| Flashing your Bios
First things first flashing your bios is not that hard but if you mess it up it will render your computer useless so proceed with caution.
First things first you need to know the exact motherboard make and model as well as the board revision. Once you have that information you need to go to the motherboard manufactures website and download the latest bios for your motherboard. While your there they should also have specific instructions on flashing the bios for your board. I recommend writing them down for reference.It i very important that you make sure you have the right bios for the right board
Once you have downloaded the file, unzipped it and discovered it contains three files: the Flash Utility file, the upgrade data file and an instructions READ ME file.
READ the instructions file and follow it in detail. I have seen a couple of people take for granted they know how to flash a BIOS only to find a new requirement and they are stuck with a mess. ALWAYS READ the INSTRUCTIONS. I highly recommend that even if you have read the instructions for flashing your Bios that were included, you should also print them out so you have them handy for reference.
Typically, you will need two floppy disks. One disk is your Boot disk with an operating system and the other contains your Flash Utility and the Upgrade file. You might be able to put all this on one floppy, but I recommend against it. When you Flash upgrade your BIOS, one option is to make a backup copy of your existing BIOS code. You will want to do this and need room for the Flash Utility file to store your old Bios code. You need to make a back-up in case you have problems with the flash and need to restore the current version.
Next, start your computer and enter the CMOS, the area in the BIOS that contains settings you can modify. Now look through all the settings and become comfortable with them and even write down any you may need to remember, such as the settings for your hard drive and maybe any Com ports you have turned off to allow a modem to function.
Now, boot your computer with the boot floppy disk, I always use a simple operating system like MS Dos v6. You can use any that you have on hand: MS Dos, OS/2, Win95/98/NT... it is not important. The system only needs the command operator in order to run the Flash Utility file. Then, insert your Flash floppy disk. The first thing you should do is read and write down the EXACT name of the Flash Upgrade file, this is usually something like: be6_mu.bin (this is the name of the one for my ABIT BE6 motherboard). You will be required to type this in during the upgrade process and you will need it.
Just execute the Flash Utility and follow the instructions on the screen. Be sure to make a backup of your existing BIOS when prompted. The name of this backup is not important to anyone but you, so use a name that is easy for you.
After you have finished this process, it will tell you if it was done successfully. If there are any problems {b]DO NOT SHUT DOWN[/b] shutting down your computer with a bad bios will cause the computer to become inoperable. If you have any problems with the bios flash restore your old/back-up bios. If you have successfully flashed the bios all that is need to do is remove your boot disk and reboot the computer. You will need to enter the CMOS during the POST phase and make all the changes your CMOS requires in order to use the hardware on your system, such as identify your hard drive or turn off a Com port so your modem does not conflict with it.
Now, you should be done and all set.
Some final notes: This process sounds simple, but should it fail during the process, you could have some extreme problems. You could be left with a BIOS chip with no programming and in that case it will not be able to start the computer again. This will require either replacing the BIOS chip or the motherboard. This is not always a safe and simple operation. Be sure you are comfortable with this level of upgrading. It maybe something you wish to have a professional do for you. But, once you have done this procedure, you will understand and feel more confident should the need arise to Flash Upgrade another computer. Just never become to complacent with this procedure... it can be ruinous to your motherboard.
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