HP Vectra VL410 hp vectra vl410, troubleshooting guide - Page 30

Your PC’s BIOS, Updating Your PC’s BIOS, Recovering from a BIOS Update Failure or BIOS Corruption

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If You Have a Problem 9 Press F8 when the HP logo appears on screen, then select Enter Setup to enter the HP Setup Program. Update the necessary fields, such as date and time, passwords, and Security settings, then save and exit the Setup program. The PC will restart with the new configuration. Your PC's BIOS The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) in your PC has the following roles: • It tests and configures your PC's hardware components during the POST (Power On Self-Test). • It lets you configure your PC by using the Setup program. See "HP Setup Program" on page 27. • It provides the link between the software running on your PC and your PC's hardware. The BIOS is stored in a chip on the system board. A PC's BIOS is specific to that model of PC. Updating Your PC's BIOS Many problems with your PC can be solved by updating (flashing) the PC's BIOS. Updating (flashing) your BIOS is a simple procedure that involves either booting your PC from a floppy disk containing the new BIOS or using e-Diagtools to install the new BIOS automatically. Updating with a floppy disk The latest BIOS for your PC along with instructions on updating can be downloaded from HP's Support website at www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport. Follow the downloaded instructions to create a floppy disk and update the PC's BIOS. Updating with e-Diagtools You can also use e-Diagtools to automatically download and install the latest BIOS. To use this feature, your PC must be correctly set up, as described in the e-Diagtools User's Guide. This guide is available on HP's support website at www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport. Recovering from a BIOS Update Failure or BIOS Corruption Although the BIOS update (flashing) process is very well protected, there is always the possibility of a failure. This may occur, for example, if there is a power failure while the BIOS is being updated. To avoid having to replace the system board due to corrupted EEPROM, follow this recovery procedure to restore the contents of EEPROM. If you don't already have the latest BIOS for you PC, you can obtain it from HP's support web site. 1 Create a bootable floppy disk in MS-DOS by typing format a: /s. 2 Copy the BIOS image you require (for example, IVxxyy.FUL, where xxyy corresponds to the BIOS revision number), and phlash.exe and platform.bin onto the bootable floppy disk. 3 Ensure the following line is present in the floppy's AUTOEXEC.BAT file: phlash IVxxyy.ROM. 30

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If You Have a Problem
30
9
Press
F8
when the HP logo appears on screen, then select
Enter Setup
to enter the HP
Setup
Program.
Update the necessary fields, such as date and time, passwords, and Security settings, then save and
exit the
Setup
program. The PC will restart with the new configuration.
Your PC’s BIOS
The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) in your PC has the following roles:
•
It tests and configures your PC’s hardware components during the POST (Power On Self-Test).
•
It lets you configure your PC by using the
Setup
program. See
“HP Setup Program” on page 27.
•
It provides the link between the software running on your PC and your PC’s hardware.
The BIOS is stored in a chip on the system board. A PC’s BIOS is specific to that model of PC.
Updating Your PC’s BIOS
Many problems with your PC can be solved by updating (flashing) the PC’s BIOS.
Updating (flashing) your BIOS is a simple procedure that involves either booting your PC from a floppy
disk containing the new BIOS or using e-Diagtools to install the new BIOS automatically.
Updating with a floppy disk
The latest BIOS for your PC along with instructions on updating can be downloaded from HP’s Support
website at
www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport
. Follow the downloaded instructions to create a floppy
disk and update the PC’s BIOS.
Updating with e-Diagtools
You can also use e-Diagtools to automatically download and install the latest BIOS. To use this feature,
your PC must be correctly set up, as described in the e-Diagtools
User’s Guide
. This guide is available on
HP’s support website at
www.hp.com/go/vectrasupport
.
Recovering from a BIOS Update Failure or BIOS Corruption
Although the BIOS update (flashing) process is very well protected, there is always the possibility of a
failure. This may occur, for example, if there is a power failure while the BIOS is being updated.
To avoid having to replace the system board due to corrupted EEPROM, follow this recovery procedure
to restore the contents of EEPROM.
If you don’t already have the latest BIOS for you PC, you can obtain it from HP’s support web site.
1
Create a bootable floppy disk in MS-DOS by typing
format a: /s
.
2
Copy the BIOS image you require (for example,
IVxxyy.FUL
, where
xxyy
corresponds to the BIOS
revision number), and
phlash.exe
and
platform.bin
onto the bootable floppy disk.
3
Ensure the following line is present in the floppy’s
AUTOEXEC.BAT
file:
phlash IVxxyy.ROM
.