Let's say I find the following BIOSes which are 100% compatible with my motherboard. I'll give real info to make this all the more logical.
I have an MSI MS-6123 (EX chipset) and I found the following BIOSes for it: (it originally had an AMI BIOS, but I prefer AWARD)
BIOS 1, from the MSI site: (latest AWARD release)
02/12/98-i440EX-W977-2A69JM49C-00
W6123MS V1.0 080598
BIOS 2, from the FOUNDER site: (an MSI oem)
12/19/97-i440EX-W977-2A69JM49C-00
W6123F3 V1.1 090498
Now... as you see, release-wise, the Founder BIOS is more recent, but based on an older BIOS (12/97), versus the MSI BIOS which is a month older release-wise, but based on a newer BIOS (2/98).
Question: which BIOS would you prefer if, knowing that both are 100% compatible, you were in my situation???
BTW, if you know of a more recent release for this board, I'd appreciate it... have searched for a full day...
BIOS "cores" vs. BIOS releases (MS-6123)
Have you tried using MODBIN to see if there are significant differences in the menus ?
Personally, I think my first choice would be the one on the MSI website.
Personally, I think my first choice would be the one on the MSI website.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
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Denniss
- BIOS Guru
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Please have a look at the Bios OEM message as it contains a higher version number and Bios Release Date than the original MSI Bios .
I'd take the OEM-Bios unless it's limited somewhere in Bios options or in speed .
I'd take the OEM-Bios unless it's limited somewhere in Bios options or in speed .
Thanks, Dennis... but now the new question:
Is it logical that the MSI BIOS v1.0 is based on a 1998 BIOS while the Founder v1.1 is based on a 1997 BIOS?
Could this mean this board was OEMed before MSI decided to release it on its own under its own brand?
Is it logical that the MSI BIOS v1.0 is based on a 1998 BIOS while the Founder v1.1 is based on a 1997 BIOS?
Could this mean this board was OEMed before MSI decided to release it on its own under its own brand?
Hi AJZ
Sounds possible to me, providing those dates are the dates the original BIOSs by MSI and FOUNDER were released. Possibly a company such as MSI may produce a board and only make it available through other companies that it is marketted under. In this case FOUNDER may have first sold the board with the first BIOS in 1997. However if MSI realised it was a popular board they in 1998 may have decided to sell it themselves, making their first BIOS release a 1998 release.
However, the other side to this is that I find it strange that a company may wish to only sell boards through other manufacturers while taking the risk that it may be an unpopular board, and give themselves a bad name to people who find out who really made the board.
Sounds possible to me, providing those dates are the dates the original BIOSs by MSI and FOUNDER were released. Possibly a company such as MSI may produce a board and only make it available through other companies that it is marketted under. In this case FOUNDER may have first sold the board with the first BIOS in 1997. However if MSI realised it was a popular board they in 1998 may have decided to sell it themselves, making their first BIOS release a 1998 release.
However, the other side to this is that I find it strange that a company may wish to only sell boards through other manufacturers while taking the risk that it may be an unpopular board, and give themselves a bad name to people who find out who really made the board.
One thing I have noticed about BIOS upgrades is that the bugs seem to come and go together. BIOSs of a certain vintage may have certain types of problems and then BIOSs of a slightly later vintage may have those problems resolved and have newer problems. This leads me to believe that the manufacturers (of BIOSs) implement standard code segments for common BIOS functions.
On this basis, I am beginning to think I would prefer to have the v1.0 1998 BIOS core rather than the v1.1 1997 BIOS core because the 1998 BIOS is probably using later and cleaner code that does not have some of the problems that a 1997 core may have. However, on the other hand, I am also the type who would be tempted to stick with the manufacturer BIOS release rather than someone elses release on the basis that I assume the manufacturer has the best people to write code for something (a board) that they have designed and manufactured.
Hope that helps you to draw your own conclusion about what is the best BIOS to go for.
On this basis, I am beginning to think I would prefer to have the v1.0 1998 BIOS core rather than the v1.1 1997 BIOS core because the 1998 BIOS is probably using later and cleaner code that does not have some of the problems that a 1997 core may have. However, on the other hand, I am also the type who would be tempted to stick with the manufacturer BIOS release rather than someone elses release on the basis that I assume the manufacturer has the best people to write code for something (a board) that they have designed and manufactured.
Hope that helps you to draw your own conclusion about what is the best BIOS to go for.
Both releases are very stable, and I haven't noticed any incompatibilities or instability so far, but I was only after a general rule, especially in MSI's case, since they do this a whole damn lot... DennisS is the MSI specialist here, so he probably knows what most people prefer (especially in MSI's case).
Well... just in case any MS-6123 owner bumps into this thread....
After exhaustive and intensive testing, the best BIOS for this board is the ELONEX release (AMIBIOS). It's about 1 year more recent than ANY AWARD BIOS for this board (MSI and/or OEM), and it's 100% compatible (so are any of the OEM and official BIOSes).
http://www.elonex.co.uk/support/drivers/bios.asp
22/07/1999 AMIBIOS V2.3
At Elonex, the board is called ES347.
Note: the latest AWARD versions support HDDs only upto 32GB, and have the UDMA33 downshift bug when detecting UDMA66 and above drives. The AMI BIOS is just perfect (argh! I never thought I'd say such a thing... ), and I've tested a 60GB with it (can't confirm whether it'll support greater sizes....)
After exhaustive and intensive testing, the best BIOS for this board is the ELONEX release (AMIBIOS). It's about 1 year more recent than ANY AWARD BIOS for this board (MSI and/or OEM), and it's 100% compatible (so are any of the OEM and official BIOSes).
http://www.elonex.co.uk/support/drivers/bios.asp
22/07/1999 AMIBIOS V2.3
At Elonex, the board is called ES347.
Note: the latest AWARD versions support HDDs only upto 32GB, and have the UDMA33 downshift bug when detecting UDMA66 and above drives. The AMI BIOS is just perfect (argh! I never thought I'd say such a thing... ), and I've tested a 60GB with it (can't confirm whether it'll support greater sizes....)
