Award Software International®

Flash Upgrade Utility User's Guide

EliteBIOS™ Version 4.51PG

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In the examples given here, we use the file name newbios.bin to represent the new BIOS and the file name oldbios.bin to represent the old BIOS. Note that these file names are only examples to help you understand the updating process.

Awdflash.exe commands are not case-sensitive. Upper- or lowercasing of command letters in this manual is for clarity only.

Preparation

The upgrade process requires two files from Award:

Although you may conceivably use a different media for the files, this manual assumes that you are using a floppy disk.

  1. Create a bootable floppy disk.
  2. Transfer the two Award files listed above onto the diskette.
  3. Check whether your system protects the BIOS EPROM chip by a jumper setting. If necessary, change the jumper setting to allow a flash to the EPROM.

Now you are ready to start the upgrade process.

WARNING! DO NOT interrupt the upgrade program while it runs! Interrupting the program leaves the system without a BIOS and unusable. If by some unlikely chance the power goes off during the few seconds the program requires to run, the system is left without a working BIOS and needs a correctly programmed flash EPROM installed.

If you are running the BIOS in an Intel 28F001BX-T flash memory chip, the 8K boot block area may retain its original code during the update process, depending on hardware settings (e.g., boot-block jumper setting).

Running the Program

  1. Boot the system from the bootable floppy diskette you created. Booting from the diskette bypasses loading drivers from the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files on the hard drive, eliminating the possibility of loading a program (e.g., a memory manager) that conflicts with the Award flash utility.

NOTE: The Award flash utility cannot run when EMM386 or QEMM are loaded. If you try, an error message appears.

  1. At the DOS command line, type awdflash and press Enter.
    A screen similar to this appears:
  1. The cursor should be opposite File Name to Program
  2. Type the name of the new BIOS file (e.g., newbios.bin), and press Enter.
  3. At the bottom of the menu, this prompt appears:
  4. If you DO NOT wish to save the old BIOS, type N and press Enter. Then move to step 8.

    If you DO wish to save the old BIOS, respond Y, and press Enter.
  5. In the File Name to Save field, type a file name for the old BIOS (for example, oldbios.bin), and press Enter.

    Your old BIOS is saved in a file as named, in the default drive and directory (in this example, on the A drive).
  6. Then the program prompts you
  7. If you DO NOT wish to update the BIOS, type N and press Enter. The program exits to the command line. Skip the remainder of this section and go directly to the next section.

    If you DO wish to update the BIOS, respond Y and press Enter. When the updating is finished, the following message appears:
  8. Restart your system. Your BIOS should be successfully updated.

Command Line Parameters

You can run the BIOS flash update utility at the DOS command line. This section describes the command line parameters and switches, with examples of their usage.

NOTE: This document describes parameters implemented in Award flash update utility version 5.31. For a full list of parameters in the version you are running, type awdflash /? and press Enter.

Save/Update

/P
Program (update) BIOS; switch y or n.
/S
Save old BIOS; switch y or n.

Example 1

To program a new BIOS and save the old BIOS, enter the following at the command line:

The program saves the old BIOS to the file as named and updates it with the new BIOS.

Example 2

To program a new BIOS without saving the old BIOS, enter the following at the command line:

After executing this command, the program prompts you:

Type Y in response.

Example 3

To save the old BIOS to a file without updating it, enter the following at the command line:

After executing this command, the program prompts you:

Type Y in response.

Clear Data

The Award flash utility version 5.31 and above has three additional command line parameters:

/CC
Clear CMOS.
/CP
Clear PnP data (ESCD)
/CD
Clear DMI data

Proprietary Notice and Disclaimer

Unless otherwise noted, this document and the information herein disclosed are proprietary to Award Software International Inc. (Award). Any person or entity to whom this document is furnished or who otherwise has possession thereof, by acceptance agrees that it will not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part, nor used in any manner except to meet the purposes for which it was delivered.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice, and should not be considered as a commitment by Award. Although Award will make every effort to inform users of substantive errors, Award disclaims all liability for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this document or any hardware or software described herein, including without limitation contingent, special, or incidental liability.

EliteBIOS is a trademark of Award Software International Inc.
Award Software International and the Award logo are registered trademarks of Award Software International Inc.
All other products and brand names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Copyright © 1997, Award Software International Inc. All rights reserved.

Document date 8 October 96.