# Program runs in MSDOS and claims "this program must run in MSDOS"????



## HTC (Jun 19, 2014)

I think the BIOS in this board (K8V SE motherboard) isn't OK because i get bad BIOS checksum many times, while others it boots normally so i thought i should flash it to make sure it's OK.

I'm using an USB to boot MSDOS command prompt but what i find really weird is that, when i'm @ the command prompt and i try to use the BIOS update program, it says: "This program must be run in MSDOS" ... HUH ...?

I tried getting MSDOS 6.22 but ain't getting any success in making it USB bootable.

Any suggestions?


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## Norton (Jun 19, 2014)

Try the procedure here to setup your flash drive:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...dusb-for/9fd9067a-d327-4ba5-8aca-0f33501b87a4


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## eidairaman1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Your battery can cause that


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## HTC (Jun 19, 2014)

Norton said:


> Try the procedure here to setup your flash drive:
> 
> http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...dusb-for/9fd9067a-d327-4ba5-8aca-0f33501b87a4



I was using version 2.06 while that one is 2.23: will try that.

Thanks!



eidairaman1 said:


> Your battery can cause that



Really?

It says bad checksum mostly when i Ctrl+Alt+Del but it's rarer to do it if i hit the reset button.


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## eidairaman1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Try swapping the battery out


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## HTC (Jun 19, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> Try swapping the battery out



Don't have another one 

Anyway, i tried what Norton suggested and still no boot with DOS 6.22 but it does boot with DOS 7.1. Slight snag, though: still says "ERROR: This program must be run is MS-DOS mode"  

WTH???

The reason i'm trying this is because i can't get windows to install as it fails before i even get the chance to select to which drive i want to install it to and i'm using disks i'm sure are OK (even tried to make more just in case the ones i was using were indeed faulty) yet the PC states the prob is with the installation files which cause the install to fail.


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## eidairaman1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Well go to a walgreens. home depot or walmart or like store and get a coincell battery should be cr2032


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## HTC (Jun 19, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> Well go to a walgreens. home depot or walmart or like store and get a coincell battery should be cr2032



No such thing here in Portugal and it's 4:51 AM over here.

It will have to wait until after work because i start work before any stores are opened but i'll try getting one: thanks!


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## silkstone (Jun 19, 2014)

Try unplugging it from the mains. Do you see the error then?
If yes, then it's the CMOS battery.


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## ne6togadno (Jun 19, 2014)

http://rufus.akeo.ie/
http://kanga.org/~dacut/bootdisks/bootdisks.html


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

silkstone said:


> Try unplugging it from the mains. Do you see the error then?
> If yes, then it's the CMOS battery.



Already put in a new battery but i now have another problem: can't make the BIOS load it's defaults because the keyboard keeps getting frozen before i manage to load the defaults 

Tried resetting the CMOS but still have the same problem. Tried putting back the old BIOS battery but still the same problem. To add to injury, it now says ALWAYS bad BIOS checksum 

Any tips?



ne6togadno said:


> http://rufus.akeo.ie/
> http://kanga.org/~dacut/bootdisks/bootdisks.html



Thanks for this: trying the usbdrive.zip file and it's on the USB now but didn't get the chance to use it yet because of the above described problems 


This board was originally mine but i've sold it to a work colleague a few years ago. I'm trying to help him out but it's proving difficult


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## Shambles1980 (Jun 20, 2014)

check your ide/sata connectors and psu.. those things can mess up windows install.
wont boot could be heat.
but all the symptoms put together could be memory issue..
i would reseat everything..


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

Shambles1980 said:


> check your ide/sata connectors and psu.. those things can mess up windows install.
> wont boot could be heat.
> but all the symptoms put together could be memory issue..
> i would reseat everything..



It will boot but show bad BIOS checksum 

Should i try and remove the HDD (1 TB spinpoint F3)? It's the only HDD in the system.

