Gigabyte M61VME-S2 Rev 1.0 - how to flash BIOS from memory card using Qflash?

[geekyadz]

Well, this is a tad embarassing  

After the problem of "do I or dont I" with my desktop for the new CPU and everything working fine (which Im pleased to report), I thought I could use the CPU that came out of my desktop into a computer that is used for a server (see topic title for motherboard)

This time though is it not a question of "will it work," thats already answered (ie yes, when the BIOS is flashed to F11C). The question this time is:

1. Is there a way of flashing the BIOS by memory card using Qflash?
2 If not, then how relible is the @BIOS utility (should I find it for this board)? Personally Im against flashing a BIOS whilst in Windows (or any other OS), as I believe it causes problems, but I also feel in this case I have very little choice

A new board is certainly out of the question (for now)

[Dark Mantis]

If you mean by memory card a USB pendrive then yes it is easy enough or do you really mean a flash memory card like in a camera?

I really wouldn't advise using @BIOS as it is very dangerous and it is not uncommon to see boards messed up on the forum due to failed attempts.

[geekyadz]

If you mean by memory card a USB pendrive then yes it is easy enough or do you really mean a flash memory card like in a camera?

Technically it is neither of those: Its a memory Stick Duo which is for a phone, which I used to flash the BIOS on my desktop (which worked). I also have the same card reader with me.

I really wouldn't advise using @BIOS as it is very dangerous and it is not uncommon to see boards messed up on the forum due to failed attempts.

Yeah I had that feeling about it tooo to be honest, so thanks for confirming that for me.

Little update (I guess):

After a trip to the local shop, I suddenly thouht that its not picking up the memory card as the "boot in cards" was after booting the hard drive - maybe BIOS couldnt read the card anyway?

Also, silly me forgot that there are three files for the BIOS update:

The BIOS itself, an Autoexec.bat (which says flashspi M61VMES2.11c) and flashspi.exe

If I get it to boot off the memory card, will it also flash the BIOS just like qflash, or is that another dodgey wayt of doing like @BIOS?

[Dark Mantis]

Now I am with you regarding the Memory Stick Duo as I also use them in my Sony camera. I take it the card reader is a USB connection?
I don't see why it shouldn't work but sometimes these things can be fussy.

The thing is if you actually boot off the card you will then have to use a DOS environment to run the update like in the old days with floppies.
With QFlash you don't need to do that because the utility is part of the BIOS. All you need is to have the update file on the drive/memory stick and then boot into QFlash (press END while booting) and find the file and run it.

[geekyadz]

Now I am with you regarding the Memory Stick Duo as I also use them in my Sony camera. I take it the card reader is a USB connection?
I don't see why it shouldn't work but sometimes these things can be fussy.

Yeah, straight off the header (plugged into f_USB1)

The thing is if you actually boot off the card you will then have to use a DOS environment to run the update like in the old days with floppies.
With QFlash you don't need to do that because the utility is part of the BIOS. All you need is to have the update file on the drive/memory stick and then boot into QFlash (press END while booting) and find the file and run it.

Actually, I think Ive found the biggest problem: its not a dual-BIOS board. It certainly doesnt come up with  press end to enter Qflash (mind you it is running BIOS version F4. Whether it will change or not I have no idea but I wouldnt of thought so)

I dont mind an "old school" DOS enviroment, as long as it works

[Dark Mantis]

You would have to make the drive bootable and have DrDOS or similar on it to run from as well as the autoexec etc files.

[geekyadz]

So what does the FLASHSPI.EXE do then?

[Dark Mantis]

To be honest I have never used it. I took it it just set up the environment variables along with autoexec. Maybe it is a DOS based program.

[geekyadz]

It certinly appears to give the DOS icon, just like one of the server programs that is on that computer.

Is it worth a try?

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I would think so as it must have some reason to be included in the download.

[geekyadz]

Ok. Well, I will now give it a try. If I dont come back for a while its cos it has gone wrong 

[geekyadz]

Well, that took longer than I expected, thanks to problems on this computer that Im using, but that's a different story.

Anyway, BIOS is now flashed

Qflash didnt want to find the stick, so I tried booting off the memory stick: that didnt work.

So I searched online for a guide on how to make a bootable stick as XP wouldnt let me format it as a startup disk http://www.victorchen.info/create-a-bootable-usb-memory-stick/ <-- this worked!

I didn't do as the guide instructed (ie copy the win98 commands to the memory stick). Instead, I placed the three files (mentioned earlier) for that motherboards' BIOS and it flashed it straight away without any problems. Afterwards, it exited to command line, where you can safely reboot the computer (which I did).

Its now running BIOS version F11C.

Hope this helps anyone else with a simular issue to what I had

[Dark Mantis]

Good news anyway. At least we got there in the end! 

[geekyadz]

Yep. And Ive just noticed how many spelling mistakes there are in my previous post. I will correct these soon.

Oh and I forgot to say: I do apologise to you, but I have to correct myself:

It certainly doesnt come up with  press end to enter Qflash (mind you it is running BIOS version F4. Whether it will change or not I have no idea but I wouldnt of thought so)

Yes it does change. There is now a "press end to enter Qflash" and Qflash itself now allows me to search for a BIOS update where ever I decide to put it (just like on my desktop's board).

The only thing that I havent done is made a backup of the current BIOS for that board. Having said that, I still have everything on the card so I guess I dont really need to worry about it

[Dark Mantis]

Hey, no need for an apology, we all make mistakes otherwise we wouldn't be human. There are a few that I wonder about though!
Thanks for the update anyway as it is always nice to have the correct information. As you said you have all the BIOS files on the card anyway so you don't really need to back them up.