How to Update BIOS on C90S

I have 3 gigs o' RAM and tech support guy suggested to update my BIOS to v.0804. Anyone know how to do that? WinFlash was not successful for me because it said I didn't have Award BIOS.

And if anyone has ANY idea on how to fix this problem w/o removing RAM please enlighten me

 

Please use the search, there's several posts on this, then again I've done the same thing as you before.

Here's a thread from Ken over at GenTech on flashing bios

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=141730

I haven't seen anything on Bios 804 only 801 but if there's a Corsair 3GB fix I'll be a happy camper in a few days.

I have no doubt that he'll be able to make an iso for that when he's got time.

Here's 801 in the meantime.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=172107&page=4

 

Oops yeah 0801.

 

use ASUS update program. download it from the ASUS website, its very easy.

 

My BIOS update guide:

How to upgrate: you don't need to "uninstall" anything, since the BIOS is just a chunk of flash memory 512KB in size on a special chip on the motherboard. This memory should get overwritten in the upgrade process; overwriting, once started, takes about 15 seconds. You need to download the BIOS file, i.e., the raw content of the new BIOS, 512KB in size. This is usually a ZIP file on the ASUS support page. Unzip it to get the BIOS file, which directly usable by the flash utility.

Flash utility: For many ASUS notebooks, there is an utility in the BIOS menu itself, accessible via pressing F2 during boot, and then navigating to "Start Flashing BIOS" or "Start Easy Flash Utility" or something like that. Otherwise, there is a DOS utility on the ASUS support site, and a Windows utility as well.

As always, I recommend that the upgrade be done with the BIOS utility if it is available, as it involves no Operating System (whether Windows or DOS) and therefore is much less prone to errors. And failure during BIOS writing means death for the computer (temporary death, since the chip can be removed and written anew by techsupport, but death anyway).

For the same reason, have a good amount of charge in your battery when starting the utility (more than 10 minutes worth of it). That way, you don't depend on the AC supply which might run out just in the critical few seconds.

Precise walkthrough for overwriting BIOS using the BIOS Flash utility:
1. Download BIOS.
2. Unzip into the root folder on a flash drive.
3. Insert flash drive.
4. Reboot, press F2 to go into BIOS, navigate to "Start Easy Flash Utility" or a similar name. Select this option.
5. At the ensuing explorer-like navigation screen, navigate to the flash drive and select the unzipped BIOS file.
6. Wait until BIOS is written. The computer will reboot itself.
7. Go into BIOS and select "Reset to Defaults"; either User or Manufacturer defaults.
8. Navigate around BIOS and select options the way you like them (boot device order etc.)

I would recommend (strongly) against ASUS live update, it is known to be horribly buggy (eats all the memory of the computer).

 

For the safest way, use E.B.E's suggestions. But, you can also use ASUS update program with the option of updating the BIOS from file. ( This way, u can update ur BIOS after downloading the ROM file from ASUS website, and u can update without connecting to the internet. ) This is easier, but relatively more prone to errors.

 

Yeah that seems to be my only option considering there's nothing to select with Flash in my BIOS menu. I'm not kidding this Asus has nothing available to flash the BIOS.

 

What model Asus do you have?

 

I have the C90S

 

This doesn't work with vista does it?

 

In theory, it should. However, as I've already said, I strongly advise against using the ASUS Live Update program. Just go to the support.asus.com website, download your BIOS (or other drivers) and write/install them manually.

 

Yes it is. Im using Vista 32 bit, Home Premium. Already successfully flashed from 601 to-704 to-801.

 

I flashed to 0801 and I still have the same problem with the battery.

 

Is this for the ROM version of the BIOS? And will this work if I just burn it to a CD?

 

OK...I'm using Vista64 and never could get Winflash to work on my Acer. I've never tried the Asus program (yet).

 

It worked very quickly and simply for me.

 

The Asus program never worked for me, and I can't get WinFlash either. I've tried E.B.E.'s method and it tells me to take out the USB Device and press any key. When the BIOS comes up, I don't have the option of updating the BIOS either.......

Anyone?

