G
General Schvantzkoph
I thought I'd post this for the benefit of others because the info that's
on the web doesn't make it clear that this works.
The GX5050 is an old Compaq Athlon 64 box that uses an MSI K8N Neo2
Platinum motherboard with an HP BIOS. The MSI BIOS flasher will normally
refuse to update this board, however it can be forced to do it. HP has
never provided a BIOS update for this box. The BIOS that came with the
system is from 2003 so it won't support more that 3.4G of RAM (there is
no memory hole support in it) and it won't support dual cores. The latest
BIOS from MSI, 7025v1D, is dated Jan 2007 and does contain support for
memory hole remapping and dual cores. The 1.0D BIOS is not available on
the US website, you have to get it from MSI's Taiwan website,
http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?
func=downloaddetail&type=bios&maincat_no=1&prod_no=587
In order to flash the BIOS you must give it a /F command,
AWFL833D W7025NMS.1D0 /F
Now here is the scary part. After you have flashed the BIOS the system
will be as dead as a Norwegian Blue Parrot. Don't Panic!! All you have to
do is clear the CMOS RAM. The jumper is at the bottom of the board, I
recommend that you locate it first before you've started this procedure.
After you've done the flash turn the power switch off, move the clear
jumper, give it 10 seconds or so, move it back and the turn the power
switch back on. After you've done this and the system boots, and your
heart has restarted, you'll want to set the Software Memory Hole
Remapping switch in the BIOS. It's under the DRAM configuration. It's
hard to find but it's there. After you've enabled Memory Hole Remapping
the BIOS will see all 4G of RAM.
on the web doesn't make it clear that this works.
The GX5050 is an old Compaq Athlon 64 box that uses an MSI K8N Neo2
Platinum motherboard with an HP BIOS. The MSI BIOS flasher will normally
refuse to update this board, however it can be forced to do it. HP has
never provided a BIOS update for this box. The BIOS that came with the
system is from 2003 so it won't support more that 3.4G of RAM (there is
no memory hole support in it) and it won't support dual cores. The latest
BIOS from MSI, 7025v1D, is dated Jan 2007 and does contain support for
memory hole remapping and dual cores. The 1.0D BIOS is not available on
the US website, you have to get it from MSI's Taiwan website,
http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?
func=downloaddetail&type=bios&maincat_no=1&prod_no=587
In order to flash the BIOS you must give it a /F command,
AWFL833D W7025NMS.1D0 /F
Now here is the scary part. After you have flashed the BIOS the system
will be as dead as a Norwegian Blue Parrot. Don't Panic!! All you have to
do is clear the CMOS RAM. The jumper is at the bottom of the board, I
recommend that you locate it first before you've started this procedure.
After you've done the flash turn the power switch off, move the clear
jumper, give it 10 seconds or so, move it back and the turn the power
switch back on. After you've done this and the system boots, and your
heart has restarted, you'll want to set the Software Memory Hole
Remapping switch in the BIOS. It's under the DRAM configuration. It's
hard to find but it's there. After you've enabled Memory Hole Remapping
the BIOS will see all 4G of RAM.