Help with BIOS Flashing please

Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

Expected that would do the trick...but what I got was the following
display...which I don't really understand what it means nor what to do now
:-)

----------------

AWDFLASH V8 .23K (03/21) (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 2003 All Rights
Reserved

Usage: AWDFLASH [FileName1] [FileName2] [/sw[/sw....]]

FileName1 : New Bios Name For Flash Programming

FileName2 :BIOS File For Backing-up the Original BIOS

Switches ?: Show Help Messages

py : Program Flash Memory pn: No Flash Programming

sy : Backup Original BIOS To Disc File sn: No Original BIOS Backup

Sb : Skip BootBlock programming Wb: Always Programming BooBlock

cd : Clear DMI Data After Programming cc: Clear CMOS Data After Programming

cp : Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming

LD : Destroy CMOS Checksum And No System Halt For First Reboot After
Programming Tiny:Occupy Lesser Memory

Q1 : Qualify flash part number with source file

E :Return to DOS After Programming R: RESET System After Programming

F :Use Flash Routines In Original BIOS For Flash Programming

cks : Show update Binfile Checksum cksXXXX: Compare Binfile Checksum with
XXXX

NVMAC : XXXXXXXXXXXX NVGUID : XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Support nForce Input MAC,GUID Function , with "/wb" to update MAC and GUID

Example: AWDFLASH 6A69R000.bin /py/sn/nvmac :xxxxxxxxxxxx/wb

A:\

-------------------

So, as I say, I'd be pleased for any guidance.

Thanks, J

first question, WHY? are you flashing the bios?
Do not do this as if it is a driver thing, if there is no reason to do it,
Don't


"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

Expected that would do the trick...but what I got was the following
display...which I don't really understand what it means nor what to do now
:-)

----------------

AWDFLASH V8 .23K (03/21) (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 2003 All Rights
Reserved

Usage: AWDFLASH [FileName1] [FileName2] [/sw[/sw....]]

FileName1 : New Bios Name For Flash Programming

FileName2 :BIOS File For Backing-up the Original BIOS

Switches ?: Show Help Messages

py : Program Flash Memory pn: No Flash Programming

sy : Backup Original BIOS To Disc File sn: No Original BIOS Backup

Sb : Skip BootBlock programming Wb: Always Programming BooBlock

cd : Clear DMI Data After Programming cc: Clear CMOS Data After
Programming

cp : Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming

LD : Destroy CMOS Checksum And No System Halt For First Reboot After
Programming Tiny:Occupy Lesser Memory

Q1 : Qualify flash part number with source file

E :Return to DOS After Programming R: RESET System After Programming

F :Use Flash Routines In Original BIOS For Flash Programming

cks : Show update Binfile Checksum cksXXXX: Compare Binfile Checksum with
XXXX

NVMAC : XXXXXXXXXXXX NVGUID : XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Support nForce Input MAC,GUID Function , with "/wb" to update MAC and GUID

Example: AWDFLASH 6A69R000.bin /py/sn/nvmac :xxxxxxxxxxxx/wb

A:\

-------------------

So, as I say, I'd be pleased for any guidance.

Thanks, J

"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

OK, that should read:

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN

The error message is because it doesn't like some of the qualifiers you have
listed after, such as /cc /cd

If you are just trying to upgrade to the latest BIOS version, you don't need
any of the crap after the filename ending in .BIN.

-Dave

Because I've had some funnies with cpu speed - thought it might be the old
BIOS...its Jan 03.

"JAD" wrote in message
...
first question, WHY? are you flashing the bios?
Do not do this as if it is a driver thing, if there is no reason to do it,
Don't


"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

Expected that would do the trick...but what I got was the following
display...which I don't really understand what it means nor what to do
now
:-)

----------------

AWDFLASH V8 .23K (03/21) (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 2003 All Rights
Reserved

Usage: AWDFLASH [FileName1] [FileName2] [/sw[/sw....]]