 

winflash gives me a message ¨file not found¨after the reboot and then continues to load windows.... are we all usng the same winflash utility ???? im on vista 32 and i downloaded winflas v2.22 from asus (did a search for it and found it under utilities)

 

Try this: http://support.asus.com/technicaldocuments/technicaldocuments_content.aspx?no=714

 

Could you be more specific about this? When exactly does it tell you to remove the USB key (e.g., what step number from my list)? If you keep the USB key in when rebooting, the BIOS should see it and you should be able to select it from the EasyFlash BIOS utility.

 

I am using Vista Home Premium. I tried every type (Winflash, AFUDOS, HP Drive key flash utility on a usb, burn .rom to cd and floppy, etc.) many times each way. I used different burners and programs (all burned as slow as the software would allow),and even different machines with Vista and XP - my Bios would not flash. It was always - "file not found". I have been building computers for years and have never had a problem flashing bios before.

The only way I was able to successfully flash was to use the file with a .bin extension - .rom would not be recognized. I am not sure if you can just rename a .rom file to a .bin, after my attempts to use the HP utility, a
C90S.bin file magically appeared on my C drive. I put that on a floppy ( I think I also had the AFUDOS utility from the C90S install disc on the floppy), rebooted and used the EZ Flash. I either pressed (alt + F2) or (F2) and it flashed. I did it so many times I did not write down the order after I finished. But it did not follow the steps as anyone of the people who graciously laid
out the steps. I am wondering if this is something new with Vista? Good luck and hope this helps.

 

Hmm my BIOS files are named neither ROM, nor BIN.

They are simply:
V6JAS.302

It might be that the Easy Flash in the C90 is buggy...

 

I reboot with the USB key in the port, I've tried just leaving it to it's own devices, of which I get two different results randomly, "Remove USB device and reboot"; and "The boot CD contains no data".

I've pressed F2 when the ASUS screen comes up and before that screen comes up and I get to the meet and potatoes of the BIOS, of which the "Easy Flash Utility" is not present. So I'm forced to exit the BIOS, and then it tells me one of the two messages above again.

I was also finally able to download the WinFlash Utility. I tried using that and it reboots as soon as I hit the FLASH button and it just sits at a blue BIOS recognition page. It is a blue page that has the old BIOS information and new BIOS to be posted information; of which has New BIOS: ???? Version: ????, Date: ????, it gives options of direction and continue at the bottom but nothing works. I've let it sit for about 6 hours this morning and once again tonight scratching my head trying to figure it out, but each time I just unplug and take out the battery and reboot.

Peculiar thing is that nothing changes and it just goes along as if nothing ever happened. So I'm just assuming its flat out not working.

I'm stumped.

EDIT: And remember your post above, I think it is worth noting that the BIOS is a .ROM file....

 

You have "mask known extensions" I guess. V6JAS.302.ROM/BIN/ISO is the real name IMO. But I'm not an expert.

 

Nope, no masked extensions here I don't even use Windows Explorer.

Ok, well it seems that your type of laptop does not have the Easy Flash utility. The two error messages are most likely caused by the fact that the machine tries to boot from the USB key, and of course it is not bootable.

Given you do not have easy flash, you cannot apply my method. Since you are having issues with WinFlash, I recommend downloading the DOS BIOS flash utility for your model from support.asus.com (AFAI remember it is called something like AFLASH). Place it on the harddrive somewhere (unzipped), preferably a FAT32 partition if you have one; otherwise a USB key. Place the (unzipped) BIOS file in the same place.

Then download the FreeDOS ISO (google for it) and write it to a (preferably rewriteable) CD. Insert the CD, press ESC at the ASUS splash, select the CD as the boot device, and wait for DOS to start.

Then navigate from the DOS prompt to the place where you saved AFLASH and the BIOS file (if it's a USB key try b:, c:, d: etc. until you get to the right letter, it's not clear to me how FreeDOS allocates drive letters; if it's a FAT32 partition, try c:, d:, e . Then start AFLASH. I have no idea about its command line options, but usually things like:

AFLASH /?
AFLASH -?
AFLASH --help

should provide information about how to use it.

This will hopefully work.

Edit: FreeDOS can be found at http://www.freedos.org/freedos/files/

 

C90 users check similiar thread Ken just reported that the iso image he is providing is the new one. just burn it to a cd and boot form the cd and follow instructions.

 

E.B.E.; thanks. If the ISO that Ken posted in the other thread doesn't work I'll try this.