I need help with upgrading my BIOS

Recommended by Wim's BIOS...

i need help upgrading my BIOS

here is all the info i can give: (i am a newbie)

when it starts up i get:
AWARD MODULAR BIOS 4.51PG
BIOS-I-2M (90507A)
05/07/1999-i440BX-ITE867-2A69KV3IC-00

anyway the dilemma is that I got a new 40GB HDD, but it only detects 32GB, (this is actually because I put on the 32GB limit jumper because the BIOS was freezing at IDE devices auto detection and that was the proposed solution, along with this crazy software which I dont want to use because linux doesn't detect the partitions I make with it)


ive been reading some forum posts and it looks like i need to upgrade the bios.

could someone please give me a direct link to where I can download a good BIOS version suited to my needs and where I can get a 'flasher' to make the transition? (i think i need a flasher right?)

anyway another problem is that the computer im talking about doesn't have an OS installed... should I install windows to use the flasher or could I use a dos type flasher on a boot disk?

anywau what effect would flashing a BIOS from that hard disk have? after its 'flashed' would it still be able to see the partition table? would I have to format?

please I need help

thanks guys

[NickS]

Using the Award BIOS IDs link at the top of the page suggests your board is a PC Partner intel 440BX board, but they made several. Take a look at this link on the pc partner website and see if you can identify your board. If there is not an updated BIOS which removes the 32 Gb limit you may need a patch to do so - Rainbow is the expert on this.
Good luck

:D:D:D:D

good one

this is making progress now

but which one exactly sohuld I download? I have an ATX motherboard, but which one to download? or doesn't it matter? or should I download the one with the highest 'date code' ? and whats this PCB ID? is it relevant?

[ajzchips]

IIRC, there are several BIOS updates for that board, depending on two factors:
a) The Super I/O chip, which in your case is ITE867
b) The clock generator brand and model

These are mentioned in the readme.txt (or whatever) that accompany the zipped BIOS updates.

The PCB ID on PCPARTNER boards is something like 35-xxxx-xx printed next to one of the edges of the motherboard (usually the bottom edge, right below the ISA slots, if any).

As Always you can add a PCI EIDE card with onboard bios of all else fails.

this is my third time typing this due to the dodgy login screen!!!

well anyway, I have a couple of problems...

1. The files I downloaded only have the options ITE8671 and N.S., but apparently I have ITE867. which do I use?

2. How can I identify my clock gen ic?? I have no idea how to do that...

[NickS]

lifewing wrote:

1. The files I downloaded only have the options ITE8671 and N.S., but apparently I have ITE867. which do I use?

2. How can I identify my clock gen ic?? I have no idea how to do that...

Actually, don't worry about the clock gen as all the BX motherboards listed on the downloads page use the same one, the W83194R-39A.

If your board is Socket 370 there is only a choice of 2 downloads, BabyAT or ATX/Micro ATX.

If your board is slot 1 use the PC ID ("35-8929-xx") to choose the correct one. If the ID is missing, download some of the manuals and check them against yours.

I found my PCB-ID to be 35-8839-03, so I downloaded that one, and I found the alphanumeric combo IT8671F-A - note the 8671, so i'm guessing that I got the right one... and I found that W........ 39 thing on one of my IC's so thats right too....

so all I want now is final confirmation from one of you experts that I can proceed

i found that IT8671F-A on one of the IC's, just to clarify that

[NickS]

I see why the query, as the download file contains 3 images. Looks as though you have ID'd the correct one, B1120IAG.BIN. Good luck!

This is strange.... I flashed my BIOS and everything seemed to go well.... all the steps were completed successfully........ but then I resetted my computer and I still had the same BIOS!! and my computer still froze when trying to detect my HDD with the 32gb jumper off......
Wierd..... what do you think?

[NickS]

Maybe you had the most up-to-date BIOS on the board already. In which case it's time to take a look at patching the BIOS to remove the 32Gb limit.... ask Rainbow nicely ?

[Rainbow]

The latest BIOS for your board is this one "11/20/2000-440BX-ITE8671-2A69KV3IC-00" (http://www.pcpartner.com/bios_zip/p829-2m.zip, file B1120IAG.BIN). It should support HDDs over 32GB. No work for me this time
If you have problems with flashing, try different version of flashing utility.

[edwin]

And to make sure it is the 32GB that causes the hiccup, test your setup with the 32GB limiting jumper ON that drive. If it still halts we're looking to another problem. Oh and clear CMOS after the flash.

i have tested with the 32 gb jumper on, and it works, it looks like I flashed the correct BIOS too, and it looks like I already had the latest one for my board!

but it doesn't support HDD's over 32gb (well actually its 33496Mb to be exact)

maaaaan what can we do now guys??
any help would really, really, really be appreciated