GT70 Endless Boot Loop

This is in regards to a 1763 whitebook GT70 20C/20D with a BIOS that has not been updated since purchased two years ago.

The product name is 17632-001BUS-BBSX. The model number is 937-176322-001. This is a non-RAID system with a single Samsung 840 Pro SSD.

I was using Intel's XTU and had reached a stable configuration.

Later I changed the PEG/DMI Ratio from 1.00 to 1.25.

XTU required a reboot and it did.

At that point, the system attempts to POST for 6 seconds and then shuts down. This cycle repeats continuously.

The BIOS setup cannot be reached by pressing the DEL key and there is no screen output.

I've tried unplugged the AC power cable, removing the battery, disconnecting the CMOS wire, waiting a few minutes, putting everything back together and then restarting.

The same rebooting cycle continues.

I've downloaded MSI's "win8_UEFI_BIOS_Update_auto_en.pdf" from http://download.msi.com/nb_drivers/ap/efi_auto.zip

I have a USB flash drive with the EFI files on it, but I don't know where to get the BIOS file and which file to get.

Going to the URL below, it appears you have to know which BIOS you already have, which I don't.

http://msi.com/product/notebook/support/GT70-2OD.html#down-bios

Any ideas ?

 

Yo might be lucky if you left bios settings in boot section first usb get bios files then get rufus soft and make default usb bootable copy bios stuff onto usb and try boot
u can flash any of bios avail. for your laptop

 

Pretator-X,

Thanks for the quick reply.

So far I've done the following:

1) Used Rufus 2.6 to create a bootable USB 3.0 flash drive with an MBR for BIOS/UEFI using FREEDOS - which was successful.

2) Downloaded the EFI files from

http://download.msi.com/nb_drivers/ap/efi_auto.zip

3) Extracted the files to the USB drive

a) The root directory is empty

b) The first directory is EFI and is empty

c) The subdirectory below EFI is BOOT

d) The following files are in the X:\EFI\BOOT directory

Bootx64.efi

Shell.efi

Shellx64.efi

startup.nsh

e) Since this is a whitebook, I don't know the filename of the BIOS to download for a GT70 20D. The web page below implies that the system will be bricked if the wrong BIOS is chosen or applied out of order. I can't ask the reseller because they've been closed since 12/31 and won't reopen until 1/4. MSI technical support doesn't support whitebooks. According to MSI's download page for an MS-1763, these are the BIOS choices.

http://www.msi.com/product/notebook/support/GT70-2OD.html#down-bios&Win8.1 64

4) I copied the file "E1763IMS.70V" to the X:\EFI\BOOT directory since I haven't updated the BIOS since purchasing it and this is the oldest BIOS version.

5) Placed the flash drive in one of the notebook's USB 2.0 ports.

6) Pressed the power button and repeatedly tapped the F8 key. No boot menu appears and the system shuts down. Powered off the system to stop the cyclical rebooting. Tried using F11key, but the system continued to shutdown and reboot. Switching to another USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port didn't make a difference.

At this point, it doesn't seem like the USB drive is being accessed at all. Previously, the BIOS boot order was USB Hard Drive, CD/DVD and then Hard Drive.

Is this the incorrect procedure ?

Anything else I should try ?

 

Remove HDD/SSD ,even RAMS ,battery and BIOS battery and turn laptop via adapter
don't copy bios file to other folders leave it on usb flash drive ''naked'' file.
Leave files and folders made by rufus untouched ..
try pressing delete as fast possible and try even F12

 

After removing SSD, memory and battery - no change.

I don't know where the CMOS battery is, nor can I find documentation on where it is. However, I've disconnected the "CMOS wire" next to the blower fan. That too doesn't make a difference.

Rufus setup the disk with MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI with FREEDOS successfully.

When you say naked file, do you mean copy MSI's BIOS file "E1763IMS.70V" to the root directory without renaming the file ? If so, that didn't make a difference.

It appears the system isn't even accessing the USB drive because the activity light doesn't flash.

Pressing the DEL, F8, F11 and F12 keys didn't make a difference.

It should also be pointed out that there are NO beep codes. The power button lights up and reboots.

