Updating BIOS

[DagdaIV]

Okay, so I've got an ASUS motherboard that upgrades using the M2A-VM-5001.BIN file. Do I need a thumb drive to utilize the EZ-FLASH utility, or can I do it from an external hard drive? The problem is that it doesn't seem to recognize my external within the utility, so I'm wondering what the problem could possibly be. Do I need to do something in particular to make the .bin file executable in the utility? Do I need to get a thumb drive? @_@ I'm stumped here, and I could really use your help.

[stroyal]

Can you give me a link to the BIOS, and the utility.

I've never used an external, or a thumb, but there are generally 2 types.
One, is the kind you install within windows,
This is the newer type, and I've only used that type a few times.

The other Is a DOS program that you must boot with, in order to install.
This can be installed with any kind of media, that your computer is capable of booting with.

I've used this type many dozen of times.

Edit
Oh, Welcome to TechIMO!

[RicheemxX]

Before you even get started trying to flash the bios you want to make sure there is actually a reason or a need to do so. The reason I say this is because if done wrong you could kill your board!

Second, it might help to know the exact model of the board.

As Stroyal said ASUS has a couple different options for EZ-Flash, one being a Windows based app that actually works pretty good. The other is bios based which should allow you to copy the bin file to a thumb drive, or use your regular boot drive.

Bios flashing has come a long way from years past but its still not fool proof. If there is a fix in there that is indeed need and you are certain you have the correct bios for your board using the EZ-Flash Windows tool should work fine.

edit: Just looked and it looks like ASUS might have dropped the old Windows tool. Either way to use the EZ-Flash from the bios is really simple. Just copy the bios .bin file to a usb drive, enter the bios setup to launch the EZ flash program and it should give you the option of loading the new bios from the usb drive.

[stroyal]

I have bricked a board before, and I had flashed BIOS's dozens of times, before that.
It was complete operator error, because I was so sure, I could never do it wrong, and wasn't paying attention.
I flashed it with the wrong BIOS.
Luckily it was a removable Chip, and I fixed in in a couple of days.

Sorry, I always forget to give that warning.

[DagdaIV]

The big problem here is that the EZ-FLASH utility isn't reading my flash drive, despite it showing up in the "My Computer" thing. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Does anyone have an idea as to why that is?

[DagdaIV]

Can you give me a link to the BIOS, and the utility.

I've never used an external, or a thumb, but there are generally 2 types.
One, is the kind you install within windows,
This is the newer type, and I've only used that type a few times.

The other Is a DOS program that you must boot with, in order to install.
This can be installed with any kind of media, that your computer is capable of booting with.

I've used this type many dozen of times.

Edit
Oh, Welcome to TechIMO!

Thank you for the welcome!

[DagdaIV]

Before you even get started trying to flash the bios you want to make sure there is actually a reason or a need to do so. The reason I say this is because if done wrong you could kill your board!

Second, it might help to know the exact model of the board.

As Stroyal said ASUS has a couple different options for EZ-Flash, one being a Windows based app that actually works pretty good. The other is bios based which should allow you to copy the bin file to a thumb drive, or use your regular boot drive.

Bios flashing has come a long way from years past but its still not fool proof. If there is a fix in there that is indeed need and you are certain you have the correct bios for your board using the EZ-Flash Windows tool should work fine.

edit: Just looked and it looks like ASUS might have dropped the old Windows tool. Either way to use the EZ-Flash from the bios is really simple. Just copy the bios .bin file to a usb drive, enter the bios setup to launch the EZ flash program and it should give you the option of loading the new bios from the usb drive.

I am sure it's the right .bin file, because I made sure I got the proper one for my motherboard from the actual site of the maker. I do need to upgrade it so that it will be compatible with my new processor that I got from a very generous friend who was taking apart his current computer.

[RicheemxX]

Again, what model is the board?

It has been awhile since I've used EZ flash but from what I recall there really isn't much to it. Here's a how to from the asus forums

[DagdaIV]

It's a M2A-VM. I can't format to FAT32, apparently. Do you have any idea why that wouldn't be an option? The external doesn't show up as a drive in the EZ-FLASH utility...

[JLK03F150]

If you use a tool that's DOS based be sure to rename the file from M2A-VM-5001.BIN to M2A5001.BIN. The file name can't have more than 8 charactors.

