During the update process, which was going well, Norton generated a programme alert which interupted the BIOS installer. Now the Laptop won't boot >:(
Any suggestions gratefully accepted. It's a Toshiba with hidden D: partition.
In my limited experience, that's painful. You probably need to talk to Tosh. :(
I would agree, unless you can clear the cmos and re do it, but as Rik said that's a tosh job sadly not something you can do easily on a laptop I imagine, its not that much fun on a pc :( as a note for future reference if you update your bios in the windows environment, always shut down your AV just in case this kind of thing happens, then reboot after bios update, having unplugged from the net first of course
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 08, 2008, 17:29:41
During the update process, which was going well, Norton generated a programme alert which interupted the BIOS installer. Now the Laptop won't boot >:(
Any suggestions gratefully accepted. It's a Toshiba with hidden D: partition.
Unfortunately, you're not going to be able to fix this. :(
The BIOS flash utilities delete the old BIOS before writing the new one, so your CMOS will have a partial BIOS on it. You'll need to send this for repair. Toshiba will have the tools available to flash it.
Sorry I can't be of more help. It really does highlight how dangerous flashing a BIOS can be, though sometimes it is necessary. :(
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 08, 2008, 18:20:41
The BIOS flash utilities delete the old BIOS before writing the new one, so your CMOS will have a partial BIOS on it. You'll need to send this for repair. Toshiba will have the tools available to flash it.
That does rather depend on which mainboard is in it. Many mainboards now backup the BIOS prior to erasing to allow recovery in the case of failure. Having said that, I would agree that the first point of contact should be the manufacturer.
Steve
It's very much a case of "don't make things worse..." isn't it, Steve. :) Hippocrates was pretty good on computer repairs when you think about it.
I thought it just makes a backup to file, which you can restore later? I didn't think it actually saved a backup to the CMOS...
What model Tosh?
This may help http://www.devhacks.com/bios-update-failed-heres-what-you-do
Nice link, thanks Glenn. :thumb: :karma:
It's only a nice link if it works, but thanks for the karma
I'm hoping that Toshiba use the same BIOS type for each laptop, in which case the procedure should work
It's still an interesting link nonetheless. There's some useful info there. :)
Don't know if it makes any difference, but tried with the Toshiba supplied recovery disk. The drive activity light flashed a couple of times but nothing happened. Is it possible to make a bootable disk of some kind to re flash the bios?.
Have you read through the link in Glenn's post?
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 08, 2008, 19:36:06
Don't know if it makes any difference, but tried with the Toshiba supplied recovery disk. The drive activity light flashed a couple of times but nothing happened. Is it possible to make a bootable disk of some kind to re flash the bios?.
The CD drive will flash regardless of the BIOS. The problem is that your computer doesn't appear to get into a state where it could actually make use of a CD or floppy drive. :(
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 08, 2008, 18:59:05
This may help http://www.devhacks.com/bios-update-failed-heres-what-you-do
Sounds rather complicated. I did notice it was a "Phoenix" Bios if that's any help. The same as my Sat Pro M50.
I've read the info Glenn linked to, but it says download the bios file with a .ROM extension. Unfortunately the Toshiba bios dowloads are .zip and when extracted only show the .exe file :bawl:
Can you post the BIOS update or a link to it, I'll ask one of the packagers at work to take a look at the exe to see if they can extract the .rom image?
Not that this applies to a Laptop but just as a bit of "never say die" encouragement if you are sitting comfortably this thread and others it leads to document a tale of woe that finally came good after a bad flash that I suffered a while ago on a desktop machine.
http://phorums.com.au/showthread.php?t=215427&highlight=Gigabyte+bios
The solution was to send the BIOS chip to Arthur in the Netherlands, who runs a business reflashing them see:
http://www.flashbios.org/
BTW Gigabyte were about as much help to me as it sound like Toshiba were to you despite the BOIS image coming for their download pages and being stated for the particular Mobo it was tagetted into! >:(
Toshiba download only seem to supply a windows version of bios update. If I extract (uniextract15) my.exe bios file it does not contain any .rom files. The advice on the Toshiba forum is to contact Toshiba as the crisis recovery tool has met with very variable success rates also mentioned the use of third party graphics drivers as a cause of bios update failures due to overheating during this process. :)
Remind me not to get a Toshiba...
I don't think Toshiba are any worse than the others, Danni, both in terms of the likelihood of breaking the BIOS and customer support! I had two Sony notebooks before my desktop - who are supposed to be a premium brand - yet their support was terrible.
