I need to find a way to flash my bios given that the utility supplied is a windows utility and I believe needs to be run under windows (winflash.exe.)

This box does not have a floppy drive only a CDROM and usb ports so I would need to devise a way around that.

The OS is Intrepid 8.10 64bit...

Any help would be appreciated.

Hi, most today's BIOSes have a flash utility included in them; I for example only have to copy the new BIOS to a FAT formatted drive, go into my BIOS configuration and fire up the flash utility (in my case EZFlash). The I just select the image, and the bios is flashed. My MB also comes with a rescue CD, and the flash utility is on it, so I can just boot the CD, locate the image to flash, and run the utility.

Of course, as you cold find anywhere on the net, don't upgrade the BIOS just because its newer, but only if something doesn't work.

Unfortunately my MB doesn't offer this solution also no Linux solution, so I'm kind of back to square one... how to flash the BIOS from Linux???

Thanks,

Hi, and you have absolutely no other program (like awdflash.exe or anything that runs in DOS?). Whats your motherboard/BIOS? All I found are the openbios, freebios and uniflash projects, none of which I have found to be tested doing what you want. Your best bet is to find an app that works in DOS that updates yor bios, because in this aspect, linux doesn't offer many solutions.

phoenix-award... and I see in the user manual it does say something about awardflash.exe but not in the download utility.

Is awardflash.exe a DOS based program? where could I locate it?

I think if I can find that I might be able to make a bootable CD..

Thanks,

yep, that might very well be the one... Try looking at your motherboard manufacturer's site if you can't locate awardflash on there. Another option is to look for it on a CD that came with the motherboard, I must stress that getting awardflash from a third party might not be safe for your BIOS. From what I've found awardflash a DOS program, so all you need to do is make a bootable DOS CDROM/USB drive. I think this might help you creating a CD.

Use the System rescue CD (-->freedos) or a Freedos CD to do it...put all of the bios + bios utility in another CD /floppy

That is it

If no dos utilities are provided try unrar (or ark) on that winflash.exe (that is how I got the bios file for a Gigabyte board)

MB specs? Company?

Could you expand a little on your suggestion?

The board is a Zotac 8300..

'FreeDOS' is the only free way to do it that I know of. If you can create the FreedosCD as suggested, you can boot that and then format/install on a USB stick. Otherwise it's great fun trying to install FreeDOS manually. :} Basically you boot into FreeDOS (rather than MS DOS) and run your flash utility from there.

If you struggle with installing FreeDOS I probably still have a few notes I can dig up on the subject.

Perhaps this tutorial on BIOS flashing in linux using Free DOS will help:
http://www.linuxinsight.com/how-to-f...ppy-drive.html
and for Free DOS:
http://www.freedos.org/

What is the manufacturer and model number of the motherboard you are trying to flash?

All this is based upon awardflash correct?

Since I don't see awardflash on Zotac's website how do I know I'm using the correct utility or are they all the same?

Try using the tutorial I linked to in my last post. What you do is:

download the free dos floppy boot disc:
http://www.fdos.org/bootdisks/autogen/FDOEM.144.gz
unzip it and mount it per the instructions.
copy the awardflash utility and the bios file to the mounted image.
burn this image to a CD.
boot with the CD and flash your bios.

I flashed the bios of my Asus motherboard this way. I used a floppy disc, but you can do the same thing with a CD.

Advice

Make sure that you have the right BIOS flash utility for the BIOS and the mother board and try to get accurate flashing instructions from the board manufacturer. Not all flashing procedures are similar. Some mother board firms, such as Gigabyte, have downloads of the BIOS as a Windows .exe file that must be executed to produce a .bat file, a flash utility, and the BIOS.

Check and double check the mother board model and revision with the board manufacturer, or search the net very thoroughly for the board specifications and BIOS information.

Flash a BIOS badly and you are in deep trouble. There is usually no second chance.

Is it this manual?

http://downloads.zotac.com/mediadriv..._pad4_8300.pdf

There are instructions on page 28.

I seem to remember that mother boards that expect to install a BIOS from a floppy will accept installation from a CD if it is set up in some way as a fake floppy, with the files of a floppy and limited to floppy size. Others may know better what needs to be done. There are downloads of boot floppies for BIOS installation and information on their use at www.bootdisk.com. Good Luck