Help failed BIOS update won't boot

[Inactive]

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 ).

[Sebby]

[Wingco1]

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

[Rik]

It does seem to imply a very basic BIOS is hard-coded, enough to start the recovery process. Good luck with the hunt.

[Wingco1]

Many thanks to everyone who posted, it was greatly appreciated.

[Rik]

Let us know how you get on. 

[Steve]

Did you manage to get the laptop into recovery mode as described with the fans spinning etc??

[Wingco1]

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.

[Glenn]

Try posting on the link I supplied, someone there may be of help

[Wingco1]

Thanks Glenn, have just done so. I don't hold out much hope though.

[Steve]

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.

[Wingco1]

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.

[Sebby]

You'll get the data off the hard drive, don't worry about that.

[Steve]

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?

[Steve]

Differing file sizes

[attachment deleted by admin]

[LesD]

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

[Wingco1]

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.

[LesD]

Nothing is being read.

How long did you wait? I understand it can take a while.

[Steve]

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

[Wingco1]

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

[LesD]

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

[Steve]

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?

[Wingco1]

"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

[Wingco1]

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!

[Steve]

Should the project path not be set to browse for those files on your hard drive?