getting into dos mode in Win XP

[feelingshorter]

Well dos mode doesnt exist..is there some sort of way i can update my mobo bios without an A drive with win xp? I know it doesnt have a dos mode so how do upgrade bios using the AWD flash utility?

 

[BlueWeasel]

The easiest way is to boot from a Win95/Win98/WinME to a prompt, and update from there. That could be a problem, though, if the BIOS update files are on a NTFS volume.

You could burn the update files to a CD, and boot to a prompt with CD support. Otherwise, you'd need to make a bootable CD with the updated files on it.

 

[daniel49]

go buy a 10.00 floppy drive and save yourself a headache.

 

[Navid]

What exactly are you saying?
Are you saying that you do not have a floppy drive? Because if you do, you can create a boot floppy in XP as well as you can in 98.

 

[TGS]

Depending on your board, you may be able to download the bios updates and save out to a floppy. I know my Abit AV8 has an option (alt-F2) which will read the little bios script and run the bios update from the floppy without a dos environment.

 

[Navid]

If you have a floppy drive, place a floppy in it and right click on the A drive in windows explorer and click "Format".
Select "Create an MS-DOS startup disk".
Click "OK".

 

[boomerang]

Do some research before using the built-in flash utility. Sometimes newer BIOS revisions require a newer flash utility. You can hose your system. Just make sure first.

Assuming I can't use the built in flash utility, I use a boot floppy made from within XP. If there is enough room left, I copy the BIOS file and flash utility onto it and go from there.

If not, put them on a second floppy. Boot to a prompt, switch disks and go.