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 08, 2008, 22:02:05
Can you post the BIOS update or a link to it, I'll ask one of the packagers at work to take a look at the exe to see if they can extract the .rom image?
Thanks Glenn, worth a try http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/cgi-bin/ToshibaCSG/download_drivers_bios.jsp?service=UK
Word of warning if the .exe file is clicked it automatically starts to update. No "are you sure you want to prompts" or anything like that, it just launches!
DRAT, that link defaults to an input page :rant2:
It's a Toshiba Notebook, Satellite L30 PSL33E, Vista,
Quote from: Danni on Apr 09, 2008, 08:01:52
Remind me not to get a Toshiba...
It's not Toshiba it was me :whistle: I forgot to exit all programmes before trying the flash >:(
I have managed to extract the bios file for the laptop mentioned above i.e SAT L30 if you PM your email I will attach it,the .wph is the file you need.I presume you have found the crisis recovery tool and have a usb floppy drive. :)
Thanks Steve PM sent. I have the crisis recovery tool, not got a USB Floppy yet. This all happened last night and my mate, who's laptop it is, has taken it to a repair shop this morning without telling me. However I would still like the file in the event the computer shop can't help. Is it the version listed on the Toshiba Website?
19/02/08 BIOS Update Toshiba OS independent 3.10-WIN
I have sent you the bios file for the sat L30 PSL 33 it is ver 3.1 :)
Cheers.
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 09, 2008, 10:59:05
I have sent you the bios file for the sat L30 PSL 33 it is ver 3.1 :)
Thanks for your efforts, Steve, it's things like this that make the forum special. :karma:
Thanks Rik. Just about to update the bios on my laptop. No seriously we've all been there,well I have anyway! ;D
We have, Steve, but forums give us the chance to share our experiences and find ways out of trouble (or into it in my case ;)).
Quote from: Rik on Apr 09, 2008, 11:37:50
(or into it in my case ;)).
You ain't alone Rik.. ;D ;D ;D
This is certainly sounding more hopeful that yesterday. Thanks, Steve. :karma:
Steve, you wouldn't have a Toshiba specific recovery proceedure by any chance. I didn't hold out much hope that the computer shop could help. So nothing to lose, will have to give it a go. I understand the CRT is usable on all Phoenix BIOS regardless of brand of laptop. It's the key presses pre and post power up I'm not sure about. :-\
The link I posted on Tuesday details the key presses required, assuming you have a USB disk drive just follow it and you should get a working laptop in around 20 minutes
Reply #8, Wingco.
Thanks Rik. Heads a shed at the mo, been reading so much I've forgotten where I read it :)
I know the feeling mate. :)
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 10, 2008, 18:39:41
The link I posted on Tuesday details the key presses required, assuming you have a USB disk drive just follow it and you should get a working laptop in around 20 minutes
I wish it could be that simple Glenn, no, I hope it can be that simple, in fact I pray it's that simple :)
Good luck when you try it
Cheers mate, it will be next week. Local computer shop wanted £25 for a usb FDD!. So I ordered one from Amazon for about £12.
Good luck when you get the usb floppy, there is a link mentioned to the crisis disk tool further down in Glen's link,also a reference to use the primary usb port (which ever one that is). I suppose if no luck its back to Toshiba. :)
Failed miserably :mad: Tried both USB ports, the floppy gets the power but if won't spin. Either the BIOS is well goosed or the particular model lappy doesn't support the recovery process :bawl: Have sent a couple of enquiries away to some repair firms so will see what I get back.
Sorry to hear that. I hope you have some luck with these companies. :(
Clutching at straws, and I am no expert, but have you tried the USB/Floppy via a powered USB Hub ??
The drive powers up, so I don't think that'll make a difference, In. :(
I can't help but wonder how, without a BIOS, the machine would know how to read from a floppy?
I've wondered this all along. I originally said that it can't be recovered because I was under the impression that no BIOS means no hope. The site linked to in this thread does suggest otherwise, though. :(
I read through the article, but it still left me wondering how a machine with no working BIOS could read anything. I was hoping that, maybe, Tosh had a core BIOS in place to do the job and that the main BIOS enhanced the functionality. It looks like this isn't the case, though. :(
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 12, 2008, 14:53:53
The drive powers up, so I don't think that'll make a difference, In. :(
I'm sure you are right Seb, just that I read somewhere that some USB items can draw too much current to function correctly via a standard USB port, but what do I know?.. ( answers on a used £50 note ). ;D ;D
:rofl:
From what I read Rik, it suggested that this procedure was only available with a Phoenix BIOS which is what we have. It implied that some kind of recovery prog being Key push dependant.
