BIOS Questions

Hello:

When it says to update my Motherboard BIOS . . . is that BIOS my "Award Modular BIOS" or is there another BIOS that has to do with the Motherboard ?

When updating the BIOS, do I just update to the next REV or go directly to the "latest" REV that exists for my BIOS ?

Do I update the Motherboard BIOS from my "ENPC Motherboard" website or from the "Award BIOS" website (if there is only ONE BIOS that is being spoken of, when they say update your Motherboard BIOS) ?

I am upgrading my Win95c system to Win98SE . . . should I "take the chance" and upgrade my (02/20/1998) BIOS and possibly end up with a dead computer (if the upgrade messes up) or just stay with my older 1998 BIOS and "be safe? "

THANK YOU for any advice.



MY MACHINE:

Computer was custom-built on May 12, 1998:

Microsoft Windows 95 4.00.950 C OEM (OSR2.5 Genuine CD)
Intel Pentium II, MMX, 300 MHz Processor (w/Cooling Fan)
ENPC EP-KL21 v1.3 (4-PCI 3-ISA 1-AGP) 12/1997 Mainboard
Award BIOS v4.51PG 02/20/98-i440LX-SMC67X-2A69JECBC-00
Front Bus Speed (FBS)=66MHz
Deep Electronic Co. ATX-725b (250 Watt) 3.3V Power Supply
Quantum Bigfoot TX 12GB HD; UDMA/33 DMA=off; MASTER; C: D:
Samsung 3.5" (1.44 MB/2.88 MB) Internal Floppy Drive; A:
Yamaha CRW3200EZ (40X); Internal CD-RW; MASTER; E:
Hitachi CDR-8330 (24X); Internal CD-ROM; SLAVE; F:

Rockwell 56K-Flex 56000 BPS PnP Internal Fax/Voice/Modem
ATI RagePro AGP2X; 4MB(28MB AGP) SGRAM; AGP slot; 4.11.2560
VGA / MPEG / 95 / OSR2 Video Chip
Display Resolution: 800x600xHighColor (16-bit)
DCS S727 PCI (Ensoniq clone) Sound Card; 4.02.1033
PCI Universal Serial Bus

Plug 'n' Play Monitor (Smile CB6738SL) 17" Digital Color; 0.26dp
Hewlett-Packard SK-2501K Keyboard (w/13 Hotkeys)
Microsoft IntelliMouse Trackball Mouse v3.2
Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro Joystick v3.0
Canon BJC-2110 Color Inkjet Printer

SYSTEM RAM:
288 MB SDRAM DIMM 168-Pin (3)-Memory Modules
220 MB Free RAM Memory (all running programs CLOSED)

IE 5.50.4134.0600; 128-bit Strength
AOL 7.0 (AOL Email; Dial-Up)
DIRECTX 7.0a

 

update my Motherboard BIOS

The updates are usually available on the motherboard site, that is where i would look for any update but in the listing HERE it shows ENPC as no longer in existence but the company is listed at ENPC

 

Thanks ALBOY for reply.

The BIOS information for ENPC seems to be located at

http://support.enlightcorp.com.tw/ftp/bios/ENPC/

where I see the file "Awdflash.exe" and NINE (.bin ) files . . . but, I don't know which BIN file to download and use.

KL2110a.bin
KL2110a1.bin
KL2110b.bin
KL2111.bin
KL2112.bin
KL2113.bin
KL2113a.bin
KL2115.bin
KL2120.bin


MY BIOS Information:

BIOS ID: 2A69JECBC
BIOS Date: 02/20/98
Signon: 02/20/98-i440LX-SMC67X-2A69JECBC-00
Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
Super I/O: SMC 67x rev 1 found at port 3F0h
Chipset: Intel 440EX/LX rev 3
OEM Signon: EP-KL21 BIOS ROM version 1.0C 02/20/1998


ALSO:
I am now running WINDOWS 98SE . . . rather than Win95c.

 

Those are version numbers from the various boards

yours is a:
ENPC EP-KL21 v1.3 or 2113

from this I would reason that the latest bios release for your 21 series board would be version 2.0 or 2120

I would look around to see if there is a readme available
but first I would caution you, (and I dont mean to be insulting here)

You must be absolutely positive in you own abilities here, because there is no coming back from a bad flash and your board would be scrap

Also look around the site to what function each bios version is updating and decide whether or not you need it updated.
(old saying "if its not broke, dont fix it ")

If there is no listing of the updates I wouldnt touch the bios at all.

