someone recently tried to update my ram memory by just putting the chip in the motherboard and starting it up, it took too long so they shut it down and now it comes up with a message saying:
award bootblock bios v1.0
copyright (c) 2000, award software, inc.

BIOS ROM checksum error

detecting IDE ATAPI device...
found cdrom try to boot from it... fail

detecting floppy drive a... fail

insert system disk and press enter

i have been told that the bios needs reflashing however i cannot access any menus and a genuine windows xp disk does nothing. i replaced the CMOS battery and reset both the jumpers, this also does nothing. i have a compaq presario model SR1421UK, it has a asus motherboard model K8S LA. i do not have a floppy drive in the pc as it did not come with one. can i use the cd drive to put in a cd with the bios information on it to re flash the bios and where can i get the nessicary files? any help would be greatly apreciated as i am out of my depth here.

A CMOS checksum error is simple to put right, but you need to get into the BIOS to do it. YOU DO NOT NEED TO FLASH THE BIOS. Flashing the BIOS is a last resort solution when everything else has failed.

That is providing that all that was done was that a memory module was inserted. Inserting a memory module doesn't normally produce a CMOS checksum error. Flashing the BIOS does. The Award Bootlock message is suspicious. It is indicative of a failed attempt to flash the BIOS.

When the computer boots you need to press a key to get into the BIOS. It should tell you on the screen which key to press. On a Compaq probably F1 or F2 but it could be the Delete key.

Once you are into the BIOS setup screen reset the settings like time and date. Make sure the hard disk and CD drive is recognised. Save and re-boot. That should cure the CMOS checksum error.

Try that and see what happens.

Stuart

thanks for the reply stewart. i cannot enter any bios screens and none of the menus pop up, beforehand there was a compaq logo screen and you could press f1 to enter the bios from there, now no keys work except enter when a disk is inserted. i cleared the CMOS settings with the jumper on th motherboard however this did nothing. the bios is not password protected as you cannot enter any password but the bootblock prevents anything from happening, same message everytime. ???

"award bootblock bios v1.0"

"detecting floppy drive a... fail"

Try this FIRST - remove the ram they/you just installed! Not all ram that you think should work in your mboard will work - it has to be compatible with the mboard, particularly it's chipset! If the ram isn't compatible, in the worst cases the mboard will not boot at all, but it's quite possible incomptible ram could cause a false boot block error message!

You can check which ram will work in your mboard for sure - is compatible with it - on ram manufacturer's or major ram distributor's web sites by using your mboard make and model or your name brand system make and model - if the ID string of module you were thinking of using or buying is not on that list, there's no way of telling whether it is compatible with your mboard, and whether it will work in your mboard is a crap shoot.
.......

If that ram has already been removed, it's possible he installed the module backwards if he didn't make sure the module was all the way down in it's slot and both latches at the ends of the slot were latched and against the ends of the module.
In that case, the module is instantly fried when the computer is booted (did you notice any puff of smoke, burnt wiring kind of smell?) and the ram slot the backwards module was in is instantly ruined and cannot be used again, and the mboard probably won't boot. In that case, the module he tried will not work in any computer, and has obvious missing (zapped, vaporized) or damaged contacts on it's edge, and the ram slot has melted plastic and carbon deposits, and missing (zapped, vaporized) or damaged contacts (use a good light and possibly a magnifying glass to examine the ram slots).
If you see that, you MAY be able to get the mboard working again, minus the use of the zapped ram slot(s) if you remove all the melted plastic and carbon deposits from the affected slots, and have undamaged ram in other slots.
....

When you get those messages it normally means flashing the bios has failed. You can't get into the bios Setup because that part of the bios is corrupted, or the wrong version, or not there at all. The boot block portion of the bios is still there and is automatically looking for a floppy with the proper files on it, and isn't finding one.
See response 2 and 7 in this:
http://www.computing.net/hardware/w...

thankyou for your reply tubes and wires. the second problem is that the flash information is not on the asus website and the compaq website only has an update for the bios. i am using a laptop at the minute with a cd drive and no floppy same as the pc. can i still reflash the bios with a cd with the right flasher on it?

Always remove the AC power to your case whenever you do anything inside the case.

If you haven't removed the ram he added yet, try that first! - the boot block error messages may be false! If you're not sure which one, leave one installed at a time and try booting.
If you have removed the ram, examine the ram slots for damage.

If none of the ram slots are damaged, and you still get the boot block related error messages, the link I pointed to was for a guy who had an Award bios. Compaq bioses and bios updates are often oddballs, and I have no idea whether there is a Recovery procedure for them similar to the one for Award bioses, which the Compaq bios may or may not be based on (could also be based on a AMI or Phoenix bios).
Compaq bios updates are usually called Rompaqs. If one is available for your model, it is listed in the Software and Driver downloads for your model on the HP web site. When you click on that there are usually brief instructions - the flash utility is included in the update download. However I don't think it will flash the bios with your computer in the boot block state if it's a Rompaq.
I'll check that out for your model - some newer Compaq bios updates may be standard Award ones.

