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HP Dc7700 BIOS Flash Q&A - Page 19

What is a processor microcode update softpaq and how is it used? - bios download

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It will boot the PC in a recovery mode and search the root directory of the removable media sources (floppy, USB, or CD) for a compatible binary image. The BIOS.iso file, included in the softpaq, should be used to create a BIOS image CD if the user or administrator desires to use CD media for BIOS recovery. When flashing during recovery, the CD media, containing the BIOS image file, must be El-Torito compatible. Floppy or USB media sources can simply contain the BIOS binary image file in the root directory. Once a binary image is located, the BIOS update process will be attempted again. The automatic flash recovery will continue until the BIOS is successfully updated or restored. If no binary image is found, the PC will attempt to boot to diskette or USB flash media. The boot media must have DOS in order for the disaster recovery mode to successfully boot. What is a processor microcode update softpaq and how is it used? Typical processors download code from the BIOS during initialization referred to as microcode. If a new, supported processor is installed in the business PC which requires a microcode currently not adequately provided by the BIOS, the BIOS will issue a POST warning "1801-Microcode Update Error". To add this microcode to the BIOS, a processor microcode softpaq is provided to update the BIOS. Processor microcode changes can be updated in the BIOS without having to change the entire BIOS. Binary file microcode image is uXX_MMmm.bin where the u indicates microcode, XX is the general BIOS family, MM is major version, and mm is the minor version. Microcode updates can only be accomplished by using Flashbin.exe utility. Microcode update images are offered for the general BIOS family and can be applied to any particular BIOS of that family. For example, microcode image u7D_0101.bin can be applied to any BIOS in the 786D family such as 786D1 or 786D2. Minor version numbers are incremented to indicate minimal changes to the microcode typically involving an updated version of a previous released microcode. Major version number changes indicate a greater degree of change to the microcode source such as the addition of a new processor microcode. 19

