Help failed BIOS update won't boot

[LesD]

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. 

[LesD]

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!

[Rik]

Useful tip, Les. 

Now get him to join.

[LesD]

Useful tip, Les. 

Now get him to join.

I have given up trying a long time ago but if he reads this you never know! 

[Wingco1]

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

[LesD]

checked by Brian from TEG and found to be a bootable disk with the correct files.

With the file names in Upper Case?

[Wingco1]

Yes. Also tried a number of phlash files of various sizes. However it's academic as the laptop isn't seeing them.

[LesD]

Perhaps there is a switch to flick if only we knew where! 

Keep us posted on developments Wingco1.

[Wingco1]

Will do. It's off to a Toshiba repair shop first thing in the morning .

[Steve]

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

[Wingco1]

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. 

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?

[Rik]

That sounds like a rather large sigh of relief there.   

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.

[Glenn]

Are Toshiba flashing it to the latest revision before shipping it?

[Wingco1]

No idea Glenn. What's more I don't really care, I certainly aint.

[Inactive]

No idea Glenn. What's more I don't really care, I certainly aint.

Go on, you know you want to really.. 

[Wingco1]

Go on, you know you want to really.. 

Oh no I don't! 

[Steve]

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. 

[Wingco1]

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

[Rik]

Well, you would be able to try it in a few days... 

[Steve]

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.

[Sebby]

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.

[MoHux]

I would say, in view of the hassle you have been lucky to survive .......... you would have to be stark - staring - BONKERS!! 

Mo

[Wingco1]

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 

[Rik]

Where's a 'phew' smiley when you want one. I swear I can feel the sense of relief from here.

[Wingco1]

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