Re: Successful P4 478 OEM Gateway to retail Intel bios flash...
Thanks a lot for your procedure. It worked for me!!!
I have a Intel 875pbz motherboard that had the 015A identifier with the P13 version of the Gateway bios.
I downloaded version P14 (086A identifier) .bio file from Intel and placed it alone in a freshly formatted floppy disk and renamed the .bio file to match the Gateway .bio P13 file name (from its website).
The key of my success was to go into the bios in maintenance mode (set jumper on two upper pins) and set the option "scan for user bins" to Enabled. Then, I removed the jumper to set it in recovery mode, loaded the floppy and restarted. The screen was blank, the floppy disk was working and after several beeps (5 minutes or so) the computer shut down on its own. I put the jumper back on normal mode (two lower pins), removed the floppy and reboot the computer and tada... Intel Factory bios was flashed with 086A, P14. I then was able to flash the latest version (P34) via Windows without any problems. Now I am able to see a lot of more options on the bios including the AGP apperture memory (up to 256 mb). The Gateway splash screen is gone and now it shows the Intel one.
I do, however, have the same results as you. The CPU fan now runs constantly at ~3000 RPM (Gateway Bios was controlled depending on temperature) and also the DIAG led stays lit in red. I cannot find any errors in the bios log and everything works ok. Were you ever able to solve this condition?
Thanks again.
Originally posted by Evil Lurker
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Got bored last night. Decided to try and kill my OEM Gateway D865GLC motherboard.
I been tryin to flash the damn thing to the retail Intel bios for weeks without success until last night.
As you know, Intel's flash utility checks the BIOS strings for manufacturer ID, and if they don't match, you don't flash, even if you attempt it in recovery mode.
So just for craps and giggles I took the latest Intel BIOS and put it on a floppy disk and renamed it to the current installed Gateway bios .BIO file. Then I set the jumper to maintenance mode and set the BIOS to scan for user bins. Then I took an old no-name PCI NIC and slapped my old KX7-333R motherboard BIOS in the boot rom socket and slapped it in my puter with the logic that well maybe I can confuse it.
Well after removing the jumper so it would flash directly from a floppy in recovery mode, lo and behold the thing actually flashed to the retail BIOS!
The icky-poo 15A vendor identifier is gone and replaced with a lovely 86A.
Gateway can officially kiss my
AFAIK, I am the only person to have achieved this method on this particular chipset without editing the bios strings.
I now have all the hidden settings that normally ship with the retail board enabled! While not useful for overclocking, at least I can set my AGP aperture and memory timings so it does not default to the crappy 320mhz whenever I put double sided DIMMS in it.
Everything seems stable and runs fairly decent. I did have to phone into Micro$oft though because my LAN drivers had to be installed before I could get on the net.
However there are two quirks that I just don't get... first the CPU fan runs wide open and second the little red LED light that normally flashes when there is trouble is now constantly lit. BIOS error log is clean, and CPUID pulls up the correct info on all the components.
Also, on another note, I found the cheapest P4 heatsinks ever. Turns out the DELL poweredge 6 heatpipe tower coolers will fit in the OEM Gateway "swing bar" retention bracket. Cheapest I have seen is around $7 including shipping... they are MASSIVE. I'm thinkin that with one of these puppies installed I could possibly keep my Prescott in spec with nothing more than the case fan blowing over it.
I been tryin to flash the damn thing to the retail Intel bios for weeks without success until last night.
As you know, Intel's flash utility checks the BIOS strings for manufacturer ID, and if they don't match, you don't flash, even if you attempt it in recovery mode.
So just for craps and giggles I took the latest Intel BIOS and put it on a floppy disk and renamed it to the current installed Gateway bios .BIO file. Then I set the jumper to maintenance mode and set the BIOS to scan for user bins. Then I took an old no-name PCI NIC and slapped my old KX7-333R motherboard BIOS in the boot rom socket and slapped it in my puter with the logic that well maybe I can confuse it.
Well after removing the jumper so it would flash directly from a floppy in recovery mode, lo and behold the thing actually flashed to the retail BIOS!
The icky-poo 15A vendor identifier is gone and replaced with a lovely 86A. Gateway can officially kiss my
AFAIK, I am the only person to have achieved this method on this particular chipset without editing the bios strings.
I now have all the hidden settings that normally ship with the retail board enabled! While not useful for overclocking, at least I can set my AGP aperture and memory timings so it does not default to the crappy 320mhz whenever I put double sided DIMMS in it.
Everything seems stable and runs fairly decent. I did have to phone into Micro$oft though because my LAN drivers had to be installed before I could get on the net.
However there are two quirks that I just don't get... first the CPU fan runs wide open and second the little red LED light that normally flashes when there is trouble is now constantly lit. BIOS error log is clean, and CPUID pulls up the correct info on all the components.
Also, on another note, I found the cheapest P4 heatsinks ever. Turns out the DELL poweredge 6 heatpipe tower coolers will fit in the OEM Gateway "swing bar" retention bracket. Cheapest I have seen is around $7 including shipping... they are MASSIVE. I'm thinkin that with one of these puppies installed I could possibly keep my Prescott in spec with nothing more than the case fan blowing over it.
I have a Intel 875pbz motherboard that had the 015A identifier with the P13 version of the Gateway bios.
I downloaded version P14 (086A identifier) .bio file from Intel and placed it alone in a freshly formatted floppy disk and renamed the .bio file to match the Gateway .bio P13 file name (from its website).
The key of my success was to go into the bios in maintenance mode (set jumper on two upper pins) and set the option "scan for user bins" to Enabled. Then, I removed the jumper to set it in recovery mode, loaded the floppy and restarted. The screen was blank, the floppy disk was working and after several beeps (5 minutes or so) the computer shut down on its own. I put the jumper back on normal mode (two lower pins), removed the floppy and reboot the computer and tada... Intel Factory bios was flashed with 086A, P14. I then was able to flash the latest version (P34) via Windows without any problems. Now I am able to see a lot of more options on the bios including the AGP apperture memory (up to 256 mb). The Gateway splash screen is gone and now it shows the Intel one.
I do, however, have the same results as you. The CPU fan now runs constantly at ~3000 RPM (Gateway Bios was controlled depending on temperature) and also the DIAG led stays lit in red. I cannot find any errors in the bios log and everything works ok. Were you ever able to solve this condition?
Thanks again.
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