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Bricked my Sabertooth x79

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Robmoo

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2005
I'm doing a fresh Windows 7 install on my wife's computer so I thought it would be a good time to update the bios. I downloaded the latest bios., a .cap file., renamed it, and used the USB flash. The PC turns on for a second and turns right back off. I checked out older bios revisions and read about the .rom to .cap conversion. I tried the conversion file, a .cap file that failed, then tried to flash back to the original bios. Nothing has worked. Any other ideas? I've ordered a new bios chip, but if I can get this PC up and running tomorrow instead of it being down for a week that would be great. So much for fail safe bios upgrade. I wish this MB had Dual Bios. It would have been nice if the description of the latest bios file had a warning about the conversion along with instructions on making the conversion.

I'd appreciate any info I can get.

Thank you!

Rob
 
It doesn't make sense for it to be physical damage to the board, all he did was flash the BIOS.

During the BIOS update process, many boards do power down and then back up after the flash. That makes me think that they do have some kind of power control, which is perhaps the issue here. Unfortunately, the only way to find out, is to replace the BIOS chip.
 
I used the usb flash update from the port on the back of the mb. No powering up required.
 
This:

The PC turns on for a second and turns right back off.

This is what makes me suspect a shorted VRM.
It's almost always the PSU going in protect mode.

Even if it's just the BIOS, it's going to be a PITA.
 
I would bet good money says this is a borked flash. BIOSs don't bork VRMs. But a borked BIOS can show the same symptoms.
 
Strange. I've never heard of a .cap file for bios :confused: Normally it's a .rom file. Also the OP did not mention anything about the "Flashback" method as here and here . Nothing in those links mentioning converting a .rom file to a .cap file.

Looks like a new bios chip is needed for sure.
 
I'm hoping you downloaded the BIOS straight from ASUS.
If not, definitely do so on the new chip.
 
I ordered that replacement chip yesterday. I figured I'd screwed up my bios and wouldn't be able to recover it. I did buy an ezp2013. I'm wondering if I can pull the chip and use the ezp2013 to flash my existing chip. It arrives tomorrow. I couldn't find the specs for the sabertooth x79 bios chip. Hopefully the ezp2013 will handle my bios chip. Anyone tried to flash their bios chip with a eeprom programmer? Any advice?
 
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I tried to flash the bios chip with the programmer and nothing has changed. There is very little information on using this programmer.
 
Called ASUS tech support and he seemed to think it is a PSU issue. When we got to the step where I remove the MB from the case I stopped. The existing PSU is old, but it test fine with my tester and I attached a spare PSU and the problem continued.
 
It still seems more likely that it's the BIOS chip to me. I'd say that 99% of the time, if a computer stops working right after a BIOS flash, it's because of the BIOS flash.
 
The PSU is a PC Power and Cooling 610 watt PSU that I bought back in 2006. I didn't realize it was that old. The spare is an Apevia from a case I bought back in 2009. Hhhmmm maybe I need a new PSU for that PC. Logic would dictate that since the PC stopped working after the bios flash that the bios flash is the culprit. It would be a huge coincidence if the PSU died at the same time as the bios update.
 
Either way, it's PSU time.
It could be that the PSU is on the way out, has out of spec ripple or voltage, and the BIOS chip was the first piece to go.
 
Strange. I've never heard of a .cap file for bios :confused: Normally it's a .rom file. Also the OP did not mention anything about the "Flashback" method as here and here . Nothing in those links mentioning converting a .rom file to a .cap file.

Looks like a new bios chip is needed for sure.

My sabertooth z97 AND 990fx both use .cap :), might be an asus thing...


silly question, when you did the ez flash, did you hold it down the whole time while it did its work? If you cut it off mid way during a flash, it stands to reason a file would be corrupted. Just dummy checking is all.
 
The instructions say to hold the button for 3 seconds so I did. Once the process starts one just has to wait while it runs to completion.

The new PSU is on its way. I did what I could to keep from having to replace it, but it is old and has become the weakest link. It was a good PSU back in it's day.
 
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