Problem with K8N Neo4 SLI mobo bios - will not enable SLI

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Hi gurus! I thought I would humbly ask for some advice from the experts since I am having a bit of a time trying to get my mobo/card combo to work correctly. The system is a bit dated, I built it back in '05 and it has run pretty well since then. When I first got it up and running, everything, including the SLI, was working just fine.

Fast forward to a week ago when I get a wild hair up my *** and decide that the computer feels slow and it needs an OS reload anyway. I stick all my junk on my 500gb slave sata drive, disconnect it for safety's sake, and commence deleting partitions and formatting my primary drive. I reload windows, and everything is going smoothly until I realize that in order to get SLI working I need to flash the bios. Okay, no biggie. I go to MSI's website and they're flaunting the new 'live update' function as the most awesome thing since sliced bread. I notice it doesn't need a floppy disk in order to do its thing, and I don't have any lying around since I moved, so I'm like HELL YEAH. And I try to run it. BAD IDEA! My computer promptly takes a huge dump and bluescreens, then tells me 'keyboard error or no KB present'. Having run into this problem before, I reset the CMOS (and test all my connections on the mobo just in case) and restart.

I had to manually remove all the components of the MSI live update service in safe mode, as the uninstallation tool was corrupted and because everytime it tried to load it would bluescreen again and die in a fire.

So, as it is now, my computer boots fine and gets to windows, albeit with a weird bios that I assume is factory set. (it's the K8N diamond bios, which may not enable SLI, but I can't find a reputable download for the K8n Neo4 SLI bios - MSI's website just does not have one, or they hid it really well.) There is no option to enable SLI in any of the Nvidia menus I have, even though i just downloaded the latest drivers for my cards.

I'm about to throw the thing out the bloody window! Please spare it this fate. :) Any help would be appreciated. I'll be hanging around the computer and refreshing this topic every few minutes, so ask questions all you like - I realize you might not have all the info you need from my ramblings. Thanks in advance!

Specs:

Windows XP SP3
MSI K8N Neo4/SLI mobo (MS-7100)
2 gb ddr400 ram (2x1gb sticks)
2 MSI Nvidia geforce 6600gt TD-128E vidcards (before you ask, yes I am sure they are the same exact cards, and yes they are installed correctly; bridge and switch card and all. they DID work fine before the Great Disaster of Last Week)
 
Nope, I can't find any downloads having to do with the exact mobo that I have on the MSI website. Search turns up nothing, and the one page listing my mobo has no links or troubleshooting guides or downloads. I'm pretty stumped.

I have a K8N Neo4 SLI mobo. Not a platinum or a diamond - just a regular one. Confusing!
 
I made a post in the online customer service system. I don't know how long it will take them to respond. Since it is after hours, probably a long while.

Argh, nothing yet. Anyone have any ideas?
 
Use the listings for K8N SLI Platinum. I know it doesn't have the Neo4 in it but the part number matches (MS-7100). This is the page I found: MSI

On one of my older PCs I have the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum so I know how confusing it can be to navigate MSI's site. When mobo names aren't consistent, you stick with the mobo number.
 
Thanks a ton! I will try it right now. Cross your fingers. :)

I'm having a bit of trouble flashing it. ARGH. I'll try a couple more things before I ask for help on it again.

Okay, the instructions that MSI included with this do not make much sense.

Award BIOS Flash Procedure
(Special Thanks to Forum Moderator Bas for his valuable contribution)
1. Check your BIOS for BIOS FLASH DISABLED and ENABLE it, some boards have this function.
For Example:
K7N420 Pro (MS-6373) – BIOS setup/Integrated Peripherals/BIOS Protect/Disabled

2. Know Your model number
a. Open your case and look for the MS-XXXX number on the motherboard between the PCI slots, also check the version number that is written there as well. (some motherboards are named like K7T Turbo, make sure you have the right version number)
b. Boot up your system & take a look at the top left screen during POST, you should see something like “W6373MS v2.1 122101” This means the board is MS-6373 with BIOS version 2.1
Hint: Many systems are clearing this message very fast, the bios version is then unreadable, you can either press “PAUSE” or disable the “Quick Boot” in the BIOS setup.

