Need DOS BIOS .bin file for m8000n M2N68-LA M.B.

My HP m8000n computer died while flashing BIOS and now I get the "ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Utility" telling me to insert a CD or Floppy containing the BIOS .bin file - an example of this on the ASUS site is:

http://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/socketAM2/M2N-Plus-SLI/e3166_m2n-plus-sli.pdf

Otherwise know as the BIOS ROM checksum error. I already tried resetting the BIOS memory and even removed the backup battery.

This is an AM2 motherboard M2N68-LA, Hewlett Packard calls it Narra-GL8E and runs AMD 64x2 CPU. HP only has the version that runs on VISTA, m8000n-64x2-BIOS-5.13-sp37190.exe, but I can only boot DOS, no windows. HP did not respond to my email. My restore CDs didn't help. I ordered a new CD set from HP.

A program called detect.exe (I have a copy but I don't know where I got it) reads the BIOS on a working computer and saves as a .bin file. This .bin file is what I need.

I think the BIOS chip is NVIDIA MCP61P, maybe that is the NVIDIA Integrated Graphics Adapter (IGA). The m8000n runs GeForce 6150SE nForce 430, 1 PCIEx16, 1 PCIEx1, 2 PCI, card slots.


Please, can someone email me with the correct .rom file for m8000n computer or maybe for M2N68-LA Motherboard, as an attachment. Brand new computer is dead until I can fix this.

Thanks
Randy

 

Have you tried this? http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3377257&os=2093&lang=en
I'm sure you have, but I figured I'd give it a shot...

 

Yes, that sp37190.exe BIOS update file is what started this mess. And it only runs in windows. Thank you for the reply. If only I can get past HP support and get in touch with someone at HP BIOS software who knows what I am talking about.

If nothing else, others will read this message when they get the BIOS ROM checksum error. The solution is to format a floppy as a system disk, and copy the BIOS .bin file to it. Then buy a cheap floppy disk drive and plug the ribbon cable into the motherboard. Or burn a system CD containing the BIOS .bin file. But you need the BIOS .bin file for your computer model. ASUS supposedly ships the .bin file on a supplied system CD when you buy an ASUS motherboard.

*** Anyone reading this, find and use "detect.exe" to read your BIOS file and save it to a floppy or CD. Or use DOS "Awdflash.exe" to update an Award BIOS under DOS, which saves the current BIOS version first.

I have been going around in circles with HP (pavilion_support_en@mail.support.hp.com) on this. From my internet readings, this is a common problem and HP's common solution is to sell a new motherboard.

Here is more information:

The m8000n computer keeps trying to read the AWARD BIOS .bin file. This is the way it is supposed to work when it gets a BIOS ROM checksum error. The hard-coded part of BIOS chip contains "CrashFree BIOS 3 Utility" telling me to insert a CD or Floppy containing the BIOS .bin file. I need that BIOS .bin file for a m8000n computer.

--
> HP > "So, until you are able to boot to windows you will not be able to update the BIOS."

And I can't boot to windows until I update the BIOS!


BIOS-5.13 sp37190.exe is what killed my BIOS. That file came from HP and whoever made that file has the .bin file which is encapsulated in it. It is proprietary to HP and that is why I am requesting it from HP. I need that .bin file.

A back door approach is to run the attached "detect.exe" file on a m8000n computer and email me the extracted file. This worked fine on my Compaq 5WV295 computer.

Please, I presented two simple fixes for this problem, you should agree that either solution is easier and cheaper than buying a new motherboard or sending my computer back to HP for repair.

Can you put me in touch with someone in the HP BIOS software department and I am sure that this can be quickly resolved as they will understand the problem and be able to supply the requested .bin file.

I have this m8000n computer for three weeks and spent the last week of that figuring out what is wrong and how to resolve it.

Thank you,
Randy

 

So anyone purchasing an ASUS motherboard would have the file you need?
Perhaps post at Wim's BIOS forum
http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/
someone may have the file you need.

 

>So anyone purchasing an ASUS motherboard would have the file you need?

ASUS probably made the motherboard for HP, but HP owns it and the Award BIOS version that it uses.

The M2N68-LA motherboard only shows up on the HP site. Good idea though.

Is HP pavilion_support_en@mail.support.hp.com a contract in India? Seems odd that I can trade emails with them at 4am ET. And sounds like a reason why they won't forward my email request to an HP BIOS software person. I keep asking for a m8000n BIOS .bin file and they keep saying no.

At least the computer is under warrenty. But sending the computer out for repair is costly if there is an easy BIOS flash fix.

Thanks for suggestion.

 

I fell victim to sp37190.exe yesterday -- my system froze up while updating the BIOS from Vista. Lesson learned, I won't update BIOS from Windows again. But this story has a happy ending, and hopefully this will work for you as well.

I was able to extract the needed ROM image from the dreaded sp37190.exe itself, create a bootable CD loaded with the ROM image, awdflash.exe and restore the BIOS to an operational state.

