 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsPC HardwareCPUMotherboardsVideo CardsStorageNetworkingPeripheralsBrand Name Systems Related Topics Video GamesWindowsMS Server ProductsMS OfficeMore Topics ... |
Hardware Forum / Motherboards / ASUS / October 2006BIOS Upgrade in Vista
Hi, I'm wanting to upgrade my CPU but in order to do so I need to upgrade the BIOS. The ASUS website says I need to install the latest chipset drivers before I upgrade the BIOS. I'm running Windows Vista and the latest drivers are for Win 2K/XP. Anybody know if they work on Vista? Would it be safe to upgrade my BIOS or shall I leave it until proper Vista drivers are released (whenever that may be!) I've got an A8N-SLI Deluxe with a BIOS version 1006 and want to upgrade to an Athlon 64 X2. Mark they should work, I mean Vista has been out for years and with all it's support................. > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Mark Ignore the advice on upgrading chipset drivers. In your case, it's not applicable and you have the latest drivers (as part of Vista). > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Mark If you need to upgrade your BIOS do it the old fashioned way with a floppy and the update image with executable. Do not update your BIOS via the OS, thats a security nightmare waiting to happen. Turning off this option in BIOS is a good idea as well. Dan > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Mark I did it using a floppy...no problems (as yet!) Thanks. Mark > If you need to upgrade your BIOS do it the old fashioned way with a floppy > and the update image with executable. Do not update your BIOS via the OS, [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >> >> Mark >I did it using a floppy...no problems (as yet!) Has anyone figured out a way to use a USB flashdrive as a substitute for a floppy drive? AH >> I did it using a floppy...no problems (as yet!) > > Has anyone figured out a way to use a USB flashdrive as a substitute > for a floppy drive? There is nothing to figure out. A thumb drive would have to be supported by the BIOS as a boot device and the BIOS update tool would also have to be configured to work with a thumb drive instead of a floppy. The reason a floppy drive is the best way to flash a BIOS is it requires only minimal support from the machine and can boot a very basic OS. The more basic the procedure the less that can go wrong during a BIOS flash. Dan You don't "figure a way to do it" ... the bios either supports it or it doesn't. "Support" can come in either of two forms: Being able to boot from a USB flash drive, or being able to use one as the DATA source for a bios flash routine built into the BIOS (where no OS is booted to do a flash upgrade, but a disk device is merely read for the update file). Some bios' have such support, some don't. >>I did it using a floppy...no problems (as yet!) > > Has anyone figured out a way to use a USB flashdrive as a substitute > for a floppy drive? > > AH Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with dos and floppy, and much easier. I've done it so many times now I can't remember.... ChrisC > You don't "figure a way to do it" ... the bios either supports it or it > doesn't. "Support" can come in either of two forms: Being able to boot [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> Has anyone figured out a way to use a USB flashdrive as a substitute >> for a floppy drive? AH > Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with > dos and floppy, and much easier. I've done it so many times now I > can't remember.... ChrisC Safe how? How about someone writes a nifty little virus tha changes or ruins your BIOS chip. What happens if Windows BSOD's or you get a write error during an update? I am sorry but updating your BIOS via Windows is not a good idea. Always use a floppy and turn off the BIOS flash from windows option in your BIOS. Dan Rubbish, never have known that to happen. Talk sense I can't remember the last time I actually had a bsod in XP other than it being self-inflicted. You are also just at risk of having a infected floppy if your PC has got a virus. Rule is don't run any other software whilst flashing, it is as safe as houses and is quicker as you aren't using those slow access times that a floppy disc takes thus reducing the risk also. You can stick with using dos but there will come a time when it and floppy discs will all be redundant anyway. Embrace the change now.... ChrisC >> Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with >> dos and floppy, and much easier. I've done it so many times now I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dan > Rubbish, never have known that to happen. Talk sense I can't remember > the last time I actually had a bsod in XP other than it being [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > time when it and floppy discs will all be redundant anyway. Embrace > the change now.... ChrisC First, with a BIOS flash the system grabs the entire flash file from the floppy and puts it into temporary memory, once this is done, and the checksums are verified, it then will write to the BIOS chip. The only thing that could upset this process is a power failure or a hardware failure at the time of the flash. OTOH with Windows running and number of things could happen. BSOD's are not as frequent as they were with the 9x OS's, but they still do occur. So you say you shouldnt be running any software, well the OS is software, as are all the background processes. Not to mention Malware that the user may not know is running in the background. Any number of things could happen during a flash, but running Windows and doing the flash just ads more avenues for something to go wrong. Hell in this NG alone we have a thread about a BSOD during a