Need Help for FAQ 23, changing Intel OEM bios

BIOS Questions that don't belong in the other forums. Read them!
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cyberbum
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has anyone attempted the trick in faq 23.
"How to flash an Intel AMI BIOS on an Intel OEM board ? (e.g. when you have BIOS 1.00.xx.CB0H and want to update to a 1.00.xx.CB0 BIOS)."

I'm trying to do that on a pd440fx gateway board #4000273, gateway
dont have a bios update, and Intel's site says with BIOS version
1.00.09.DT0 it'll support the PII 333mhz. orig. bios is 1.00.01.DTOT.
using intels IFLASH utility packed with bios 1.00.09.DT0

I tried just flashing the bios with no luck.
got "(L05)unable to prepare for flash erasure."
"(H05)initialization for flash programing failed."

Since then, I found faq 23, and attempted to change the .bio and .bi1
file like the faq said, (replace the "DT0 " including the space, with
"DT0T", I did that in only those 2 files. attempted the flash but got
"(H20)flash data image size does not match size specified in header"
"(H01)The flash data image read from the disk was found to be not valid."

the .bio file size is fine, but the .bi1 file changes size.
the problem I think is that when I replace DT0space with DT0T and save
the file it changes the byte size, which I think creates this error,
It even changes the byte size just by opening the file, doing NO changes
then saving it.
Does anyone know of a editor, that would allow me to change the file,
and not change the byte size?
Any comments, suggestions, or reccomendations would be greatly appreciated.

cyberbum
Last edited by cyberbum on Fri Jul 19, 2002 12:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Rainbow
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Try the other method - use the recovery feature (jumper) with unmodified files.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
cyberbum
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Thanks for the reply Rainbow,

I've been reading about that, the recovery method, but I'm kinda new
to this stuff. From what I understand about it,
1 I need a isa vga card if I want to view, got that covered, or just listen for the beeps.
2 set the cmos jumper to recovery mode.
3 as the system boots to the floppy, doesn't it need an autoexec.bat
to load the Loadrec.exe file, I found that in the bios bundle of files.
do I just have the Loadrec.exe as the only
line in the autoexec.bat so it will run automatically.
if it takes thats when I do the clear cmos.
does this sound about right.

Thanks,
cyberbum
cyberbum
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Tried recovery method, not sure if I did it correctly.
set jumper A to 4-5,
inserted floppy disc, with bios files, sys files, recovery files.
I'm having to assume that
loadrec.exe
Biosdt0.rec
Biosdt0.re1
Biosdt0.re2
Biosdt0.re3
are the recovery files.

booted system, no video even with ISA video card,
system beeped once, waited about 10 minutes no other beeps.
powered down system, set jumper to default 5-6.
booted up still orig bios.

am i supposed to set up an autoexec.bat file to load the loadrec.exe file?
or the flash utility file name with certain switches? which switches?

cyberbum
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
Location: Slovakia
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Try to rename BIOSDT0.* files to BIOSDT0T.*
Do you have a working BIOS from Gateway on a floppy as a backup?
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
cyberbum
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2002 8:43 am

I found a text editor called GUN, was able to change replace "DT0space"
with "DT0T" and save the file with NO byte size change.
Tried flashing the bios again, with the Iflash utility.
The flash completed and prompted for the restart.

BUT no picture, you can hear it trying to do something, floppy light
comes on for a few seconds, :cry: :cry:

so I tried to do the recovery method again, by modifying an autoexec.bat
file so that it might see the original bios, which when I saved it
was named orig.bio,

@ echo off
cls
echo.
echo Please wait for the BIOS Core update.
echo.
echo.
echo off
rem enter bios file name here
iflash /p orig.bio ( this is basically the only thing I changed )
cls
echo.
echo BIOS Update Process Complete.
echo.
echo Remove diskette and reboot your system to continue.
echo.
echo.

It didn't work either!!!!
:?:
What exactly is the process for the recovery method.......
what I mean is when you switch jumpers for the recovery method,
as the system boots up does it automatically identify the loadrec.exe
program, which the calls the Biosdt0.rec file, which calls the next file?

or do you have to set up a Autoexec.bat file to call the loadrec.exe file,
loadrec.exe orig.bio, or something like that... :? :?

Cyberbum
cyberbum
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Hello Rainbow,

yes I do have the original bios saved on both floppy and harddrive.
If I rename the files like you said,

wouldn't I only rename the first file, orig.bio because it actually calls up
orig.bi1, which then calls orig.bi2, which calls orig.bi3,
is that about right..

that's where I'm wondering how the recovery method works,
see previous post, meaning that by switching jumpers,
does that actually call up the loadrec.exe program,
or does it need an autoexec.bat file to tell it what to do? :?: :? :?
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
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No, the recovery mode can't boot from the floppy (at least not on boards with AMI BIOS). It searches for some file(s) and flashes automatically.

If it's Phoenix BIOS like non-Intel Phoenix BIOSes, it might require special recovery diskette which can be created using a tool (I've found it somewhere but can't remember where).
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
cyberbum
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2002 8:43 am

I didn't mean boot from the floppy in recovery mode as in to the
dos prompt. I just assumed that according to Intels bios recovery info.
you're to switch the jumpers,
then power up.
so it has to look to the floppy I would think, to find loadrec.exe? right

well, anyways I tried the original bios files, via the recovery method.
renamed orig.bio to Biosdt0.rec so that the loadrec.exe file would see it.
which in turn should find the orig.bi1, orig.bi2, orig.bi3, cause those seem
to be modified internally when I first saved the orig bios, to look for
those file names.
also reversed the DT0space to DT0T, switched jumpers, to recovery mode
, powered up, system looks to the floppy, light comes on, can here the floppy working, maybe 20 seconds, then goes off. recovery jumper
back to default, switch clear cmos jumper, power up, wait a minute, power down, cmos jumper switched back,

try to boot, :cry: still nothing no screen.

cyberbum
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
Posts: 3122
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 4:16 pm
Location: Slovakia
Contact:

Looks like Gateway has no official BIOS update for this board :(
Try this:
1. create BIOS update floppy using BIOS from Intel. I think that BIOSDT0.RE? are the files needed for recovery.
2. Edit the files using a hex editor. Change "DT0_ Release 9.0" at the beginning to "DT0T Release 9.0", also change "1.00.09.DT0 " to "1.00.09.DT0T".
3. Try the recovery again.
4. If it fails, try renaming the BIOSDT0.REC to BIOSDT0T.REC and try again.
5. If it fails again, edit BIOSDT0.RE2. There's another "1.00.09.DT0 " string near the end - change it to "1.00.09.DT0T". Try again.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
cyberbum
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2002 8:43 am

Thanks Rainbow for all your help and Suggestions,
Some things have come up, and I have to put this project on the
aside for awhile. when I get a chance, I will try the suggestions
in your last reply, and post them back.

Thanks Again, Cyberbum......
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