"i am using a laptop at the minute with a cd drive and no floppy same as the pc. can i still reflash the bios with a cd with the right flasher on it?"

If it actually has true boot block error messages, NO! The boot block cannot recognize anything but a floppy drive. The Asus mboard probably has a floppy header on it. You could temporarily connect a borrowed floppy drive and floppy data cable to it however (or buy them if you can't borrow them - less than $20 for both from the smaller places that have a lot of computer pieces).
A USB connected floppy drive probably won't be recognized by the boot block.

An alternative with some risk is if you don't mind changing the bios to a true Award version, you could try the Award Recovery procedure and load an Asus bios version. The risk of doing that if it can be done is you may have to flash manually and flash the boot block as well and know how to do that, and you may not be able to re-install the Compaq software that was originally on the computer if you ever need to, especially if you do a full Recovery procedure, unless the computer has a Compaq bios.

The only other viable alternative costs a modest amount of money, and is the only choice for a laptop with no floppy drive - if the bios chip is removable, you can order and install a new bios chip already flashed with a proper bios update for your model.
e.g. from http://www.badflash.com

I took a look - it doesn't look good.

Software & Driver downloads
Compaq Presario SR1421UK Desktop PC
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...

K8S-LA Motherboard BIOS Update
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...
SP26627.exe
It isn't called a Rompaq - apparently it's a Service Pack.
I downloaded it.
It's properties say it's a SFX CAB - a self extracting .cab file.
I can't look at it's contents with WinZip.
(You might be able to examine it's contents in XP if it's a standard Microsoft cab file - if it has a single *.bin file that is standard for an Award bios update - if it's several of them, it's Compaq oddball).

Directions say must be used at the "Windows Based BIOS Update window."
Obviously you can't do that.

No parts found here, other than the complete system, if you use sr1421uk
or it's Product number -
PY097AA, even when set to United Kingdom.
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/sp...

From the http://www.badflash.com web site:

"The normal file provided for Phoenix, Compaq (rompaq) or IBM bios files are not always complete images and we can not support these without a copy of the actual image in the chip. Contact us and we may be able to find an AWARD or AMI file that will work on your board."

........

So:
- flashing the bios using the Compaq bios update is not possible because you must use a Windows based utility - you can't get into Windows, and you can't flash the bios for this mboard from or on another computer.
- getting a new bios chip from Badflash or Flashbios MIGHT be an alternative, if your bios chip is removable, and if the Compaq update file has the complete bios image - the only way to find that out for sure is to email them.
- Badflash or Flashbios might still be able to help if you/they use Asus's bios update, but you may not be able to re-install the Compaq software that was originally on the computer if you ever need to, especially if you do a full Recovery procedure, unless the computer has a Compaq bios.
- you could try the Award Recovery procedure and load an Asus bios version. The risk of doing that if it can be done is you may have to flash manually and flash the boot block as well and know how to do that, and you may not be able to re-install the Compaq software that was originally on the computer if you ever need to, especially if you do a full Recovery procedure, unless the computer has a Compaq bios.
............................

Award bios Recovery procedure

From the Badflash site:

"Q. I flashed with the wrong file. Is there any way to recover?

A. If your floppy drive seeks on power up and then stops after a short period of time, you may have a chance to recover. The following information was obtained from Wim's Bios http://www.wimsbios.com/ FAQ's. Corrections on AWARD Bios by Terry McGuire.

Award: The boot-block BIOS will execute an AUTOEXEC.BAT file on a bootable diskette. Copy an Award flasher & the correct BIOS *.bin file on the floppy and execute it automatically by putting AWDFLASH *.bin /sn /py /cc /r in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The * would be the correct bios .bin file and there must be spaces between the slash marks. Put it in the floppy and turn on the computer when the floppy seeks it will load the correct bios and reboot by itself. When it finishes you have to remove the floppy and enter the cmos SETUP and modify the CMOS for your configuration"

I recommend you use Windows to check your floppy using FULL format. FULL format is slower, but will find and exclude from use any previously undetected bad sectors on a floppy, a common problem these days.
In XP, RIGHT click on A: to find Format, DO NOT use the Quick format switch, format the floppy. After the format has finished, RIGHT click on A:, choose Properties - Free Space should be 1,457,664 bytes for an error free floppy. If it is less than that and the floppy is less than about 7 years old, I recommend you don't use it - it will probably get worse. Format another floppy instead.
.....

