Bad Prema BIOS installation in P170EM - What to do now?

[EriannMX 2]

So, while trying to install my new GTX 1060 card in my P170EM it seems I fucked up big time and now I'm under terrible psychological suffering...

 

I had previously installed @Prema BIOS back in 2015 successfully. As I was having trouble installing my video card and some user pointed that it may be the BIOS, I decided to install it again, in case there were changes between then and now.

 

Installation went normal, except that when I tried to start the system I'm stuck in the splash screen... Fans work, keyboard works (can select the option to go into the BIOS page or boot order), LEDs work (from what I understand, this means that the EC is still ok). But it won't move from the Splash screen.

 

I tried resetting CMOS by disconnecting the CMOS battery (breaking the connector on the way, the cables came out of the connector despite me pulling carefully, the connector won't bulge, no matter how much I - gently - push it with a screwdriver) the whole night.

 

I'm afraid of doing a BIOS recovery because I can't remember the EC of my computer (did the successful Prema Bios installation updated it to last version or not?) and am basically on the edge of tears out of desperation. u_u

Of course, I don't know how to get hold of Prema, beyond posting on his blog. 

 

Can anyone offer a piece of advice?

Edited April 23, 2017 by EriannMX

[Scerate 27]

First and foremost What Notebook are you using?

So you can move around in bios? First thing just reset Bios to defaults in BIOs theni would check if the boot order is set correctly, check if UEFI is set or the other way around. If the BIOS is using UEFI by default und u were using a non-uefi OS then you can't boot ofc.
Sefondly are USB devices attached right now?

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[EriannMX 2]

4 minutes ago, Scerate said:

First and foremost What Notebook are you using?

So you can move around in bios? First thing just reset Bios to defaults in BIOs theni would check if the boot order is set correctly, check if UEFI is set or the other way around. If the BIOS is using UEFI by default und u were using a non-uefi OS then you can't boot ofc.
Sefondly are USB devices attached right now?

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Forgot to add that, it's a P170EM.

 

Can't do any of those things. The computer is stuck in the splash screen, and not moving forward - When I press F2 it only selects the option but that's it.

[Scerate 27]

Ok, try removing your SSD(s) and Harddisk(s) from the Notebook and try again, if it gets further then, if not try removing your ram sticks, start it up once without sticks and reinstall 1 stick, with the HDDs still outside.

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[EriannMX 2]

19 minutes ago, Scerate said:

Ok, try removing your SSD(s) and Harddisk(s) from the Notebook and try again, if it gets further then, if not try removing your ram sticks, start it up once without sticks and reinstall 1 stick, with the HDDs still outside.

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No changes u_u

[Scerate 27]

Hmm i only know then about the hold "Fn + D" and Power on while still holding trick to force reset CMOS but i dunno if it works on the P170EM, give it a shot

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[EriannMX 2]

6 minutes ago, Scerate said:

Hmm i only know then about the hold "Fn + D" and Power on while still holding trick to force reset CMOS but i dunno if it works on the P170EM, give it a shot

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Computer wont turn on doing that. 

 

No changes after that u_u

[Scerate 27]

Hmm well yeah then i'm out of ideas sadly. The only thing which you already mentioned is maybe reflash via Recovery method, but for me it's still weird it just hangs there at the splash screen, when starting up the notebook and the splash screen appears can you press "Tab" ? Normally text only bios should show

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[EriannMX 2]

28 minutes ago, Scerate said:

Hmm well yeah then i'm out of ideas sadly. The only thing which you already mentioned is maybe reflash via Recovery method, but for me it's still weird it just hangs there at the splash screen, when starting up the notebook and the splash screen appears can you press "Tab" ? Normally text only bios should show

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Pressed Tab, changed into text bios, pressed F2, says Entering Setup. Hangs in there :/

[Scerate 27]

Is there maybe standing something like "Detecting USB Devices"? When in text mode?

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[EriannMX 2]

5 minutes ago, Scerate said:

Is there maybe standing something like "Detecting USB Devices"? When in text mode?

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No

[Scerate 27]

As stupid as it may sound now, but are you able to pop in your old GPU?

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[EriannMX 2]

1 minute ago, Scerate said:

As stupid as it may sound now, but are you able to pop in your old GPU?

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I left in Europe, as I was going to sell it. I'm currently in Mexico for 3 months.

[Scerate 27]

Hmm, so after even let it "POST" for 5-10mins it stays i guess

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[EriannMX 2]

36 minutes ago, Scerate said:

Hmm, so after even let it "POST" for 5-10mins it stays i guess

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Yes, I left it a couple hours on the splash screen, no changes.

Edited April 23, 2017 by EriannMX

[Scerate 27]

Well i'm out of clues now, seems like a weird bug, i would risk the recovery myself.

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[EriannMX 2]

1 minute ago, Scerate said:

Well i'm out of clues now, seems like a weird bug, i would risk the recovery myself.

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I tried, but after the first start up (still holding Fn+B, without monitor, only LEDS), the restart sends again to the splash screen, not the recovery menu as I read it is supposed to u_u

[Khenglish 1155]

Prema's BIOS runs the memory at T1 instead of T2 if you have 3 or 4 memory sticks. This could cause instability, particularly if you have over 16GB of memory. If you do pull a memory stick or 2 and it should be stable.

 

Other than that, I have only seen freezes on boot if non-usb drives are plugged into the USB ports. Ex. the laptop treats an external keyboard as a bootable device and freezes.

 

If the above fail, Prema's v2 Bios may have problems with the 1060. Switch the 1060 out to reflash, or just pull the card and reflash with no card.

 

If your computer is responsive at all the flash was fine. I strongly suspect you are having a compatibility issue as described above.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Khenglish

[EriannMX 2]

34 minutes ago, Khenglish said:

Prema's BIOS runs the memory at T1 instead of T2 if you have 3 or 4 memory sticks. This could cause instability, particularly if you have over 16GB of memory. If you do pull a memory stick or 2 and it should be stable.

 

Other than that, I have only seen freezes on boot if non-usb drives are plugged into the USB ports. Ex. the laptop treats an external keyboard as a bootable device and freezes.

 

If the above fail, Prema's v2 Bios may have problems with the 1060. Switch the 1060 out to reflash, or just pull the card and reflash with no card.

 

If your computer is responsive at all the flash was fine. I strongly suspect you are having a compatibility issue as described above.

 

I have only two RAM sticks equaling 16GB.

 

How can I reflash if it gets stuck? Could you explain more in detail :)? Also wouldn't the lack of a GPU thermal signal lead to a shutdown?

Edited April 23, 2017 by EriannMX

[Scerate 27]

Yes it should shut down + some annoying beeping noises

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[Khenglish 1155]

I know BIOS has been flashed with no dGPU installed. The BIOS appears to be smart enough not to shut the system down while the BIOS is being flashed.

 

Do you still have the dGPU you used prior to the 1060? It would be a lot less scary to flash with that installed. The card doesn't need to work, it just needs to report a temperature.

Edited April 23, 2017 by Khenglish

[EriannMX 2]

OMG you both are geniuses. Removing the GPU for one restart cycle fixed everything. I'm writing from the affected computer now

Love you 1000 times!

[Scerate 27]

Good to know everything worked then, have fun with your beast :-)

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[kru 1]

Know this thread is long time closed, but feel obliged to make one minor correction. Calling the two of you geniuses is by far an understatement... Had exactly the same problem. Was desperate and about to buy a new mobo. This fixed both my laptop and my nervous breakdown... :-)

 

Writing from my 2012 P170EM x GTX1060, formerly known as "brick", which just had its life extended at least 2 years!