LinuxQuestions.org - How do you flash your BIOS with a Windows(not DOS) patch?

- General (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/)

- - How do you flash your BIOS with a Windows(not DOS) patch? (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/how-do-you-flash-your-bios-with-a-windows-not-dos-patch-4175441360/)

How do you flash your BIOS with a Windows(not DOS) patch?

I would like to flash my BIOS but my vendor supplies a Window only installer. I do not have Windows on my machine.

I have attempted to use FreeDOS and I receive a not DOS compatible message. The update is an exe and the install instructions that come with the update say to double click the exe.

What vendor is it?

There may be a third-party application to extract the flash image from the EXE, allowing you to use an alternate method of actually flashing the BIOS.

Microsoft provides provides a free live cd as long as you have a copy of Windows. If you don't have a copy I guess you have to beg a friend to make you the live cd. I will try this method and post back in the next while.

It's called Windows PE. It's sounds fairly functional with timeout and server restrictions to prevent pirating.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/in...?topic=87312.0

Unfortunately, using some kind of live Windows environment is your only option in this case.

You can also use something like this: http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

You'd need access to a machine running Windows XP or Server 2003 to use that tool.

If it doesn't work with the live version <ou have also the option just to use the 90-days evaluation version of Windows 8 Enterprise: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/eval.../jj554510.aspx

I went here to look at the ISO and the download.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...s.aspx?id=5753

I have Win's XP Pro in a dual boot with Debian can I be of assistance somehow?

Trying to help-

The Windows AIK is for creating customized and automated Windows installation images. This will not help here (and runs only on Vista and newer anyways).

After installing Windows 7 Automated Installation Kit I followed the following walkthrough:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...(v=ws.10).aspx

There are a few changes that need to be followed:

Start the "Deployment Tools Command Prompt" from the start menu.

Type:

Code:

copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86

Mount the Image:

Code:

imagex /mountrw WinPE.wim 1 c:\winpe_x86\mount\

Add any Flash Files:

Code:

cp c:\acerBIOSflash202.exe c:\winpe_x86\mount

Unmount Image:

Code:

imagex /unmount /commit c:\winpe_x86\mount

This step must be added (it is in the other walkthroughs). It will not boot otherwise.

Code:

xcopy c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim c:\winpe_x86\iso\sources\boot.wim /y

To partition the disk you must leave the "Deployment Tools Command Prompt". If you stay in the "Deployment Tools Command Prompt" it will not create a proper bootable partition. Start a separate command prompt with administrator privileges. Replace disk 6 with your USB.

Code:

diskpart

list disk

select disk 6

clean

create partition primary size=<size of device>

select partition 1

active

format fs=fat32 quick

exit

Copy to your USB. Change "F:\" to the location of your drive.

Code:

xcopy c:\winpe_x86\iso\*.* /s /e /f f:\

Once you boot, you get a command prompt in a Windows environment.

Now you can navigate to the location of flash utility and install.

I hope this tutorial helps anyone else. It took a while to compile various walkthroughs and Q&As.

Note:
1. You cannot add the flash utility directly to the ISO. It has to be mounted into the actual boot.wmi.

2. If the disk fails to boot ensure that the active flag (boot) is set in diskpart.

Moderator Response

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <General> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onebuck (Post 4849967)

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <General> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

This thread was marked solved in Linux General... Is there no optin for Non-*NIX Forums?

I would like to appeal this is very Linux related and should not be moved... I do not have Windows on my computer and I need to flash my BIOS.

Moderator Response

Quote:

Originally Posted by snmcdonald (Post 4849970)

Does not matter that you marked a Microsoft support thread [Solved] in the <Linux-General> forum;

Quote:

Linux - General This Linux forum is for general Linux questions and discussion.
If it is Linux Related and doesn't seem to fit in any other forum then this is the place.

Belongs in: LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Non-*NIX Forums > General

Quote:

General This forum is for non-technical general discussion which can include both Linux and non-Linux topics. Have fun!

If the BIOS flash is only supported for your machine via Microsoft then that will be the way to go. Several members have suggested good methods to make use of temporary use of a MS based facility/utilities. This thread can be found via LQ search engine.

Belongs in: LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Non-*NIX Forums > General

Quote:

General This forum is for non-technical general discussion which can include both Linux and non-Linux topics. Have fun!

With all due respect this is a technical discussion.

Moderator Response

It has been determined this is a 'Microsoft support thread' technical or non-technical this type of thread will be moved to <General>.
From LQ Rules;

Quote:

Your thread may be moved to a more appropriate forum at a moderator's discretion.

Please get back on topic within this thread.

Enough said!

I spent a good portion of the morning upgrading my BIOS so I could enable stable UEFI support for Linux. My vendor only provides a Windows patch. I was hoping to share my solution with the linuxquestions.org community.

Sorry if I am a little disappointed that my solution was relegated to off-topic discussions, like current events.