EDIT

Tried resetting the CMOS after disconnecting the HDD and still no go: it still says bad BIOS checksum and the keyboard gets locked before i can manage to load the BIOS defaults


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## FordGT90Concept (Jun 20, 2014)

The BIOS are toast then I'd say.  You'll have to contact the manufacturer and let them know and they'll tell you how to fix it, if it is even possible.  You can't flash BIOS from corrupt BIOS (the reason why they do a checksum).


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

FordGT90Concept said:


> The BIOS are toast then I'd say.  You'll have to contact the manufacturer and let them know and they'll tell you how to fix it, if it is even possible.  You can't flash BIOS from corrupt BIOS (the reason why they do a checksum).



I'll have to contact my usual PC repair shop then 

Thanks all.


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## ne6togadno (Jun 20, 2014)

you already have bios defaults loaded.
when you remove battery for more then 30 sec and if you have unpluged power cord from psu bios lose its saved setting and factory defaults are loaded.

edit:
you can try to run bios update from usb flash. check mb manual for boot select key (default is F10 or F12) and smash on boot. when drive list shows up select usb as boot device and start bios flash. it'd be better if you disconnect hdd (just in case)

edit2:
i think you'd better tell your friend it is time for upgrade. ddr1 socket 754, agp. it is pure miricle it lasted so long.
have a look on this list http://es.pcpartpicker.com/p/XyT3mG
parts that has to be changed for sure + may be psu (+about 60-70 euro for psu)


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## Shambles1980 (Jun 20, 2014)

if your bios is cacheable. and removable. you should be able to flash it if some one els you know has the same board and is willing to let you de socket their bios.


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## FordGT90Concept (Jun 20, 2014)

Old motherboards may only be flashable from Windows 98 startup disk (genuine MS-DOS) and a floppy drive.

And yes, I would try replacing the CR2032 battery before giving up on it.


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> you already have bios defaults loaded.
> when you remove battery for more then 30 sec and if you have unpluged power cord from psu bios lose its saved setting and factory defaults are loaded.
> 
> edit:
> ...



He needs this PC for his radio and it handles some programs he uses for the radio. He still uses my old Athlon 3200 with this board, lol.

Right now, i can't do a thing because it always says bad checksum and the keyboards freezes.

Haven't tried to remove the battery for 30+ seconds: will try that.

I heard PS2 keyboards sometimes get stuck while USB keyboards don't: i'll try using my keyboard to see if it gets stuck like his does.



FordGT90Concept said:


> Old motherboards may only be flashable from Windows 98 startup disk (genuine MS-DOS) and a floppy drive.
> 
> And yes, I would try replacing the CR2032 battery before giving up on it.



So i can't flash it from an USB? Is that why it says "this program must be run in MS-DOS" when running it from the USB?

Already replaced it: it actually got worse because now it ALWAYS gives bad checksum. Swapped the batteries again but still bad checksum


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## FordGT90Concept (Jun 20, 2014)

Plausible.  It would maybe work if it was a USB floppy drive.  Point is, floppy.  Virtually all old motherboards like that have an FDD header.  If you have a floppy drive around, you should be able to pop it in and see if it makes any progress.

Attaching Win98 boot disk files.


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## ne6togadno (Jun 20, 2014)

HTC said:


> He needs this PC for his radio and it handles some programs he uses for the radio. He still uses my old Athlon 3200 with this board, lol.
> Right now, i can't do a thing because it always says bad checksum and the keyboards freezes.
> Haven't tried to remove the battery for 30+ seconds: will try that.
> I heard PS2 keyboards sometimes get stuck while USB keyboards don't: i'll try using my keyboard to see if it gets stuck like his does.
> ...


when you get this check sum when you enter bios or on pc boot.
yes you can flash it from usb. just use dos 6.22 instead of 7.1
if your friend doesnt need big storage and since load is so light price can be dropped to around 200 euro http://es.pcpartpicker.com/p/bdLK23


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

FordGT90Concept said:


> Plausible.  It would maybe work if it was a USB floppy drive.  Point is, floppy.  Virtually all old motherboards like that have an FDD header.  If you have a floppy drive around, you should be able to pop it in and see if it makes any progress.
> 
> Attaching Win98 boot disk files.



