CPU/Mobo BIOS Update !!!

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Freaky

Freaky

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I've an A8N-E. My problem is with the BIOS update. I need to use floppies to update the BIOS. Have been frustrated with the number of floppies gone bad since I've bought the MOBO and have had to update the BIOS. My question is, is there any way to update the BIOS using a CD ? I do have AWDFlash using which am unable to update. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Asus have this thing called EZFlash. I have used it and it is damn simple. Sionce yours is an A8N-E, I am pretty sure that your mobo BIOS can also be updated by using EZFlash.

Download the BIOS and store it on your hard disk in a convenient place. Preferably the desktop.

Open Asus EZ Flash and follow the steps. Choose the BIOS file on your desktop and then click flash.

Make sure that you are not running any other programs when you are updating the BIOS.
 
I do it either of 2 ways... bootable CDRW on which I copy the necessary files... or copy files to a bootable external USB drive which has been made bootable with Win98SE.
 
it is advisable to flash ur bios in dos mode.

Although windows based flashers are convinient and most of the times it is successful but the chances of bios corruption, as compared to dos, are much greater.

I personally use my windows 98 based bootable cd.

There is an option in NERO too to create a dos based bootable CD.

here are some more tips.

1) Before flashing , reboot and set the values in bios as "fail safe" or "optimum".
reboot and then flash ur bios.
(meaning no overclocking of cpu or memory while flashing)

2) if you know how to boot to dos and flash from the command prompt go to tip 3 , else read the readme file on ur m/b mfgr's website and / or ask here.

3) now when the pc is rebooting after the flash procedure, shut down the pc, remove the power cord from the mains. change the "cmos clear jumper" to clear cmos position. then remove the battery on the m/b , wait for about 10 ~ 15 minutes, reinsert the battery, change the "clr cmos jumper" back to the original position. and reboot.

4) upon reboot again enter bios setup. again select "optimal settings" save and reboot.

5) now you may enter the bios setup again and tweak / overclock to ur heart's content.

I know the above procedure is very tedious and lengthy but IMHO and expirience this usually gives the most error free bios reflash.

whichever method you choose it is very important that you do steps 1, and 3 to 5 above.
 
Thx. Did the update thro' EZFlash. Can someone tell me how to create a plain DOS boot CD ?

@Eazy, how did u create the bootable CDRW ?

Thx. for all the help.

@deejay, thx. for the detailed xplanation.
 
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Abt the Bootable CD, go to NEro. There, you have a choice of Audio CD, CD-Rom, etc.... One of the options there is a bootable CD. A CD-RW is, I guess, the same bootable Cd but using a CD-RW instead of a CD-R.....

EDIT after reading Freaky's post below --- :sheesh: Sorry then..... best wait for Eazy or someone else to reply.....
 
It's not that simple. U need a boot image for Nero to create the bootable disk. I need that image or need to know where to get tht image.
 
Nikhil said:
Abt the Bootable CD, go to NEro. There, you have a choice of Audio CD, CD-Rom, etc.... One of the options there is a bootable CD. A CD-RW is, I guess, the same bootable Cd but using a CD-RW instead of a CD-R.....

EDIT after reading Freaky's post below --- :sheesh: Sorry then..... best wait for Eazy or someone else to reply.....
Click to expand...

Actually what I did is have a common BOOT CDR made from a Win98SE DOS disk. You can get the Win98SE DOS disk from bootdisk.com from this link.. http://1gighost.net/ohioman/boot98sc.exe ... I burned this boot disk to a CDR using Nero's CDROM(Boot) as the type of disk. I keep this CDR for booting only and I copy the BIOS and the flasher to a CDRW - flash the BIOS and then I erase the CDRW. I have always had 2 optical drives attached to my system so this has been Eazy for me - but I see no problem in swapping CDs if there is only one optical drive on a system. It is easier to have one common Boot CDR than to keep making boot CDRW's everytime the BIOS has to be flashed. :)

I have done this for years but recently I switched to BIOS flashing from an external USB HDD which has Win98SE on it but on boot this USB drive displays a Menu for which I created batch files with options to load Win98SE or stop at DOS prompt or to run a Ghost backup.

