, the best choice is to replace the chip.
P.S. There are tools for programming a chip while it is in the board. That is way beyond the scope of this forum, IMHO. Instead, you send the motherboard back to the manufacturer to repair or replace the chip. At ate same time they can test the motherboard for any other issues.
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Cosmic rays ? ?
Hadn't considered that one...
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Cosmic rays ? ?
Hadn't considered that one...
Yes, just before Nuclear blast in the list of things that knock out electronic systems.
About Cosmic rays:
Source of super cosmic rays pinned down (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31550899/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/source-super-cosmic-rays-pinned-down/#.TnuGjeyCXFw)
...
Cosmic rays are charged particles, mostly protons, that come swooping through space from beyond the solar system. They carry such an energetic punch they can knock out electronics systems on Earth if they manage to make it past our atmosphere. ...
(http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090625-space-rcw86-vmed-1p.grid-4x2.jpg)
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I give up...
That in case you didn't recognise it was Humor...no embellishment was required.
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Yes, just before Nuclear blast in the list of things that knock out electronic systems.
It's Just after, thank you. I should know, I'm an expert on the subject, since I saw it on Stargate Atlantis.
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I give up...
That in case you didn't recognise it was Humor...no embellishment was required.
Thanks patio. I need a good laugh. I think the topic is borderline absurd.
But, the OP may be very serious. Here is a recent article that may be of inters to all who take this as an important issue.
The the link below, the author recommends error correction also for firmware. Please read. Laugh if you must. ;D
On the need to use error-correcting memory (http://lambda-diode.com/opinion/ecc-memory)
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It's Just after, thank you. I should know, I'm an expert on the subject, since I saw it on Stargate Atlantis.
Which episode? Curitiba needed.
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Which episode? Curitiba needed.
Season 1 episode 13, "Hot Zone".
There was another one where they kerploded a nuclear bomb above the city (with the shields active) followed by dropping them and cloaking in order to trick the Wraith into thinking they had self-destructed. But I don't think that really follows the same line of thought.
And it of course has nothing to do with BIOS...
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And it of course has nothing to do with BIOS...
A nearby Nuclear Blast knocks out many electronic devices. Unlikely that it would pick just the BIOS. Cosmic ray is more likely. Also, ,in the case of a nearby Nuclear blast there may be other concerns more important that your BIOS. Still, The OP seemed to indicate that he wanted a comprehensive coverage of the subject and not a narrow entrapment of the issue.He did not say if his motherboard was part of a recovery heap from a nuclear testing area. So, giving him the benefit of the doubt...
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Nice one guys! You made me LOL :P
Thanks Geek-9pm and patio for detailed and satisfactory answers. I hope that such bizarre things won't happen to my new motherboard!