The floppy contains minidos.sys phlash16.exe bios.wph. and is supposed to autoboot. I must admit the possibilities of this happening are lost on me. However it was a ray of hope. I will now ait until monday to see what replies I get from my enquiries. These look quite promising http://www.laptopsupport.co.uk/index.html
It does seem to imply a very basic BIOS is hard-coded, enough to start the recovery process. Good luck with the hunt.
Many thanks to everyone who posted, it was greatly appreciated.
Let us know how you get on. :fingers:
Did you manage to get the laptop into recovery mode as described with the fans spinning etc??
The fans were spinning but not as fast as I was lead to believe they would, around the same speed as when the machine is turned on without any keys depressed. Nothing happened at all Steve, appart from the FDD powering up.
I would be interested to know if a Tosh L30-10s has actually been recovered this way.
Try posting on the link I supplied, someone there may be of help
Thanks Glenn, have just done so. I don't hold out much hope though.
The evidence suggests that if your bios boot block is still intact someone should be able to repair it for you without resorting to a new motherboard. :)
Cheers Steve, I'll see what Monday brings when I speak to a Toshiba Service Agent. I suspect it will be bite the bullet time and replace the lappy. Hopefully we can get the data off the hdd with a USB caddy. :(
You'll get the data off the hard drive, don't worry about that. :thumb:
I have just being comparing file sizes in two version of crisis disc and indeed although they have the same names the size varies i.e phflash16 74kb and 102kb(both extracted). I believe the earlier thread said the final disc size was important. which one did you use? :)
Differing file sizes :)
[attachment deleted by admin]
Having trashed a BIOS of my own a while ago I did read up on the "bios boot block" and my aging memory cell are telling me that it can take some tens of minutes for the bios boot block to kick in and work.
From the little I can recall if the Drive activates and the fans spin up then you have a bios boot block getting it to activate is the challenge.
The key presses are one method but you may have to persevere for a long time before it works but hey what have you got to lose!
Another method appears to be by setting dip switches on some makes of machine.
Here are some links that you may not have found already:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21209&mode=threaded
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic9866.html
http://www.notebookforums.com/thread207816.html
As I said I have read on other sites that some machines have dips switches to set in order to activate the bios boot block but I cannot find one specifically for Toshiba & Phoenix bios
I used phlash16 which is 74kb, and I also found a larger file Phlash16 115219kb. The problem is the floppy clicks as if it's getting power but that's it. Nothing is being read.
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 12, 2008, 20:56:05
Nothing is being read.
How long did you wait? I understand it can take a while.
The larger file 115219kb is the same size as the one mentioned in the Glen's earlier link and is supposed to be the correct one :)
Quote from: LesD on Apr 12, 2008, 21:03:11
How long did you wait? I understand it can take a while.
Thanks for your links Les. In answer to your question not very long, I expected the floppy to show some life virtually straight away.
I've downloaded this http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic9866.html but when I click on Wincris.exe I get an error message. I can't get it to write the details to the floppy :mad:
Ah well!
I will try a bit more Googling to see if I can come up with anything else.
What about the attachment at the bottom of the Elder the Geek link? Did you take a look at that?
He claims the process worked for him.
Here another method but it is strictly for AMI BIOS so may not be much use:
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic5714.html
When you click on wincris does it give you the option to create floppy or is the error before or after this? I can see its expecting a floppy in drive A but I dont have a floppy drive to test it on. Just a thought is a usb floppy drive found by the OS as drive A or something else? In other words the program cannot find a floppy drive where it expects one? :)
"What about the attachment at the bottom of the Elder the Geek link? Did you take a look at that?
He claims the process worked for him."
Yep that's the one I've been trying :(
I get the box "Phoenix Crisis Disk Build" with "Create Minidos Crisis disk" checked, I click OK and get the error
"Project Path MUST be specified! The folder must contain both BIOS.ROM and PLATFORM.BIN files, or a BIOS.WPH file. Enter project path or select browser."
I make Project Path A: click start and get the same error message again!
Should the project path not be set to browse for those files on your hard drive? :)
I'm afraid it's my :bed: so all I can suggest now is joining Elder the Geek's forum and asking for help there.