I have the Win98 boot disk files: what i don't have is a floppy drive, which is why i was trying the USB 

EDIT



ne6togadno said:


> when you get this check sum when you enter bios or on pc boot.
> yes you can flash it from usb. just use dos 6.22 instead of 7.1
> if your friend doesnt need big storage and since load is so light price can be dropped to around 200 euro http://es.pcpartpicker.com/p/bdLK23



It does it on boot 

Also have DOS 6.22 but i can't seem to get it bootable from the USB 

Can't try now all of the things i mentioned since returning from work nor all the suggestions but i'll try them today.


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## ne6togadno (Jun 20, 2014)

you can try ask local pc service if they have fdd and cable laying around and lend it to you for few hours


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## HTC (Jun 20, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> you can try ask local pc service if they have fdd and cable laying around and lend it to you for few hours



Hadn't thought of that ... DUH ...

If i manage to get it bootable, i'll do that.


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## Shambles1980 (Jun 21, 2014)

do you have a ps2 style keyboard?
it could have set your bios not to use usb keyboard or usb bootable legacy devices when you cleared the cmos.
The invalid checksum would then stop you booting because it would need a keyboard input "f1 usually" to continue. or delete to enter the bios..


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## HTC (Jun 21, 2014)

It appears i messed because, when i 1st removed the battery, the date/time became wrong and i didn't notice. Was getting bad checksum EVERY time until i corrected the date/time and now it only shows this sometimes.

What's weird is that i keep having to select the damn USB for main removable drive because otherwise it doesn't select it as a boot drive: BIOS changes the setting by itself????

Finally managed to run the flashing program only for it to fail claiming the main BIOS checksum is bad, even though it doesn't say so when starting (sometimes). Used the PS2 keyboard to do it.

DAMN


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## Shambles1980 (Jun 21, 2014)

go to bios select fail safe defaults.
set the time.
set it so you can use legacy usb devices (hard disks)
set boot hdd order so usb hard drive is 1st
save and exit without restart.
try to flash and hope for the best.


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## HTC (Jun 21, 2014)

Shambles1980 said:


> go to bios select fail safe defaults.
> set the time.
> set it so you can use legacy usb devices (hard disks)
> set boot hdd order so usb hard drive is 1st
> ...



That's what i did, except my hard drive is an USB pen drive (removed the HDD for this): got the error i mentioned in my previous post


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## ne6togadno (Jun 21, 2014)

i think it is time to tell your friend he will need new pc that will cost him 200-300euro


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## HTC (Jun 21, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> i think it is time to tell your friend he will need new pc that will cost him 200-300euro



The only thing i can think of is a hot BIOS flash. I had that done once for one of my old boards (don't recall which one: could even be this one), but it was done @ a repair shop.


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## eidairaman1 (Jun 22, 2014)

HTC said:


> The only thing i can think of is a hot BIOS flash. I had that done once for one of my old boards (don't recall which one: could even be this one), but it was done @ a repair shop.



time to get a bios chip


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## OneMoar (Jun 22, 2014)

use rufus and freedos and make sure you are formatting as fat or fat32


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## HTC (Jun 22, 2014)

OneMoar said:


> use rufus and freedos and make sure you are formatting as fat or fat32



I used one of the ones provided by* ne6togadno* (DOS USB Driver) combined with the win98bootdisk that i already had: FINALLY managed to get the flashing program to work but, since it claimed bad BIOS checksum after reading the BIOS, that didn't get me anywhere 



eidairaman1 said:


> time to get a bios chip



Not so easy on my neck of the woods


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## eidairaman1 (Jun 22, 2014)

HTC said:


> I used one of the ones provided by* ne6togadno* (DOS USB Driver) combined with the win98bootdisk that i already had: FINALLY managed to get the flashing program to work but, since it claimed bad BIOS checksum after reading the BIOS, that didn't get me anywhere
> 
> A long time ago it was hard for me to get a chip and im in the us
> 
> ...