FileName1 : New Bios Name For Flash Programming

FileName2 :BIOS File For Backing-up the Original BIOS

Switches ?: Show Help Messages

py : Program Flash Memory pn: No Flash Programming

sy : Backup Original BIOS To Disc File sn: No Original BIOS Backup

Sb : Skip BootBlock programming Wb: Always Programming BooBlock

cd : Clear DMI Data After Programming cc: Clear CMOS Data After
Programming

cp : Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming

LD : Destroy CMOS Checksum And No System Halt For First Reboot After
Programming Tiny:Occupy Lesser Memory

Q1 : Qualify flash part number with source file

E :Return to DOS After Programming R: RESET System After Programming

F :Use Flash Routines In Original BIOS For Flash Programming

cks : Show update Binfile Checksum cksXXXX: Compare Binfile Checksum with
XXXX

NVMAC : XXXXXXXXXXXX NVGUID : XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Support nForce Input MAC,GUID Function , with "/wb" to update MAC and
GUID

Example: AWDFLASH 6A69R000.bin /py/sn/nvmac :xxxxxxxxxxxx/wb

A:\

-------------------

So, as I say, I'd be pleased for any guidance.

Thanks, J

"Mike T." wrote in message
reenews.net...

"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

OK, that should read:

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN

The error message is because it doesn't like some of the qualifiers you
have listed after, such as /cc /cd

If you are just trying to upgrade to the latest BIOS version, you don't
need any of the crap after the filename ending in .BIN.

-Dave
--------------
Not wishing to dispute your knowledge Dave..but are you sure?...
in the original Abit NF7/NF7-M/NF7-S motherboard users manual (page F-2)
it says:-
We strongly recommend you use the above parameters following "awdflash" to
flash your BIOS.
DO NOT just type "awdflash se6_sw.bin" without the parameters following the
".bin" file.

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN

The error message is because it doesn't like some of the qualifiers you
have listed after, such as /cc /cd

If you are just trying to upgrade to the latest BIOS version, you don't
need any of the crap after the filename ending in .BIN.

-Dave
--------------
Not wishing to dispute your knowledge Dave..but are you sure?...
in the original Abit NF7/NF7-M/NF7-S motherboard users manual (page F-2)
it says:-
We strongly recommend you use the above parameters following "awdflash" to
flash your BIOS.
DO NOT just type "awdflash se6_sw.bin" without the parameters following
the ".bin" file.

Well, I'm going by the error message. The error message directly
contradicts what you have said is written in the manual. If you have to
follow the procedure from the manual verbatim, you already know that it
won't work. It's possible that the procedure written in the manual contains
some parameters that are no longer recognized/supported by the flashing
program. (thus the error message)

Now, the qualifiers are probably telling the flashing program to flash in
some kind of "safer" method. So I wouldn't blame Abit for posting the
warning in the manual. They are trying to cover their ass. But the bottom
line is, there is no 100% safe way to flash a BIOS. If you could get the
flash to work with all the parameters listed in the Abit manual, you'd STILL
run a risk of damaging or destroying your mainboard, simply by flashing the
BIOS.

So before you try to flash the BIOS, REGARDLESS of how you flash the BIOS,
you've got to be willing to accept the risk of mainboard damage resulting
from the procedure.

From what I've read in this thread, a BIOS flash is needed. As long as you
are SURE that the .BIN file you downloaded is the correct one for your
mainboard (don't forget version!, as there can be more than one version of a
specific model mainboard), then I'd advise you to do the flash without all
of the parameters, as that appears to be the only way that it is going to
get done. -Dave

"John Brown" wrote:


..but are you sure?...
in the original Abit NF7/NF7-M/NF7-S motherboard users manual
(page F-2) it says:-
We strongly recommend you use the above parameters following
"awdflash" to flash your BIOS.
DO NOT just type "awdflash se6_sw.bin" without the parameters
following the ".bin" file.

Considering the fact that flashing the bios is a risky procedure
(they all tell you that) and that I have gone without including any
commandline arguments for years, nowadays I should suspect those
recommendations or the entity where those recommendations come from.

"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Because I've had some funnies with cpu speed - thought it might be the old
BIOS...its Jan 03.


OK wrong CPU speed or Identification is a good reason.
The error messages suggests either the parameters are unneeded or are not
being typed correctly. In the manual 'punctuation' can get in the way of
syntax. Type the executable string the way the error messages suggested and
not the way the manual does.


