Mail Archives: opendos/2000/12/05/05:11:26
Hi Joe,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Da Silva, Joe" <Joe DOT DaSilva AT emailmetering DOT com>
To: <opendos AT delorie DOT com>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 5:47 PM
Subject: RE: BIOS upgrading (was Optimizing CONFIG.SYS...)
> Almost right, except :
>
> Unless the MB was designed incorrectly, you cannot program
> a Flash part "using just the motherboard", if the MB originally
> used an EPROM. You need a separate EPROM programmer.
I am not jumpimg on you , I just don't want to start another arguement here,
so just take my word for it, Stepen is absolutly right and I can do this.
See the a previous message I wrote to him
The motherboard will use EITHER an EPROM or an EEPROM and can be programmed
on the MB. I have the software and the program that will remove the SCSI
from the BIOS. All I have to do is change a jumper to do the programming.
However, I cannot reprogram an EPROM on the MB, I have to use an EPROM
programmer to do that. I can Hot Swap the EPROM with an EEPROM and do it.
Most of the 486 class motherboard I have run across can use either an EPROM
or EEPROM. Various OEM could chose either one. Some OEMs used both types for
various vendors according to their spcifications. For example, if gateway
should want to use this particular MB, they would put thier own BIOS in it
and chose whether to use an EPROM or an EEPROM. Many of these type of boards
were used by many manufactures and they all would use thier own BIOS
developed by AMI, AAWARD, Phoenix, Mr BIOS, or their own such as Magnavox
used what they call NAPA (the name of their parent company.)
I do not care if anyone believes me or not. If you want to buy me an EEPROM
and come visit me, I'll do it right in front of your eyes.
Also my Motherboard is not unique. My bother has a 5x86-133 M-6119 that can
also use either an EPROM or and EEPROM. There are jumpers for it. Our
problem with his board, is that we cannot determine the manufacture to see
if a BIOS update is available. There quite a few OEMs that used this board
and AMI's references show mnay OEMs that used it and cannot seem to narrow
it down. There is no FCC indetification on his MB and I have downloaded
numerous schematics and board layouts and have not been able to match one up
yet. Several of these OEM do not have info available for their M-6119 boards
on the WEB. He really needs an update for it. I don't really have to have
one for mine. It would be nice, but not like he needs one for his.
Pat
> Joe.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Stephen Kitt [SMTP:lists AT sk2 DOT org]
> > Sent: Tuesday, 5 December 2000 10:03
> > To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
> > Subject: Re: Re: Optimizing CONFIG.SYS...
> >
> > On Sat, Dec 02, 2000 at 02:45:11PM -0700, Patrick Moran wrote:
> > > loading any SCSI drivers and that is where it resides. I cannot turn
off
> > the
> > > MB BIOS for this. Some MB can, but I got stuck with one that does not.
> > It is
> > > EPROM and not FLASH so I can't even remove the code from the MB BIOS.
> >
> > I don't know if this will help, and you might have thought of it
already.
> > Anyway, if you look at the EPROM, there should be a part number on it
> > (possibly beneath a sticker). Look it up on the web, and you should be
> > able
> > to find a datasheet for it, and determine its characteristics - voltage,
> > pins and capacity. Then you can buy a compatible EEPROM or Flash ROM and
> > get
> > someone to write a BIOS image to it; I'd imagine you know someone with
an
> > EEPROM or Flash ROM writer, if you don't own one yourself. Then swap the
> > two
> > chips, and the new BIOS should load...
> >
> > In fact, once you've done that, if you're using a Flash ROM you might be
> > able to reprogram it subsequently using just the motherboard and a
program
> > such as UniFlash which supports many different Flash ROMs. That way you
> > can
> >
> [da Silva, Joe]
>
> See above ...
>
> > experiment to your heart's content, safe in the knowledge that you've
> > still
> > got the original EPROM if things go pear-shaped.
> >
> > Stephen
> >
> > --
> > __| | /_ ) Stephen 'SKČ' Kitt Truly great madness can
not
> > be
> > \__ \ . < __| steve AT sk2 DOT org achieved without
> > significant
> > ____/_|\_\ http://www.sk2.org intelligence. -- H.
> > Tikkanen
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