3. Download the BIOS that matches your motherboard AND version number (some motherboards are named like K7T Turbo, make sure you have the right version number). BIOS can be found according to the CPU type of your board like if your CPU is Intel P4 478 type then look here
http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/socket_478.php
if you cannot find the BIOS that matches your board, try here http://www.msi.com.tw/support/bios/more.php

4. Extract the BIOS-archive that you have downloaded by double clicking to c:\test

5. Boot your system from a Win98 or WinME boot-floppy.
How to make boot floppy in case your don’t have it ready:
For Win9X, You can type [C:\ format a:/s] from the DOS prompt.
For WinMe, You can make a boot floppy from control panel--> add/remove program-->make boot floppy. Remove autoexec.bat & config.sys file if there's any.
For Win2000, there's no way to make boot floppy, so you have to either use Win9X or WinME boot floppy.
For WinXP, you can make a DOS boot disk. Go to Your Computer, right click drive A:, select Format, select copy system files.

7. When you get the A:\ prompt, type the following sequence:
C: <enter>
cd\test <enter>
C:\test> awdfl783m BIOS file
(to save or not to save old BIOS is the user’s decision)

8. Reboot your system when prompted

Could someone please make this more clear? C:test? Also, when I take these steps it tells me that C: is an invalid drive specification. I do not know where to go from there. I would just make an image file of it, but since it's an executable I don't know how. I'm a little new to this, so please forgive my noobishness! Thank you.

Going to walk my dog, back in 15. :)
 
Actually I'm concerned about trying to help you with step by step procedure for Bios update
As not even the Manufacture can guarantee all will be ok once done (and not a doorstop)

I found another automatic MSi LiveUpdate link as well (this one seems better)
 
I'm really wary about using the MSI LiveUpdate function. Lots of things I have read say to stay far away from it. It usually crashes my system when I try to run it.
 
Okay, if you are sure, then I will. :) Is there a certain version of IE I should be using with LiveUpdate? It just occured to me that maybe that causes the crashing.

Also, thanks a lot for your help. :) I really appreciate it!

EDIT: Tried to run windows fix it but it gave an error. Said "not compatible with your application version or operating system" or something like that.

I'm running Windows XP SP3... I'm downloading IE 8 right now.
 
What?

Why did you install IE8 ?

Anyway, I do all Windows Updates so, so be it :)

I'm thinking you'll say this one small test won't work either
Then yes maybe go for any warranty option on your Motherboard or CPU
There are still further options, but I can't write 50 posts (exaggeration there) for you to try them !
 
I figured since this was a fresh reload of windows that the IE I had might have been to old to run liveupdate successfully, so I updated to IE8.

Anyway, it crashed like before when trying to load MSI Live Monitor. It's now loading to Windows and then crashing soon after, with a bluescreen and a long error code. I can't copy the error code for you because it just flashes for a second and then it's gone.

I'm going to reset the CMOS and try to boot again.

There would be no warranty for my mobo, it's over 3 years old now.
 
K8N - Me 2

I had same problem except I was getting system freezes too - anyway changed my cpu after cooking the cache and upgraded my bios to a version mod from rebels haven

Google rebels haven - won't let me post links as this is my first post. (go to the forums)

never crashed since - more stable than paving slab.

Hope that helps

Proxomos
 
How are you trying to install Live Update? You can use Live Update itself or you can download the latest version and manually install it. I've always used MSI Live Update to update itself. I've used IE 6 and 7 but not 8 yet.
 
Okay! So after several more attempts at manually flashing the bios and using LiveUpdate from MSI, I have concluded:

LiveUpdate crashes my computer every time I try to automatically update the bios.
Manually updating the bios will not work with the installation instructions given by MSI - it just tells me I have an incorrect drive specification.

The computer is working fine now, but it still will not recognize that I have 2 cards SLI'ed together, AND it tells me I have a 8x PCI-E graphic bus, when I KNOW that I have 16x. This bios is just not right. I am going to try Rebel's Haven and see what they can do!

(FYI, the bios on it now is the K8N Diamond bios.)
 
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