Flash BIOS without CPU?
 

I am building a new box with an ASUS K8VSE Deluxe and a Sempron 64/2800 cpu.
The MB does not support Semprons until BIOS 1.07. The onboard BIOS is 0.9.
The machine did start once. It wanted the CMOS rearranged to suit. So I did that. Then it thought it had an Athlon 64/2800 and proceeded to boot the hard disk. I rebooted to flash the BIOS with the update. The flash failed. But not until after it erased the old BIOS. Now when I boot the machine informs me (literally) "CPU failed post test."

How might I try to recover? Is it possible to flash the BIOS without a CPU? Do I have to find an Athlon 64 CPU to replace the Sempron? Or do I have an object d'art i can't really afford?

As always, any help is most gratefully received.

--ml

Maybe you can find an "EEPROM Programmer", which is basically a device to program IC's, at a local computer store. The last time I destroyed my BIOS, I went to the local computer stores complex and found a PC repair shop. I borrowed their EEPROM Programmer for 10 RMB and fixed my BIOS then ;)

Thank you wpyh!
I googled 'eeprom' and 'eeprom programmer' in hopes I might appear a bit less stupid.
They seem to require an operating system. Since I can't get past post, that isn't available.
But I also looked at the help forums at Asus. Apparently this problem is not uncommon. Not only was the MB's original release unsuitable for Semprons (my original problem) but several people reported corrupt file downloads which made things worse.
The common solution seems to be to buy a new BIOS chip from Asus with the correct BIOS version and swap it out. That's about $25 in the US. A bit more than 10 RMBs!
Thanks again.
--ml

No, I mean I took my (laptop) there, and borrowed their PC to use their programmer. I had my BIOS on CD then.

I don't know how much $25 means to you, but for me $25 == 200 RMB == Rp 240.000,00, enough for about two weeks' cafeteria food...

My ignorance always costs me alot, wpyh.

Thank you again for trying to help.

-- ml