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To buy or not to buy

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2002 2:19 pm
by chesster51
I have a Quantex 400 mhz with a Microstar 6119 motherboard using AMI bios dated 1995 and want to upgrade my bios. I called a company I was linked to from this site and they want $69 to send me a diskette with an update and flash utility on it. This seems ridiculous when I know I can download both for free. They were going to change my bios from AMI to Award. My problem is when I try to go to the utilities section of this site to get an AMI flasher I get "Page not Found" everytime. Can I change to Award and flash with no problems? Should I stay with AMI? I am having some problems I believe the upgrade will cure. Thank you for your response, James Brown

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2002 2:30 pm
by NickS
A search for MS-6119 brings up these relevant posts:

http://www.wimsbios.net/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight=
http://www.wimsbios.net/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight=
http://www.wimsbios.net/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight=
http://www.wimsbios.net/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight=

You could use an Award BIOS, but you need to know which version of 6119 you have - plug and play (jumperless) or switches/jumpers ?

You can use Uniflash (see "utilities" at www.wimsbios.com) to overcome the error message about not being an Award BIOS you are about to flash over.
Hope that helps....

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2002 1:29 am
by chesster51
Thats a good start for me Nick, thanks. According to my manual "The mainboard BIOS provides "Plug $ Play" BIOS which detects the peripheral devices and expansion cards of the board automatically and the mainboard provides "CPU Plug % Play" function. The user does not need jumper/DIP switch to set the CPU speed setting. The BIOS is used to set the speed." There are jumpers on the board for setting voltage and for clearing CMOS. So, where do we go from here? Thanks again.

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2002 10:22 am
by NickS
Sounds like "CPU Plug and Play" to me, as DennisS says in the first two posts I linked to - Rainbow provided additional info to help check that out in the second post.

The 2.9 Award BIOS for MS-6119 with CPU PnP does not support big discs, but I can email you a patched version.
--update--
Have emailed you the patched version.

get a new mobo

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2002 1:01 pm
by crapyking
I just got a brand new slot 1 mobo for $19.99.Look at pricewatch.com
I wouldn't screw w/ outdated parts when you can find an older board cheap.Worst senerio you might have to case-you can have both for less than $50 if you shop.

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2002 3:57 pm
by ajzchips
@crapyking... what makes you think your "brand new" Slot1 board is any better?

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2002 5:09 pm
by NickS
...and six weeks ago he might have had to pay $24.99 !