Help with updating Bios on a machine running XP Home

[Guest]

I know this has to be simple, but for some reason I can't think of how to do
it, so I need you all's expertise advice. I've got a computer I built, it
has an Abit mobo (AB9 Pro) and it's bios is outdated and needs upgraded
badly, however, Abit says that I must boot into "pure DOS" and I've tried the
things I know and I can only get the screen by pressing F8 while booting but
that doesn't get me "pure DOS". I've tried booting to a floppy and it will
do that, but the floppy is too small to hold the system files and bios update.

I'm sure there is a simple way of doing this but I'm drawing a blank and
have for some time, so I need all of your experts opinion and help. Any
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Ken

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I know this has to be simple, but for some reason I can't think of how to do
it, so I need you all's expertise advice. I've got a computer I built, it
has an Abit mobo (AB9 Pro) and it's bios is outdated and needs upgraded
badly, however, Abit says that I must boot into "pure DOS" and I've tried the
things I know and I can only get the screen by pressing F8 while booting but
that doesn't get me "pure DOS". I've tried booting to a floppy and it will
do that, but the floppy is too small to hold the system files and bios update.

If the manufacturer's files are too big to fir on a flopy diskette,
you'll have to ask them how they expect you to use them.

I'm sure there is a simple way of doing this but I'm drawing a blank and
have for some time, so I need all of your experts opinion and help. Any
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Ken

It's not possible to boot into MS-DOS, if WinXP is the only operating
system installed. You'll have to use an MS-DOS boot diskette.

Insert a blank floppy, and, in My Computer, right-click on the flopy
drive icon and select "Format." One of the options will allow you to
create a bootable floppy diskette for the purposes of flashing the BIOS.

You could also download the necessary files to create bootable
diskettes of various types from www.bootdisk.com.


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Bruce Chambers

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[Dave B.]

Make a separate disk (non bootable) that has the BIOS flash files on it,
boot from the boot disk, then switch disks.

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[Ken Blake, MVP]

I know this has to be simple, but for some reason I can't think of
how to do it, so I need you all's expertise advice. I've got a
computer I built, it has an Abit mobo (AB9 Pro) and it's bios is
outdated and needs upgraded badly,

Why do you say "it needs upgrading badly"? How do you know that?

Certainly don't do it just because it's X years old and there are upgrades
available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes well, it is not without
danger. If something goes wrong while the upgrade is an progress (for
example, a lapse in power) you can be left with no BIOS at all, and an
unbootable computer.

Do a BIOS upgrade if you *need* to--because you are having a problem that
the new version is known to fix--not just because what you have is old or an
upgrade is available.

however, Abit says that I must
boot into "pure DOS" and I've tried the things I know and I can only
get the screen by pressing F8 while booting but that doesn't get me
"pure DOS".

Correct.


I've tried booting to a floppy and it will do that,

That's the way to do it.

but
the floppy is too small to hold the system files and bios update.

Not a problem. After the boot completes, simply change floppies and insert
the one with th BIOS upgrade software.

 

[Poprivet]

REread the instructions. If it won't fit, boot from a DOS CD instead.
Bootdisk.com

 

[Dave B.]

Ummm, the flash utility is 40k, and the update is 4k, both will fit on a
bootable floppy.

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