BleepingComputer.com: Dimension bios A02 to A03 carshed the mobo????

Hey, Another friends machine that i'm trying to save broke on me! It's a Dell Dimension 3000, Intel Celeron 40GB WD HD, ProMOS PC3200U-30330-A0 (2x256)MB DDR 400MHx - CL3 RAM, 250w PSU and a modem in the PCI2 slot.

Problem was the PC kept rebooting, and it had all kinds of malware adds popping up on it when it was running (he blammed the kids). I was actually able to get it booted by just replacing the PSU with a spare i had laying around and reseating the ram modules, clearing the cmos, etc.... But after i found no real problems, i figured, what the heck let me try to upgrade the bios... Without checking (DUH) i downloaded the A03 bios from Dell, ran it and the pc almost instanly shutdown... Not rebooted, just shutdown. I now have a dead pc and after browsing thru the forum looking for a fix, i think i may have just killed the mobo, or maybe it just needs more ram based on the codes below,and being only 512mb may have been the prob from the beginning?

Here what it does now.... BIOS from A02 to A03 - I get the 1-3-2 beeps(ram) and the ABCD lights are (A)amber, (B)amber, ©green, (D)green(reseat the modules)... Done that many times and swap them back and forth, but get the same codes

Any help appreciated... Thanks

With out digging to deep for specific mobo information my best guess is, unless you can re-flash the BIOS back to the original I`m afraid the mobo is hosed. May still be.

The error beeps you are hearing probably mean nothing as they are originated from the BIOS that were designed for a a mobo that has differences from the one you flashed.

The amount of memory had no affect on the flash process.

From the way you described the original problem & the fact that the unit booted after you changed the PSU I suspect that you attempted to update the bios on a damaged motherboard.

Unplug the unit & either remove the battery or use the jumper to clear the CMOS.

If it still doesn't work it is toast.

Thunderz I flashed it from A02 to A03 which was just for new processors per dell... Mistake, being i wasn't upgrading the cpu. Was thinking that the A02 was flaky and A03 would be an fresh update. Thanks

FairJoe I didn't the mem would have an effect on the bios, I tried to clear the cmos and removed the batt for a good 45 mins... didnt work either. Thanks

Headed out to buy a new mobo... There cheap and of coarse this is at my expesnse, but hey... What are friends for!

Thanks guys