Thanks for your help Les. As far as the elder geeks, been there done that ;D
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 12, 2008, 22:19:37
Should the project path not be set to browse for those files on your hard drive? :)
Managed to get it to work, thanks for that pointer. The disk was made but the end result was no different. The HDD light on the lappy is on all the time. If I was to take the HDD out do you think it would make any difference?.
I suspect taking the HDD out could make matters worse. However I wonder whether this laptop is powering up in the correct mode for bios recovery, some links say there should be no led's on at all or that the power led should change colour from normal. Does the fan stay on high speed or does it slow down back to normal after a while? Have you tried win B instead?
Might also be worth asking the toshiba support forum which bios manufacturer this laptop uses :)
There is a way to recover from this but it is *very* dangerous. :eek4: If you have access to a second, identical machine you can try the following but please be cautioned that if this goes bad you will possibly trash both machines. If you try this do not hold me responsible if it ends in tears.
- Get yourself an antistatic mat/wrist strap - You'll be touching chips and you don't want to blow them.
- Open both machines up and find the BIOS flash chip. If it's soldered on the board it's game over. If it's socketed get the correct tool to remove the chip from its socket. *very important - If you break the socket by using a makeshift tool then you've screwed it*
- Make sure the shadow bios feature is turned on *I think*
- Connect the USB floppy to the working machine and boot the bios disc
- Stop at the point it asks if you're sure you want to flash.
- Pull the chip out of the working machine with the power still on
- Put the chip from the non-working machine in the working one
- Say "yes" you want to flash
If that works the contents of the bad chip will get rewritten and you will have a good chip for each machine. If it goes horribly wrong you may end up with 2 borked motherboards. If the chip is socketed you an also call the manufacturer and see if you can buy a new, pre-flashed chip.
These things being said I'd probably go back to the manufacturer to get it fixed unless the machine was of no importance to me and I didn't care if I borked it.
Good luck,
Paul.
edit: Important note - Many machines rely on the case to duct air to/from the fans over components. Operating a machine with the case off for any significant time may cause significant overheating.
I would have thought so, Steve.
Quote from: Dangerjunkie on Apr 13, 2008, 09:05:01
If it's soldered on the board it's game over. If it's socketed get the correct tool to remove the chip from its socket. *
Being a Laptop my bet is that it's soldered in. If it is socketed you can send it to Arthur in the Netherlands along with a copy of the BIOS image on a floppy or as a zipped up email attachment. Arthur runs the business reflashing chips that I mentioned way back in this thread see here for details:
http://www.flashbios.org/
I think the one I had done a year or two ago cost me about £15 including p&p.
Mine was a soldered chip but I had the advantage of working for a Company that manufactured and repaired PCB's so for a price of a box of chocs a very skilled lady removed my BIOS chip and put a socket in its place. Arthur flashed the chip she removed and once back in the new socket it worked a treat. I know this is not going to be possible for the majority of folks and without the right desoldering tools do not attempt to remove a soldered in BIOS chip. :no:
The hot swap flash method has been known to work from what I have read in other forums but it sounds too risky for me. :eek4:
(Have we got a "Wimp" smiley?) :)
Quote from: LesD on Apr 13, 2008, 10:11:07
(Have we got a "Wimp" smiley?) :)
No, but it's a good idea, Les. :)
Quote from: LesD on Apr 13, 2008, 10:11:07(Have we got a "Wimp" smiley?) :)
We have now! (http://www.pc-pals.com/smf/Smileys/Smileys/nerves.gif)
Have you added it?
: wimp: :wimp:
OK thanks for that but it would appear to have been the easy bit. :admin:
What about getting this dead BIOS back to life! ;) I know miracles take a little longer! :)
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 13, 2008, 08:32:24
Does the fan stay on high speed or does it slow down back to normal after a while? Have you tried win B instead?
The fan stays at a slow speed from switch on to switch off :( . Yep I've tried Win+B, I'm assuming Win is the WINDOWS KEY.
Quote from: stevethegas on Apr 13, 2008, 08:58:01
Might also be worth asking the toshiba support forum which bios manufacturer this laptop uses :)
It's definately Phoenix, I checked before the failed flash.
edit for clarity: I checked before we started the flash that failed.
Thanks for the info DJ but that is way out of my league. Going back to my "remove the HDD idea". Not knowing too much about the technicalities of computers, I assumed that a spinning HDD being the first boot option is basically stalling the machine. If the first boot option was removed, would the machine then default to the next?.
It's worth a try if you can disable it easily.
Removed the HDD tried again from all USB sockets, all key combinations. Even opened the DVD drive and tried it all again, (clutching at straws :) ). I think we have exhausted the possibilities, so will have to wait and see what the professional Toshiba repairers say.
