Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

[gobbler]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

i desoldered the mentined 330uF cap, it is not shorted. all the 330uF caps have reading of 0.1X

[Toasty]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

>>i inserted a pci POST card, last error code was 2524<<
What does the card code mean?

Any warm/hot MOSFET's?

Input - near the 16v caps
Output - near the 6.3v caps

Everyone is different.

Initial check of MOSFET's in circuit. Looking for shorts. Any suspects - you will have to lift the 2 legs and check "out of circuit".

Toast

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

2524 ->> should be --> 80 x 25 mode failure
In other words the video mode used during POST and to get into the BIOS is not working.
--> I gather it's not working with both onboard and add-in video.
Probably corrupted BIOS.
-
Clear CMOS.
Reflash BIOS.
.

[gobbler]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

this motherboard is using phoenix bios, according to the user's guide of the POST card : 25 is a blank while 24 is "set ES segment register to 4GB".

found a transistor FDB6035AL the Gate-Source seems to be shorted, will further investigate but might give up if i cannot get the replacement locally.

i tried clearing the CMOS before, not much help. i cannot reflash bios as motherboard cannot boot up long enuff.

[Toasty]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....word=FDB6035AL

$1.48 each

>>Gate-Source seems to be shorted<<
Out of circuit? Legs lifted? In circuit likely reading other components.

Toast

[Toasty]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

>>according to the user's guide of the POST card : 25 is a blank while 24 is<<

But you said -
>>i inserted a pci POST card, last error code was 2524<<

Not 25 and 24, but 2524 which is as PCBONEZ said a 80x25 failure:

http://www.shopctc.com/BiosHelp/IBM.htm


Toast

[gobbler]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

thanks toasty for the source link.
im referring to the user's guide that came with the POST card. pretty sucks in explanation, never mentioned anything on 2524.

if pcbonez diagnosis is correct, after tried clearing cmos cannot work & i cannot reflash bios, i have to abandon reviving it?

[ratdude747]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

pretty much. sorry for your loss, those were NICE mobos. minus SIS though. good for linux though. hey, if you need recapping practice, then you have a good exmple now.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

You might have some luck easter-egging the MOSFETs, POL regulators, and small caps around the chipset.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

Yes, the reflashing the BIOS suggestion was a brain fart.
I have done 'blind flashes' in the past but that was a specific feature of those boards.
-
If you have two identical boards and the chip is removable you can do a hot-swap flash but that is REALLY REALLY hazardous to both BIOS chips and the working mobo. You could easily end up with two dead boards instead of one.
.

[gobbler]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

some updates, i noticed if i continuously on & off the power, i will have one success of booting it in 1 out of 30 times. so what i did was went all the way to buy a floppy drive and prepare a bootable diskette with the latest bios. well, i managed to boot it after several tries and got it to flash the bios. after flashing, did a hard power off and on. same symptom, i guessed the bios chip is faulty. am i right? the bios chip is on board and not removable type.

[ratdude747]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

yup, its dead jim

sorry to say that, but the truth is the truth.

[lucky13]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

some updates, i noticed if i continuously on & off the power, i will have one success of booting it in 1 out of 30 times. so what i did was went all the way to buy a floppy drive and prepare a bootable diskette with the latest bios. well, i managed to boot it after several tries and got it to flash the bios. after flashing, did a hard power off and on. same symptom, i guessed the bios chip is faulty. am i right? the bios chip is on board and not removable type.

I am curious if there were any error messages at all during the BIOS flash? if not, maybe the BIOS chip and its contents are good and your problem lies elsewhere on the board.

Still, there is a point in time to walk away from it (at least for awhile so you don't bash your head continuously).

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

If the BIOS flash competed then the BIOS chip should be fine.
Does it show the new BIOS version on the flash screen?
[Of course assuming the flash was a newer version.]

I really think the problem is either the chipset or a regualtor chip or the small caps near your chipset.
Those problems are really hard to track down.
LOTs of time and small chance of success.
Most folks just write it off as 'bad chipset' at that point.
-
But, if you have nothing better to do you -might- get lucky [ahem] and you will probably learn some new tricks along the way.

.

[gobbler]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

i tried to reflash again, this time inside the flash utility flag, i disable the "Flash Boot Block". after successful flashed, miraculously the motherboard has been revive! will move on to next motherboard ...

[shadow]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

Good to hear that you fixed the board.

Congratulations!

[lucky13]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

Your persistence really have paid off.

Maybe I will try the same on the Gigabyte board that I have shelved.

[ratdude747]

Re: Gigabyte GA-8SIML Motherboard

good job! i was wrong after all. that happens