Updating BIOS with bootable CD or USB memory stick

[sopp]

Got this information from a insider firend and please pass it to every shuttle user
if you want to update your bios in vista
please use the following version of winflash which release on 2007/11/05
http://global.shuttle.com/download_util.jsp  (all download page)

direct link for the file
http://global.shuttle.com/servlets/download?file_id=7525

otherwise, your system may hang during the bios update,and require RMA for sure. (system will not boot again)
shuttle may release this information in the future FAQ, it include all of the model except X100

update~
if you are going to use awdflash in dos mode
please read the orange text

Caution: This bios require optional parameter to update with awdflash.
Example: awdflash SG33S10Z.bin /cd/sn/py

otherwise... you will need RMA your machine

[iG]

Or use the clean boot CD method + AWD flash.

------------------

**  Clean Bootable CD does not work with SATA optical drives, make a bootable flash drive instead if you have a SATA optical drive OR temporarily connect an IDE optical drive.  **


Instead of using WinFlash, get this clean boot CD:

Clean Bootable CD-Rom (for BIOS upgrade)
http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/#clean

Burn the ISO to a CD.  Then go to Shuttle’s FTP site and download the latest BIOS (the zip file).  Unzip the contents of the zip file (should be the BIOS *.bin file and the awdflash.exe file) and burn those two files to another CD.  Put the clean boot cd in you drive and reboot.  Once it has booted with the clean boot CD and shown you what letter the CD drive is, switch to that drive by typing its letter plus a colon, at the command prompt.  Take the clean boot CD out and put the other CD in (the CD with the BIOS *.bin file and the awdflash.exe file).  Then type:

awdflash xxx.bin /cc/cd/cp/py/R

The “xxx� should be replaced with the filename of the BIOS bin file.

/cc = clear CMOS after Programming
/cd = clear DMI after Programming
/cp = clear PNP(ESCD) after Programming
/py = Program Flash Memory
/R = Reset System after Programming

After it restarts, go back into the BIOS, load the optimized defaults, save and exit.  Then after it restarts, you can go back into the BIOS and configure it how you like.

Using all those switches / parameters ensures a “cleanâ€Â� BIOS update.  It’s kind of like zero-filling your hard drive before re-installing your OS.

[MrbLOB9000]

seems pretty important, I'll go ahead and sticky this for now.

[sopp]

if you really really want to boot on dos mode and use flash under dos mode, hiren's cd 9.3(hmmm totally not legal ) does support sata dvd-rw

please also use newer version of awflash if you want to flash it under dos mode, the old version may also crash while bios update(some issue with the following chipset intel 3 series P35 X38 G33, long issue list from phoenix tech, the parent company of award)

[melsmed]

So, is not safe to just boot from a Flash drive with DOS only and flash from it?

[sopp]

depend on your machine and awdflash version...
intel 3 series chipset have issue with older awdflash, it will hang during bios update.

[Bobenis]

When I go to update the BIOS to the newest SD37S034.bin for my SD37P2, awdflash tells me

"The program file's part number does not match with your system!"

Then it just jumps back to C:

Any clues? I am using the version of awdflash from 05/15/2007 v8.87

I need to flash my BIOS otherwise I cannot boot into Vista with my Q6600 - Cheers!

[Bobenis]

OK now I am getting:

"The program file's BIOS-Lock String does not match with your system!" When using awdflash 8.23E

This is getting weirder by the minute lol

[CorneliousXT]

This is a much better guide IMO for those with an available USB Flash Drive:

http://www.vistajuice.com/2007/02/solution_for_updating_the_bios.php

I'm gonna be trying it this afternoon and I'll be back with my results...but it seems pretty fail-safe.

[Bobenis]

I later realized that my mobo's version is 2.1 and I was trying to update the BIOS with a v1.x BIOS update. Crappy thing is that I am still getting the exact same error. I have tried re-downloading awdflash.exe and the BIOS update but nothing, same error. No clue wtf is happening but it is so irritating. I might have to get a drive with XP on it and see if the Q6600 can boot up OK with XP as I know the BIOS update says it has issues with Vista.

[CorneliousXT]

Try the guide I linked to above...it's another alternative that works great if the instructions are followed.

[Bobenis]

Yeah but that says it is for a Vista 64 machine. Mine is Vista 32.

[CorneliousXT]

Yeah but that says it is for a Vista 64 machine. Mine is Vista 32.

Oops...sorry...my bad.

[one2go]

Having read through the posts regarding BIOS update, it looks like that more then the usual caution is required here. I am ready to update my BIOS for the SG33G5 to version Z and if I understand it correctly with Vista as OS the newly posted WinFlash utility is the easiest and safest way to go about it, any thoughts?

