Updating BIOS help needed

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Hoppy Haupt
  • Start date Start date
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Bill Hoppy Haupt

Hi: I have a question about updating the BIOS on two older P3b-f
motherboards. They currently have bios version 1004 and I need to update
them to 1008 to recognize gig processors. I downloaded the current
aflash and bios 1008f from Asus. I have created a bios flash disk. So
far so good. According to the instructions that came with the
motherboard, I should see two options when I boot to the flash program:
1. Save current BIOS. I have done that. 2. Update BIOS including boot
block and ESCD is what I am supposed to see according to the
instructions that came with the motherboard, but instead I see "Update
BIOS without boot block and ESCD"? My question is, is there a jumper on
the motherboard or a setting in the BIOS setup that I should change so I
can update the boot block and ESCD? I have two boards and they tell me
the same thing. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. This is the
first time I have updated a BIOS on these boards and don't want to screw
them up. Thanks in advance for your time.
 
Hi: I have a question about updating the BIOS on two older P3b-f
motherboards. They currently have bios version 1004 and I need to update
them to 1008 to recognize gig processors. I downloaded the current
aflash and bios 1008f from Asus. I have created a bios flash disk. So
far so good. According to the instructions that came with the
motherboard, I should see two options when I boot to the flash program:
1. Save current BIOS. I have done that. 2. Update BIOS including boot
block and ESCD is what I am supposed to see according to the
instructions that came with the motherboard, but instead I see "Update
BIOS without boot block and ESCD"? My question is, is there a jumper on
the motherboard or a setting in the BIOS setup that I should change so I
can update the boot block and ESCD? I have two boards and they tell me
the same thing. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. This is the
first time I have updated a BIOS on these boards and don't want to screw
them up. Thanks in advance for your time.
Click to expand...

I think there are command line switches in DOS that will allow
you to do what you want. Using a hex editor, I can see some options
in the code.

ASUS ACPI BIOSFLASH MEMORY WRITER V2.21
Copyright (C) 1994-2002, ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
USAGE: AFLASH [Options] [ROMFile]
/AUTO
Automated update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD
/BOOT
Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD
...

Try /? or \? and see what options are offered.

Paul
 
Thanks for the informaiton. I guess what I am really trying to figure out is
do I have to update the Bios Block and the ESCD? Or can I just go ahead and
flash the Bios without messing with the Bios Block. Thanks
Hi: I have a question about updating the BIOS on two older P3b-f
motherboards. They currently have bios version 1004 and I need to update
them to 1008 to recognize gig processors. I downloaded the current
aflash and bios 1008f from Asus. I have created a bios flash disk. So
far so good. According to the instructions that came with the
motherboard, I should see two options when I boot to the flash program:
1. Save current BIOS. I have done that. 2. Update BIOS including boot
block and ESCD is what I am supposed to see according to the
instructions that came with the motherboard, but instead I see "Update
BIOS without boot block and ESCD"? My question is, is there a jumper on
the motherboard or a setting in the BIOS setup that I should change so I
can update the boot block and ESCD? I have two boards and they tell me
the same thing. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. This is the
first time I have updated a BIOS on these boards and don't want to screw
them up. Thanks in advance for your time.
Click to expand...

I think there are command line switches in DOS that will allow
you to do what you want. Using a hex editor, I can see some options
in the code.

ASUS ACPI BIOSFLASH MEMORY WRITER V2.21
Copyright (C) 1994-2002, ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
USAGE: AFLASH [Options] [ROMFile]
/AUTO
Automated update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD
/BOOT
Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD
...

Try /? or \? and see what options are offered.

Paul
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the informaiton. I guess what I am really trying to figure out is
do I have to update the Bios Block and the ESCD? Or can I just go ahead and
flash the Bios without messing with the Bios Block. Thanks
Click to expand...

I don't really know how tightly coupled the boot block is to the
rest of the BIOS. Or if there is even a specification that
determihes what functions a boot block has. For example, BIOS
for a board like yours, has no driver for AGP video, while some
of the recent boot block BIOS codes have added AGP capability,
and that makes boot block recovery so much easier.

I know of one case on Abxzone, where a hack was done, using
the boot block from a foreign BIOS on a board, to get some
different timing options. That demonstrates a certain level
of autonomy between the boot block and the main BIOS code, if
you can mix modules from different boards.

The safest thing to do, is not to update the boot block.
I suppose you could continue to upgrade the BIOS, until
it no longer works, then do a boot block recovery (if
that process really works), then consider updating
both the main code and the boot block. Since so few people
have used the traditional boot block recovery methods, it
is hard to say whether there is any real merit to this
approach or not.

Since badflash.com or the equivalent, can rescue you from this
situation for $25 (or if you have a number of identical boards,
purchase a BIOS Savior, as it can be used to reprogram a
whole bunch of chips if need be, and it also costs roughly $25
- see ioss.com.tw), I'd say there is little to worry about,
except for the down time.

Paul
 
Thanks for the informaiton. I guess what I am really trying to figure out is
do I have to update the Bios Block and the ESCD? Or can I just go ahead and
flash the Bios without messing with the Bios Block. Thanks
Click to expand...

