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Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question

New MessageHelp with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) LndRover2000
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Hey Folks,
First, let me apologize for covering material that I have no doubt has been covered before. However, I have searched and searched (and read a good deal of posts on this board) regarding V5 IOs and I still have some basic unanswered questions. First, how does one actually get into the bios on these things? I have seen posts suggesting that a normal keyboard works using c+a+esc and/or tab. Do I need a hacked bios to even be able to get into the BIOS?
This leads me to my next question: is there a way to flash the BIOS using a hard drive? I have a 1gig drive and I have a working cable et al, and I think I have V2 and V5 images (found on a yahoo briefcase referenced here) AND I have a qnx v2 image from the same site. BUT, how can I use them if I cannot get into the BIOS.
Finally, though I am impulsive and want to get this thing working ASAP, I am certainly willing to buy a BadFlash chip. If I buy the chip they offer and pop it in, will that solve all my woes?
Again, I apologize for covering stuff already covered, but I cannot find the answers to these questions anywhere. I have appreciated all the help I have received from reading the posts here, and I look forwarding to contributing when I get my fleet of I-openers connected to my Terminal server.

Thanks in advance
ndawson@nick-dawson.com

02-21-2002 08:52:47

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) Ragnar1
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The stock V5 iopener bios does not allow you to boot a hard drive. Get the proper chip from Jack. It is a drop-in upgrade. Switch the chip and you are good-to-go. Happy Hacking.
02-21-2002 10:25:44

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) LndRover2000
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Hey, thanks for the quick response. I just ordered one, and b/c I am impulsive, I had it over-nighted, so hopefully that will do the trick.
02-21-2002 11:34:07

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) Ragnar1
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Oh, and a reminder, be ever so gentle when you pry out the chip. Work a little from each corner. Or better yet, get a chip extractor at radio shack. If you bend the pins in the socket you will create quite a little headache for yourself.
02-21-2002 12:54:38

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) PVAMan
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I've got 2 Iopenners and bought a Bios from Jack a long time ago for my V3. I'd like the new the version -- has the reverand's speed improvement feature to boot > 300Hz. Is there a way to buy 1 and use it to flash the other? For example, can you save the flash image to disk? Is it an option of the flash utility?
02-23-2002 11:53:55

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) Ragnar1
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Yes,
Find the programme called awdflash. There's a thread that has a link to the programme and details on how to use it. Use the search function. Search for "awdflash". I have copies of most of the bios versions that I play with. It's very easy to go back and forth between them. You don't even have to use the "hot flash" method.
02-23-2002 14:30:49

New MessageRE:Help with V5 BIOS/Upgrade question (modified 0 times) Wild_Pencil
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Yes, it is possible with AWDFLASH.

When you flash, it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the old BIOS -- that is, the BIOS version that's on the chip (which in this case would be the new Badflash chip). Be VERY careful and attentive, though -- you're risking a write to the new Badflash chip.

I suggest using this command line:
AWDFLASH bogus01.bin

where "bogus01.bin" is a non-existant file. That way, you'll get the "Save" prompt, and Awdflash should barf when it can't find bogus01.bin. Most Awdflash programs also have a verification prompt before writing the BIOS -- but I've seen a few versions that don't give this prompt.

While I've not seen the Reverend's code for K6 soft-clocking, I'm fairly sure it's similar to the Linux K6Mult utility. Putting it in as a BIOS Option ROM is a definite advantage for Badflash BIOS users.

-WP

02-23-2002 14:43:12

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