[Bobenis]

Yeah I hooped my BIOS a week ago due to a bad flash, it froze during the update and I could not CTRL C or Break out of the DOS process. My new, un-used Shuttle is toast Never even got a chance to use it yet. I think my reason was that Shuttle put the wrong BIOS chip in my Shuttle. Shuttle said they would reprogram and flash my BIOS chip to the newest but would charge me $10 to do it? So I just bought a new chip off of eBay and the guy flashed it to the latest BIOS for me. It cost me $10 in total which is faster than paying to send it to Shuttle and then waiting for ages to get it back again. Every time I tried to flash mine, it told me that the BIOS chip and update differed and thus it refused to update so I ended up using the /F option to force it after which it got to the end of the 1st update bar then froze on accessing memory 1ffff.

[iG]

Having read through the posts regarding BIOS update, it looks like that more then the usual caution is required here. I am ready to update my BIOS for the SG33G5 to version Z and if I understand it correctly with Vista as OS the newly posted WinFlash utility is the easiest and safest way to go about it, any thoughts?

Doing it in Vista w/ Winflash is the riskiest way to do it.  The safest way would be to flash the BIOS in a DOS environment by using a boot CD, boot floppy, boot USB flash drive, etc..

[one2go]

Doing it in Vista w/ Winflash is the riskiest way to do it.  The safest way would be to flash the BIOS in a DOS environment by using a boot CD, boot floppy, boot USB flash drive, etc..

Well I have a SATA optical drive therefore all the safe boot images don't seem to work. I do have a floppy around the house because the last time I installed XP and needed a driver for ACHI mode I needed a floppy to load the driver on installation.

OK so for vista booting either from USB drive or floppy, using latest AWARD flush program I presume is then the safest.

Thanks for the information.

[rvannostrand]

Got this information from a insider firend and please pass it to every shuttle user
if you want to update your bios in vista
.......otherwise... you will need RMA your machine

I think I'll stick to WinXP on my SD39P2 for now- BIOS flashes work exactly like I expect them to. Right now, there is absolutely no reason why I would want to downgrade my system to VISTA!

[Bobenis]

I am loving Vista and it works as smooth as XP did for me. Even better with the SP1 I am running on it. It has come a long way from launch date.

[one2go]

I am loving Vista and it works as smooth as XP did for me. Even better with the SP1 I am running on it. It has come a long way from launch date.

And how does this relate to the update bios in Vista thread exactly?

[Bobenis]

And how does this relate to the update bios in Vista thread exactly?

 EXACTLY....so uh why the comment below?

there is absolutely no reason why I would want to downgrade my system to VISTA!

[one2go]

I think I'll stick to WinXP on my SD39P2 for now- BIOS flashes work exactly like I expect them to. Right now, there is absolutely no reason why I would want to downgrade my system to VISTA!

You took his quotation out of context. His reason was because of BIOS flashes he did not want to move to vista, yours was just hitting on the no move to vista and has nothing to do with flashing the BIOS, normally this is referred to as trolling.

[Bobenis]

Says the new guy with 15 posts...you are trolling by continuing this. You took a cheap shot on Vista and without using it, as obviously you have not, I decided to tell you it is not a downgrade. If a BIOS flash goes bad in DOS..it has nothing to do with Vista.

[one2go]

Says the new guy with 15 posts...you are trolling by continuing this. You took a cheap shot on Vista and without using it, as obviously you have not, I decided to tell you it is not a downgrade. If a BIOS flash goes bad in DOS..it has nothing to do with Vista.

As a guy with 210 posts the least I could expect from you is to quote the correct person for the downgrade posting as well as know how to properly quote from another post. Green is not the person that posted but the class.

FYI, I have a SG33G5M and I am running vista and I am OK with it. VMC is not really up to what I expected. Keeping the PC up to date, I was preparing for a BIOS flash from X to Z. My dialog here is in preparation for this, since RMA is not an option for me,  because the UK outfit that sold the Shuttle is not tech savy, nor am I willing to wait months to get it back. It has to work first time.

EDIT: Thanks for correcting your post from 06 December 2007 11:54 PM to reflect the proper persons and their posts. You still need to correct the above post as the statement is inaccurate and does not reflect your corrected post.

[hnyman]

I successfully flashed the SP35P BIOS using a bootable USB stick created with the simple "HP USB disk storage tool".
The version 2.1.8 of that HP tool (without DOS boot files) can be found e.g.:
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197

The same page contains a link to Windows98 boot files = DOS boot files, which are needed for the boot to work.

Very simple tool to use: use the tools to format the USB stick and it will automatically include the needed DOS files (io.sys, msdos.sys, command.com) from the locations you point, and then just add the BIOS file and awdflash.exe.

After the boot from USB to the DOS prompt, I used the newest AWDFLASH 8.87 available from Shuttle and had no problems.
I used parameters /PY/CC/CD/CP (and also /E as I wanted to return back to DOS prompt after flash in case the flash would have failed. I wanted no forced auto-boot)

EDIT Dec'09: Removed unworking link, added note about Win98 files. Please also note the message #37 in this same thread contains a very good walkthrough of the process.