Lastly Im in no way encouraging you to do this, and cannot be held responsible for any damage to your system by offering you this advice.
Even though a bios flash is a relatively simple thing, they can and do go wrong often leading to a meeting between the board and the bin.

If you decide to go ahead and perform the flash you will probably need a utility called "award flash" or "awdflash" its usually found on or near the bios files, or failing that try the award site.

Good luck

TBP

 

Thanks for info, THE BAD PENNY:

I was wondering if I had to update this BIOS "before" installing WIN98SE on this old machine . . . but WIN98SE installed perfectly without the update.

I will follow your advice and RESEARCH this "updating" thing thoroughly . . . and then decide if I should do it (it is very scary, but maybe won't be so scary after I learn more about it). :>)

Thank you for taking the time to check this out for me, that was very nice of you.

Gratefully yours,

Richard (NYC)

 

Your'e welcome DRAMO4298,
Dont be afraid of updating the bios, its a simple thing and when its done you will ask yourself what was the big deal with that!

Most OS's dont normaly require a bios flash, (unless its a real old machine that needs certain functions)

A bios update / flash is usually a fix of some sort to combat incompatibility with certain hardware types or to add an additional function etc.

For example the latest bios flash for an old Dell P2 333 that I own adds the ability to install a certain make of DVD player to my system as it was previously unrecognised at boot, I dont plan on installing that DVD player so therefor there is no need for me to upgrade to that bios version.

Flashing is very simple but you need to take care of the little details, like a perfect floppy disc with no errors on it, and the certain hope that for the 30 seconds or so when you are flashing the bios there wont be a power outage

Its simple really, just read everything related to the flash so you know what you are doing, follow the on screen instructions and relax!

Above all relax, stress causes mistakes

Good luck

TBP

 

OK, THE BAD PENNY:

Still setting up needed programs on this WIN98SE system.

Then, I can get into the Research about what the updates will do and if I should update the BIOS or not.

Thanks for the (needed) confidence. :>)

Best regards,

Richard (NYC)

 

My LATEST Machine Specs:

Computer was custom-built on May 12, 1998:

Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition 4.10.2222 A
Intel Pentium II, MMX, 300 MHz Processor (w/Cooling Fan)
ENPC EP-KL21 v1.3 (4-PCI 3-ISA 1-AGP) 12/1997 Mainboard
Award BIOS v4.51PG 02/20/98-i440LX-SMC67X-2A69JECBC-00
Front Bus Speed (FBS)=66MHz
Deep Electronic Co. ATX-725b (250 Watt) 3.3V Power Supply
Quantum Bigfoot TX 12GB HD; UDMA/33 DMA=off; MASTER; C: D:
Samsung 3.5" (1.44 MB/2.88 MB) Internal Floppy Drive; A:
Yamaha CRW3200EZ (40X); Internal CD-RW; DMA=off; MASTER; E:
Hitachi CDR-8330 (24X); Internal CD-ROM; DMA=off; SLAVE; F:

Pragmatic H56RSP-F0 Hard Modem (Rockwell ACF 56K-Flex 56000 BPS PnP Internal Data/Fax/Voice)
ATI 3D Rage Pro AGP 2X; 4MB(28MB AGP) SGRAM; AGP slot; 4.13.01.2655
VGA / MPEG / 95 / OSR2 Video Chip
Display Resolution: 800x600xHighColor (16-bit)
DCS S727 PCI (Ensoniq clone) Sound Card; Ensoniq AudioPCI: 4.02.00.1033
Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
USB Root Hub

Smile CB6738SL (PnP Monitor) 17" Digital Color; 0.26dp
Hewlett-Packard SK-2501K Keyboard (w/13 Hotkeys)
Standard PS/2 Port Mouse (Microsoft PS/2 IntelliMouse Trackball - vmouse.vxd 4.10.2222)
Microsoft Sidewinder Precision Pro Joystick (v3.0 Software)
Canon BJC-2110 Color Inkjet Printer

SYSTEM RAM:
288 MB SDRAM DIMM 168-Pin; 32MB-66Mhz; 128MB-66/100Mhz; 128MB-100Mhz
216 MB Free RAM Memory (all running programs CLOSED)

Internet Explorer 6.0.2800.1106 (SP1); 128-bit Strength
AOL 8.0 (AOL Email; Dial-Up Connection)

DIRECTX 8.1 (4.08.01.0881)
DirectDraw Acceleration (Enabled); Test Successful
Direct3D Acceleration (Enabled); Test Successful
AGP Texture Acceleration (Enabled); NO-Test Button (???)
DirectMusic (Enabled); Test Successful
DirectInput (No Problems)