Need help updating bios on Pavilion 6640C.

[algae]

My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640C which is
approx. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him over the
phone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "bios needs to
be upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem before formatting
his hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for a bios
update but can't find a thing.
Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he added RAM and
it now has 320 mb.
Thanks for any help.
Gary

[Ben Myers]

Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying the message? If
so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOS upgrades
available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for the motherboard
in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that they guarantee the
computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installed originally.

The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHz K6-2
processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the SiS web site
states that Windows 2000 drivers are available.

The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for which a BIOS
update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going there, you
should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked clearly on its
surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will only make the
board very much dead and useless.

http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&SLanguage=en-us

I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a more straightforward
solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that was crippled
before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs with motherboard
manufacturer Asus.

Good luck... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca> wrote:
My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640C which isapprox. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him over thephone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "bios needs tobe upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem before formattinghis hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for a biosupdate but can't find a thing.Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he added RAM andit now has 320 mb.Thanks for any help.Gary

[algae]

Ben that is great info..thanks! We got it to install by taking out the 64 mb
stick and just going with the 256 mb stick. Maybe a bios upgrade would allow
the 64 mb stick as well?
Gary
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40149c26.37195270@news.charter.net... Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying the
message? If so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOS
upgrades available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for the
motherboard in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that they guarantee
the computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installed originally. The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHz K6-2 processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the SiS
web site states that Windows 2000 drivers are available. The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for which a
BIOS update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going there,
you should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked clearly on
its surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will only
make the board very much dead and useless.
http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&SLanguage=en-us I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a more straightforward solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that was
crippled before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs with motherboard manufacturer Asus. Good luck... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>
wrote:My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640C which
isapprox. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him over thephone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "bios needs
tobe upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem before
formattinghis hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for a biosupdate but can't find a thing.Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he added RAM
andit now has 320 mb.Thanks for any help.Gary

[Ben Myers]

No. You've figured out why Windows 2000 Pro refused to install. Potentially
something was wrong with either the 64MB DIMM stick or the combination of
64+256, and the Windows 2000 installer did not like it. Leave well enough alone
and do not tinker with any BIOS upgrade, which is always a risky proposition,
even for those of us who have done flash BIOS upgrades hundreds of times.

A BIOS upgrade (almost) never solves a motherboard problem with system memory.
Said problems are governed by the motherboard chipset.

On a related topic, the Windows NT family, including 2000 and XPee, has always
had the reputation for being more stringent in its use of memory than the
Windows 95/98/Me series of products. I'm sure a better explanation is buried
somewhere in the bowels of Microsoft's web site, but this most likely explains
the problem with the 64+256 combo.

Sometime in the far off future, installing another 256MB might be worth it.
64MB is a drop in the bucket, anyway, being only 25% of 256MB... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:58 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca> wrote:
Ben that is great info..thanks! We got it to install by taking out the 64 mbstick and just going with the 256 mb stick. Maybe a bios upgrade would allowthe 64 mb stick as well?Gary<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in messagenews:40149c26.37195270@news.charter.net... Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying themessage? If so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOSupgrades available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for themotherboard in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that they guaranteethe computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installed originally. The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHz K6-2 processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the SiSweb site states that Windows 2000 drivers are available. The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for which aBIOS update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going there,you should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked clearly onits surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will onlymake the board very much dead and useless.http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&SLanguage=en-us I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a more straightforward solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that wascrippled before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs with motherboard manufacturer Asus. Good luck... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>wrote:My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640C whichisapprox. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him over thephone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "bios needstobe upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem beforeformattinghis hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for a biosupdate but can't find a thing.Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he added RAMandit now has 320 mb.Thanks for any help.Gary

[algae]

