flashing bios.. how? Asus board.. is hard? Please?

[smp]

I'm about to flash my bios.. I got an A7V (not the 133a, just via 133 non A) I'm still running the original bios.. I just unlocked my 900, and I want to change the multiplier in the bios.. but I guess this version doesn't have that feature.. So I got version 1007.. cause as far as I could tell, it was the latest.. so now I did
format a:/s
then I copied aflash.exe to the floppy..
So.. is it hard from here.. some steps to back up the old bios and stuff would be nice.. thanks..


I'm nervous.. I had a hard enough time just taking off the stock heatsink.. urgh
(needless to say, the same one is back one, just with some AS II on it.. and..... no temp change.. oh well)

 

[Fokks]

Here's a link to Asus's windows BIOS flash utility. You can run it from windows to backup, and or flash your BIOS. I've used it personally several times on my CUSL2, works great. Makes everything much simpler, all GUI.

ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/BIOS_FLASH_UTILS/asusupd32707.exe

 

[AndyHui]

It's easy.

Run AFLASH.EXE.

I suggest you select [1] first and then save a copy of the existing BIOS. Just give it a file name when prompted. Then select [2] to update you BIOS. Make sure that you have unzipped the file beforehand (some people wreck their system by flashing with a zipped up BIOS) and then type in the filename and location when prompted.

At the end of flashing it will give you the option of flashing again. Up to you....I personally always flash again just to make sure that the flash got there. Quit and reboot. Go into the BIOS, set defaults and then change everything to how you like it.

 

[bacillus]

<< So.. is it hard from here.. some steps to back up the old bios and stuff would be nice.. thanks >>


once you've got your bootable floppy with your aflash exe &amp; bios file you're ready to roll. make an exact note of the bios name as you'll have to use it.
reboot with floppy in drive &amp; at the A: prompt type in aflash &amp; press enter.
you should now get a screen with 2 options; select option 1 to back up your present bios. after doing that choose option 2 to update &amp; type in the name of the updated bios. the program does the rest &amp; will tell you if you've flashed successfully. power down &amp; restart, enter bios &amp; set defaults saving changes on exiting.
if you run into problems during the flash do not turn the pc off but reflash with old bios!
good luck
ps best to flash from dos than in windows

 

[chuckieland]

once you did it
it become easy
but before you did it, becareful, since screw up could kill the motherboard

 

[bacillus]

chuckieland, I'm always wary of flashing my bios as you never can tell when an unexpected problem will turn up regardless of how many times I've done it before!

 

[smp]

when I do format a:/s
The floppy won't boot.. I tried booting off of it.. and I couldn't..
Can i make a windows boot disk and just put aflash.exe on that?
Would that work?
Start without cd rom support though?

this is what asus has to say


<< Create a bootable system floppy disk by typing [FORMAT A:/S] from the DOS prompt without creating &quot;AUTOEXEC.BAT&quot; and &quot;CONFIG.SYS&quot; files. >>


So I'm stumped now.. I can't make a boot disk..

 

[Verygreedy]

yes.. be cautious.. follow instructions exactly

 

[smp]

okay so if format a:/s won't work.. and why I don't know.. can I use a windows 98 boot disk? What I've done so far, is copied aflash.exe and the bios image to that boot disk.. so i can boot off of it, and then run aflash.. right?
On the site it says


<< Make a DOS boot disk with NO autoexec.bat or config.sys files. Copy the PFLASH and unzipped BIOS Image(ex: TX5I0202.AWD) files to this disk. >>


My windows boot disk has these files (non are the ones listed.. but I have to be sure here);
command.com
drvspace.bin
lo.sys
msdos.sys
aflash.exe
A7v1007.awd

does this seem okay?

 

[bacillus]

<< Can i make a windows boot disk and just put aflash.exe on that? >>


no! you want a boot floppy without autoexec.bat &amp; config.sys.
put the floppy into the drive, go start/programs/ ms dos prompt &amp; type in
format A:/s &amp; you should be away, assuming that you're using win 95/98. if your using ME then your a little stuck as ME has no native dos support. in that case suggest you get one made in a friend's pc which has win98 installed.
with the boot floppy made, copy aflash &amp; the unzipped bios onto floppy &amp; proceed as previously described!

 

[AndyHui]

If the floppy doesn't seem to work, then simply boot up from a safe mode command prompt under Win98. Hit F8 to bring up the boot menu, select safe mode command prompt and then run AFLASH from there. I prefer this method.....more reliable than a floppy.

 

[smp]

okay.. done! I now have bios version 1007 on my system.. looks the same..
The windows boot disk worked.. I did the old format --> copy system files only..
there was no autoexec.bat and config.sys on there.. so i thought it was safe.. it worked..
Only thing.. when I booted up.. when it went into windows, it started looking for drivers for via host bridge to something.. I didn't have these and it couldn't find em anywhere.. so I cancelled.. is this bad? It felt bad..
things work okay..
<edit> oh my lord it's five and change AM!! no wonder I'm feeling wonky :disgust:</edit>