By "Bios Block," I'm going to assume that you're still talking about
the boot block. In fact, as Paul pointed out in this forum a few days
ago, you usually do NOT want to reprogram the boot block. That's
almost never done -- i.e., almost all BIOS upgrades will leave the
boot block untouched whether you set the switch to skip it or not, and
if the flashing program's default is NOT to reprogram the boot block,
I think that's fine. In flashing a BIOS, you customarily DO clear
out the ESCD and let the BIOS detect the hardware all over again after
a flash. HOWEVER, if you haven't yet changed any hardware, then it's
not mandatory to do that, either. I think aflash.exe is trying to
take care of you here, but you are being as wise as a tree full of
owls in refusing to proceed until you have all your questions answered
authoritatively. Flashing a BIOS is a worrisome thing.

You said you want your computer to "recognize gig processors," so I'm
assuming that you're planning to plug in a new CPU. I'd just reset
all the current BIOS settings to default, let aflash.exe do it's
thing. After restarting once to make sure that the flash worked, I'd
once again set the BIOS to its defaults (just to be sure) and then
upgrade to your new processor. If it POSTs after the CPU upgrade,
THEN go into your BIOS setup program and re-enter any custom settings
you need.

Paul said:
Hi: I have a question about updating the BIOS on two older P3b-f
motherboards. They currently have bios version 1004 and I need to update
them to 1008 to recognize gig processors. I downloaded the current
aflash and bios 1008f from Asus. I have created a bios flash disk. So
far so good. According to the instructions that came with the
motherboard, I should see two options when I boot to the flash program:
1. Save current BIOS. I have done that. 2. Update BIOS including boot
block and ESCD is what I am supposed to see according to the
instructions that came with the motherboard, but instead I see "Update
BIOS without boot block and ESCD"? My question is, is there a jumper on
the motherboard or a setting in the BIOS setup that I should change so I
can update the boot block and ESCD? I have two boards and they tell me
the same thing. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. This is the
first time I have updated a BIOS on these boards and don't want to screw
them up. Thanks in advance for your time.
Click to expand...

I think there are command line switches in DOS that will allow
you to do what you want. Using a hex editor, I can see some options
in the code.

ASUS ACPI BIOSFLASH MEMORY WRITER V2.21
Copyright (C) 1994-2002, ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
USAGE: AFLASH [Options] [ROMFile]
/AUTO
Automated update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD
/BOOT
Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD
...

Try /? or \? and see what options are offered.

Paul
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Ron
 
Hi. Just wanted to thank all you guys for the information. I took a chance and
flashed it the way I have always done in the past (without the boot block
message) and it went well. It did indeed flash the boot block as well. Guess I
was being to careful, but, this message was completely opposite of what is said
in the original owner's manual. Thanks again for all the great advice. I
appreciate it.
Thanks for the informaiton. I guess what I am really trying to figure out is
do I have to update the Bios Block and the ESCD? Or can I just go ahead and
flash the Bios without messing with the Bios Block. Thanks
Click to expand...

By "Bios Block," I'm going to assume that you're still talking about
the boot block. In fact, as Paul pointed out in this forum a few days
ago, you usually do NOT want to reprogram the boot block. That's
almost never done -- i.e., almost all BIOS upgrades will leave the
boot block untouched whether you set the switch to skip it or not, and
if the flashing program's default is NOT to reprogram the boot block,
I think that's fine. In flashing a BIOS, you customarily DO clear
out the ESCD and let the BIOS detect the hardware all over again after
a flash. HOWEVER, if you haven't yet changed any hardware, then it's
not mandatory to do that, either. I think aflash.exe is trying to
take care of you here, but you are being as wise as a tree full of
owls in refusing to proceed until you have all your questions answered
authoritatively. Flashing a BIOS is a worrisome thing.

You said you want your computer to "recognize gig processors," so I'm
assuming that you're planning to plug in a new CPU. I'd just reset
all the current BIOS settings to default, let aflash.exe do it's
thing. After restarting once to make sure that the flash worked, I'd
once again set the BIOS to its defaults (just to be sure) and then
upgrade to your new processor. If it POSTs after the CPU upgrade,
THEN go into your BIOS setup program and re-enter any custom settings
you need.
Paul said:
Hi: I have a question about updating the BIOS on two older P3b-f
motherboards. They currently have bios version 1004 and I need to update
them to 1008 to recognize gig processors. I downloaded the current
aflash and bios 1008f from Asus. I have created a bios flash disk. So
far so good. According to the instructions that came with the
motherboard, I should see two options when I boot to the flash program:
1. Save current BIOS. I have done that. 2. Update BIOS including boot
block and ESCD is what I am supposed to see according to the
instructions that came with the motherboard, but instead I see "Update
BIOS without boot block and ESCD"? My question is, is there a jumper on
the motherboard or a setting in the BIOS setup that I should change so I
can update the boot block and ESCD? I have two boards and they tell me
the same thing. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. This is the
first time I have updated a BIOS on these boards and don't want to screw
them up. Thanks in advance for your time.

I think there are command line switches in DOS that will allow
you to do what you want. Using a hex editor, I can see some options
in the code.

ASUS ACPI BIOSFLASH MEMORY WRITER V2.21
Copyright (C) 1994-2002, ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
USAGE: AFLASH [Options] [ROMFile]
/AUTO
Automated update BIOS without Boot Block and ESCD
/BOOT
Update BIOS including Boot Block and ESCD
...

Try /? or \? and see what options are offered.

Paul
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Ron
Click to expand...
 
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