Need help flashing BIOS

Bonzi · March 3rd, 2009, 06:33 PM

I have an 8 y.o. Gateway desktop serial # 0021996415

Since purchasing I have added RAM, replaced HD and went from Windows XP to ME.

The video does not have a very smooth frame rate and I was told this may be fixed by upgrading the CPU. I replaced the CPU but since it didn't work, I'm assuming a BIOS update may get it working.

This is the mobo. I used the link on that page to Gateway's site for the BIOS file. Here are the instructions for installing. When I got to Step 1 in the section "Performing the Update"...

Quote:

1. Restart the computer with the disk in the floppy disk drive. The erasing and writing of files to the hard drive is displayed on the screen.

...this doesn't work. I get the message;

Quote:

Non-System disk or disk error

Replace and strike any key when ready

BipolarBill · March 4th, 2009, 07:44 AM

It's not the BIOS. You need to get the video drivers for your system from Gateway.

Gateway Support - Drivers, Software and Firmware Updates

If the card is not original to the system, you need to identify it and get the drivers elsewhere.

I doubt that you needed a CPU in the first place. The video card may be overheating. See that the fan is spinning if it has one. If there is no fan, consider changing to another AGP video card.

Bonzi · March 4th, 2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BipolarBill

It's not the BIOS. You need to get the video drivers for your system from Gateway.

What's not the BIOS and is the video drivers? The reason my frame rate sucks or that I can't flash the BIOS? I have the correct video drivers. Since I have the faster CPU already, I'd like to see how this PC would perform with it and it should work if I can manage to flash the BIOS.

BipolarBill · March 4th, 2009, 12:43 PM

Flashing the BIOS will do nothing to improve your frame rate and could possibly make your PC useless. It's not worth the effort.

Something else is wrong. Do you have the video card that came with the PC or did you replace it? Maybe someone else replaced it?

If you're trying to play 3D games on an older system or a system that has onboard video, the frame rate is going to be absolute rubbish.

Details please. What kind of video do you have and what application is giving you an unacceptable frame rate?

Bonzi · March 4th, 2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BipolarBill

Flashing the BIOS will do nothing to improve your frame rate and could possibly make your PC useless. It's not worth the effort.

I understand that flashing the BIOS alone will not improve my frame rate, but from what I'm told the faster CPU that I already have may. I'd like to use it since I have it and flashing the BIOS is probably what I need to do to make it functional.

Quote:

Something else is wrong. Do you have the video card that came with the PC or did you replace it? Maybe someone else replaced it?

BipolarBill · March 4th, 2009, 06:08 PM

You must make your floppy bootable *before* copying the BIOS files to it.

Create DOS Boot Floppy Disk in Windows XP

You can't do it in ME.

I really doubt that the motherboard will recognize the new CPU. OEM PCS rarely do that. I think you'll be disappointed.

Once again, this will *not* help your frame rate. In the future, please be more forthcoming about your system - especially the video card specs.

Bonzi · March 4th, 2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BipolarBill

You must make your floppy bootable *before* copying the BIOS files to it.

Create DOS Boot Floppy Disk in Windows XP

The instructions heavily stressed to not format the floppy in Windows, but to use a new IBM formatted disk.

Quote:

You can't do it in ME.

BipolarBill · March 4th, 2009, 07:57 PM

No offense taken, but if you're going to ask for help with a problem, it's probably not a great idea to wander off-script.

Now, since I don't have a floppy drive (few PCs have them at all these days), I can only download and extract your BIOS update.

Did you navigate to the C:\cabs\7511677 folder, copy the files and paste them on your floppy? If so, the floppy must be bad. Try another. You could format the floppy to at least be sure that it functions - just don't copy MS-DOS files to it. You can also do a CHKDSK A: /R to scan the floppy. Do not assume that it's healthy.

I have years of experience with BIOS updates and you *can* format the floppy in XP and include the MS-DOS files to make it bootable without penalty. Gateway is being overcautious. After the format, just copy these files to the formatted floppy.

0aavwp13.rom
AFUDOS.EXE
AUTOEXEC.BAT
cmos_P13.map
gw2kboot.rom
readme.txt

Boot with that and I guarantee that it works. It's your choice. I understand if you don't want to do it. You *should* be skeptical because BIOS flashing is dangerous.

Anyway, there's not a lot more that I can do for you in this matter. I'm unsubscribing from the thread. Good luck.

Bonzi · March 4th, 2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BipolarBill

No offense taken, but if you're going to ask for help with a problem, it's probably not a great idea to wander off-script.

Wander off script? The whole point of my OP was that I wanted to flash the BIOS and was having trouble doing it.

Quote:

Did you navigate to the C:\cabs\7511677 folder, copy the files and paste them on your floppy? If so, the floppy must be bad.