Messed up BIOS flash

[Wonderclam]

Asus P5N-E SLI motherboard.


I had problems with installing windows on a SATA hard drive so I just used my old HD and I tried updating BIOS. I used the Asus update program to update BIOS through Windows, but when I did, the system froze so I had to reset it. I can get to Windows, but Asus Update program doesn't work anymore. It says it can't read the BIOS, then the program crashes. Did the failed BIOS flash mess it up? How do I fix it?

 

[ch33zw1z]

If it really failed, you wouldn't be able to boot. Try to avoid updating the BIOS in windows. If the new revision is seen in BIOS utility, then let it be.

 

[Captante]

I would suggest re-flashing the BIOS using the Phoenix/Award BIOS update utility that you can download from Asus's website rather then the on-board utility in the BIOS because it may have been corrupted by the partially failed update you performed within Windows ... make a startup floppy disk & use it to boot your PC into DOS, then use a second floppy containing the flash utility & the new BIOS to perform the update.


BIOS download page for your motherboard

 

[Synomenon]

Yes, when flashing your BIOS it's generally best to do it through DOS. If you don't have a floppy drive you can do it with CDs as well. Go here to download the clean boot CD ISO:
http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/#clean

Burn the clean boot CD ISO to a CD. Then burn the BIOS flash utility and BIOS file to a second CD. Put the clean boot CD into your drive, restart your PC and then let it boot the clean boot CD. Once booted, it will show you what drive letter your optical drive is. Change to that drive letter. Take the clean boot CD out and put the second CD in (the one with the BIOS flash utility and BIOS file). Then run the BIOS flash utility by typing this:

awdflash 0602.bin /cc/cd/cp/py/R

cc: clear CMOS data after programming
cd: clear DMI data after programming
cp: clear PNP (ESCD) data after programming
py: program flash memory
R: reset system after programming


If you do it the way I've instructed, it's like zero-filling your hard drive and fresh installing your OS, only this is for the BIOS.