BIOS upgrade failure

[designer]

booted to DOS using F8
c:>MGAFOLD\SETUP351\updbios

File version is: v2.3
BIOS Eprom version: 1.3

updating eprom bios to V2.3......

ERROR: cannot program the BIOS

What is a "locked BIOS" and how can it be "unlocked" if that is the problem. This is the first time I have tryed to upgrade the bios.

Thank you for your help, Bob

[Alfie]

Go to matrox files
http://grafi.ii.pw.edu.pl/gbm/matrox/
At this site there is all kind of information on bios recovery,etc.However if you are receiving message cannot flash bios,it may be user error.If you are hitting f8,I assume you are using win95, at the screen,choose command prompt only-safe mode.from there flash your bios.Make sure you have a floppy so you can make a recovery disk. Please go to matrox files 1st and study all you can.The parameters you type in must be precise or you can end up with the screen you saw.

[Alfie]

If your bios locked,you will get no screen when you start your computer,oddly enough,when you reach windows it will show a screen.I don't believe this has happened to you.the giveaway is setup loads to it's own folder mga.mgafold is your initial setup.When you activate it,it opens a new folder mga.It also adds a line to your start up files mga=c:mga/setup.Once this is installed you will be able to proceed with flashing your bios.Atf8,choose safe mode command prompt only.At the c: prompt type cd C:mga/setup.The next line should be a mga/setup prompt. At this prompt type updbios. Also when the mga folder is created there is a readme file.Read it thoroughly print it for reference.Just remember safe mode and your cd command and please study matrox files that I mentioned in my previous post.Good luck!

[RAB]

It looks like you did everything right. I just updated my bios last night and didn't have any problems. A couple of thoughts:

1. Try updating to bios 1.6 first and see if that works. If it does, maybe you can then go to 2.3.

2. If you have a G200 built into your motherboard like HP does, you might have to go to HP's drivers page and use them. Another forum posting detailed this problem a week or so ago.

Good luck and try again.

RAB

[89fxrp]

I tried every possible way to upgrade the bios on my G200 card. After several communications with Matrox which was no help I asked the vendor with who I had purchased card to warranty it. They sent me a new card and had no problem upgrading to the version 2.3. There is no cure for a truly locked bios except exchanging for new card. Good Luck!