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## ne6togadno (Jun 23, 2014)

HTC said:


> I used one of the ones provided by* ne6togadno* (DOS USB Driver) combined with the win98bootdisk that i already had: FINALLY managed to get the flashing program to work but, since it claimed bad BIOS checksum after reading the BIOS, that didn't get me anywhere
> 
> 
> 
> Not so easy on my neck of the woods


you get bad checksum on new bios or on the old one.
if it is on the new try redownload it. if this doesnt help contact asus and ask em to send you lates bios for mb.
i still think you should call it.
you are trying to resurect something that has to be long dead.
even if you fix bios now, sooner or later capacitors will start fail or something else will go south. no need to fell guilty. it is old tech. you cant know how long it will last. it lasted quite longer then one would expect.
for about 200-300 euro your friend may have low mid end pc that will last him 4-5+ years (with basic needs he has).
he will be able to use 64bit win and newer versions of programs he use (or other programs that are better from those he use atm)


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## HTC (Jun 23, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> you get bad checksum on new bios or on the old one.
> if it is on the new try redownload it. if this doesnt help contact asus and ask em to send you lates bios for mb.
> i still think you should call it.
> you are trying to resurect something that has to be long dead.
> ...



Unfortunately, it claims the problem is the existing BIOS.

I was supposed to have talked to him today but he didn't show so i couldn't yet.

Thanks to all those that gave suggestions to fix this!


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## ne6togadno (Jun 23, 2014)

HTC said:


> Unfortunately, it claims the problem is the existing BIOS.
> 
> I was supposed to have talked to him today but he didn't show so i couldn't yet.
> 
> Thanks to all those that gave suggestions to fix this!


do you use afudos for flashing
looks like this problems is quite common with this mb
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum...arting-bios-recovery-asus-motherboard#4396891


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## HTC (Jun 23, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> do you use afudos for flashing
> looks like this problems is quite common with this mb
> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum...arting-bios-recovery-asus-motherboard#4396891



Until i noticed (... DUH ...) i had the wrong date/time, i was getting bad BIOS checksum 100% all the time: forgot about that when i swapped the BIOS battery ... 

Once i noticed that, it would give bad BIOS *sometimes* but i made sure to run the flashing program on occasions where *it did not give bad BIOS*. The flashing program starts reading the existing BIOS and gives bad checksum after doing this: before the writing ever starts.

EDIT

Tried the board's CD already: doesn't boot from it ...  I pretty much get what the dude in this video is getting (look @ monitor) when using the board's CD


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## ne6togadno (Jun 23, 2014)

cant see what is in the video atm.
try to flash older versions of bios. if you suceed. it might fix check sum error and after that you can try with newest bios (dont use beta if there is any)


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## HTC (Jun 23, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> cant see what is in the video atm.
> try to flash older versions of bios. if you suceed. it might fix check sum error and after that you can try with newest bios (dont use beta if there is any)



I'm beginning to think he brought me the wrong CD: no BIOS on it @ all. Doesn't say what board it belongs to in the CD's label: only that it's an ASUS motherboard CD and an inspection of it's contents doesn't help either 

I'm trying to follow the steps in this page: http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/bad-bios-checksum-how-to-fix-it-/page/2 only i can't use the USB for that: only floppy or CD (board too old).


EDIT

A search on the ASUS site doesn't produce results with the board K8V SE: only K8V-X SE or K8V SE Deluxe ... WTF?????

How can the manufacturer's own site NOT have the board listed? Huh???

EDIT #2

Tried using the BIOS i had (beta 1008.004) and renamed it to K8VSEDX.ROM (according to the manual: http://www.manualslib.com/manual/10105/Asus-Asus-K8v-Se.html?page=71#manual) but that don't work: maybe it does need to be a non beta but i'm having no luck finding it ... ARGH ....