Many many thanks to all who have contributed advice and support it was greatfully received.
I don't know much about the inside of Laptops but in a Desktop pulling off either the ribbon cable or the power supply connector or both would disable the HDD without removing it physically.
On the links I read there were some instructions about removing the mains power connection, then the battery connections and reapplying the mains maybe with certain keys pressed to kick start the boot block code. I guess that you have been there and done that too!
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 13, 2008, 11:08:35
will have to wait and see what the professional Toshiba repairers say.
It's probably very simple - if you have access to the service manual. :(
Good luck. :fingers:
The hard drive usually slots onto a connector on laptops, Les, so it has to be removed to disconnect it.
Quote from: Sebby on Apr 13, 2008, 11:11:18
The hard drive usually slots onto a connector on laptops, Les, so it has to be removed to disconnect it.
There are half a dozen in the Lab at work, my kids have them but I have never had one apart.
I like my big old desktop cases with plently of room inside to swing a cat.
(have we got a swinging the cat smilely? ........... I jest before Simon jumps in again!)
Simon rarely jumps into open cases, Les. ;D :out:
Sorry to be a pain if you have been here already but posting in this thread:
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic9866.html
may be worthwhile.
Thanks for that Les. You posted the link earlier, I actually made a recovery disk from that link which unfortunately didn't work.
One more link to look at if you have not waited THIRTY TO FORTY MINUTES!
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?threadId=974719&admit=109447626+1208102916775+28353475
I know it applies to HP machines and you have a Toshiba Laptop but the process looks similar.
The crucial post is this one by, suka minkia:
Oct 19, 2007 04:24:37 GMT Unassigned
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WELL IT WORKED!!!!
I TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, CUZ MAYBE SOMEONE COULD FIND THIS INFO USEFUL.
THANKS TO EVERYONE
BYE
So...
I misflashed my ZV5000 bios using the winflash utility downloaded from the HP center.
The pc shut down when it was still running and never restarted. When I power on it now the first fan start running and the leds blink, but nothing more.
I've downloaded the rompaq for my lap from the HP page, extracted it, created the floppy and tried the crisis recovery disk procedure.
It seems to work, because the the floppy starts reading when I power on the pc holding down the keys win+b, the led on the floppy blink and it works form 2 minutes more or less, but then the pc doesn't reboot as I've read in all the forums discussing this argument.
So i've tried to repeatr it, I've tried older rompacks, I also was trying to edit the bios with the phoenix bios editor, but finally the solution was quite simple: WAIT!
I've repeated the procedure for the last time and I left it working for... I don't know... 30-40 minutes and...FINALLY IT REBOOTED!!!
So be patient, wait, don't force it and you'll will see your lap resurrect.
I put the CRISIS RECOVERY DISK FOR HP PAVILION ZV500 (bios version f35) and the WINCRIS.exe tool here if you need it.
http://www.mediafire.com/?9xxmm43uiuz
Hope it can help you.
Bye
Also read the next post by James John Mills he was successful too.
Nov 11, 2007 08:25:29 GMT Unassigned
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would just like to say Thank You to everyone on this thread. After having an issue with my V6065 laptop (namely the wireless card not working - yet another HP problem!) I was recommended tp update the BIOS, so I did and it crashed and burned.
After reading this thread, you have enabled me to bring my laptop back to life. :)
Just to confirm what I did to bring it back, if anyone has any problems, and haven't figured out what to do by the end of this thread.
- Download the attachment in the first post
- Create a bootable floppy (or plug in your external USB one) to write to disk
- Download HP BIOS file, extract file, then extract again (to get a bunch of files)
- With the older versions of the BIOS they aren't named BIOS.WPH, but might be named 34080.WPH or similar, just rename the file to be BIOS.WPH so that it works. Copy across to disk, so you have 3 files!
- Windows Key + B hold and connect AC power
- Release when your laptop beeps
- Wait for it to run and shutdown
- Remove floppy (drive) and turn on
- Should boot as normal now! :)
NOTE: I tried the 2 latest versions of the BIOS update, only to have the program hang, the only one I had any luck with was the November 2006 version.
Therefore, if your computer boots and reads, but then hangs - TRY a different BIOS version, as it is very likely to be that.
A bit more, I have a friend who in his own words has been snooping on this forum, a pastime I indulge in on many forums and he has just email this to me:
"I've been snooping.