Thanks Ben. Btw where did you find the motherboard info on the HP site? I
couldn't find anything except some basic specs.
Gary
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40151c65.871908@news.charter.net... No. You've figured out why Windows 2000 Pro refused to install.
Potentially something was wrong with either the 64MB DIMM stick or the combination of 64+256, and the Windows 2000 installer did not like it. Leave well enough
alone and do not tinker with any BIOS upgrade, which is always a risky
proposition, even for those of us who have done flash BIOS upgrades hundreds of times. A BIOS upgrade (almost) never solves a motherboard problem with system
memory. Said problems are governed by the motherboard chipset. On a related topic, the Windows NT family, including 2000 and XPee, has
always had the reputation for being more stringent in its use of memory than the Windows 95/98/Me series of products. I'm sure a better explanation is
buried somewhere in the bowels of Microsoft's web site, but this most likely
explains the problem with the 64+256 combo. Sometime in the far off future, installing another 256MB might be worth
it. 64MB is a drop in the bucket, anyway, being only 25% of 256MB... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:58 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>
wrote:Ben that is great info..thanks! We got it to install by taking out the 64
mbstick and just going with the 256 mb stick. Maybe a bios upgrade would
allowthe 64 mb stick as well?Gary<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in messagenews:40149c26.37195270@news.charter.net... Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying themessage? If so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOSupgrades available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for themotherboard in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that they
guaranteethe computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installed
originally. The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHz
K6-2 processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the SiSweb site states that Windows 2000 drivers are available. The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for which aBIOS update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going there,you should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked clearly
onits surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will onlymake the board very much dead and useless.http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&SL
anguage=en-us I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a more
straightforward solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that wascrippled before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs with
motherboard manufacturer Asus. Good luck... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>wrote: >My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640C
whichis >approx. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him over
the >phone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "bios
needsto >be upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem beforeformatting >his hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for a
bios >update but can't find a thing. >Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he added
RAMand >it now has 320 mb. >Thanks for any help. >Gary > >

[Ben Myers]

Found by entering the model Pavilion 6640c in the main HP Support & Drivers web
page, then clicking on Product Information, then product specifications (twice):

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?reg=&plc=&lc=en&cc=us&prodId=hppavilion19152&docName=bph05264&cat=prodinfo

And for HP's sketchy Asus P5S-VM info:

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?reg=&plc=&lc=en&cc=us&prodId=hppavilion19152&docName=bph07172&cat=prodinfo

Open up the case of the computer to see if the motherboard layout visually
matches the one described. If so, get more info from the Asustek web site.

One can often find whatever info there is on the HP web site by digging
persistently, but often the result is not worth the effort... Ben Myers

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 15:06:20 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca> wrote:
Thanks Ben. Btw where did you find the motherboard info on the HP site? Icouldn't find anything except some basic specs.Gary<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in messagenews:40151c65.871908@news.charter.net... No. You've figured out why Windows 2000 Pro refused to install.Potentially something was wrong with either the 64MB DIMM stick or the combination of 64+256, and the Windows 2000 installer did not like it. Leave well enoughalone and do not tinker with any BIOS upgrade, which is always a riskyproposition, even for those of us who have done flash BIOS upgrades hundreds of times. A BIOS upgrade (almost) never solves a motherboard problem with systemmemory. Said problems are governed by the motherboard chipset. On a related topic, the Windows NT family, including 2000 and XPee, hasalways had the reputation for being more stringent in its use of memory than the Windows 95/98/Me series of products. I'm sure a better explanation isburied somewhere in the bowels of Microsoft's web site, but this most likelyexplains the problem with the 64+256 combo. Sometime in the far off future, installing another 256MB might be worthit. 64MB is a drop in the bucket, anyway, being only 25% of 256MB... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:58 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>wrote:Ben that is great info..thanks! We got it to install by taking out the 64mbstick and just going with the 256 mb stick. Maybe a bios upgrade wouldallowthe 64 mb stick as well?Gary<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in messagenews:40149c26.37195270@news.charter.net...> Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying themessage? If> so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOSupgrades> available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for themotherboard> in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that theyguaranteethe> computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installedoriginally.>> The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHzK6-2> processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the SiSweb site> states that Windows 2000 drivers are available.>> The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for which aBIOS> update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going there,you> should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked clearlyonits> surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will onlymake the> board very much dead and useless.>>http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&SLanguage=en-us>> I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a morestraightforward> solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that wascrippled> before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs withmotherboard> manufacturer Asus.>> Good luck... Ben Myers>> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>wrote:>> >My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640Cwhichis> >approx. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him overthe> >phone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "biosneedsto> >be upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem beforeformatting> >his hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for abios> >update but can't find a thing.> >Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he addedRAMand> >it now has 320 mb.> >Thanks for any help.> >Gary> >> >>

[algae]

