Flash BIOS update help

[Capricorn]

I am trying to update the BIOS for my new Elite Motherboard K7S5A. There is an update on the Elite Site dated 6.8.01. It says to download the update, save it to a floppy disc. Shut down with the Floppy in the A drive. Restart after making sure that the BIOS are set to boot from floppy. At this point the Option to Flash the BIOS sould open, however, all I get is an error message telling me that the Floppy is not a bootable disc. Where am I going wrong? This is what I have on the Floppy Disc:- 010724.WROM

[Silverman]

You need to make the floppy bootable, With win98 just format it and install system files. Than copy the 010724.WROM file onto the disk.

[Capricorn]

Thanks for the advice. I made a Start Up Disk, using the Windows Create a Start Up Disc Option. However, when I tried to paste the BIOS Update onto it, I got a message saying that the disc was full.

[Major Kong]

Not a problem. Just put the flash utility and bios on a seperate floppy. After Windows has booted up and gives you the A: prompt replace put the new floppy in and execute the utility command, then give the the bios bin command.

[Capricorn]

Sorry to be so thick. Utility Command? BIOS bin Command? I did Flash the BIOS on my other Computer which has a Phoenix Board. It was no trouble at all, I just left the floppy, with the update, in the drive, booted up, and was asked it I wanted to Flash the BIOS. Simple.

[Zerotech]

This will be fairly simple.
Put the floppy you are going to use into the floppy drive.
Double-click on the 'My Computer' icon.
Right-click on the floppy drive icon and choose 'Format'.
Check in the 'copy system files' box under 'other options' and click 'OK', make sure that no bad sectors are listed when it's done.
Copy the 010724.wrom file to the floppy.
Boot the system with the floppy in the drive.

You should be all set.

[Zerotech]

WHOA folks !! Hold everything!!

According to this page: http://www.ecsusa.com/ecsusa/www.ecs.com.tw/download/bios.htm you have to download the bios file AND the flash utility (located here: http://www.ecsusa.com/ecsusa/www.ecs.com.tw/download/flash.htm , Capricorn needs aminf326.exe).

Here's the page with BIOS update instructions (when they say 'system diskette' they mean bootable floppy): http://www.ecsusa.com/ecsusa/www.ecs.com.tw/download/biosnote.htm
They also give instructions on how to run the flash update utility.

A lesson to us all to read the instructions completely before attempting something critical.
(naughty naughty, Capricorn! )

[Capricorn]

Thanks Zerotech. I have smacked my hand. I must just be a silly old 'goat'. It all seemed so simple on the Web Site. I found my Motherboard Version, clicked on update BIOS, that showed me the download file, which I downloaded. I assumed that the Flash Utility would have been with it. The instructions said to leave the Floppy in the Drive and reboot. The problem came when I got the message not a bootable disc. Thanks for putting me right.

[Capricorn]

Well, I must be thick or stupid (please don't answer that as it will hurt my feelings) To recap:- I downloaded Aminf326, saved it to a floppy disc. Left it in the drive and rebooted. It wouldn't open, so I changed to an A drive prompt, and typed Aminf326, which then opened, but gave me no options. What am I doing wrong now?

[Silverman]

Make sure the 010724.WROM is on the same floppy. You may have to type in as such after the Aprompt A:\AMINF326 010724.WROM this will tell the flash utility what rom file to use.

[Capricorn]

Thanks again, I'll try again tomorrow, I've run out of time now. I thought that there might be a command in the BIOS settings stopping me from carrying out a Flash, but I can't see anything. the only reference to the BIOS is an entry saying System BIOS cacheable - enabled.

[Ruslan]

[quote]Originally posted by Capricorn:
... Where am I going wrong? This is what I have on the Floppy Disc:- 010724.WROM

---

Hmm... Just a thought...
BIOS image file has weird extention *.WROM (4 symbols instead of usual 3) Why? ... Couldn't be,what that caused Your problem?

[Silverman]

I redownloaded the bios today (8/20/01) and all is o.k. The .rom and .wrom is to distinguish with LAN and without LAN versions of the board, Last night when I DL'ed the file it looked like an audio codec of some sort. Perhaps the manufacturer fixed something?

[Capricorn]

Thanks Silverman. This is what started me off, it's a comment on Chips on line after they did a test on the K7S5A

The K7S5A's performance, after installing BIOS version (2), showed an increase in performance across the board. Although the highlights are certainly the Sysmark 2000 and Bench32 values (the latter one being our own internal memory benchmark), the board was able to target the highest results in all areas, and force its way right up into first place.'

Having read that they went on to say that the update was dated 6.8.01. That lead on to my troubles. I have since spoken to Elite Tech Help, although they didn't appear to know that there was a BIOS update. I told them what I had downloaded and they said to leave off the W. I have lost confidence and haven't tried since!!

[Capricorn]

Thanks Silverman. This is what started me off, it's a comment on Chips on line after they did a test on the K7S5A

The K7S5A's performance, after installing BIOS version (2), showed an increase in performance across the board. Although the highlights are certainly the Sysmark 2000 and Bench32 values (the latter one being our own internal memory benchmark), the board was able to target the highest results in all areas, and force its way right up into first place.'

Having read that they went on to say that the update was dated 6.8.01. That lead on to my troubles. I have since spoken to Elite Tech Help, although they didn't appear to know that there was a BIOS update. I told them what I had downloaded and they said to leave off the W. I have lost confidence and haven't tried since!!