Need help flashing BIOS

[Trailhog250]

I recently posted a topic here to figure out if I had a bad CPU or an outdated BIOS: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/360283-28-outdated-bios Assuming it's an outdated BIOS which seems likely, I now need help in flashing it.

I'm currently using an i3-2100 and my new i5-3570K is not being recognized by the BIOS. The Motherboard came out of a Gateway DX4860 Desktop: http://support.gateway.com/product/default.aspx?modelId=3696 My current BIOS version is: P01-A2. The latest version (as can be found on the Gateway link above under 'BIOS') is: P03-A3.

I am not familiar with flashing the BIOS, I do know that it can brick the Motherboard if done incorrectly. Which is why I posted for help. Inside the download Gateway offers for the P03-A3 version are these 3 folders:

DOS/
-AFUDOS.exe
-BIOS_DOS.bat
ROM/
P03-A3.rom
WIN/
AFUWIN.exe
AFUWINx64.exe
amifldrv32.sys
amifldrv64.sys
BIOS_WIN.bat

According to the readme that's provided I am supposed to be able to simply run BIOS_WIN.bat and it will do everything from within Windows. This however has not worked. So is there a way I can manually do it with a USB stick from bootup? If there is what file(s) should I copy to it and what procedure should I try?

Thanks for reading, and here are my specs as of now:

Thermaltake 600watt ps
Nvidia GTX 660
12 GB DDR3 RAM
i3-2100 CPU
Windows 7 64-bit

 

[Trailhog250]

The AFUWIN and AFUWINx64 that's included in the download are not usable, they bring up a command prompt and pressing any key closes it.

I tried downloading AFUWIN off the AMI website and I have 3 .exes I can use: AFUWIN, AFUWINx64, and afuwingui. Using AFUWIN gets this error message before even starting: 'BIOS is write protected'. Using AFUWINx64 gets this error message before starting: 'Flash part is not supported'. And last, using afuwingui will open as it should. It allows me to choose P03-A3.ROM as the designated BIOS update file. I then check 'Program all blocks'. And click flash. It reads the file, then tells me 'ROM file size does not match existing BIOS size'.

And what is Intel Flash Memory Utility? I already have a formatted DOS bootup USB stick I'm using.

 

[danny2000]

Don't use a bios from the non-Gateway site.

 

[Trailhog250]

I haven't yet, I'm still using the P03-A3 from the Gateway website. It seems the safest way to flash is to do it from a DOS environment and not from Windows. (lots of people say that can be potentially more dangerous) I have been experimenting with AFUDOS but still get the ROM file size does not match message..

Perhaps the engineer version of AFUDOS is the answer? It's supposed to be able to force flash I think, upon trying to use it though it freezes the DOS environment. Perhaps I'm trying the wrong commands? I've tried using the 229 and 236 AFUDOS engineering versions. (to use AFUDOS all I need is AFUDOS.exe and the .ROM file right? No other files?)

 

[cin19]

I think you should go back the gateway site to download the P03.A3.

I did it in my test PC, after I download it I got a 4.33MB "BIOS_Gateway_P03.A3_Windows" which has 12 files and 3 folders.

The BIOS_WIN inside the WIN folder is the MS_DOS batch file, you can't run it in the window. But when I click the "afuwinx64.exe" ( because I run the 64-bit Win7), it show up the next window and you can type in the command to run, I saw one is "/ECUF" -- update EC BIOS when newer version is detected.

I don't want to go further, hope this can help.

 

[Trailhog250]

Yes, that's exactly what I have too. But when I start afuwinx64 or afuwin I get a command screen with some commands listed. But I can't type, it just reads: Press any key to continue. Pressing any key results in the display of more commands, and pressing any key again closes the window. Can you actually type in the window your afuwinx64 opens?

 

[Trailhog250]

Oh I see.. I have to access it via command prompt. I tried running it using the /ecuf command and I got the ROM size does not match bios size error again. After some research it appeared that the bios version: P02-A2 was distributed on later models of the Gateway 4860 series. So I tried updating to P02-A2 and it let me (off an Acer website). So I'm now using P02-A2 instead of P01-A2. The date on P01-A2 was something like: 05/11 the date on P02-A2 was: 11/11 I think. So I have a newer version, but my new CPU is still not being detected. That's probably because that update was not even meant to add support for the Ivy Bridge.

The Ivy Bridge was released about 5 months later, hence when the P03-A3 update was. When trying to install P02-A2 I got the message: ROM id does not match BIOS id. That was fixed by using /x so it wouldn't check the ROM id first.

As I stated above my bios size is 2097KB, the update P02-A2 was 2048KB, and the one I need which is P03-A3 is 2560KB. Is there a command that will force it to flash without checking/comparing the sizes?

Btw, I now know that my chipset is a H67. And I believe my motherboard is a simple generic Acer board used in premade PCs.

 

[Trailhog250]

Best answer selected by Trailhog250.

 

[Trailhog250]

After some more research it appears my Intel H67 Express chipset does not support the 3rd gen i5: http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_%28chipsets%29/H67_Express.html

It appears to support 3rd gen i7's though if the site is accurate. I guess I'll need to get a new Mobo, something that I've put off for far too long now anyway. Thanks for your help and advice everyone.

 

[Merllin]

Oh I see.. I have to access it via command prompt. I tried running it using the /ecuf command and I got the ROM size does not match bios size error again. After some research it appeared that the bios version: P02-A2 was distributed on later models of the Gateway 4860 series. So I tried updating to P02-A2 and it let me (off an Acer website). So I'm now using P02-A2 instead of P01-A2. The date on P01-A2 was something like: 05/11 the date on P02-A2 was: 11/11 I think. So I have a newer version, but my new CPU is still not being detected. That's probably because that update was not even meant to add support for the Ivy Bridge.

The Ivy Bridge was released about 5 months later, hence when the P03-A3 update was. When trying to install P02-A2 I got the message: ROM id does not match BIOS id. That was fixed by using /x so it wouldn't check the ROM id first.

As I stated above my bios size is 2097KB, the update P02-A2 was 2048KB, and the one I need which is P03-A3 is 2560KB. Is there a command that will force it to flash without checking/comparing the sizes?

Btw, I now know that my chipset is a H67. And I believe my motherboard is a simple generic Acer board used in premade PCs.

How did you end up running it from Command Prompt? I have tried and it still produces the "any key" problem.

 

[Kn0xX]

How did you end up running it from Command Prompt? I have tried and it still produces the "any key" problem.
[/quotemsg]

Right-click command prompt and select Run as Administrator. Enter the address for the afudosx64 executable from there. No more any key problem. . Good luck.