I have successfully reflashed by bootblock recovery and hot swapping the BIOS. Both on a desktop with an AMI BIOS.
One thing that could be tried is, when renaming the file to BIOS.WPH, or whatever, make sure that it is spelt in UPPERCASE letters. I seem to remember that was necessary when using bootblock recovery with the AMI BIOS".
Maybe this will work if you have not tried it already!
Useful tip, Les. :thumb:
Now get him to join. :)
Quote from: Rik on Apr 13, 2008, 19:06:10
Useful tip, Les. :thumb:
Now get him to join. :)
I have given up trying a long time ago but if he reads this you never know! ;)
Thanks again Les, I would quite happily wait 60mins IF I could get the laptop to actually read from the floppy drive. I think that is the basis of my problem, my recovery disk has kindly been checked by Brian from TEG and found to be a bootable disk with the correct files. For whatever reason the laptop won't run the floppy :(
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 13, 2008, 22:23:45
checked by Brian from TEG and found to be a bootable disk with the correct files. :(
With the file names in Upper Case?
Yes. Also tried a number of phlash files of various sizes. However it's academic as the laptop isn't seeing them.
Perhaps there is a switch to flick if only we knew where! :comp:
Keep us posted on developments Wingco1.
Will do. It's off to a Toshiba repair shop first thing in the morning :) .
Some of the older laptops with an LPT port require you to plug in a connector, I presume a boot block "jumper" but I dont think this applied in this case. I did wonder whether a hard disc password had been set as I know I cant do anything at all on my laptop without entering this first, but presumably bios has to "post" before this happens? Obviously difficult to enter a password if no screen. Good luck with the repair shop :)
Well the bad news is, the motherboard has been replaced :( The good news is Toshiba agreed to do it under warranty :) , just inside by 4 days unbeknown to me. Subject to satisfactory testing it should be shipped this evening. :thumb:
Never again will I flash a friends laptop. Just out of interest, would it be any safer to do if the lappy was booted into safe mode first?
That sounds like a rather large sigh of relief there. :) :thumb:
I don't know whether safe mode would be a better bet, there certainly should be less to potentially get in the way, but I think I'd still kill off everything I could before starting.
Are Toshiba flashing it to the latest revision before shipping it?
No idea Glenn. What's more I don't really care, I certainly aint. ;D
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 25, 2008, 13:13:43
No idea Glenn. What's more I don't really care, I certainly aint. ;D
Go on, you know you want to really.. ;D :duck:
Quote from: Inactive on Apr 25, 2008, 13:16:10
Go on, you know you want to really.. ;D :duck:
Oh no I don't! ;D
Glad it got sorted. The only safe way to flash a bios is via a DOS floppy or usb boot disc. Toshiba have removed that option at present by only releasing windows bios versions and we know where that can lead. :)
I wonder if making the bootable "Crisis Recovery Disc". Then changing the boot sequence to FDD, would do the same job?. This is all hypothetical of course :)
Well, you would be able to try it in a few days... >:D :out:
Yes it should work because that crisis disc is essentially a dos boot disc with a bios flash program and bios file.Go on give a try we'd love to know. ;D
Quote from: Wingco1 on Apr 25, 2008, 12:45:41
Never again will I flash a friends laptop. Just out of interest, would it be any safer to do if the lappy was booted into safe mode first?
It could be more risky as it might not work properly. I would say just make sure you disable any antivirus or other security software before starting the flash and it should be fine. :thumb:
I would say, in view of the hassle you have been lucky to survive .......... you would have to be stark - staring - BONKERS!! :argh:
Mo
;)
Quote from: Glenn on Apr 25, 2008, 13:06:56
Are Toshiba flashing it to the latest revision before shipping it?
Got it back today and had a look. Yes it is the latest revision 3.1 :thumb:
Where's a 'phew' smiley when you want one. I swear I can feel the sense of relief from here. :happy:
It's pretty good service really, when they replace a motherboard under warrenty due of a screwed up BIOS flash. I wonder how many they get. Obviously not enough to encourage them to revert to a DOS based update system ;)
Did you actually tell them the problem? If you did, it sounds as if they're almost admitting that doing it from Windows is a problem. It would be interesting to know whether they actually changed the mobo, or just flashed the BIOS...
Yep I told them what happened, hoping they would just flash the BIOS chip and that would be it. Looking at the fan vents they are a shiny new gold colour, whereas my 12 month old lappy is a lot darker in colour.
Interesting. They must feel some responsibility, especially that close to the end of the warranty. Kudos to them. :)