Bad BIOS Flash - use Linux to recover?

[Generic User #2]

I have a Zotac Z68 ITX A-E and i tried to update to the BIOS flash. I believe my mistake is that I ran Zotac's Windows BIOS updater and I chose not to flash the bootsector(their wording was a little bit weird and i thought that NOT flashing the bootsector was the safer option).

Anyhow, my system isn't detecting my crucial m4 anymore and i don't have any more drives to test with. However, it DOES detect my external USB optical drive and reads the windows installation cd. Although I can't install Windows because the drive isn't detected.

When I try to go to BIOS by pressing 'DEL,' it goes to a blank screen with a NON-blinking horizontal white cursor in the top-left corner. Also, the Zotac POST splash screen only appears on occasion and seemingly randomly.

What are my solutions? The 'Reset CMOS' button does shit. I'm at the point in the step-by-step where they tell you to RMA, but I REALLY don't want to go through that process.

I SEEM to remember hearing that you can use a Linux Live-USB to reflash the BIOS, but I'm not sure if that is accurate or applicable in this case.

[KaptCrunch]

never flash a bios in windows. make sure have the correct file for your MB MODEL and REVISION for most people confuse with bios version due to rev. has different chips on motherboard

need to look on MB for Rev.x,xx also what OS 32 or 64bit ?

make a bootable USB stick (fat32) with no autoexe.bat,config.sys

if this is correct MB and Rev. listed above Z68 ITX A-E.zip extract to folder C:/EFI/, will make a folder PA198

C:\EFI\PA198\1110 folder with updated bios file I1011NZT.ROM and this ZTEFUDOS from efudos folder put these on USB.

ok with files on stik set bios to boot from usb boot with stik just made get to dos prompt

type
ZTEFUDOS yourBIOS.ROM

do not loose power or interupt process

[clshades]

does the cdrom drive not detect either? A cheap raid card that supports a boot OS from it might solve your problem too.

He's right of course about installing an BIOS from windows. Do you have a link for making a usb boot drive with dos?

[KaptCrunch]

Originally Posted by clshades

does the cdrom drive not detect either? A cheap raid card that supports a boot OS from it might solve your problem too.

He's right of course about installing an BIOS from windows. Do you have a link for making a usb boot drive with dos?

hp boot utility

boot files

Originally Posted by Grnfinger

Run the HP Bootable USB Utility and tick the "Create a DOS Startup Disk" option. Now navigate to the Boot Files (extract them first) and select the Folder you extracted them to.

Click "Start" within the HP Bootable USB Utility and it will make your USB Stick bootable

[3.0charlie]

We have our own How-to, actually.

HOW TO: Making a USB Thumbdrive Bootable

[Generic User #2]

replying from my desktop now :)

everything worked great guys. thanks alot. what a great christmas present!!

[KaptCrunch]

np enjoy, glad it worked out for you

Added Low Voltage Memory (1.35V) support
.Updated CPU Microcode
.Added XMP Memory Profile support
.Added CPU Vcore control
.Added Deep S3 control
.Changed CPU Turbo Boost / Overclock Multiplier Ratio, related to number of active cores

were the fixes

[Generic User #2]

.Added Deep S3 control
.Changed CPU Turbo Boost / Overclock Multiplier Ratio, related to number of active cores

these were changes I wanted(at least I think I wanted). For one, leaving the computer in sleep mode for more than 10-15 minutes would give me a BSOD. For another, I couldn't increase the multiplier for more than one core at a time...which really confused me - this is my first time working with a nehalem/sandy bridge cpu.