HP replacement motherboard flashing issues

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by gamergomer, Aug 27, 2011.

  1. gamergomer

    gamergomer MDL Novice

    Aug 27, 2011
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    I'm a computer tech, but I don't work on HPs much. So my grandma's motherboard died on her HP a6750f desktop computer which has a MS-7548 motherboard. When I replaced the motherboard with one I ebayed (which was supposed to be a new motherboard), the new computer wouldn't boot. I figured out that I think the the 5.11 bios won't work with the x4 9650 that was originally in it. I stick an older AMD processor in and it boots great. Slow, but works.

    So I tried the bios update from HP but it fails with a "Your system does not meet the minimum requirements for this update. Update has been cancelled. (9996)." I also notice that my Vista needs to activate.

    After digging, it's my guess that the the new bios needs to be tatooed.

    So I find the only version of iso dmi tool I can find that's still available and I run it. It seems to think it works, but doesn't help me at all.

    My DMI info according to the tool:
    Vendor: Hewlett-Packard
    Product: PPPPPPP-CCC#MMMMMMMM
    Version:
    Serial:
    (I never checked the above until after I tried to run the tool once so I'm not really sure what it was originally)

    I don't think I care about the DMI as long as I can activate vista with the key on the computer. Do I really need the DMI to run vista? Am I going to have to reinstall vista to activate or can I just activate and continue along now?

    But I still then have the problem of how to flash the 5.13 bios. I unpacked the bios update executable and have the 5.13 bios file. I read somewhere about people using a newer version of winflash to update in windows 7. Would a newer version of winflash help me? Any hints on where to find it if so?

    I tried running winflash in a commandline in vista (the version that was packed with the bios) and it didn't do anything. Tried with a /? and with the bios filename and it still didn't do anything. I'm afraid I have to do it from a boot disk but I haven't used a floppy drive in years (nor do I have one). The computer has no option to boot to USB.

    Any guidance would be appreciated!
     
  2. NICK@NUMBER11

    NICK@NUMBER11 MDL Expert

    Mar 23, 2010
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    #2 NICK@NUMBER11, Aug 28, 2011
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2011
    Whats the name of the new board you purchased, and as for flashing then...


    i used awdflash to flash a copy of HP pc's.. made a dos boot cd and placed the files that i needed then booting the pc into dos mode then


    At command prompt type: awdflash "yourversionname".rom and enter button.

    awdflash is available here

    if you need a dos boot cd, pm me and i will send u over a version that i made, then all you have to do is add in your rom file..
     
  3. gamergomer

    gamergomer MDL Novice

    Aug 27, 2011
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    I'll get my post count up to 5 when I get back later today and then I'll pm you... :)

    I bought a MS-7548 ver 1 motherboard, the same that was in my HP. The motherboards look exactly alike. If only the bios wasn't soldered on the board, I'd swap them... :)
     
  4. gamergomer

    gamergomer MDL Novice

    Aug 27, 2011
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    I actually read that exact hp thread too. And that's why I've been looking for winflash 1.93 or higher--but I've not found it anywhere.

    The thread says that the HP official bios upgrade will only work in vista, and my grandma's computer is on vista so that's good. I really think the offical bios upgrade file is failing because I don't have a complete hp dmi tattoo. So I want to force the upgrade with winflash. I'm hoping that I can get that boot cd from you with award flash and maybe that will work.