BIOS Updates forum

win98se

Using win98 startup disk, I have flashed a few bios and been successful.
But I have read that a person shouldnt use the win 98 startup disk, that one should use another type of boot type disk with only certain files on it.

Can someone help me with this and explain it. Also tell me what files to use for win98se.

thanks

Windows 9x startup disk is OK as long as HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE (mainly) is not loaded. If the BIOS flashed OK, it means that the disk you used was OK for flashing

Windows 9x startup disk is OK as long as HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE (mainly) is not loaded. If the BIOS flashed OK, it means that the disk you used was OK for flashing
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Appreciate the quick reply.
I am looking at contents of a win98setup or startup disk now and I only see himem.sys on it. I dont see emm
Will a computer still boot if himem is taken out of the boot disk and used for bios flashing?

I have flashed several bios with this win98se but I try to learn better and safer ways of doing things. I would like to improve my knowledge on the subject and make my future bios flash attempts successful, so I would like to learn more about this.

thanks for the info, hope you can answer my questions.

Usually HIMEM.SYS does not cause problems when flashing. You can delete it, the disk will be still bootable.

what about emm386?
I dont see it on the startup floppy?

not there, no problem.

true enough, but I have learned to ask questions, never hurt any and sometimes you get a surprise.

No offence to anyone, but I believe there is a better answer out there. There is a set of files that are to be used only for bios flashes. Differs a bit from os to os. Personally I am only concerned with win98se and xp pro.

Some manufacturers provide a compete BIOS flash disk image self extractor with a specially written set of boot and I/O routines which don't infringe Microsoft/IBM copyright. But why bother the average user with that when format /s and the ROM file and flasher are all you need ?

Could be that is the info I am looking for!

format /s

that gives a person all they need to flash the bios?

I have heard that it is dangerous to use the startup disk for that os, that is why I decided to ask.

In the meantime I found drdiskflash for bios flashing at:

http://www.bootdisk.com/donate.htm#lunch

Have to check it out.

Under many circumstances I prefer to use a boot disk with minimal configuration from config.sys and autoexec.bat, including flashes.

However I have found, especially with the later versions of AWARD FLASH, to allocate the memory it requires, that it is best to load HIMEM.SYS and NOT EMM386.EXE, and also best to avoid loading any other items froM CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to keep the memory allocated as free as possible for the flash process.

No doubt I should know exactly what you are saying and just go from there, but I dont.
Could you be more specific via putting down in writing just what files are needed, and, if needed, in the case of autoexec.bat and config.sys, a sample?

thanks

What I would do is the following:

Format a system disk under Windows 9x.

In CONFIG.SYS, in the root directory of the floppy, put:
DEVICE=A:\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB

You do not need an AUTOEXEC.BAT file for my method.

The format program will probably not put HIMEM.SYS on the floppy. I think it can be located either under C:\WINDOWS, if not, search for it under your WINDOWS installation folders and sub-folders and then simply copy it to the floppy, so that the DEVICE=A:\HIMEM.SYS line you put in CONFIG.SYS can locate this file when it attempts to load it.

I don't know how good your computer literacy is but hopefully you should be able to follow the above.

Now that's something I understand perfectly well!!!

Thanks

Maybe I shoud have posted this:

What are the names of the files you need to put on a floppy to use as a startup disk with win98, 98SE? This would be the bare minimum to get the computer to boot up, notwithstanding that you can go to control panel/add remove programs/startup disk, and make your own that way.

That is the question I should have posed.
What is the answer?

I ask this question because I believe that the answer to that question will also be the boot disk a person should use to flash a bios, nothwithstanding the fact that a win98 startup disk will do the job.