re: All the answers: ''Error, can't write ESCD''
Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 3:03 pm
Windows 98 Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by Kevin Irving
(1 messages posted)
Hi, In most cases this is really quit simple,
(not totally related to updating your BIOS, though doing so can knock your settings)
The problem comes when the ESCD will not refresh itself after hardware has been changed.
Since your computer allocates memory access and checks bootable resources, it cannot
write to/read from certain parts of your motherboard ROM that are "LOCKED". Its a
simple case of getting your ESCD to refresh itself. To do this you must 'FORCE UPDATE'
the ESCD, which makes it re-detect your hardware. follow the steps below and it'll
sort the problem for good.
1) go into BIOs setup and find PnP/PCI Configuration
2) find " Reset configuration data" and set it to "YES" or "ENABLED"
3) "SAVE & EXIT" and the system will reboot.
You will notice that the first time it loads afterwards will take a few seconds longer,
but that is just down to the computer scanning all hardware.
Once this has completed it will save itself and reset the BIOS values to default,
as they have done their job and scanning the hardware isn't necessary for every boot.
Happy Computing
On Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 5:33 pm, iceman wrote:
>I have corrected this problem by:
>
>Warning: High Risk of Permanent Damage to your motherboard. Safer (and more expensive)
>method follows further below.
>
>Start of High Risk Method:
>
>1) If you have an ASUS Motherboard get AFLASHxxx.EXE from www.asus.com.tw (xxx is
>the version for your Motherboard, don't ask me, look on the ASUS website to figure
>it out)
>2) Rename the .exe to .doc
>3) Do a text search on ATMEL
>4) Do you see other manufacturers and part numbers on that page? There is a good
>chance that some or all of these devices are suitable substitutes for your (now
worn
>out) FLASH chip. Check the device dimensions. For example, if it is 256K X 8 bits
>than any listed device with the same dimensions should work.
>5) Cannibalize a damaged/discarded motherboard for its FLASH device as defined above.
>6) Turn computer power supply off
>7) NOTE THE POLARITY OF THE DEVICE – Pin 1 has a dot in the plastic. Draw yourself
>a picture of the device orientation on the Motherboard.
>7) Loosen the BIOS device or remove it completely being very careful NOT to bend
>the pins.
>8) If the pins are too widely opened, you may choose to correct this by laying the
>device on its side and rolling it towards its underside 2-3 degrees, thus bending
>the pins inwards slightly. This will make live extraction slightly safer. Do the
>same for the replacement device so that the pins exactly line up with the socket.
>9) Put the original device back into the motherboard but do not seat it all the
way,
>just enough for the pins to make firm contact with the socket conductors leafing
>a space to pry it loose again.
>10) Boot from a boot floppy containing
> i) the ASUS FLASH utility AFLASHxxx.exe as well as
> ii) the BIOS file that you plan to load to your FLASH.
>Note: This file should be downloaded from the ASUS website. ON SOME VERSIONS of
AFLASHxxx.exe
>you can create this file from your installed FLASH BIOS device. You are on you
own
>here, best to get the file from ASUS. Example ASUS P2B use BIOS version 1012.
>11) After booting, note the polarity of the FLASH device and remove the FLASH device
>being careful not to short anything and try to disconnect all pins at the same time.
>12) Insert the new FLASH device, same rules, all pins make contact at same time.
>13) Use AFLASHxxx.exe. (Note the name of the new BIOS file before you begin since
>you will need to type it in. If AFLASHxxx.exe recognizes your FLASH device (part
>number in blue box at top of screen) you are good to go. Example: Original device
>ATMEL AT49F002T Cannibalized Device SST29EE020. Blue box now shows the latter.
>14) Flash the BIOS.
>15) Reboot, press DEL, reset you BIOS to defaults, set you BIOS up again.
>16) ESCD now updates without complaint
>
>Notes:
>
>A safer method is to copy the contents of the old device to the new device using
>an EEPROM programmer. Then the computer power can be kept off when inserting and
>removing devices. This could cost you money unless you have a EEPROM programmer.
> If you do this, it is still a good idea to re FLASH your new BIOS chip after the
>device swap, but that is only if you know that the latest BIOS will work as good
>as the current one. You can use AFLASH to save the current one so you can revert
>to it if need be.
>
>The reason you have to do this repair is that the authors of AWARD BIOS decided
to
>store card config info in the FLASH. This is not updated every time you boot, but
>is periodically updated apparently.
>
>According to the ATMEL datasheet at
>
>http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/prod_documents/DOC1017.PDF
>
>this device will not wear out until 10,000 cycles. Hmmm.....
>
>I put AT49F002T on an EPROM programmer and it would not erase. That is how I determined
>that this was the problem. AFLASH.exe says that it is rewriting the ESCD data so
>this data is definitely stored in FLASH and NOT in CMOS NVRAM. Comments from AWARD/AMI
>engineers on this design decision would be interesting no doubt.
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