ECS 848P-A 2.0 Bios Flash

[WhoisJohnGalt]

Sorry, this is a long post, but hello, in December I bought an the above motherboard, along with a 3.0Ghz P4 CPU (800Mhz FSB & HT). It's been running quite hot since i've gotten it, and even with my thermal shutdown temperature set to 70 degrees in the bios, it will shut down with my wife plays the sims, or if i play Halflife 2 too long. I am using the intel heatsink, but i removed the thermal padding and replaced it with arctic silver, and have a 120mm case fan to the front for intake, and have an 80mm fan in the back for exhaust. Also there in an 80mm intake fan on the side window, sorta aimed at the CPU. On the front of the case is a digital thermometer, which tells me that its not that hot inside my case (the diode is in between CPU heatsink fins). Anyhow to make a long story short, I looked at the ECS website, and there is a bios upgrade which is labeled:
-
BIOS Name BIOS for 848P-A(PCB:2.0) / 848P-A Deluxe(PCB:2.0)
Version 2.2h
Release Date 2004/12/30
Update Description
1. Support E0 Step 0F4Xh CPU.
2. Update Prescott CPU Micro Code For Prescott 0F33h CPU
3. Fixed CPU Temperature
4. Support P4 Willamette CPU
-
I can't find a document on the ECS website going into more detail about the updated bios, but i think it might fix my problem with the overheating (or faulty CPU temperature reporting, whichever the problem is)
Anyhow, my question is twofold.
1) Should I try updating the bios? I'm rather paranoid about wrecking my motherboard, but I think it should be done, because reaching shutdown temperature isn't good/fun.
and 2) How should I go about flashing it. I downloaded the new BIOS files, and the Winflash program that ECS recommends.
Thanks for your help
JG

 

[Flinx]

Yes you should flash it. Find someone with a bit of experience if you feel nervous.

Don't do it if there is any chance of a powerfailure.. eg. electrical storm.

Maybe someone else would care to explain but I have already given my advice of finding someone who knows. Truely, it is not that complicated but I understand ur nervousness.



The loving are the daring!

 

[Crashman]

Yes, you should flash it.

You should have also asked around before getting a Prescott core P4, these things are notorious for heat problems.

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[WhoisJohnGalt]

Thanks y'all, I flashed it successfully w/ Award's Winflash utility, and immediately, the CPU temp dropped 10 degrees celcius...thanks for the help, and yeah, unfortunately there were certain circumstances where i basically had to take whatever the computer store had in stock...i wanted the A7N8X motherboard and a nice AMD, but the best AMD wthey had was the sempron 2400 and they didn't have any AMD motherboards there...anyhow...thanks for the help
JG