HOW TO: Create a BOOTABLE USB Flash Drive to flash AW BIOS updates under DOS

*This thread linked in AW General Info sticky*

On occasion, AW will release a BIOS update which is not an executable under windows or will release one which includes both the Windows EXE and the files to flash the BIOS under DOS if the user so desires (sometimes, its just an .iso which you have to burn, in which case this would not apply of course).

A frequent question is: How do I create (easily) a bootable USB drive in order to flash my BIOS?

I spent quite a bit of time in the past searching for the easiest way to do this. I finally came across the following method which is very easy and can be done in under a minute.

REQUIRED:
Format Tool , MiniDOS files
Archive here: BOOTABLE FLASH DRIVE.zip

1. Download the above archive
2. Extract it to your desktop
3. Insert your USB flash drive
4. Launch the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool
5. Give the Flash Drive a name (example: USB FLASH STICK)
6. Check the checkbox for Quick Format
7. Set the File System to the FAT option ( Note, if you do not see FAT, reference this post by katalin_2003)
8. Click on 'Create a DOS startup disk', select the radial for 'using DOS system files located at:', click the '...' button and point to the directory (part of the downloaded archive) titled "MiniDOS".
9. Click Start

DONE.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that you have a bootable flash drive, copy over the files for the BIOS update. I suggest the following:

1. Save the BIOS files in their own directory on the flash stick. Example: 'M11xR1_A05'. I do this in order to save the various BIOS revisions so I can re-flash another version if needed.

2. Now, to boot, insert the USB stick and power up the system. Be sure to depress F12 @ the BIOS to bring up the one time boot menu. Select the option to boot from USB STORAGE and hit enter.

Your system will now boot using the USB Flash Drive.

NOTE: You will see a prompt to enter current system time and date. Don't worry about this - just hit enter until you hit the C: prompt.

3. Once at the C:\ prompt, change the directory to the BIOS update. If you used my suggestion, the command would be:

cd M11xR1_A05

remember, 'cd' stands for change directory.

4. Once you have changed the active directory to the one with the BIOS update files, execute the batch file to update the BIOS. (typically this is F.BAT). Dell will usually list how to execute under DOS within the instructions listed on the BIOS download page.

If at any time you need to review the contents of the active directory, type 'dir' (for 'Directory') to list the contents.

NOTE: This USB flash stick will not support other DOS based functions. It is designed simply to get you into DOS and put you at the C:\ prompt.

If any of this sounds confusing to you, stick with the instructions listed by Dell (burn .ISO, flash from windows, etc.) on the BIOS download page.

Enjoy.

 

I went through hell doing this. Because I didn't have a regular USB storage devide, only had my cellphone. Only the files extracted from an ISO of FreeDOS helped me and I was able to boot from my cellphone and flash the A06 Bios. Good guide anyway using the HP utility seems to be the easiest way to do this.

 

It doesn't work in 64 bit.
click the '...' button and point to the directory (part of the downloaded archive) titled "MiniDOS".

It says-
The user supplied DOS system files are not compatiable with FAT32.

 

Not sure what you mean... I had no issue doing this and I am running W764.

 

It gives me this error.

The user supplied DOS system files are not compatiable with FAT32.

Screenshot:


never mind....
It was because of the FILE SYSTEM
I had FAT32 which should have been FAT since it is less than 4 GB(I had 2gb flash drive).
Now it works fine.

@Batboy: You might wanna update this info just to make sure that other don't get confused.

 

Ooo thanks, I had the same problem however I don't remember seeing the option for just FAT, only NTFS and FAT32. I give it a go again.

 

If you have a flash drive < 4gb, you will get the FAT.

 

FWIW, I used a 1GB flash stick and a 2GB.

 

Strange!!!

 

does this works for m15x?
i stuck at number 3 for entering command to change directory
it keep says "CHDIR failed for 'M15xR1_A09'"

 

Keep it simple.. just use the CD command and not CHDIR. Start again - boot up the system with the USB stick and then -

Once at the C:\ prompt, change the directory to the BIOS update. The command would be:

cd M15xR1_A09

Yes, it will work on the 15x and any other system. The boot usb stick is not system specific.

 

This is a good thread, BatBoy. I just happened to notice it in your sig and visited out of curiosity.

People have asked me for help with this multiple times. Now I can just point them here instead of explaining it time and again. Having the downloadable archive is also pretty swell. Thanks! I'll have to come back and add a rep for you tomorrow, as I'm fresh out for today.

 

No worries... glad its being used. This is the quickest way I know of at this point to create a bootable usb stick... Enjoy.

 

No PE Builder, Installation Disc, etc.
Nice, simple walk-thru.
Mathematicians call that "Elegant".
Thanks!

 

great guide, wish i saw this prior.

i ended up using a utility called UNetbootin which allows you to install freedos onto a usb stick. its amazing isn't it... no matter how advanced we get in terms of OS, we somehow always have to revert back to DOS for something as basic as flashing a bios.

 

Yep, there's no FAT option above ~3.25Gb.
If you are using a larger key like me (4Gb):

1. Download THIS. (PM me if link gets broken)
2. Extract it to your Desktop
3. Follow BatBoy's steps but instead of loading the files from the "MiniDos" folder choose the folder you just extracted. (Win98boot).

cheers

 

Updated post#1 with katalin post and added FAT file selection note.