I started by running sp37190.exe on another system -- it's a self-extracting archive which includes a bunch of files, including a file called 513.ROM. I stopped short of proceeding with the update (I was running it just to get it to extract itself), I looked for the files in tempthat were extracted and found 513.ROM as well as the Vista-based utility, readme files, etc. 513.ROM is the one you need.

When updating the BIOS using a bootable DOS image, it's important to use a recent version of awdflash.exe that supports the BIOS ROM device on M2N68-LA motherboard....I ended up finding a version (8.59E) that works here:

http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/download/bios/Awdflash.exe

Interestingly, the version of awdflash.exe located on Award's website didn't support this ROM device (Version 8.23E).

Good luck, I hope this works for you! Frankly, I was surprised that 513.ROM was compatible with awdflash.exe, but I was desperate and figured I couldn't make things worse than they were after trashing my BIOS

 

mbs_MA, Thank you so much! Awdflash.exe ver 8.59E and 513.ROM worked great and I have my new 64x2 computer back.

I ran sp37190.exe BIOS update from HP site for m8000n computer (on another computer) and stopped short when it said "Please close any applications...)" and clicked the "X" in upper right corner to abort, then clicked "Cancel" at the next prompt. My guess is that it would not have caused any damage to this Compaq computer if I had continued.

I searched all my drives for 513.ROM and found it in my boot drive under pft50.tmp directory. I then made a bootable floppy and copyied 513.ROM and AwdFlash.exe to the floppy. Inserted the floppy disk into the floppy drive that I connected to my m8000n motherboard and powered on. At the DOS prompt I typed "AwdFlash 513.rom old.rom" and all went well. When finished, I pushed ENTER key and the m8000n restarted and booted VISTA windows.

The AwdFlash.exe took 3 minutes and showed the whole time it's progess and was accessing the floppy disk (clunk, clunk, clunk). Later I looked for old.rom on the floppy and it was not there.

Interestingly, I tried earlier what you did (ran sp37190.exe) on another computer and stopped it. Then I searched for "Nar513.bin", the name I saw in the sp37190.exe Hex dump that I made. Wrong filename! If I knew it was "513.rom", I would have been OK and on track to a fix.

Again thank you for replying. It saves me a lot of headaches. Your information was right on. I tried burning a bootable CD, but did not work, likely because I put too much other junk on it.

 

Awesome! Glad to hear it worked for you as well.

 

My machine had the same problem with this windows bios update, mbs_MA Thank you, this worked perfectly, however I had to use a floppy to get it done.
HP was sending me a box to pick up the machine they said they dont help with bios issues. Thank you again!

 

Seems like HP should provide the .ROM file and flash utilities on their website, particularly when their windows-based service pack/BIOS update offering was the root cause of our woes.

I suppose with the prospect of thousands of systems being returned under warranty, they might be motivated to do so!

 

Worse than that, HP repair centers probably remove the motherboard and replace it or replace the BIOS chip, reload Windows, ship the computer back to the customer, and bill for a couple hours work. Then there is two hours of HP customer service telling me there is no .ROM file and another hour for them to write up a return order.

With the .ROM file the fix takes 10 minutes. They could even mail out a DOS CD with awdflash.exe and .ROM file that autoruns a fix. I am saving the big empty cardboard box that they sent me as a trophy to HP idiocy!

 

As others I was totally screwed by the fantastic update of bios. I was in a very miserable mood :cry. Thx to you guys, I am now back in business.

THX, THX and THX for a good and very helpfull guide to this "little" problem.


Flygol

 

I sent a link to this thread to hp.
Not sure if they really care but tanks for helping me fix my issue

 

I tried doing this recently, but it seems that the sp37190.exe no longer extracts the 513.ROM file. Maybe they caught onto what we were doing. Could someone that has done this get in contact with me so that the 513.ROM file can be sent to me and I can do this myself? Thank you

 

Just rename the *.exe to *.zip then you should be able to manually extract it

 

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! I just opened the .exe in WinRAR, and voila!

 

Can any of you gentleman please e-mail me the 513.rom file please?

 

Re: DOS BIOS .bin file for m8000n M2N68-LA M.B., BIOS ROM checksum error

I don't know how to trade EMail addresses in this forum, but you can download and install WinRAR, then download sp37190.exe and right click the downloaded file to open with WinRAR to extract 513.ROM.

You still have to figure out how to flash the 513.ROM file to BIOS. I used Award Flash after installing a floppy drive in the m8000n computer. You could burn a CD to do this instead of a floppy. You have to know how to run DOS or at least make the floppy or CD boot so that it opens Award Flash.

sp37190.exe
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3377257&os=2093&lang=en

WinRAR
http://www.download.com/WinRAR/3000-2250_4-10745708.html

Award Flash
http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/download/bios/Awdflash.exe