BIOS built-in Awdlfash -> UniFlash?

Sat Sep 28, 2002 5:48 pm

Some new boards have built-in Awdflash (can be run by Alt+F2 during POST). Anyone tried to replace it with UniFlash?

Sat Sep 28, 2002 5:51 pm

heh... saw that at epox.nl right?

Sat Sep 28, 2002 5:59 pm

Right

A board with DIP Flash ROM with 512KB support and UniFlash in BIOS - ideal for hot-flashing.

Code: Select all

  0. System BIOS       20000h(128.00K) 137F3h(77.99K)  6a6lvpak.BIN
  1. XGROUP CODE       0B920h(46.28K)  081DBh(32.46K)  awardext.rom
  2. ACPI table        034D2h(13.21K)  0156Dh(5.36K)   ACPITBL.BIN
  3. YGROUP ROM        06040h(24.06K)  035BCh(13.43K)  awardeyt.rom
  4. GROUP ROM[ 0]     03960h(14.34K)  01AEBh(6.73K)   _EN_CODE.BIN
  5. Flash ROM         092DBh(36.71K)  050E2h(20.22K)  AWDFLASH.EXE  <---

tomuf · Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:32 am

AWDFLASH has special code that checks if it is loaded from DOS or from BIOS without OS, I think UNIFLASH doesn't have it.

Mon Sep 30, 2002 8:26 pm

What does the "special code" do?

tomuf · Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:48 pm

Better is looking at source code - I have disassembled awdflash only up to 6.28, so I don't know if it has changed in newer versions... For example AWDFLASH 6.28 has 9 functions that are executed if AWDFLASH is executed from BIOS. Data are accessed directly through INT13 interface and not using usual DOS INT21 functions. Entry point of AWDFLASH when loaded from BIOS is at 0000:0000 (start of EXE image). And I think that BP points to AWDFLASH data structure with some fields set already. I think (but I'm not sure, I did it quite long time ago) that it has to fixup itself according to relocation table, too.

tomuf · Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:50 pm

Or did you try to use UNIFLASH and did it work ? Maybe Award BIOS was updated so it does everything by itself...?

Tue Oct 01, 2002 12:42 am

The INT21 functions are not available because there is no DOS...
I don't have a board that has flasher in BIOS. If I had it, the Awdflash is the first thing to replace or at least remove - I hate it

tomuf · Tue Oct 01, 2002 7:06 am

Why do you hate AWDFLASH ? I think it is the best way to flash their BIOSes

Tue Oct 01, 2002 7:29 am

It crashes often. And you have first to search for suitable version for your chipset/board/don't know whatever...otherwise it will either not flash (the better case) or screw up the BIOS completely. And it uses BIOS calls to enable/disable flash write protection which often does not work in Award BootBlock BIOS.

Example: I wanted to flash QDI BrillianX I board. It has soldered PLCC chip. Chipset and chip supported by UniFlash and tested so no reason for using buggy Awdflash.