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HP Dc7800 BIOS Flash Q&A - Page 5

How do I update my PC BIOS in Vista, Windows XP, or 2000?, How do I update the BIOS in a DOS - drivers xp

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How do I update my PC BIOS in Vista, Windows XP, or 2000? In single PC situations, the user or administrator should use the HPQFlash executable. For a system administrator with a network of Windows business PCs to update, HPQFlash can be deployed through the use of System Software Manager (SSM) to update all the appropriate PCs. HPQFlash requires the Windows Management Interface (WMI) service to be installed and running on the target PC. How do I update the BIOS in a DOS environment? The Flash Bin Firmware Upgrade Utility (Flashbin.exe) can be executed in a DOS environment to upgrade or restore a PC BIOS image. The utility uses a driver (flsh.cpu) for specific hardware flash operations. The BIOS binary image should be included in the same directory as the utility and driver with the name format XXX_MMmm.bin. The user can execute the utility by simply typing flashbin. The current PC BIOS will be examined for compatibility with the binary image. If the BIOS image file is an older BIOS version that the current PC BIOS, the user will be warned. After the user confirms that the BIOS upgrade/restore should proceed, the utility will begin the flashing process. The user will be warned not to reboot or power cycle the PC during the flash process. However, if the process is interrupted or does not complete successfully, the business PC flash recovery process will automatically activate upon reboot. After the BIOS upgrade process has successfully completed, the user must reboot or power cycle the PC for the new BIOS image to take affect. The Flashbin utility must be executed in a DOS environment. If the user does not have DOS bootable media available, a DOS bootable floppy, USB flash media, or CD can be created to deliver the Flashbin utility, driver, and BIOS image. If the BIOS administrator/setup password has been established on the business PC, the Flashbin utility driver must be assigned the password. Assign Password (Assignpw.exe) can be used with DOS Flash if an administrative/setup password has been previously set on the target PC. To assign a password to DOS Flash, change directories to the directory that contains Flashbin.exe and type assignpw flsh.cpu. You will be prompted to type in the password. Press Enter after you have typed in the password. You may use the backspace key to correct mistakes. You will then be prompted to confirm the password that you just entered. Pressing Enter before any password keys have been typed in will unassign the previously assigned password. You may need to do this if the administrative/setup password is deleted from the client machines. To assign a new password, run the Assign Password utility again. 5

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

Match case Limit results 1 per page

How do I update my PC BIOS in Vista, Windows XP, or 2000?

In single PC situations, the user or administrator should use the HPQFlash executable. For a system admin-

istrator with a network of Windows business PCs to update, HPQFlash can be deployed through the use

of System Software Manager (SSM) to update all the appropriate PCs. HPQFlash requires the Windows

Management Interface (WMI) service to be installed and running on the target PC.

How do I update the BIOS in a DOS environment?

The Flash Bin Firmware Upgrade Utility (Flashbin.exe) can be executed in a DOS environment to upgrade

or restore a PC BIOS image. The utility uses a driver (flsh.cpu) for specific hardware flash operations. The

BIOS binary image should be included in the same directory as the utility and driver with the name for-

mat XXX_MMmm.bin. The user can execute the utility by simply typing

flashbin

. The current PC BIOS

will be examined for compatibility with the binary image. If the BIOS image file is an older BIOS version

that the current PC BIOS, the user will be warned. After the user confirms that the BIOS upgrade/restore

should proceed, the utility will begin the flashing process. The user will be warned not to reboot or power

cycle the PC during the flash process. However, if the process is interrupted or does not complete success-

fully, the business PC flash recovery process will automatically activate upon reboot. After the BIOS

upgrade process has successfully completed, the user must reboot or power cycle the PC for the new BIOS

image to take affect.

The Flashbin utility must be executed in a DOS environment. If the user does not have DOS bootable

media available, a DOS bootable floppy, USB flash media, or CD can be created to deliver the Flashbin

utility, driver, and BIOS image.

If the BIOS administrator/setup password has been established on the business PC, the Flashbin utility

driver must be assigned the password. Assign Password (Assignpw.exe) can be used with DOS Flash if an

administrative/setup password has been previously set on the target PC. To assign a password to DOS

Flash, change directories to the directory that contains Flashbin.exe and type

assignpw flsh.cpu

You will be prompted to type in the password. Press

Enter

after you have typed in the password. You

may use the

backspace

key to correct mistakes. You will then be prompted to confirm the password that

you just entered. Pressing

Enter

before any password keys have been typed in will unassign the previ-

ously assigned password. You may need to do this if the administrative/setup password is deleted from

the client machines. To assign a new password, run the Assign Password utility again.