 

Well , i wanted to try the Test Bios Throttling fix here but i can't seem to make the MiniDOS work.

I followed all instructions but as i boot from the USB , it shows me "FreeDOS FAT Kernel" and that's all , it gets stuck there.

Any help? :-??

 

yeah, hit enter twice. its prompting you for the time and date. no need to enter current, just hit enter 2x.

also, just a heads-up, 2nd image in signature removed. over-sized. see this link,
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-read-before-posting-updated.html#post7145897

thanks.

 

Nope , i tried hitting enter , still nothing. Pressing buttons around eventually leads to Beeping sounds on key hits. It's just stuck on "FreeDOS FAT Kernel". I have tried reformatting the Flash Drive and following the instructions again... Nothing.

Sorry for my signature , i will try to resize it.

Edit : By the way , to do that fix , is it really necessary to update from DOS? Isn't safe mode enough?

 

Nope, you are going to need to flash via DOS. What size is the USB stick? If 4GB or higher, be sure to see this -
http://forum.notebookreview.com/7177976-post17.html

If not, maybe try another stick.

 

It's a 512 MB MP3 player, but i see no reason why it shouldn't do , as it works just as any flash usb stick. Still i'll try a simple usb memory stick this week-end. Thanks anyway , BatBoy, you rock!

Edit: Should i try using a different version of FreeDOS? Like this one?

 

Nope, I am betting its the fact that its an MP3 player. Try the regular USB stick. You should be fine.

 

I used an 8GB Kingston DataTraveler with win98boot (because sticks higher than 3.25 GB don't support FAT) , and managed to make it work. Thanks!

 

Will this method work for VBIOS? Because the VBIOS for
my 5870M CF doesn't take more than 2GB, and I only have
8GB...

 

Yes. This process simply creates a boot USB stick which can be used to flash a BIOS, VBIOS or even install windows. Wont go into the Windows install as it is a whole different topic, but you can certainly google it.

 

You can use your 8GB drive, but you just have to format as FAT32 instead of FAT. I just used the files from BatBoy's opening post today with my 8GB USB thumb drive to flash a Dell BIOS test file and it worked superbly.

 

Great guide. Thanks BB and Katalin. Repped.

Used it to flash a test bios with my 4gb flash drive...worked a treat and no problems using the guide.

Again, great guide!

 

I'm curious and trying to find an answer but the XPS 17 crowd is not helping.

What happens when you try to a) roll back to a previous BIOS version from a DOS prompt? b) roll back to a previous BIOS version from the Windows-based flash?

EDIT:

Nevermind. Got my answer in PM. Thanks though.

 

Shouldn't have a custom warning - if I recall, the only prompt you'll encounter is a 'Are you sure you want to flash xxxx' - something along those lines.

Nothing in the way of "WARNING WILL ROBINSON: You are flashing a previous BIOS - do you want to continue?". Shouldn't need anything that detailed.

 

Hi all

I seem to be having problems with step 3.

I type 'cd M11xR1_A09' at the C: prompt, it then reads back 'CHDIR failed for *M11xR1_A09'.

Any ideas on what this could possibly be?

Thank you

 

If you type dir what does it show in the list? You unpacked the archive?

 

After typing dir it reads:

M11XR1~1 <dir> 07-07-14 7:27P
0 FILES(S) 0 BYTES
1 DIR(S) 256,479,232 BYTES FREE

I have placed the bios file in a folder on the memory stick named M11xR1_A09.

 

Ah, OK. I think the issue is the version of DOS on the USB stick does not support long file names (more than 8 characters). I thought that might be the case. Any files or folders with names longer than 8 characters are abended and the last characters are replace by ~ followed by a number. If you have two or more files with identical names except for the last character or two, one would end with ~1 and the other would end with ~2, so on and so forth. This is a limitation of the earlier versions of DOS.

Solution: Try typing cd M11XR1~1 (instead of cd M11xR1_A09) and that should work.

Type dir again in the c:\M11XR1~1 directory. If the executable has a ~ in the file name you will have to use the same logic.

 

Thanks that has worked and the Bios is now updated to the latest version, but now I'm stuck with a different issue...
It will not let me start up windows, it gets to the windows logo then blue screens then restarts instantly. I have tried to reinstall windows but it wont allow me to use a USB or a CD.

I know its not the right place to post this but im hoping to be pointed in the right direction.

Thanks again.

 

Check your BIOS setting for the SATA ports. It may have the wrong setting for RAID, AHCI or ATA, which could explain the BSOD. Changing the setting to what it was when Windows was installed may fix the problem. I don't know anything about the M11x BIOS. If applicable to the M11x BIOS, it could also be the wrong UEFI boot setting (may have Secure Boot enabled when it should not be, etc.).

If that is already set correctly and your only choice is to reinstall Windows, check the boot order. If your system is set to boot from HDD before anything else it won't try to boot from USB or CD. It will go directly to the HDD and attempt to load Windows. It will not bypass the HDD unless it is unbootable.