how do I flash my bios...

[ScottyRolen]

I have an ECS motherboard and an american megatrends bios. This is all according to www.pcpitstop.com by the way. So how do I flash it to the latest update?

[Martoch]

What issues are you trying to correct?
Also, download Everest Home Edition for a hardware analysis to ensure you are trying to update the bios for the correct board. Does your board have any letters/numbers on it that can help identify it correctly?

[ScottyRolen]

None that I know of. I am just wondering if I get the latest update if I will be able to change more settings, right now it wont let adjust any settings at all. Like clock frequency, lowering the multiplyer, vcore. Just want to see if it gives me the option to overclock my 1700+ palomino a bit lol. Yeah its old, my new mobo/cpu will be here tomorrow heh.

Everesthome says its a totally different motherboard lol. It says its a PC chips M830LR...

[JPMiller]

you will not find overclocking or unlocking bios updates at the manufacturers website... you can sometimes find "Rogue" updates outside of the manufacturers offerings...
everest is most likely right and can be verified by looking on the board physically...
go to ECS's site, they have good directions and any flashing utilities you may need...
beyond that you will have to do some searching to find a suitable oveclocking Bios...
Use these at your own risk as they are often not as reliable as from the manufacturer

[ScottyRolen]

How do I find them heh.

EDIT: ok JP. Pcpitstop said it was an ECS and everest home said it was a PC Chips.

[Sixpac_XP]

Whats the model number of your ECS motherboard?

[ScottyRolen]

I am fairly sure its a PC Chips mobo now. Thats what Everest Home says.

This is the model number everest gives me.


Motherboard ID 62-0429-001131-00101111-040201-SiS735$M830LR_Release 04/29/2002 S

[truckpuller]

When you first turn your computer on and you come up to the first boot screen what are your letters and number in the bottom left hand side this sometimes will give the mobo model number and yes ECS could be a pchips board.

[JPMiller]

Theyre basically the same company... PCPitstop just grabs generic info and EverestHome usually gets more correct info..

[ScottyRolen]

Thats the only way to get the model number? Read the numbers and letters as the flash by during start up lol?

[JPMiller]

Try this thread ... I now remember that this is the same as the K7S5A... it is the PcChips version of the infamous ECS K7S5A.
You may also find this site to be informative in getting the most out of that board...
http://www.ocworkbench.com/2002/ecs/k7s5aguide/

[ScottyRolen]

what thread heh?

[ScottyRolen]

Ok apprently the board is a m830LR and K7s5a by ECS. I can update the bios from the files on ecsusa.com . Problem is there are 2 listed versions of the mobo, the k7s5a pro and one called k7s5a + PCB 1.0x.... I am not sure which of the mobo's mine is heh, it only says K7s5a...

[JPMiller]

you need to physically examine the board for the revision no#
if you want to up the FSB you have to use the oveclocking Bios I linked to.
You will need to do a little research and I suggest the Chipset HSF upgrade because those chips run hot and the heatsink doesnt even physically touch the northbridge..

[ScottyRolen]

thanks again JP, I sent u some emails on other things heh, if ya didnt see um.

[ScottyRolen]

Ok the only prob is the mobo is listed as a PC Chips mobo. I know its the same as one of the ECS k7s5a. I just cant tell which because its not listed as an ECS. I see this revision # by the AGP slot buts it not the same as any of the ECS numbers, its a PC chips #.

[JPMiller]

Those were good questions that should be shared so others wanting that info can benefit as well...

Is installing a sata hard drive any harder then an IDE? I just hook it up to my mobo and connect it to the power supply and configure it to boot in bios right? I am getting some inferences from techimo forums that sata is different in that you don't set them up to be primary and slave like IDE.

Yes Sata drives are different... most as far as I know are still jumpered to be slave, master, or cable select, but the setup is quite different... you have usually two or more, one drive connectors on the Motherboard... you need a SATA cable that only plugs in one way...
you may need a special PSU connector depending on the drive you purchased, some come with a standard 4 pin Molex and some with a special SATA connector.
If your attaching it as a main drive to be used for the OS, then you boot from the windows CD as you would normally but when it is loading the basic files at the beginning, it will scroll the option of pressing F6 to load SCSI drivers, that is when you need the Sata drivers on a floppy for installation... In your bios the Sata drives are actually recognized as SCSI drives...
Once your ready to start you can come back for more info...
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I have had the same CRT monitor for the longest time. Since 99 when I got my first computer. And for the longest time I thought it was a bad monitor since it didn't go any higher then a 1024x768 resolution in the my properties menu. I ran that PCpitstop program you recommended and it gave me all checkered flags because except for one yellow minor flag for not enough ram. But I read everything in the results and found out that it tested my monitor. It said my monitor's max resolution is 1600x1200. My computer wont let me slide the resolution that high. Any ideas?

This sounds more like video drivers or a video card restriction than a Monitor problem... upgrading the drivers or the card itself would be the most likely option...

[ScottyRolen]

Well pcpitstop said it was 1600x1200, but now everest home is actually saying it is 1024x768 lol.

[JPMiller]

PcPitstop is only generally correct, usually EverestHome is more accurate...
Is everest reporting the current resolution?, or the max possible for that monitor... what exact model no# is on the sticker on the back?

[ScottyRolen]

Everest says that is the max reso. Lemme look for the #.... seems like I am lookin for lots of numbers with everything today lol...