flash, and as a result a dead MB. Feel free to do as you wish, but I will not flash my computers nor will I flash a customers computer while in Windows or any other OS. It's not a good practice. Its also not a safe thing to have this option on in your BIOS. Just because it hasnt happened yet, does not mean it wont happen soon...... Dan Re: "I will not flash my computers nor will I flash a customers computer while in Windows or any other OS" MS-DOS is an OS. At least technically. Yes, but a very minimal OS and if booted properly only a few small items are running. Especially if you boot bypassing the system files and extended memory management. The less you have running, the less of a chance there will be a problem. Dan > Re: "I will not flash my computers nor will I flash a customers > computer while in Windows or any other OS" > > MS-DOS is an OS. At least technically. Yes, but a very minimal OS and if booted properly only a few small items are running. Especially if you boot bypassing the system files and extended memory management. The less you have running, the less of a chance there will be a problem. Dan > Re: "I will not flash my computers nor will I flash a customers > computer while in Windows or any other OS" > > MS-DOS is an OS. At least technically. || Chris C wrote: ||| Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] || || Dan I've downloaded several corrupt .rom files from the Asus site in '04-'05. I download the same files three times, then compare their MD5 or SHA-1 values. If all three match, the file is OK. The rom files have a checksum in them, and the flash program checks it and should not burn an invalid file. > || Chris C wrote: > ||| Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > download the same files three times, then compare their MD5 or SHA-1 values. > If all three match, the file is OK. Ok, that's your choice if you want to use outdated and slow methods when you don't need too, but I'll give you an example of why I won't. Bios upgrade are now coming out in excess of 1mb, in fact the first update I performed with my recently purchased P5W DH Deluxe was 1.04mb. I elected to flash the bios to version 1407 before I installed a OS, XPSP2, using the built in tool within the bios. This process took over 15 mins with the updating tool having to verify the bios twice - I consider that a risk and wholly unacceptable. After I had installed the OS another bios had been release so I flashed using the Asus update tool after I'd downloaded the bios to my hardrive. This took less that a min, thus exposing the process of flashing the bios to much less of a time, making it less venerable. I will always use flashing within the OS on my PC, my partners PC and any other I work on if that process is available. I won't change it just because some 'purist' tells me it is wrong. Perhaps we should just beg to differ, you go your way and I'll go mine, but if anyone states that their method is less of a risk I will be quick to argue the point otherwise.... ChrisC > The rom files have a checksum in them, and the flash program checks it and > should not burn an invalid file. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> values. >> If all three match, the file is OK. When frequently updating BIOS (beta's and all), it is worth purchasing a BIOS savior. There is a switch to choose between bios. > Ok, that's your choice if you want to use outdated and slow methods when > you don't need too, but I'll give you an example of why I won't. [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >>> or SHA-1 values. >>> If all three match, the file is OK. > Ok, that's your choice if you want to use outdated and slow methods > when you don't need too, but I'll give you an example of why I won't. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > be quick to argue the point otherwise.... > ChrisC You take the risk, I wont. It comes down to money, If I screw up a flash on a work machine, then that machine no longer works till I can get a replacement chip. If I do the same to a customers computer then I have to explain to the customer why their machine is nto working and why they will have to wait for a part to come in. If I am building a machine and a flash goes wrong then that MB has to sit on the shelf waiting for a part to come in. Not to mention the extra cost of time and shipping getting the replacement here. If it takes me 15 min to do a flash, that fine and dandy, while I am waiting for that flash to get done I can be working on someone elses machine. Being a purist has nothing to do with it, using minimalized DOS to do a flash is just safer. When there is a better way that is just as safe, I will be glad to use it. As it is right now the only time I ever use floppies is working with BIOS flashes or working on legacy machines. Dan I question the assertion that it's as safe as using DOS and a floppy. More convenient, no doubt, but very unlikely as safe. > Hi, use the Asus Update software as it is as safe as updating with dos and > floppy, and much easier. I've done it so many times now I can't remember.... [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >>>Has anyone figured out a way to use a USB flashdrive as a substitute >>>for a floppy drive? AH >I question the assertion that it's as safe as using DOS and a floppy. >More convenient, no doubt, but very unlikely as safe. Or use a CD... most newer Asus-boards support BIOS-updating with having the update-file on a CD. Great if you don't have a floppydrive. From what I understood, upcoming boards will support having the BIOS-update on a USB-memorystick .  SignatureClas Mehus - "Den som har flest prylar när han dör vinner..." |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2010 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.