Section	Page
BIOS Flash Q&A	1
Introduction	2
What are the files and directories in a BIOS softpaq?	2
In what operating systems can I update the PC BIOS?	4
Will I lose my setup configurations when updating the BIOS?	4
How do I update my PC BIOS in Vista, Windows XP, or 2000?	5
How do I update the BIOS in a DOS environment?	5
How do I update the BIOS when not running Vista, Windows XP, 2000, or DOS?	6
What are the steps necessary to execute the HPQFlash utility?	10
What are the steps necessary to execute the HPQPswd utility?	13
What are the steps necessary to create a bootable floppy for BIOS update?	14
1. Insert a blank, floppy diskette into the PC.	14
2. From Windows Explorer, right-click the 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) drive and choose Format. The Format 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) window appears.	14
3. In the Format Options section, select Create an MS-DOS startup disk. To format the disk, choose Start.	14
What are the steps necessary to create a bootable CD for BIOS update?	14
What steps are necessary to create the BIOS image CD for F10 ROM flash and recovery?	15
1. Obtain a blank CD and place it in the CD-R/RW drive.	15
2. Execute BIOS.iso. This will launch the CD burning software.	15
3. To make the BIOS binary image CD, follow instructions provided by the application.	15
4. Place the newly created BIOS binary image CD in the CD drive of the computer to be updated or restored and cycle system power.	15
5. Follow the procedures detailed in the “How do I update the BIOS when not running Vista, Windows XP, 2000, or DOS?” on page 6.	15
What are the steps necessary to create a bootable USB flash media for BIOS update?	15
1. 6860x	15
2. 786Ax	15
3. 786Bx	15
4. 786Cx	15
5. 786Dx	15
6. 786Ex	15
7. 786Fx	15
1. Press F10 at boot time to go into Setup.	15
2. Select File > System Information to verify the correct system BIOS.	15
1. Turn off power to the computer.	16
2. Insert the USB flash media device into any of the computer’s USB ports.	16
3. Insert a Startup diskette or DOS Bootable diskette into the floppy drive.	16
4. Turn on power to the computer to boot from the Startup diskette.	16
5. Run Fdisk from the “A:\\” prompt by typing Fdisk and pressing Enter.	16
6. If prompted, select Yes (Y) to enable Large Disk support and answer Yes to any other questions that appear on the screen.	16
7. Select option number 5 to show multiple drives in the system. Write down the partition drive letter that has been assigned to the USB flash media device. The drive letter is required to complete step 9. The drive letter should also display...	16
8. Exit out of the Fdisk program by pressing the Esc key several times until you are back to the “A:\\” prompt.	16
9. At the “A:\\” prompt, type Sys X: where X: represents the drive letter for the USB flash media device noted in Step 7 above. Reconfirm that you have entered the correct drive letter for the USB flash media device. If confirmed, press Enter....	16
10. Remove the diskette and reboot the system. Do not remove the USB flash media device from the port it was originally inserted.	16
11. The system will boot the USB flash media device as drive “C:”.	16
12. Any of the supported systems can now be booted from this USB flash media device.	16
What are the steps necessary to use Altiris for BIOS update?	16
1. Copy Flashbin.exe, Adminpw.exe, and BIOS image to the server.	16
2. Create Flash.bat.	16
3. Create the Altiris ROM Flash Event.	17
4. Connect the Client PC to the Altiris Console.	17
1. Create a ROMFlash folder in the Altiris eXpress folder.	17
2. Copy the following files to the ROMFlash folder:	17
1. Open a command prompt.	17
2. Click Start > Run, and then type cmd.	17
3. Type cd\\express.	17
4. Type cd ROMFlash.	17
5. Type edit flash.bat.	17
6. Type the following, where [Altiris Sever Name] is the name of the server	17
7. Save the file.	17
8. Exit the command prompt.	17
1. Select File > New > Event to create a new event in the Events frame (bottom, left section).	17
2. Type the name of the event: ROM Flash.	17
3. Double click the new event to display an Event Properties form.	17
4. Click Add.	17
5. Select Run Script to display a new form	17
6. Select Run the script from file.	17
7. Click the folder button, which is the button to the right of Run the script from file button and has image of a folder on it.	17
8. Select the file “flash.bat” created in the previous section.	17
9. Click Open.	17
10. Select DOS (from BootWorks).	17
11. Click OK.	17
12. The Events Properties Form should show:	18
13. Click OK.	18
1. Connect the client PC to the LAN with the Altiris Server.	18
2. On the client: Access the Altiris eXpress folder on the server.	18
3. Run Aclient.exe as follows:	18
4. When Aclient is properly installed and the system is connected to the Altiris Console, the Altiris icon in the Windows Taskbar (next to the clock) turns blue.	18
5. On the server:	18
What if the PC does not complete the BIOS flash process?	18
What is a processor microcode update softpaq and how is it used?	19
How can a processor microcode update be executed in Windows?	20
What does the BIOS binary image naming convention indicate?	20
Can the BIOS POST splash screen be modified?	20
How do I update the ME firmware in Vista, Windows XP, or Windows 2000?	21
How do I update the ME firmware in a DOS environment?	21
What are the steps necessary to use Altiris for ME firmware update?	22
1. Copy FWUpdLcl.exe and ME firmware update image to the server.	22
2. Create MEflash.bat.	22
3. Create the Altiris ME Flash Event.	22
4. Connect the Client PC to the Altiris Console.	22
1. Create a MEFlash folder in the Altiris eXpress folder.	22
2. Copy the following files to the MEFlash folder:	22
1. Open a command box.	22
2. Click Start > Run, and then type cmd.	22
3. Type cd\\express.	22
4. Type cd MEFlash.	22
5. Type edit meflash.bat.	22
6. Type in the following, where [Altiris Sever Name] is the name of the server:	22
7. Save the file.	22
8. Exit the command prompt.	22
1. Select File > New > Event to create a new event in the Events frame (bottom, left section).	22
2. Type in the name of the Event: ME Flash.	22
3. Double-click the new event to display an Event Properties form.	22
4. Click Add.	22
5. Select Run Script to display a new form	22
6. Select Run the script from file.	22
7. Click the folder button, which is the button to the right of Run the script from file button and has image of a folder on it.	23
8. Select the file “meflash.bat” created in the previous section.	23
9. Click Open.	23
10. Select DOS (from BootWorks).	23
11. Click OK.	23
12. The Events Properties Form should show:	23
13. Click OK.	23
1. Connect the client PC to the LAN with the Altiris Server.	23
2. On the client: Access the Altiris eXpress folder on the server.	23
3. Run Aclient.exe, as follows:	23
4. When Aclient is properly installed and the system is connected to the Altiris Console, the Altiris icon in the Windows Taskbar (next to the clock) turns blue.	23
5. On the server:	23
What if the ME firmware does not complete the update process?	23
Can the ME firmware be restored to a previous version after updating?	23
Summary	24
Appendix A - Modifying a DOS boot diskette for Flashbin.exe	24

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It will boot the PC in a recovery mode and search the root directory of the removable media sources

(floppy, USB, or CD) for a compatible binary image. The BIOS.iso file, included in the softpaq, should be

used to create a BIOS image CD if the user or administrator desires to use CD media for BIOS recovery.

When flashing during recovery, the CD media, containing the BIOS image file, must be El-Torito compati-

ble. Floppy or USB media sources can simply contain the BIOS binary image file in the root directory.

Once a binary image is located, the BIOS update process will be attempted again. The automatic flash

recovery will continue until the BIOS is successfully updated or restored.

If no binary image is found, the PC will attempt to boot to diskette or USB flash media. The boot media

must have DOS in order for the disaster recovery mode to successfully boot.

What is a processor microcode update softpaq and how is it used?

Typical processors download code from the BIOS during initialization referred to as microcode. If a new,

supported processor is installed in the business PC which requires a microcode currently not adequately

provided by the BIOS, the BIOS will issue a POST warning “1801-Microcode Update Error”.

To add this

microcode to the BIOS, a processor microcode softpaq is provided to update the BIOS. Processor micro-

code changes can be updated in the BIOS without having to change the entire BIOS. Binary file micro-

code image is

XX_MM

.bin where the

indicates microcode, XX is the general BIOS family, MM is

major version, and

is the minor version. Microcode updates can only be accomplished by using

Flashbin.exe utility.

Microcode update images are offered for the general BIOS family and can be applied to any particular

BIOS of that family. For example, microcode image u7D_0101.bin can be applied to any BIOS in the

786D family such as 786D1 or 786D2. Minor version numbers are incremented to indicate minimal

changes to the microcode typically involving an updated version of a previous released microcode. Major

version number changes indicate a greater degree of change to the microcode source such as the addi-

tion of a new processor microcode.