Bootable CDROM for BIOS update?

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Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956D19A2844BFceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.67...
> "Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
> alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
> > No, my logic is how most competent PC techies have been operating for
> > years now. Always install the latest device drivers, program updates
> > and the mobo's BIOS is no different. No different from the fact that
> > MS WANTS everyone to enable automatic updates. Keep current. Keep
> > ahead of problems. Be in the best position to debug a problem if one
> > arises. STAY CURRENT.

I consider those running around saying oh no don't flash as you'll likely
destroy your mobo as purveyors of malicious damaging nonsense...."oh no
don't fix it if it ain't busted". Vary bad advice bordering on malicious
and worthy of attack. To cover their ridiculous position they make up
horror stories about bad effects.

Just say NO! Just stay CURRENT!
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:


<snip frothing and ranting>


Just what we needed.
Another Usenet kook enters the open road.


--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <xkr4d.416072$OB3.360528@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote:

> "Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message
> news:nospam-2209042216310001@192.168.1.177...
>
> > There are some people who have visited these
> > forums before, and based on their history, it is obvious
> > they are "computer phobic". They have an allergic reaction
> > when they get near a computer, have low tolerance to frustration,
> > and will always reach for the wrong control at the wrong time.
>
> Now starts the fairly tales I guess.
>
> > They will do something stupid, rather than post a question and
> > wait for an answer. "I pulled out the plug, because it didn't
> > look like it was flashing." For those people, the bar gets raised
> > a lot higher,
>
> It's very easy to state all the necessary cautionary information is you have
> a hot one in a thread. The can be done very easily WITHOUT contaminating
> the overall message with general bad advice and falsehoods....like "if it
> ain't broken don't fix it".

I don't apply that rule very often. Most people who manage to post
to USENET had to have some clues. It is just some people who ask
questions here frequently, the first question you see is "should
I flash the BIOS ? I'm bored", and if you don't write them a long
diatribe weighing the pros and cons, a day later you'll see
a post "my board won't boot and my screen is black. Can you help
me ? I am going crazy (or somesuch designed to win them pity)".

If you see a train wreck coming, you have to politely ask people
like that, to step off the tracks 🙂

Are you aware, Ron, as to how many BIOS have been pulled by Asus,
in a matter of days after their release ? How many BIOS have
restrictions as to which flashing methods work and which ones don't ?
How many boards have a ticking time bomb inside, when the initial
release BIOS has a bad Crashfree module in it, that is guaranteed
to kill the board the first time it is invoked ? The release
quality has been going downhill, and that is not encouraging.
Two releases of A7N8X BIOS were pulled in a row, due to problems.
(You would think the first quality problem would alert them of
the need for more care.) After that, what would you advise the
owner of an Asus Nforce2 product to do, when the next BIOS after
the two pulled ones appears ? Say a prayer ? User error is one
issue, but the design errors by Asus also have to be taken into
consideration when giving advice.

If the quality of the flashing tools and testing quality of
release BIOS improves, so will the tone of the average
Google posting on the subject. If more manufacturers used
dual BIOS chips, we wouldn't have any reservation about
flashing, as you could bork the spare as much as you like.

Paul
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

You could get shafted if the bios flash programs need to write to disk
(CDROM) for any reason

"povmec" <raymond_hill@hotmailBLABLA.com> wrote in message
news:2rblr5F153a17U1@uni-berlin.de...
> Is it possible to create a bootable CDROM for various purpose, like
updating
> the BIOS using AFUDOS, or to run a memory test, or any other basic
fonctions
> to be run before the OS loads? If yes, I would like to know where to go to
> get the steps.
>
> Thanks, Ray.
>
>
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"John" <knight_js.nospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4152edd2$0$10351$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
>
> You could get shafted

"shafted"...not hardly.

You might arrive at a situation where the full functionality is impaired
because of the read only boot media. You will NOT end up with a bad flash
due to that.

