Warning! Bios bug can render hard drive unusable

Short summary:

Installing Gigabyte's XPress 2 software can render the hard drive
unusable. The BIOS can no longer be set to boot from a device other
than the hard drive (if is installed). I confirmed this from Gigabyte
tech support.

Full Description:

I had a system up and working in XP Pro. Every time I booted the
system it would stop with command line prompt, "Please Install Xpress
Recovery2 from Gigabyte CD Title. Press any key to continue". It made
me press a key before I could boot into Windows XP.

I finally installed Gigabytes Xpress 2 software because I figured that
would solve the problem. I was wrong! Once installed the system would
only boot into Xpress 2. There was no way to get to XP anymore. Of
course it was the weekend so I could not call tech support.

I tried:

1) Setting the system to boot off CD or floppy. It only boots to
Xpress 2.

2) I tried pressing F12 to select the boot device. No matter whether I
selected CD it would still boot into Xpress 2.

3) Deleting the program by putting the hard drive in another system so
I could reformat the drive. It still boots into Xpress 2 but now the
program does'nt run anymore. It gets to the Busybox prompt (Xpress 2
is a Linux program evidently). It has a very limited version of Linux
that really does not let me do anything.

4) Remove the partition with Partition Magic (on another computer).
Put a new partition on drive. Still boots to Xpress 2.

5) Installed XP Pro onto drive using another computer. I figured this
would rewrite to Master Boot Record. On the other computer this drive
boots up to XP Pro. On my Gigabyte it still boots to Xpress 2.

6) I tried reflashing the BIOS (using the built in QFlash program) to
version 8, 6, 3 and 2.
It still boots to Xpress 2.

On Monday I called tech support. They suggested to try lots of things
which did not work. The tech checked and found out that once Xpress2
is installed it will always try to boot through it regardless of
whether the BIOS is set to boot to CD, or Floppy first. Since my
Xpress has been removed and only the loader remains, it fails. THERE
IS NO WAY disable this through the BIOS. I asked her to report this as
a BIOS bug. You should always be able to set a new boot device to
recover. She suggested I get a new hard drive. I was not pleased.

Warning! Xpress 2 can leave you with an unusable system.

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:31:38 GMT, Bob W <>
wrote:



I forgot to mention that my system is a Gigabyte GA-965P-S3

"Bob W" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:31:38 GMT, Bob W <>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> I forgot to mention that my system is a Gigabyte GA-965P-S3
>

DOH! I got one of those, but many boards use xpress recovery AFAIK.

You said the HDD still works in other systems, so not a total loss.

So does the problem lie in the BIOS?

Hopefully you can return the board.

"Bob W" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Short summary:
>
> Installing Gigabyte's XPress 2 software can render the hard drive
> unusable. The BIOS can no longer be set to boot from a device other
> than the hard drive (if is installed). I confirmed this from Gigabyte
> tech support.
>
> Full Description:
>
> I had a system up and working in XP Pro. Every time I booted the
> system it would stop with command line prompt, "Please Install Xpress
> Recovery2 from Gigabyte CD Title. Press any key to continue". It made
> me press a key before I could boot into Windows XP.
>
> I finally installed Gigabytes Xpress 2 software because I figured that
> would solve the problem. I was wrong! Once installed the system would
> only boot into Xpress 2. There was no way to get to XP anymore. Of
> course it was the weekend so I could not call tech support.
>
> I tried:
>
> 1) Setting the system to boot off CD or floppy. It only boots to
> Xpress 2.
>
> 2) I tried pressing F12 to select the boot device. No matter whether I
> selected CD it would still boot into Xpress 2.
>
> 3) Deleting the program by putting the hard drive in another system so
> I could reformat the drive. It still boots into Xpress 2 but now the
> program does'nt run anymore. It gets to the Busybox prompt (Xpress 2
> is a Linux program evidently). It has a very limited version of Linux
> that really does not let me do anything.
>
> 4) Remove the partition with Partition Magic (on another computer).
> Put a new partition on drive. Still boots to Xpress 2.
>
> 5) Installed XP Pro onto drive using another computer. I figured this
> would rewrite to Master Boot Record. On the other computer this drive
> boots up to XP Pro. On my Gigabyte it still boots to Xpress 2.
>
> 6) I tried reflashing the BIOS (using the built in QFlash program) to
> version 8, 6, 3 and 2.
> It still boots to Xpress 2.
>
> On Monday I called tech support. They suggested to try lots of things
> which did not work. The tech checked and found out that once Xpress2
> is installed it will always try to boot through it regardless of
> whether the BIOS is set to boot to CD, or Floppy first. Since my
> Xpress has been removed and only the loader remains, it fails. THERE
> IS NO WAY disable this through the BIOS. I asked her to report this as
> a BIOS bug. You should always be able to set a new boot device to
> recover. She suggested I get a new hard drive. I was not pleased.
>

Whoa there. You mean their program totally destroyed your hard drive, and
they had the balls to tell you to buy a new hard drive? They need to fix
their problem, not leave the customer with expensive but useless junk. You
need to ratchet this up a bit. Perhaps see how high up the company
administrator ladder you can go.. I know it may not be cost effective to
actually go legal on them for only a hard drive, but you could tell them you
will be getting legal advice. At the very least a report to the Better
Business Bureau or some consumer affairs watchdog may get them to fix their
mistake. If not, well other than unreccommending them to everyone you know
there's probably not a lot you can do - but don't just take the word of a
low level tech support idiot. Damn but reading this post has really
aggravated me... :-/

