A8V Deluxe - New Build BIOS/FLoppy Issue

[cooterb]

I have a new build with A8V Deluxe & 3500+ (130nm, or so I think??). Priot to installing Win XP, I wanted to flash the BIOS with the latest version (1007). I downloaded the A8V1007.AMI file, renamed to A8V.ROM, and copied to a floppy (on another computer). During POST, I used Alt+F2 for EZ Flash (with floppy in drive). The only file on the disk is the A8V.ROM file, but it still said "not found", even though the floppy drive light went on then off.

I'm thinking it's an issue recognizing the floppy drive. I tried to use an old Win 98 bootable floppy, but the system wouldn't read the disk and gave an error of not finding boot media. I went to the existing BIOS, set the floppy as the 1st boot drive...nada... Does it matter that I flash the BIOS before installing Win XP? Any help is much obliged.

PS, could someone quickly explain about the Win XP F6 driver install...I've seen several posts, but not sure which drivers I need (160 SATA Seagate, no RAID, SATA1 on MB, and disabled Promise controller in BIOS). Thanks!

 

[oneshot47]

If you can, borrow/steal a friend/enemy's fdd and try it in yours, if it works then you know its your drive, it it doesnt, then its something else. Theres no reason to flash the bios before you install windows, unless you need to do it in order to make a certain processor or something work with the mobo.

As for the sata install, you just need to use the drivers that came with your drive on a floppy, or if its an oem drive get them from seagate here.

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Is the data cable connected properly? Some cables aren't keyed, so chances are you have placed them upside-down, causing the floppy drive not to work.

I have mine working very nicely here. It's from NEC.

 

[cooterb]

After reading another post about 1007 BIOS issues, I'll stick with what I have. The BIOS date is 6/17/04, so it appears to be 1006. Thanks for the Seagate page and the quick reply. Huge help! Just hope it's smooth sailing from here... I'll see if my floppy is ok in Device Mngr once Windows is installed...or pirate my girlfriend's computer.

 

[cooterb]

I saw that the green light was always on, so I flipped them. Now it only comes on when it "should"...like when it tries to read boot media from the drive.

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Green light always on = data cable is connected in the wrong way.

 

[cooterb]

Think I got that fixed. Now onto installing Win XP and the Seagate drive. Don't know why I bothered with the fdd i the first place... Thanks for the tips...somethign tells me I'll be back...it's never as easy as it should be! Not bad for the first time though...yet.