PLEASE listen to what DJ says about not having the system overclocked during BIOS flashing - I have heard of a lot of dead boards because people did not follow this instruction.
 
Thx. Eazy :)

EDIT : BTW Eazy, how did u burn it to a CD ? I have this file, in fact have had for over a year. But how to burn to a CD ? It extracts the files only to a floppy disk.
 
Give this link a read: http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/index.php

Its the same creator as the BartPE Boot Disks.

Scroll down to "Clean Bootable CD-Rom (for BIOS upgrade)".

The steps to create are:

1. Download Clean Boot CD package v2.0 (596KB) and unpack it into any directory you like.

2. Add your own files, needed to upgrade your BIOS, to the cds\clean\bootdisk\ folder. You have about 2.5MB available space on the bootimage (the CD uses 2.88MB floppy emulation). Do not add your files to cds\clean\files\ folder!

Optionally you can edit the file cds\clean\bootdisk\autorun.bat and append a line to automatically run your flash program.

3. When you're done customizing, run "build-clean.cmd" to build your ISO image and burn it to your CD writer.
Click to expand...
 
Freaky said:
Thx. Eazy :)

EDIT : BTW Eazy, how did u burn it to a CD ? I have this file, in fact have had for over a year. But how to burn to a CD ? It extracts the files only to a floppy disk.
Click to expand...

Put floppy in drive - check attached image for option to select in Nero and burn the CD.

 
^ Thats a nice/eazy method ! ;)

However only one disadvantage, and that would be the need to first create the boot disk on a floppy and then use it as a source for copying it back onto the CD you will be burning.

One work-around for this shortcoming is to use a tool called WinImage(Shareware):

http://www.winimage.com/download.htm

1. Download, Install, Fire up the program.

2. File -> Open -> boot98sc.exe (The Boot disk you downloaded)

3. File -> Save As -> *file-name*. "Save as type:" should be Image File (*.IMA)

4. Launch Nero -> Bootable CD Option. You will be presented a screen as you can see in Eazy's screenshot above. Now under "Source of Boot Image data", instead of 'Bootable Logical drive', select 'Image File'. Browse to the location of the *.IMA file you just created using WinImage and open.

5. Burn to disk and you're done :)
 
Crazy_Eddy said:
^ Thats a nice/eazy method ! ;)
However only one disadvantage, and that would be the need to first create the boot disk on a floppy and then use it as a source for copying it back onto the CD you will be burning.

One work-around for this shortcoming is to use a tool called WinImage(Shareware):
http://www.winimage.com/download.htm
1. Download, Install, Fire up the program.
2. File -> Open -> boot98sc.exe (The Boot disk you downloaded)
3. File -> Save As -> *file-name*. "Save as type:" should be Image File (*.IMA)
4. Launch Nero -> Bootable CD Option. You will be presented a screen as you can see in Eazy's screenshot above. Now under "Source of Boot Image data", instead of 'Bootable Logical drive', select 'Image File'. Browse to the location of the *.IMA file you just created using WinImage and open.
5. Burn to disk and you're done :)
Click to expand...

Aaaahhh !! You have the advantage of knowledge..... :clap: ... I already have all DOS versions boot disks since I worked in DOS before Windows was around therefore my way of doing this procedure came to mind.
 
I ALWAYS flash thru windows using the ASUS Supdate software...BIOS flash thru DOS is risky :( i'v seen many mobos blow coz of that
 
SunnyBoi said:
I ALWAYS flash thru windows using the ASUS Supdate software...BIOS flash thru DOS is risky :( i'v seen many mobos blow coz of that
Click to expand...

The general consensus is that flashing BIOS via Windows is MUCH more risky than DOS as some buggy software residing in memory can corrupt the BIOS and in various forums I have seen more people report BIOS flash problems when done from Windows.

For years now I have always flashed my BIOS from DOS after a fresh boot and have not run into any problems. I flash every new BIOS for my MoBo.
 
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