3. Start the BIOS-Update

After rebooting the PC from a bootable (DOS) USB-Stick, CD or Diskette, you will see the old famous DOS-Prompt (A:\>) on your boot screen. Insert the command dir at the DOS-Prompt to list all files on the drive. The following example shows the flashtool and the BIOS file (the filenames could differ!). The last line shows an example command how to start an (AMI-)BIOS-Update:

DOS-Tips: the DOS-Prompt A:\> indicates that the current drive letter is A:. If you want to change the drive, you have to insert the drive letter e.g. C:. With cd test you can open a sub-folder named test. Use cd.. to change to a higher directory level.

 

Let's go!
Open your eyes, start your brain, power off vacuum cleaners and other troublemakers, and take off:

• Take a look into your mainboard manual under the section BIOS Update.
• Read the info and readme text files, which are most often available in the download section, or inside the compressed archive files which contains the flashtool and BIOS file. Maybe you can find some important infos how to flash your BIOS.
• On Notebooks plug in the Power Supply!
• Insert the command line which starts the flashtool inclusive the parameters (see table below or inside your manual).
• Double check the right spelling (incl. spaces) of your command line.
• Never stop a running BIOS update!
• If the flashtool reports an error, then quit it (with ESC / CTRL-C / CTRL-Break) and restart it again!
• If the flashtool reports an error (like "invalid parameter") then check the right spelling of the command line. It could also be that your flashtool requires some different parameters. In this case start the flashtool without any parameters.
• If you start the flashtool without any parameters, the tool should display some parameters/infos how to start the update, or it shows a menue with input boxes to insert the bios filename etc.
• Some flashtools are showing some more parameters/infos if you start the flashtool with one of these parameters: /? or /H. Example: "afudos /H".

 

Restart & Pray!
After the flashtool has successfully updated your BIOS, it normally should display a short message like "100% OK, please restart the PC", but we still have to do some things before restarting the PC:

• Remove the USB-Stick, CD or Diskette.
• Many mainboard manufacturers are advising to first shut down the PC and then to reset the CMOS (not on notebooks!). So, please take a look into the mainboard manual how to reset the CMOS!
• Reboot the PC and enter the BIOS-Setup while pressing repeatedly the DEL key (see Keystrokes to Enter the BIOS-Setup) straight after you have power on the PC.
• Now you have to load the default settings ("Load Bios Defaults" , "Load Setup Defaults" , "Safe Settings", "Load Optimized Defaults", "Load Default Settings", or similarly). Your PC should work with these basic (optimized) factory settings - otherwise you have to change some special settings (CPU, FSB, Boot sequence, etc.).

 

Everything ok? Congratulation!
Did you get a blank screen and nothing happens? Then read on.

 

Read more...

 1. Preparation - Create a safe environment
 2. Choose Update method - DOS, Windows or BIOS tools?
 3. Start the BIOS-Update - Flash your BIOS chip
 4. BIOS Update failed? - First aid

 

The following table shows how to make a BIOS update or BIOS backup with AMI-, AWARD, or PHOENIX-BIOS. ASUS' Bupdater seems to be a modified AFUDOS from AMI(?), but it has different parameters!

Flashtool	Syntax	Example command
ASUS BUPDATER.EXE (v1.12)
Backup:	bupdater /o[FILENAME]	bupdater /oOLDBIOS.ROM
Update:	bupdater /i[FILENAME] /pc /g	bupdater /iNEWBIOS.ROM /pc /g
Info:	No blanks behind the parameters /i and /o ! /pc seems to be the downgrade parameter ? /g is unknown to me, but is recommended in conjunction with / pc in the ASUS manual
AMI AFUDOS.EXE (v2.41)
Backup:	afudos /o[FILENAME]	afudos /oOLDBIOS.ROM
Update:	afudos /i[FILENAME] /pbnc	afudos /iNEWBIOS.ROM /pbnc
Downgrade:	afudos /i[FILENAME] /nr /pbnc	afudos /iNEWBIOS.ROM /nr /pbnc
Info:	No blanks behind the parameters /i and /o ! /nr = don't check ROM ID (e.g. for downgrade) /p and the following parameter: b = Program Boot Block n = Program NVRAM c = Destroy System CMOS
AWARD AWDFLASH.EXE (v8.22a)
Backup:	awdflash [FILENAME] [/<sw>...]	awdflash OLDBIOS.BIN /pn /sy
Update:	awdflash [FILENAME] [/<sw>...]	awdflash NEWBIOS.BIN /py /sn /cc /cd /cp /R
Info:	/cc = clear CMOS after Programming /cd = clear DMI after Programming /cp = clear PNP(ESCD) after Programming /py = program Flash Memory /pn = don't program Flash Memory /sy = save the old BIOS to: "OLDBIOS.BIN" /sn = don't save the old BIOS /cks = Show Update Binfile Checksum /R = reset System after Programming
PHOENIX PHLASH16.EXE (v1.4 Build 57)
Info:	PHLASH16 has too much parameters to list them here (use command: phlash16 /?). You can also use the command: phlash16 which shows an easy-to-use settings menu.