How to use UBCD to upgrade BIOS

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bigheart · #1 Post by **bigheart** » Mon May 15, 2006 10:41 pm

Hi, since the upgrade bios utility software is for DOS (e.g. awdflash.exe), i don't know which boot option in UBCD can let me run the bios flash update utility.
thanks!
Joseph

Constance · #2 Post by **Constance** » Tue May 16, 2006 4:46 am

Hello there

I'd say "DOS boot disks" then "FreeDOS boot disk" and then, when it shows a message about pressing F8 to confirm everything or F5 to bypass Config.sys and AutoExec.bat, choose F5 (so it doesn't load any more programs which might interfere while flashing the BIOS).

So in UBCD 3.4 that was "F5" then "F3" and then F5 again.
I didn't check in versions 4, you'll just have to read the menu items and choose the right function key, in case it would have changed

But be sure to have your awdflash.exe and BIOS ROM file on the HDD, for you will not be able to gain access to the floppy (A: wille be in use by the virtual floppy from which FreeDOS will have boot).

bigheart · #3 Post by **bigheart** » Tue May 16, 2006 5:31 pm

thanks!
but other then put the flash update software in harddisk, can i put it in to a CD ? since in most of the cases, the harddisk is new and not format yet.

Constance · #4 Post by **Constance** » Tue May 16, 2006 7:41 pm

Hmm well you can add files to the ISO before burning, but then I can't tell you how... except it probably requires using a program called mkisofs (for MaKe ISO File System, I guess... ) and you will probably find a thread about something similar somewhere around

Does your system have no floppy ? Would be much easier :/

bigheart · #5 Post by **bigheart** » Wed May 17, 2006 12:04 am

yes, it is diffcult to have floppy drive and disk nowsaday.
my first idea is to make a bootable USB thumb drive, but don't know how to do it by UBCD....

baronvonfoxbat7734 · #6 Post by **baronvonfoxbat7734** » Wed May 17, 2006 5:17 am

If all you want to do is flash the BIOS and pretty much nothing else, what you can do is grab a proggie called "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool" and use that to format the USB properly. before you format it though, make a bootable dos disk using windows. Pop in your floppy and then right click and select format. Select to create bootable and then you have the files you need. Use the HP utility to create bootable FAT partition and leave your bootable floppy in the drive. It will pull the files to the USB. Then simply modify the autoexec.bat and or config.sys to suite your needs.

I personally have been trying to get the UBCD on USB but non of the tuts work for me as i want to customize the menus but there is no info here or elsewhere that i understand. So I have used the above steps to create my DOS version that I am still tinkering with.

Constance · #7 Post by **Constance** » Wed May 17, 2006 5:22 am

baronvonfoxbat7734 wrote:[...] before you format it though, make a bootable dos disk using windows. Pop in your floppy and then right click and select format.[...]

The problem is, he's got no floppy drive :/

baronvonfoxbat7734 · #8 Post by **baronvonfoxbat7734** » Wed May 17, 2006 12:26 pm

no floppy.... Either skimmed over that part or did not register that fact. Either way, deep doo doo... There is another way to make the flash drive bootable and that is using that utility mentioned in the USB version of the UBCD to manually make the boot partition. Then grap a image of Win98 or ME boot floppy and snag the IO.sys and command.com files form it. Then make a config.sys and autoexec.bat file and go from there. Maybe a few other files...

Is there another PC nearby that the flash format can be done from? Is there a floppy drive in that machine? If floppy is available in second drive, then my original suggestion should work.