questiosn about flashing the BIOS on the 8K7A *scared*

[eLiu]

I want to flash to 1711 (for the 1/5 PCI divider), which teh 1606 does not have, right?

Ok...beyond following the instructions in the readme...is there anything else i need to know?

I've read some other guides (none of which deal with the 8k7a), and one said to disable "BYTE MERGE" and "VIRUS PROTECTION" (off a guide for the a7v); Do these need to be disabled in the Epox 8K7A before I start?

Also...I read somewhere that you can flash from windows (no floppies, no DOS prompt...no boot disks...)...is this TRUE?? If so, HOW do I do so?? Is it riskier than flashing the conventional way?

Lastly, is the following "guide" OK for the 8K7A? It was copy/pasted from someone's post on the overclockers.com forum:

1. Put the emergency start or the Windows ME setup disk in the floppy drive.

2. Reboot the computer

3. The items on the menu list will depend on which OS you made the emergency disk from or if you are using the Windows ME setup disk. You want to be in a TOTALY clean environment so:
a. If it is from Windows98 or 98SE, select: "Command Prompt Only".
b. If it is a Windows ME setup disk, select: "Minimal Boot".

4. Once the command prompt appears, remove the start disk and replace it with your BIOS disk.

5. Type: aflash.exe Follow the instructions on the screen for each move you make and READ carefully.

6. The BIOS program will appear. It will give you 2 choices:
a. Save the current BIOS
b. Flash or install a new BIOS

7. You ALWAYS want to save your current BIOS to disk first, in case something goes wrong here. Select the save option. (1)

8. Name your saved BIOS file. I suggest it be short and easy, like 1004d.old (the name of the current BIOS with an ".old" extension.) Also, WRITE it down now EXACTLY as you typed it on the screen and confirm the spelling and extension before you save it. Once confirmed, then continue.

9. It will confirm a successful save, if not REPEAT the save until it does and if it wont save it, STOP here... there is something wrong, do not continue and simply remove the disk and reboot the computer. Leave it go until you find out what is wrong.

10. After the successful save, return to the main menu and select the second option (2) to flash the BIOS. Follow the instructions.

11. It will ask for the name of the new BIOS file. Type in the name EXACTLY as you wrote it down EXAMPLE: 1005c.awd

12. It will ask for confirmations throughout the next steps. It is VERY IMPORTANT YOU READ THE WARNINGS AND ANYTHING ELSE IT DISPLAYS... READ IT CAREFULLY

13. There will be warnings if the BIOS is older than the one you are currently running and if you are flashing down to an older BIOS, this is ok.

14. There may be other warnings if the file you have is corrupt or if it is not designed for your motherboard... If you decide to stop anytime before you have flashed, you can...ONLY AS LONG AS YOU HAVE NOT FLASHED THE BIOS.

AFTER YOU HAVE FLASHED, IF A WARNING COMES UP SAYING A CORRUPT FILE ERROR, CHECKSUM ERROR OR THE FLASH WAS "UNSUCCESSFULL" OR ANY MESSAGE OTHER THAN:

"FLASHED SUCCESSFULLY"

IF ANY AND I MEAN ANY ERROR MESSAGE APPEARS, DO NOT.. REPEAT; DO NOT SHUT DOWN FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER OR YOU MAY END UP COMPLETLY DEAD.

*** WHAT TO DO ***
If you receive and error message, return to the main menu of the flash program and proceed with option (2) again, this time flash the BIOS you previously saved by typing in the name you wrote down for your old BIOS exactly as you saved it earlier

example from earlier: 1004d.old

Follow the instructions again. If this is unsuccessful you have 3 options:

a. Continue trying to flash several times, either BIOS file, over and over until successful. I have heard of people doing it as many as 20 times before. (in very RARE cases)

b. If it just wont flash and you have tried over and over, DO NOT shut down and have a tech or service come in to continue the process, EVEN if it means leaving the system on for days exactly where it is.

c. Shut down and cross your fingers it reboots, if not, remove the AC power plug and try shorting the points on the motherboard with a clean flat blade screwdriver (2 small solder dots, next to the battery as shown on page 14 of the manual, look for: CLRTC )
This will clear the CMOS, then reboot. If it doesn?t start, try again but your BIOS chip may probably wiped and you will need to order a new chip

thanks in advance,
-eric

 

[zippy]

Here's what you do. I did this the other day.

1. Download the new BIOS and put it onto a floppy disk (alone).
2. Leave the floppy disk in the drive.
3. Reboot and as it gets to POST hit ALT+F2 a bunch of times- this will get you into the BIOS flashing program thing.
4. This lil bios flashing thing automatically gets the files off the floppy disk and flashes the bios.
5. Go into the bios, choose to load optimized defaults.
6. F10 to save and exit.


You're all set.

Of course, you can change settings in the BIOS later (such as memory timings)- but the manual says to load optimized defaults and exit the first time.

 

[fishingeek]

The best way that I have found is to go to bootdisk.com and down load one of their bootdisk files. It should be labeled for a bios flash. When it is done downloading open it and it will it ask you to put a disk in drive a. It will then make a disk you can use. Then open the bios exe from Epox. It will also ask you for a disk in drive a. Use the same disk you just made. When it is done, reboot your computer with that disk. When you get the dos promt, type "update". Just follow the instuctions from there and you will be good to go. It should create a backup of the old bios for you. If you do have a problem just boot to the disk again and type "restore" and it will go back to the old bios.

Good luck

 

[eLiu]

ok, i hope it works...never flashed bios b4...dont intend to for a bit, until i get everything working

 

[Insane3D]

Here is a simple five step process I use.

1.Make a bootable floppy and put the bios file and the latest awdflash.exe on it.