Thanks:)
G.
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40152e6c.5487431@news.charter.net... Found by entering the model Pavilion 6640c in the main HP Support &
Drivers web page, then clicking on Product Information, then product specifications
(twice):
http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?reg=&plc=&lc=en&cc=us&prodId=hppavilion19152&docName=bph05264&cat=prodinfo And for HP's sketchy Asus P5S-VM info:
http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?reg=&plc=&lc=en&cc=us&prodId=hppavilion19152&docName=bph07172&cat=prodinfo Open up the case of the computer to see if the motherboard layout visually matches the one described. If so, get more info from the Asustek web
site. One can often find whatever info there is on the HP web site by digging persistently, but often the result is not worth the effort... Ben Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 15:06:20 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>
wrote:Thanks Ben. Btw where did you find the motherboard info on the HP site? Icouldn't find anything except some basic specs.Gary<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in messagenews:40151c65.871908@news.charter.net... No. You've figured out why Windows 2000 Pro refused to install.Potentially something was wrong with either the 64MB DIMM stick or the combination
of 64+256, and the Windows 2000 installer did not like it. Leave well
enoughalone and do not tinker with any BIOS upgrade, which is always a riskyproposition, even for those of us who have done flash BIOS upgrades hundreds of
times. A BIOS upgrade (almost) never solves a motherboard problem with systemmemory. Said problems are governed by the motherboard chipset. On a related topic, the Windows NT family, including 2000 and XPee, hasalways had the reputation for being more stringent in its use of memory than
the Windows 95/98/Me series of products. I'm sure a better explanation isburied somewhere in the bowels of Microsoft's web site, but this most likelyexplains the problem with the 64+256 combo. Sometime in the far off future, installing another 256MB might be worthit. 64MB is a drop in the bucket, anyway, being only 25% of 256MB... Ben
Myers On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 06:13:58 GMT, "algae" <boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca>wrote: >Ben that is great info..thanks! We got it to install by taking out the
64mb >stick and just going with the 256 mb stick. Maybe a bios upgrade wouldallow >the 64 mb stick as well? >Gary ><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message >news:40149c26.37195270@news.charter.net... >> Does Windows 2000 Pro simply refuse to install after displaying the >message? If >> so, the situation is a bit problematic, because HP rarely makes BIOS >upgrades >> available for Pavilion systems. No BIOS update is available for the >motherboard >> in this model on the HP web site. Further, HP states that theyguarantee >the >> computer to run ONLY with the operating system they installedoriginally. >> >> The HP website states that this model of Pavilion has an AMD 500MHzK6-2 >> processor. The motherboard uses the SiS 530 chipset, for which the
SiS >web site >> states that Windows 2000 drivers are available. >> >> The HP web site also identifies the board as "ASUS P5S-VM", for
which a >BIOS >> update is available on the Asus web site. However, before going
there, >you >> should verify that the motherboard is the ASUS P5S-VM, marked
clearlyon >its >> surface. Updating the BIOS with an incompatible flash module will
only >make the >> board very much dead and useless. >> >>http://www.asus.com/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=P5S-VM&Type=All&S
Language=en-us >> >> I have my reservations about updating the BIOS, and a morestraightforward >> solution might simply be another microATX motherboard, not one that
was >crippled >> before birth by HP's insistence on narrow and rigid specs withmotherboard >> manufacturer Asus. >> >> Good luck... Ben Myers >> >> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:17:12 GMT, "algae"
<boycefamilynospam@shaw.ca> >wrote: >> >> >My brother-in-law is trying to install Win 2000 Pro on a HP 6640Cwhich >is >> >approx. 3 years old. I think it's a 533 Mhz. I am "helping" him
overthe >> >phone. At the beginning of the installation it's giving him a "biosneeds >to >> >be upgraded..." message. I didn't anticipate this problem before >formatting >> >his hd and he has no other pc at home. I have searched around for abios >> >update but can't find a thing. >> >Any ideas or is Win 2000 not feasible on this machine? Btw he addedRAM >and >> >it now has 320 mb. >> >Thanks for any help. >> >Gary >> > >> > >> > >

[Just mee]

This is certianly the truth... (LOL)...

Personally, I find it best to first open the case of any pre-built
computer, write down any and all markings on *all* the components, and
*then* start hunting on websites... HP's website is particularly
poorly designed..

JM


On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 15:17:06 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
(Ben Myers) wrote:

<snip>One can often find whatever info there is on the HP web site by diggingpersistently, but often the result is not worth the effort... Ben Myers