MAC address is invalid in both cmos & flash!

[Mr Blobby]

After trying some different memory in my sons Pc I put the old memory back in. This is where my problems started. The computer would not boot up at all. Even unpluging the power & leaving it for a few hours before powering it back up made no difference. There was no display at all (no signal to the lcd screen). So i resorted to clearing the Cmos. This worked, but then left me with a new problem. On bootup the message reads "MAC address is invalid in both cmos & flash!". I can press F1 to resume, which it does. But their is no LAN connection & everytime the system is restarted you have to press F1 to continue. You can access the Bios by pressing F2 followed by F1 & you can access the bootup device by pressing F11 followed by F1. The comp system is as follows :-
Mobo - Asrock P43R1600TWINS
CPU - Intel E5200
MEMORY - Patriot PC6400 Extream Performance \ 3 * 1G sticks
GRAPHICS CARD - Expert Vision 9600GT 512mb
HARDDRIVE - Samsung 500GB / sata2
DVDBURNER - Samsung / sata
OS - Vista ultimate 32bit

I have tried going through the instructions on the Asrock site & have obtained a MAC address by enabling Bootup LAN and then manualy inputing it into the network address (by going into Control Panel, Device Manager, Network Adapters, Realtek RTL8168C LAN, Properties, Advanced, Network Address). But this still doesn't work.
I have even tried flashing the Bios with the latest update, by down loading it from the Asrock site onto my memory stick using my Pc. I've then shut the system down & rebooted and its now showing the Bios Ver 1.50 but I still have the same problem showing on the screen "MAC address is invalid in both cmos & flash!".
Asrock states its possible that the MAC address could be deleted in both the Cmos & the Bios & if this is the case, to get in touch with them. So I've e-mailed them. But as yet, no reply.
So if any of you guys could help I,d be most greatful :P

[Mr Blobby]

I have had a reply from AsRock. It is as follows:
Please use the tool in attachment to re-write the MAC
Please open the chassis and you can find a sticker on the I/O port with MAC id.
Save the tool in a bootable disk and boot, key in as follows:
A:/>mac <enter>
It will list the function key description, then please key in as follows:
A:/>mac c [mac ID] <enter>
If It is success, it will show following information:
MAC ID:XXXXXXXXXXXX SUM: XX
Write MAC Function call OK.

The tool is in a zip file. I have saved it on a memory stick. I'm a bit lost as to what the instructions mean! :S Am I to create a bootable disc with this MAC tool included! If so, how do I do that?

Any ideas?????????? :S

[wonderlust]

have you a floppy drive?

It would be easier to use that.

If not grab the HP memory key format util http://www.bay-wolf.com/usbmemstick.htm(apparently its not advisable to allow windows to format usb keys)

[wonderlust]

BTW you are running 3 sticks of ram?

If so you will only be running in Single channel mode If you remove the one stick and have the remaining two in the correct slots you will double the memory bandwidth (and performance) available to you

[Mr Blobby]

I have no floppy drive.
There is no problem with running 3 1gig sticks in dual channel mode. It was running fine before, for nearly a year. I tried 2 2gig sticks the other day. But speed wise the 3 1gig sticks were faster. Thats why I changed them back & this is where the problems started. I could not get an output to the display. So I cleared the cmos & this is what has happened. If you google "MAC address invalid in both cmos & flash" you will see its a common problem & that it only happens with Asrock boards. But I cant find any answers as how to put it right. Asrock have sent me that mac tool. So at obviously can be put right, but I just dont understand the instructions that Asrock sent with the tool. Do you my friend?

[wonderlust]

Ok, use the tool I linked to above to make a bootable usb stick. (this will delete anything on the stick so back it up first!

once that has been done copy the file (extracted if it was zipped/rar'd) to the key and reboot with the key plugged in.

whilst the pc is rebooting press F11 (iirc for Asrock boards) select the usb drive
then once it has booted, run the command as instructed by Asrock.

They normally place the mac address on a sticker attached to the inside of the port ATX port connectors.

When you boot of the key it will be c:\ not A:\

[Mr Blobby]

I cant find the Mac ID number. Its not near the I/O ports. The only sticker there, is the motherboard serial number, sat right on top of the metal tower containing 2 USB ports & the LAN RJ-45 port.I know its the serial number because It matches the serial number on the motherboard box that it came in. I have three boards all the same for my three boys. So it will have to wait till tomorrow now, as I will probably have to strip this computer down to lift the motherboad out to see if its anywhere else. The boards are less than a year old and I built all three computers to the same spec. So I know I've not removed any stickers from the motherboard.

Many thanks anyway for your help. When I know more myself I'll let you know. :)

[El Wayneo]

This isn't your board, but it is an ASRock and thats what you are looking for.

http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/573/asrock_4core_ioports.jpg

Again here

http://rwlabs.com/images/articles/asrock/x58_sc/x58_supercomputer_019.jpg

Is it not on the box aswell?

[Mr Blobby]

The yellow stickers are not the Mac ID Numbers. They are the motherboard serial numbers. In your first link, it shows a picture of a pink parallel port. Again the yellow sticker is the motherboard serial number. The white one that you can just see running along the edge of it is the Mac ID Number. But my sons board doesn't have a parallel port, its more like the 2nd picture you sent me and that you can see, only has the yellow motherboard serial number sticker on it. The other little square white sticker you see on that 2nd picture is the Bios information, not mac ID. Again, thats just like my sons motherboard. There isn't even enough characters on that sticker for it to be the Mac ID Number. The Mac ID Number is 12 characters long & made up of letters & numbers. Which I also believe to be hexadecimal characters only.

Many thanks anyway for trying to help me :P But it looks like I will have to remove the motherboard form the case in order to try & find this Mac ID Number.

[Aaron]

I'm not sure if this would work, but it may be worth a try - or it may be more hassle than taking the mobo out the case :lol:

If the mac address is physically programmed into the networking part of the motherboard then it shouldn't be affected by it being invalid in the bios. It might be worth plugging the motherboard into a router and viewing the config page of the router. It will often display the mac addresses of each connected device. You may not be able to get a useable network connection through an OS, but the router may be able to read the MAC address, as it will take it directly from the hardware as long as there is power to the bpard and it's switched on..

As I say, long shot, but worth a try? :)

[wonderlust]

Pics of a review doesn't have the mac :( either

http://www.phoronix.net/image.php?id=asrock_p43_p45&image=asrock_p43_io_lrg

but is that it either printed by the bar code? Or on the last slot?

http://www.phoronix.net/image.php?id=asrock_p43_p45&image=asrock_p43_expansion_lrg

On my Asrock Board (well the one I can get easy access too ;)) it has a sticker on the Parallel port and the screen prined area is blank... (939N68PV-Glan)

[Mr Blobby]

I've done it. Many thanks wonderlust. That link u sent me, to make a bootable usb stick worked. Me & my eldest son worked out how to convert my usb stick into a bootable stick, but we weren't sure when we noticed it was windows 98 dos files, when we were running Vista. But we soon realised that it was only for the purpose of converting the stick. The Mac ID number by the way was actualy stamped into the printed circuit board in the bottom corner next to the expansion slots at the back of the case. Thanks again wonderlust :P

[wonderlust]

Glad you are all sorted :D