> if the bios flash programs need to write to disk
> (CDROM) for any reason
>
> "povmec" <raymond_hill@hotmailBLABLA.com> wrote in message
> news:2rblr5F153a17U1@uni-berlin.de...
> > Is it possible to create a bootable CDROM for various purpose, like
> updating
> > the BIOS using AFUDOS, or to run a memory test, or any other basic
> fonctions
> > to be run before the OS loads? If yes, I would like to know where to go
to
> > get the steps.
> >
> > Thanks, Ray.
> >
> >
>
>
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr." <stargazer.removetheobvious@cavtel.net> wrote in
message news:iTU4d.3$Jm2.772@news.uswest.net...
> Ron, Paul et al:
> Greetings and hallucinations from just north of Fantasy Land (Washington,
> DC)!
> Only flash a BIOS to correct a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix it is
> an old proverb.
<snipped>

I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
break.

Jim M
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr." <stargazer.removetheobvious@cavtel.net> wrote in
message news:iTU4d.3$Jm2.772@news.uswest.net...
> Ron, Paul et al:
> Greetings and hallucinations from just north of Fantasy Land (Washington,
> DC)!
> Only flash a BIOS to correct a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix it is
> an old proverb. Years ago I had a board that needed a BIOS update to

<snip>

Small piece of advice - TRIM your postings...
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr. wrote:

> Remember that with a new BIOS you are gamma testing the critter.
> Peace,
> Paul

:)

Gamma testing? that explains why the post messages changed after
flashing my bios, now it says "Your CPU is making me angry, it won't
like me when I'm angry"
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:


> I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
> To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
> break.

A mobo doesn't "break" from an older version of bios. It might give
problems with newer hardware if you install it.

A mobo might however occasionaly "break" from a BIOS flash operation.

That shouldn't withhold you from flashing to the latetst BIOS though,
but the saying about not being "broken" and being not in need of
repairing still holds. 😉


--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956ED6BD63244ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.83...
> "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
>> I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
>> To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
>> break.
>
> A mobo doesn't "break" from an older version of bios. It might give
> problems with newer hardware if you install it.
>
> A mobo might however occasionaly "break" from a BIOS flash operation.
>
> That shouldn't withhold you from flashing to the latetst BIOS though,
> but the saying about not being "broken" and being not in need of
> repairing still holds. 😉

No it doesn't

>
>
> --
> CeeBee
>
>
> "I don't know half of you
> half as well as I should like;
> and I like less than half of you
> half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:


> No it doesn't

Those are convincing arguments.


--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956EE8944D366ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.74...
> "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
>> No it doesn't
>
> Those are convincing arguments.

I'm not trying to convince you.
It would be a waste of my time.

>
>
> --
> CeeBee
>
>
> "I don't know half of you
> half as well as I should like;
> and I like less than half of you
> half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:M_OdncD-z-cGo8ncRVn-rA@comcast.com...
>
> "Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr." <stargazer.removetheobvious@cavtel.net> wrote
in
> message news:iTU4d.3$Jm2.772@news.uswest.net...
> > Ron, Paul et al:
> > Greetings and hallucinations from just north of Fantasy Land
(Washington,
> > DC)!
> > Only flash a BIOS to correct a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix it
is
> > an old proverb.
> <snipped>
>
> I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
> To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
> break.

Precisely. It's just like the latest device drivers and program updates.
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956ED6BD63244ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.83...
> "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
> > I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
> > To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
> > break.
>
> A mobo doesn't "break" from an older version of bios. It might give
> problems with newer hardware if you install it.

NONSENSE. The odds are exactly the reverse of that.

> A mobo might however occasionaly "break" from a BIOS flash operation.

A gaint meteroid might get you too.