[RicheemxX]

Does the external show at all? Mine shows as D: no name. If you have a DVD/CD drive connected you could burn the file to that, or if worse comes to worse save it to an easy to find location on your main drive and flash it from there. That wouldn't be ideal but if you can't get anything else to work it might be the only option.

What chip are you adding in? I assume its going to be a newer AM3?

[DagdaIV]

Yeah, exactly. I put the .bin in the basic C:, but it doesn't seem to read it in the utility. Is there another step I have to take to make it readable? This is all very frustrating.

[RicheemxX]

Yeah exactly what??

Sorry but it's hard to help when you don't answer the questions we ask. Any chance you can take a picture of what you see in EZ-Flash so we see what is or isn't there?

Are you sure you don't already have the latest bios???

There is no reason to change the .bin file other than changing the file name so you can see/load it better.

[DagdaIV]

A newer AM3. How do I take screenshots in the bios?

[RicheemxX]

You can't, if you can snap a cell phone pic though that'd work, otherwise a bit better explanation of what is going on will help.

How are you working on this? You have your old cpu still in the system with all your old components and you are trying to flash the new bios before adding the new chip or what?

Its not reading it? Not reading what? the drives at all or just the .bin file?

It sounds pretty basic and frustrating I'm sure but I'm just trying to make sure you don't do something fool heartedly and kill your board. So the better you can explain what isn't working the less likely that will happen.

[DagdaIV]

You can't, if you can snap a cell phone pic though that'd work, otherwise a bit better explanation of what is going on will help.

How are you working on this? You have your old cpu still in the system with all your old components and you are trying to flash the new bios before adding the new chip or what?

Its not reading it? Not reading what? the drives at all or just the .bin file?

It sounds pretty basic and frustrating I'm sure but I'm just trying to make sure you don't do something fool heartedly and kill your board. So the better you can explain what isn't working the less likely that will happen.

Okay, that makes sense. Basically, I'm running the CPU with the new processor, but it doesn't seem to read it and function with it very well, probably because it's using some sort of basic functionality onboard processor. I'm not sure how that works. What happens is when I'm booting up, I go to the EZ-flash utility, through the bios, and when it scans for drives I have options "A:" and C:" one being a nonexistent floppy drive and the other being my computer's actual drive. I don't have the option of selecting my flash drive, because it simply isn't there. Additionally, when I do select the C: drive, even when I've placed the file in the root C: directory, it doesn't register as being a loadable BIOS through the utility. Is this because the BIOS needs to go through interim steps?

[stroyal]

Can you read anything on C:?
My syntax is probably all messed up, as it has been a while, but

Are you typing C: first before the .bin, or C:/.bin ?
What happens with C:/ dir?
Is it too long, or dose it have a -, like JKL mentioned?

You can add the Mscdex.exe file to your boot disk, and use a CD ROM.

I forget how to do that also.
Cannot Access CD-ROM Drive from MS-DOS Mode or Command Prompt

I want to get rid of my floppies, but I just can't seem to do it.


Edit
Can i get a link to the BIOS, it will help me to understand?

Dose the BIOS update note say it fixes your problem?
They usually tell what they fix, and usually fix nothing else.
Edit
Ez flash, might have to be run from the same drive, that the bin file is on.

[DagdaIV]

I don't follow. How do I decide which drive that EZ-flash is running from?
I'm pretty sure the new processor is AM3, and the bios can be found in ASUS - Motherboards- ASUS M2A-VM under Windows 7 32 bit, then BIOS.
The BIOS update says it allows AM3 processors. Additionally, I'm putting the .bin file directly in the C: directory, then trying to run it off of the C: directory, but it's not recognizing that there's a BIOS update there at all. The C: choice just brings up a blank list beside it. Do I need to do further updates to recognize it, or what?
EDIT: Isn't Mscdex.exe for CDs, not externals?

[electric]

did you pick BIOS version 2302 ,the latest one for that board

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Drivers and Download M2A-VM


after you down loaded the file from ASUS site ,extract the file to the
desktop,[ just easier to find ]

i use Winace to unzip files [ note ]

than when your in the flash program {BIOS] just expand C: to show the
desk top,select bin file and than you should be good to go