"JAD" wrote in message
...
first question, WHY? are you flashing the bios?
Do not do this as if it is a driver thing, if there is no reason to do
it,
Don't


"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure
why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file
NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

Expected that would do the trick...but what I got was the following
display...which I don't really understand what it means nor what to do
now
:-)

----------------

AWDFLASH V8 .23K (03/21) (C) Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 2003 All Rights
Reserved

Usage: AWDFLASH [FileName1] [FileName2] [/sw[/sw....]]

FileName1 : New Bios Name For Flash Programming

FileName2 :BIOS File For Backing-up the Original BIOS

Switches ?: Show Help Messages

py : Program Flash Memory pn: No Flash Programming

sy : Backup Original BIOS To Disc File sn: No Original BIOS Backup

Sb : Skip BootBlock programming Wb: Always Programming BooBlock

cd : Clear DMI Data After Programming cc: Clear CMOS Data After
Programming

cp : Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming

LD : Destroy CMOS Checksum And No System Halt For First Reboot After
Programming Tiny:Occupy Lesser Memory

Q1 : Qualify flash part number with source file

E :Return to DOS After Programming R: RESET System After Programming

F :Use Flash Routines In Original BIOS For Flash Programming

cks : Show update Binfile Checksum cksXXXX: Compare Binfile Checksum
with
XXXX

NVMAC : XXXXXXXXXXXX NVGUID : XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Support nForce Input MAC,GUID Function , with "/wb" to update MAC and
GUID

Example: AWDFLASH 6A69R000.bin /py/sn/nvmac :xxxxxxxxxxxx/wb

A:\

-------------------

So, as I say, I'd be pleased for any guidance.

Thanks, J

On Tue, 16 May 2006 16:58:55 +0100, John Brown wrote:

"Mike T." wrote in message
reenews.net...

"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

OK, that should read:

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN

The error message is because it doesn't like some of the qualifiers you
have listed after, such as /cc /cd

If you are just trying to upgrade to the latest BIOS version, you don't
need any of the crap after the filename ending in .BIN.

-Dave
--------------
Not wishing to dispute your knowledge Dave..but are you sure?...
in the original Abit NF7/NF7-M/NF7-S motherboard users manual (page F-2)
it says:-
We strongly recommend you use the above parameters following "awdflash" to
flash your BIOS.
DO NOT just type "awdflash se6_sw.bin" without the parameters following the
".bin" file.

The extra parameters are not neded. They refer to unzipping a zip file and
running a .bat file. That is not what you are doing, and it is not what
you want to do. The two files without the parameters will do the job.
Just remember to jumper the two pins near the CMOS battery after flashing.

I agree,you don't need all those switches.Mike is correct.Every BIOS I've
ever done was the way Mike T. wrote out.
"John Brown"

wrote in message
...

"Mike T." wrote in message
reenews.net...

"John Brown" wrote in message
...
Yes, first time flasher..keen not to make error ...been studying Users
Manual, Abit web pages etc...

thought I'd done all necessary but flashing not carried out. Not sure
why
not.

Would be glad of any advice...here's the story:-

Its an ABIT NF7-S v2.0 Motherboard and am trying to flash the BIOS.

Managed to make a bootable floppy onto which included the two files as
required -

the BIOS Flash Utility AWDFLASH.EXE and the BIOS binary file
NF7D_27.BIN

Started from the A drive and inserted as recommended as per:-

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN /cc /cd /cp /py /sn /cks /r_

OK, that should read:

A:\AWDFLASH NF7D_27.BIN

The error message is because it doesn't like some of the qualifiers you
have listed after, such as /cc /cd

If you are just trying to upgrade to the latest BIOS version, you don't
need any of the crap after the filename ending in .BIN.

-Dave
--------------
Not wishing to dispute your knowledge Dave..but are you sure?...
in the original Abit NF7/NF7-M/NF7-S motherboard users manual (page F-2)
it says:-
We strongly recommend you use the above parameters following "awdflash" to
flash your BIOS.
DO NOT just type "awdflash se6_sw.bin" without the parameters following
the
".bin" file.