> That shouldn't withhold you from flashing to the latetst BIOS though,
> but the saying about not being "broken" and being not in need of
> repairing still holds. 😉

It most certainly does NOT hold.
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news😱vudnahZrui0FsncRVn-vQ@comcast.com...
>
> "CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
> news:Xns956EE8944D366ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.74...
> > "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
> >
> >
> >> No it doesn't
> >
> > Those are convincing arguments.
>
> I'm not trying to convince you.
> It would be a waste of my time.

We've noticed that<g>. Logic and good practice evades a few.
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Ron Reaugh wrote:
> "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news😱vudnahZrui0FsncRVn-vQ@comcast.com...
>
>>"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
>>news:Xns956EE8944D366ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.74...
>>
>>>"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>No it doesn't
>>>
>>>Those are convincing arguments.
>>
>>I'm not trying to convince you.
>>It would be a waste of my time.
>
>
> We've noticed that<g>. Logic and good practice evades a few.

This thread now seems to be about the merits of "Stay Current" vs. "If
it ain't broke, don't fix it".

I won't join that debate, other than to say I advocate preventive
maintenance, but it seems to me there's a third, highly relevant, adage
which has not been mentioned - "Don't make changes without a backout plan".

Without pointing fingers, it appears the current state of BIOS update
technology is such that an inordinate number of users manage to disable
their hardware and are unable to recover short of spending time and
money on a replacement BIOS chip.

If all motherboards implemented a reliable dual-BIOS, I suspect your
views would represent the majority.

I recommend factoring in the price of a spare BIOS chip when making
motherboard purchase decisions.

Triffid
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:


> I'm not trying to convince you.
> It would be a waste of my time.


I have never ever considered the fact that flashing BIOS is actually a
religion, elevated above discussion and real life facts, and leading to
seizures and frothing by its believers if they encounter heathens.

I thought it was just friggin' flashing some chip with a few zeroes and
ones.


--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956F6221F57Aceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.84...
> "JBM" <jmanning95@hotmail.com> wrote in alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
> > I'm not trying to convince you.
> > It would be a waste of my time.
>
>
> I have never ever considered the fact that flashing BIOS is actually a
> religion, elevated above discussion and real life facts, and leading to
> seizures and frothing by its believers if they encounter heathens.
>
> I thought it was just friggin' flashing some chip with a few zeroes and
> ones.

The only philistine chant from the Ozarks in this thread has been:
"don't fix it if it ain't busted."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:

>
> "CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote:
>> A mobo doesn't "break" from an older version of bios. It might give
>> problems with newer hardware if you install it.
>
> NONSENSE. The odds are exactly the reverse of that.


Now I lose you completely.

First you claim -up to a point where you lose control of your senses-
that one _always_ should flash BIOS to the newest version to prevent
problems, and here you claim that putting in newer hardware gives _less_
chance on problems than with newer BIOS.

You even call the statement that older versions of BIOS might give
possible problems when you install new hardware "nonsense".

Well, religious fanatics always make up the rules, and are seldomly
interested in continuity, facts or logic. It's clearly no different with
you.

I have stumbled upon a religion. I'm sorry I hurted your god. I just
thought we were discussing some software code for a chip soldered to a
plastic plate in a computer. How mistaken could I be.


--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:


> The only philistine chant from the Ozarks in this thread has been:
> "don't fix it if it ain't busted."


What kind of a weirdo is this guy? Is he a known usenet kook?

--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

JBM wrote:
> "Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr." <stargazer.removetheobvious@cavtel.net>
> wrote in message news:iTU4d.3$Jm2.772@news.uswest.net...
>> Ron, Paul et al:
>> Greetings and hallucinations from just north of Fantasy Land
>> (Washington, DC)!
>> Only flash a BIOS to correct a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix
>> it is an old proverb.
> <snipped>
>
> I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
> To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
> break.
>
> Jim M

I do as well, always have since I have been building my own pc's - a few
years now.

So far < knocking on wood> , never had a problem flashing the bios.


--
Don Burnette
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956F88A0944Cceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.83...
> "Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
> alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
>
> > The only philistine chant from the Ozarks in this thread has been:
> > "don't fix it if it ain't busted."
>
>
> What kind of a weirdo is this guy? Is he a known usenet kook?