In other words, as well as copying the proper Award flash utility and bios version to the floppy, you then need to make an Autoexec.bat file on the floppy.
Make a txt file on the floppy, rename it to autoexec.bat.
RIGHT click on the autoexec.bat file, choose, Edit, make a line with this all on the same line (don't press Enter until the line is finished, or it won't work properly):
AWDFLASH *.bin /sn /py /cc /r
Save the changes to autoexec.bat. The name of the flash utility has to be the same as the actual name of the flash utilty on the floppy, and * would be the correct bios .bin file, and there must be spaces between the slash marks, and between the flash utility name and the update name.
....

http://www.badflash.com ships worldwide, but if you are in the UK it may cost you less shipping if you get the chip from somewhere else, such as from here as recommended by Badflash:
http://www.flashbios.org/
The Netherlands (Holland)
.......

Alternatives?
- Your model is fairly recent. If your bios chip is removable you may be able to get a replacement chip from HP with the Compaq bios version on it, or you may be able to ship them your mboard and get an exact replacement from HP, and maybe get some credit for the old mboard since there's nothing else wrong with it - the only way to find that out in this case is to email or phone them.

- if you use the Asus bios update to get the mboard working but you find the Compaq software can't be re-installed,
- you could try flashing the mboard with the Compaq bios update, but there's no certainty it will work when the bios you are replcing is an Asus one - it will either work, or you will get the boot block bios errors again, or the mboard will never boot again after you flash.
- if you choose to keep using the Asus bios, you would need to use or buy a regular Windows CD if you ever need to re-install Windows - you won't be able to use the tied to the Compaq software one - you would have to go without the Compaq siftware, and you will have vto find the drivers for your mboard and other system components - some are in the downloads for your model on the HP site - you probably have to get the main chipset drivers from the main chipset maker's web site.

I'm not gonna bother reading thru all the above, but you do NOT need a BIOS update! As a matter of fact, you should NOT have reset the BIOS.

What two jumpers are you talking about? There is only one jumper to reset the BIOS & all you need to do is move it from the "normal" position to the "clear" position for a few seconds (power cord must be unplugged), then move it back again.

Did you remove the "bad" stick of RAM? Are you sure it was compatible with your system? Did this mysterious "someone" who tried to update your RAM remove any cables or anything to be able to access the RAM slots? If so, are you sure they were reconnected correctly?

thank you tubes and wires for taking your time to help. i shall do what you recomended, i thaught that it would lead to this but your knowledge is more in depth. I have done all of the basic checks jam and the second jumper is for the CMOS settings which is the one your refering to about resetting for 10 seconds. the other jumper is the security bios password jumper. yes the ram is compatable and it was removed as soon as the problem arose, as far as all the research i can get and other peoples input tubes and wires has the situation sumed up. many thanks again to everybody and if i find a solution i shall post a follow up for any other people to see.

Clearing the cmos won't work either if you actually have the boot block situation - same thing - the cmos - the portion of the bios that you can access in the bios Setup - is in the main part of the bios - the main part of the bios is corrupted, or the wrong version, or not there at all.

If your bios chip is soldered to the mboard, Badflash and Flashbios both can replace it if you ship the mboard to them (Badflash will only do it if you are in the USA), but it may cost almost as much as a new mboard when shipping is taken into account, and buying a used identical mboard with a Compaq bios version on it may be a lot cheaper.

Right, thanks everyone for all the help, after a week or so of looking into things and emailing HP to hell, it turns out that the bios is corrupted beyond user repair unless taken into a HP service branch to investigate further in which case a massive fee would be charged wether or not it is fixed (out of warranty). If you Have this problem, worry there is no other solution on this make and model of computer, build your own next time and dont expect any help from HP whomb make the compaq computer as they offer no 'technical' help, its just a case of take it in and pay for us to do it. up to press a new motherboard is classed as a non user changable part and so HP will not provide it directly too you. also a motherboard with the correct rompaq on it to run all the components is unavailable. Dead End.

We have heard a lot about the frustrations of dealing with brand name system builders such as HP. That's often why people with brand name systems come to sites like this for help. The fact that they can't help you doesn't necessarily mean you're at a dead end.

Did you remove the ram "someone" installed? You have not told us whether you have.
If you haven't, remove it! Your problem may go away!

Did you ever determine whether the ram was compatible, or whether the module and the ram slot is damaged? - see response 3.

Is the bios chip in a socket and removable?
If it is, see the badflash or flashbios sites for a possible moderate cost solution - see response 6.

Even if you can't or don't want to replace the bios chip, or even if the ram slot is damaged, there are probably used identical mboards with a HP bios version available on the web for a lot less than HP wants for a new one.

"also a motherboard with the correct rompaq on it to run all the components is unavailable."

Huh? The bios was working fine before someone tried the ram!
If you mean HP can't supply a new identical mboard, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't find a used one on the web.