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:31:38 GMT, Bob W <>
wrote:

>Short summary:
>
>Installing Gigabyte's XPress 2 software can render the hard drive
>unusable. The BIOS can no longer be set to boot from a device other
>than the hard drive (if is installed). I confirmed this from Gigabyte
>tech support.
>
>Full Description:
>
>I had a system up and working in XP Pro. Every time I booted the
>system it would stop with command line prompt, "Please Install Xpress
>Recovery2 from Gigabyte CD Title. Press any key to continue". It made
>me press a key before I could boot into Windows XP.
>
>I finally installed Gigabytes Xpress 2 software because I figured that
>would solve the problem. I was wrong! Once installed the system would
>only boot into Xpress 2. There was no way to get to XP anymore. Of
>course it was the weekend so I could not call tech support.
>
>I tried:
>
>1) Setting the system to boot off CD or floppy. It only boots to
>Xpress 2.
>
>2) I tried pressing F12 to select the boot device. No matter whether I
>selected CD it would still boot into Xpress 2.
>
>3) Deleting the program by putting the hard drive in another system so
>I could reformat the drive. It still boots into Xpress 2 but now the
>program does'nt run anymore. It gets to the Busybox prompt (Xpress 2
>is a Linux program evidently). It has a very limited version of Linux
>that really does not let me do anything.
>
>4) Remove the partition with Partition Magic (on another computer).
>Put a new partition on drive. Still boots to Xpress 2.
>
>5) Installed XP Pro onto drive using another computer. I figured this
>would rewrite to Master Boot Record. On the other computer this drive
>boots up to XP Pro. On my Gigabyte it still boots to Xpress 2.
>
>6) I tried reflashing the BIOS (using the built in QFlash program) to
>version 8, 6, 3 and 2.
>It still boots to Xpress 2.
>
>On Monday I called tech support. They suggested to try lots of things
>which did not work. The tech checked and found out that once Xpress2
>is installed it will always try to boot through it regardless of
>whether the BIOS is set to boot to CD, or Floppy first. Since my
>Xpress has been removed and only the loader remains, it fails. THERE
>IS NO WAY disable this through the BIOS. I asked her to report this as
>a BIOS bug. You should always be able to set a new boot device to
>recover. She suggested I get a new hard drive. I was not pleased.
>
>Warning! Xpress 2 can leave you with an unusable system.

Horrible reading. Now, I have no experience with that MB and not with
that piece of software.

But it sound strange to me, that partition magic, fdisk /mbr, and bios
'set defaults' can't fix that.

best regards

John

On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:23:31 +0900, "fondue" <> wrote:

Yes, the problem is with the BIOS. When the board thinks this program
is installed correctly it will ignore the BIOS settings that let you
boot from an alternate deviceand boot directly through Xpress2. Since
my copy of Xpress 2 is hosed, the drive will no longer work with the
Gigabyte system.

I can still use it for another computer, but I bought it to use for
this computer. A replacement hard drive for my Gigabyte system will
cost almost as much as the Gigabyte motherboard.

I am hoping they fix this bug in a future BIOS revision so other
people won't have this problem.

>"Bob W" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:31:38 GMT, Bob W <>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> I forgot to mention that my system is a Gigabyte GA-965P-S3
>>
>
>DOH! I got one of those, but many boards use xpress recovery AFAIK.
>
>You said the HDD still works in other systems, so not a total loss.
>
>So does the problem lie in the BIOS?
>
>Hopefully you can return the board.
>

So have you tried another HDD, and did it work?

Seems odd that it should boot through Xpress2 without being asked.

I downloaded the program incidentally while looking for drivers, but after
reading it's description, it seems to be a bit limited, as it only restores
to a particular HDD. An OK utility for a freebie, but I may as well use
Ghost.

Did you come across anyone else with this problem, or are you an unlucky
loner?

"Bob W" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:23:31 +0900, "fondue" <> wrote:
>
> Yes, the problem is with the BIOS. When the board thinks this program
> is installed correctly it will ignore the BIOS settings that let you
> boot from an alternate deviceand boot directly through Xpress2. Since
> my copy of Xpress 2 is hosed, the drive will no longer work with the
> Gigabyte system.
>
> I can still use it for another computer, but I bought it to use for
> this computer. A replacement hard drive for my Gigabyte system will
> cost almost as much as the Gigabyte motherboard.
>
> I am hoping they fix this bug in a future BIOS revision so other
> people won't have this problem.
>
>>"Bob W" <> wrote in message
>>news:. ..
>>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:31:38 GMT, Bob W <>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I forgot to mention that my system is a Gigabyte GA-965P-S3
>>>
>>
>>DOH! I got one of those, but many boards use xpress recovery AFAIK.
>>
>>You said the HDD still works in other systems, so not a total loss.
>>
>>So does the problem lie in the BIOS?
>>
>>Hopefully you can return the board.
>>