2.Boot from the floppy and wait for the "A:\" prompt.

3.Type (without quotes) "Awdflash XXX.bin /cd /cc /cp"

4.Answer yes to the prompts, and when it's done, exit and reboot.

5.Enter the bios and load the optimal defaults, F10 to save and reboot.

It's very easy..just make sure it finishes before you power down or reboot.

"XXX" = Bios file name.

 

[wfbberzerker]

fishingeek, i cant find the bios flash boot disk listed on their site, where is it?

 

[formulav8]

All I do is:

-Put the flash program and bin file on floppy
-Put floppy in drive
-Restart in MS-DOS Mode
-Type A: to get the A: Prompt
-Type Awdflash TheBiosfile.bin
-Then press enter
-Haven't had a bad flash yet doing it that way.

 

[robg1701]

From the Epox site....
http://www.epox.com/html/english/support/motherboard/Get.asp?article=1302

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


QUESTION

How do I flash the BIOS?

SOLUTION

Below is a reprint of selected portions from the README.TXT file that is included with all BIOS downloads from the EPoX USA website. Please always refer to the original README.TXT file for details about the specific BIOS downloaded.

!!!WARNING!!!
Never attempt to Flash your BIOS from a hard disk, DOS Window, DOS shell, or in Windows NT. If your system is working without problems or conflicts, then it is not recommended that you flash your BIOS. Improper flashing procedures may result in a dead system! Follow the these instructions carefully.

Files included in this download:
README.TXT Text file with BIOS Release & Application Notes.
UPDATE.BAT Batch file for the Flash BIOS update process.
RESTORE.BAT Batch file for the Flash BIOS restore process.
xxxxxxxx.BIN BIOS binary file used by UPDATE.BAT.
AWDFLASH.EXE Program used to Flash BIOS code to the EEPROM.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIOS Download Instructions


Download the xxxxxxxx.EXE file corresponding to your model from the EPoX website to an empty directory on your hard disk or floppy. Run the downloaded xxxxxxxx.EXE file and it will self extract into the above listed files.

Copy these extracted files to a bootable DOS floppy disk. Note: the DOS floppy disk should contain NO device drivers or other programs that load during the boot other than the operating system itself.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIOS Update Instructions

Boot using your DOS floppy disk to the A:\> command prompt. At the DOS command prompt type: UPDATE

When the Flash program completes restart the computer, remove the DOS floppy disk, and enter your CMOS setup by pressing the DELETE key immediately. Using the arrow keys select LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS and when prompt to confirm press Y and ENTER. Press F10 to Save & Exit the BIOS. When prompted to confirm again press Y and ENTER. The system flash is now completed.

Note: During the use of UPDATE a backup of your original BIOS date/code will be saved in the same directory as the UPDATE file. It will be called OLD.BIN and can be used with the restore instructions below in case you need to revert back to the original BIOS date/code.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIOS Restore Instructions

Use of the restore procedure requires the OLD.BIN file created in the update procedure above! Boot using your DOS floppy disk to the A:\> command prompt. At the DOS command prompt type: RESTORE

When the Flash program completes restart the computer, remove the DOS floppy disk, and enter your CMOS setup by pressing the DELETE key immediately. Using the arrow keys select LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS and when prompt to confirm press Y and ENTER. Press F10 to Save & Exit the BIOS. When prompted to confirm again press Y and ENTER. The system flash is now completed and should now be reverted back to the original BIOS date/code.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIOS flash failed

If you have access to an old un-accelerated ISA video card, you might be able to recover your BIOS. Remove all cards and drives from your system, except for the ISA video card and the floppy drive. Then try to boot from a system disk (a bootable floppy with only the flash programs and corresponding BIOS binary). If you are able to boot to the floppy, flash your BIOS according to the directions above.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I get out of memory errors when I flash my BIOS!

On some system configurations, even with a clean boot disk, you will get an out of memory error (insufficient memory) when you try to flash your BIOS. The solution is simple: Try bypassing the startup files by pressing the following keys during startup using you bootable floppy disk. Attempt the FLASH again.

DOS 6.2x boot disks - press F5 to bypass.
WINDOWS 95/98 boot disks - press F8 and select Safe command prompt.
Lastly try using a MS-DOS 6.x boot disk.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER

THE SOFTWARE AND BIOS ARE PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL EPOX OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE AND BIOS, EVEN IF EPOX HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS PROHIBIT THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. EPoX and its suppliers further do not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. EPoX reserves the right to change specifications or discontinue products at any time with no prior warning. EPoX makes no commitment to update any BIOS.

 

[ArchAngel777]

I place the BIOS and Flash Utilities on my Hard Drive.....

I have flashed my BIOS back and forth on my home systems probably 10-20 times.

And at work countless times, Ive never had it fail on me.


you can really mess up your computer if

A. Your system is unstable

or

B. Your a moron and turn it off in the middle or flash the wrong bios image.


If A or B do not apply then you have nothing to worry about!

 

[zippy]

My way is easiest.

Not to mention, it's a feature that comes with the board- I don't quite understand why Epox's directions would call for otherwise. Odd.

 

[robg1701]

Yip zipy, not disputing your way, just offering an alernative...i have seen that way posted before on other forums, just thought id link the way epox suggest when looking at the support sectionm for the 8K7A....now if only i could try this personally....just need a board

//looks to old Athlon 500 in his rig...sobs...gazes at dual monitor setup with loverly Diamondtron NF tube...wise choice...smiles

 

[fishingeek]

PyroHale, sorry for the late responce. I found a better site for you to go to. Just download the WinMe boot file found here. It is a file with just the basic stuff you need to do a bios flash. Then run the Epox exe. on the same disk, reboot with this disk in and type "update". The rest should be easy.

Good luck

Fishingeek