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## ne6togadno (Jun 23, 2014)

follow this video








mb is most likelly k8v se delux
this is list of asus' k8v mbs
http://support.asus.com/download/ModelList.aspx?SLanguage=en&keyword=K8V&type=1

edit: try look for sku label of board and search by sku number


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## HTC (Jun 23, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> follow this video
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It says K8V SE rev 1.13

I actually saw that video about 1 hour ago.


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## ne6togadno (Jun 23, 2014)

HTC said:


> It says K8V SE rev 1.13
> 
> I actually saw that video about 1 hour ago.


then it is deluxe
https://www.google.bg/search?client=opera&q=K8V SE rev 1.13&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=DkOoU5eWMsLc8gei_4DwDg

edit: 
try to identify what should be rom name in the way it is shown in the video
http://support.asus.com/download.as...m=K8V+SE+Deluxe&os=&hashedid=65HeDI8XM1u6Uy6o


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## HTC (Jun 23, 2014)

ne6togadno said:


> then it is deluxe
> https://www.google.bg/search?client=opera&q=K8V SE rev 1.13&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=DkOoU5eWMsLc8gei_4DwDg
> 
> edit:
> ...



Already did: K8VSEDX.ROM

Tried that with the beta i had: no work.

Trying to do the same with BIOS 1001 but my stupid DVD burner now refuses to eject after erasing so i can't burn the new BIOS just yet ...

EDIT

Finally managed to do it and ... no go either: it reads the file and says file not found????

DAMMIT!!!!


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## HTC (Jun 26, 2014)

Finally got my hands on the REAL board's CD and with it i managed to recover the BIOS.

But there seems to be a more serious problem as it still keeps on getting bad BIOS checksum after it rebooted a few times. Talked with my friend and he took both of the batteries we had to test them (he has the means to do this while i don't) as they are both supposed to be full (or almost). If indeed the batteries have charge, then the problem is much more severe and i already warned him: he may have to get another board.


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## HTC (Jun 27, 2014)

Turns out one of the batteries was not OK but the other one was. Unfortunately, after recovering the BIOS, loading it's defaults, correcting the date and everything else, it still claims bad BIOS checksum after rebooting


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## HTC (Jul 1, 2014)

UPDATE

Turns out i made quite a big mistake: i thought i had but i didn't load BIOS defaults after restoring the original BIOS and before rebooting. My friend did this and it seems fixed, other then the original problem which was a corrupt windows installation. That was the reason he brought the PC over to my house: that and i was supposed to sell one of my spinpoint F3 HDDs since he thought his HDD was damaged (his HDD is an IDE one).

Messed up: facepalm ...


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## silkstone (Jul 1, 2014)

Well at least you didn't break anything. Be happy for that


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## HTC (Jul 1, 2014)

silkstone said:


> Well at least *you didn't break anything.* Be happy for that



The jury's still out on that: i had my brother's laptop @ the same time as my friend's PC, to backup what he wanted to keep and make a fresh windows install and i seem to have broken his recharger as well as the battery: there's an icon in his desktop saying the battery needs replacing. My sister took it to a repair store where they tested the recharger and it seems to be damaged. And since the icon before mentioned appears while the recharger is NOT plugged in, that's a 2 for 1 type of deal ...


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## HTC (Jul 8, 2014)

UPDATE

Turns out the motherboard really is damaged and any windows installation freezes midway through the startup: tried several installation CDs and even made a new one just to be sure the CD wasn't @ fault. I fixed the BIOS with the board's CD and reload it's defaults but after a few reboots, it states yet again the BIOS has bad checksum, even though the battery has been proven OK 

As for the laptop, turns out it had 3 hibernation viruses (????) and both the battery as well as the charger are OK ...


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## HTC (Jul 13, 2014)

A question: could a problem with the PSU give these symptoms with the board?

I'm wondering whether or not the actual problem resides with the PSU: don't have a spare one so i can't test it myself


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