I'm not sure if the problem is the BIOS or EC firmware ?

 

There is also problem that freeDOS will run only when changed bios to legacy with gpt.. tho..
Try make GPT bootable drive..
There is yellow battery disconnect that :

You enabled something in XTU what your cpu does not support.. it is now corrupted ..
Only direct on chip flash will be required .. or contact msi for support..

EDIT : try power off laptop remove batt. put back and leave usb flash drive with bios file and power on and hold down arrow down key .. it might be emergency rescue mode (MAYBE)
or try press and hold FN+ESC
There are secret rescue key combinations sometimes depends of BIOS manuf. where is bios flashed via usb while screen is blank ..

EDIT2 : Try even this :

AMI BIOS Recovery

1. Download the latest version of your BIOS from your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s support site.
2. Rename the downloaded file to AMIBOOT.ROM. (NOTE: Please see paragraph 3 to make sure you pick the right name)
3. Copy the file to a floppy disk (or USB flashdrive).
4. Insert the floppy disk into the floppy drive.
5. Turn on the system.
6. The system should automatically access the floppy drive (indicator LED will light up). If no floppy access occurs, press Home to force update. Follow any on-screen instructions to restore the good BIOS from the floppy disk.
7. When the computer beeps four (4) times or a reboot prompt is displayed, you may remove the floppy disk.
8. Restart the computer.

Note: If a USB keyboard does not work, try using a PS/2 keyboard. Sometimes, taking out the CMOS battery to clear the configuration settings or resetting the CMOS jumper switch to clear the CMOS may help too. Only the BIOS file is needed. For AMI BIOS recovery, the floppy disk does not have to be bootable and no flash utility is required. This procedure is also applicable with USB drives on most newer systems that use AMI.

IMPORTANT: If you have an HP BIOS and the recovery method above was unsuccessful, please rename the recovery BIOS to HPBIOS.ROM and try again.

 

Trying all the partition schemes Rufus 2.6 supports didn't allow the USB flash drive to be accessed.

Disconnecting the CMOS wire connected to the CMOS battery and disconnecting the AC power cable and battery for 30 minutes made no difference.

Holding down the various keys while powering up made no difference.

The BIOS is AMI Aptio. I don't know what version of Aptio was used, but this notebook was purchased in late 2013.

The real problem appears to be that none of the storage devices (USB, CD-ROM and SSD) are accessible.

I believe the cause is when XTU modified the PEG/DMI Ratio it made the system unable to access any storage device.

At this point, it may be easier to send the notebook back to the vendor for out of warranty repair.

 

I thought u out of warranty when u bothered going through all this..

 

The notebook has been out of warranty for over a year.

I haven't been able to get the system to connect to the USB ports and pulling the power sources and CMOS wire hasn't helped.

The only thing I can do is get the vendor who built this whitebook to check it out.

I greatly appreciate your help.

Just about every solution involves getting the system to connect to a USB flash drive.

I've configured desktop motherboard BIOS settings before, but never had the PEG/DMI Ratio disable a system.

Perhaps on a notebook, that setting disables USB port access. Is the keyboard on a notebook internally connected to a USB controller ?

The only thing I haven't tried is using a keyboard via PS/2 to get to the BIOS screen.

 

You can desolder bios chip and replace with new one.. there is on eaby
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BIOS-CHIP...635381?hash=item27eca00835:g:UoMAAOSwk5FUtxfh

Or flash eeprom :

 

That might do it.

I'm glad you pointed this out, because I had resigned myself to sending it back to the builder.

I suspect if this notebook were sent in for repair, they'd do just that for $200+.

I found a thread with a few pictures of the BIOS on the link below:

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=264815.0

Is there a special flux that should be used for this type of desolder ?

Is it possible to use a different BIOS chip that is in the same GT70 family ? Like using a BIOS that provides more options, but would still be compatible ?

 

You will need exactly same BIOS for your laptop! you have to communicate with seller of bios chip and tell him exact model number of laptop.. you can have any bios versions released for your laptop.
To desolder bios chip use hot air blow station heat up bios chip and then carefully lift it when solder is melted.. then you have to clean contact pads on the MB and place new bios chip on the pads and apply solder with soldering iron.