[Ham-Computers] RE: bios flash question

Wed, 4 Sep 2002 15:08:07 -0700

Some boards will not work properly with a P-III until *after* the BIOS is
updated.  Random "strangeness" can occur if you use a P-III in a board
without support for it and you may have run into this type of situation.  In
many cases, the systemboard won't even POST properly with a P-III until
after the BIOS is updated.

I suggest that you try using a P-II processor during the BIOS upgrade.
Also, make sure that any "BIOS Protection" options in the CMOS settings are
disabled...this would prevent any type of tampering with the BIOS (intended
or not).  One last thing to try is to disable any system or CPU Cache - also
a CMOS setting.

Good luck!

-----Original Message-----
From: refmon [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 2:46 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Ham-Computers] bios flash question

Hi,

My recent Win 98 shutdown fix is holding up rather well, thanks to all that
helped.

I've run into an odd situation during an attempt at bios flash...I'm
wondering if anyone else has seen or dealt with this, or may know where I
should go:

I routinely flash bios on many PC's and am familiar with procedures, general
risks, etc.  Case here involves Peak 6220 single board PC with the 440BX
chipset dated circa 1998...support PII only..it takes a PIII but registers
it as a PII.  I am using filename 6220R20B.bin, a specific bios update
download which updates the bios with PIII support.  Instructions call for
the usual usage of the awardflash utility...so far no problem.

Here's what happens:  invoke awdflash, enter new bios file.bin name, yes to
backup, name backup...a backup file is made.  Yes to "are you sure you want
to program?" gets a checksum and an immediate "files are not the same size"
error and I'm dumped out of the program to the DOS prompt.  In
experimenting, I tried the process using the file I had created as a backup
(this should be exactly what is already in flash), and I get the same
message.

Does anyone have the magic answer?  Is this cockpit error or oddity perhaps
of the specific board?

thanks in advance for any info at all

John Collins
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