Firmware

[Melios]

I have a question: When you update a motherboard's firmware, does that require special preparations, like a disk or whatever? (the M2N-E may or may not need to be flashed after assembly, so I'd like to know how much effort that would take just in case)

[Lord_Vyper]

Usually, you'll want to use a floppy disk, and the firmware updating program that came with your motherboard. There's probably a program that'll format a floppy, install all the required software, and allow you to update the BIOS.
If you can get into Windows, most companies have a windows based equivalent to this that's even easier to use.

Just be aware that if something goes wrong, your motherboard is for all intents and purposes, dead.

[tolliner]

Usually, you'll want to use a floppy disk, and the firmware updating program that came with your motherboard. There's probably a program that'll format a floppy, install all the required software, and allow you to update the BIOS.
If you can get into Windows, most companies have a windows based equivalent to this that's even easier to use.

Just be aware that if something goes wrong, your motherboard is for all intents and purposes, dead.
Not always, most motherboards have a jumper which resets the motherboard state to its original state. You can also pop the battery out of the motherboard for a few minutes to reset the motherboard that way too

[Fozzik]

I don't think Melios is talking about reseting the BIOS... but about updating. Asus has a Windows Utility that will update it, I believe, and they also have an in-BIOS utility that will do it. The instructions are on their website, and it should be pretty easy.

[Lord_Vyper]

Not always, most motherboards have a jumper which resets the motherboard state to its original state. You can also pop the battery out of the motherboard for a few minutes to reset the motherboard that way too
CMOS reset jumpers just clear data saved in one specific area of the BIOS... pretty much all the stuff you can change/select within the BIOS. It doesn't affect the BIOS itself though.
What Melios is talking about is upgrading/replacing the core BIOS program itself with an updated version.

IIRC there was a motherboard line that had dual BIOS chips, and had the ability to read off the backup if something happened to the primary. Perhaps this is what you're thinking of?

[tolliner]

Huh, when I screwed my BIOS i set the jumper and it went back to the original bios version i had when I first got it. It wasnt duel BIOS either... well i gyuess it could have been but it was at least 4-5 years ago

[Nubb]

What Lord_Vyper's saying is resetting BIOS via the jumper (or removing the battery) resets the data (values set in bios automatically and/or manually). The BIOS chip itself isn't magically reset to a "good" state. It very well could be borked.

I haven't done it in a long time, but it's possible to swap out the bios chip. I know PC "recycle" shops tend to have stacks of BIOS chips laying around. Might be possible to even get a new BIOS chip, might check the web. Naturally you want to replace it with what's in it, make sure you get the right chip (model/version). They're typically well marked, so you can probably read all the info off the one that's plugged into your mboard. Pulling them out and putting in a new one isn't a big deal, one just has to be gental on the pins, as the bend easily (can get chip puller/setter tool, highly recommended, at various electronic-geek type vendors).

LV, I seem to recall a board like that, certainly can't recall what it was specifically. Thinking it was years back, maybe around the 486/586 days.

[Lord_Vyper]

I haven't done it in a long time, but it's possible to swap out the bios chip. I know PC "recycle" shops tend to have stacks of BIOS chips laying around. Might be possible to even get a new BIOS chip, might check the web. Naturally you want to replace it with what's in it, make sure you get the right chip (model/version). They're typically well marked, so you can probably read all the info off the one that's plugged into your mboard. Pulling them out and putting in a new one isn't a big deal, one just has to be gental on the pins, as the bend easily (can get chip puller/setter tool, highly recommended, at various electronic-geek type vendors).
Heh, had to replace the BIOS chip on my old Abit NF7-S motherboard, just because I flashed it with a BIOS for the 1.1 version, not the 2.0 that I had. :rolleyes:

LV, I seem to recall a board like that, certainly can't recall what it was specifically. Thinking it was years back, maybe around the 486/586 days.
Gigabyte ftw! Google says that Gigabyte started doing dual BIOS boards in the Pentium II/III days, and kept having a board or 2 pop up every couple years. Last one I heard about was a Socket A board marketed towards overclockers. Mess up your BIOS? No problem, it'll auto-reset!