When you can't cut it technically then attack the poster...they always
ultimately expose themselves.


>
> --
> CeeBee
>
>
> "I don't know half of you
> half as well as I should like;
> and I like less than half of you
> half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:

> When you can't cut it technically then attack the poster...they always
> ultimately expose themselves.

No, it's slightly different with you and me. When _you_ can't cut it
technically, _you_ twist my words and bend the original meaning to cater
your own agenda.

Don't you lecture me. A bit more critical about your _own_ behaviour,
please.

One doesn't cut religion technically, nor its fanatics and their
dogma's. And as I already stated - you're free to your beliefs.
I only wonder (and it might amaze you that I'm sincere) why people like
you make such a fuss about an advice to think twice before performing a
BIOS upgrade that might not be necessary.

After all it is you who blowed your top and turned red before the eyes
when your arguments and ideas where disputed.
It makes my inquiry quite understandable: the way you react and behave
_is_ typical of Usenet kooks, there's no doubt about that.

So you're _not_ a Usenet kook. Good.

But I still think the way you react to a simple message is plain weird.
It's not reacting, it's overreacting. It's preposterous behaviour.

--
CeeBee


"I don't know half of you
half as well as I should like;
and I like less than half of you
half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Wacko.

"CeeBee" <ceebeechester@start.com.au> wrote in message
news:Xns956F1CE8E8874ceebeechesterstartco@195.121.6.67...
> "Ron Reaugh" <rondashreaugh@att.net> wrote in
> alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus:
>
> > When you can't cut it technically then attack the poster...they always
> > ultimately expose themselves.
>
> No, it's slightly different with you and me. When _you_ can't cut it
> technically, _you_ twist my words and bend the original meaning to cater
> your own agenda.
>
> Don't you lecture me. A bit more critical about your _own_ behaviour,
> please.
>
> One doesn't cut religion technically, nor its fanatics and their
> dogma's. And as I already stated - you're free to your beliefs.
> I only wonder (and it might amaze you that I'm sincere) why people like
> you make such a fuss about an advice to think twice before performing a
> BIOS upgrade that might not be necessary.
>
> After all it is you who blowed your top and turned red before the eyes
> when your arguments and ideas where disputed.
> It makes my inquiry quite understandable: the way you react and behave
> _is_ typical of Usenet kooks, there's no doubt about that.
>
> So you're _not_ a Usenet kook. Good.
>
> But I still think the way you react to a simple message is plain weird.
> It's not reacting, it's overreacting. It's preposterous behaviour.
>
> --
> CeeBee
>
>
> "I don't know half of you
> half as well as I should like;
> and I like less than half of you
> half as well as you deserve."
 
Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Don Burnette" <d.burnette@clothes.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:h9adnXHgw7BXZsncRVn-pw@giganews.com...
> JBM wrote:
> > "Paul D. Motzenbecker, Jr." <stargazer.removetheobvious@cavtel.net>
> > wrote in message news:iTU4d.3$Jm2.772@news.uswest.net...
> >> Ron, Paul et al:
> >> Greetings and hallucinations from just north of Fantasy Land
> >> (Washington, DC)!
> >> Only flash a BIOS to correct a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix
> >> it is an old proverb.
> > <snipped>
> >
> > I always keep my board flashed with the latest BIOS.
> > To me it's more a matter of maintaining your system so it doesn't
> > break.
> >
> > Jim M
>
> I do as well, always have since I have been building my own pc's - a few
> years now.
>
> So far < knocking on wood> , never had a problem flashing the bios.

Most everyone I talk to who actually does work on PCs has been flashing
regularly for years now. With modest competence and a little care it is
quite safe.

Only a few zealots are trying to create somekind of dogma for the masses and
are purveying this nonsense about "don't fix it if it ain't busted".
 
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