Help with BIOS update

[Manny]

I've just tried to put together a pc for the first time.  I think I need to update the bios on my 865PE Neo2, but never done it before.  Thing is everything on the pc is new, drive has not been formatted yet!  How do I update in this case?  Do I have to install the mobo in another pc and update it on there?

I have another pc with a p4 1.4 but the floppy doesn't work!  

I've checked other messages on the forum but can't get any help sepcifically for my situation.  Any help would be appreciated.  Cheers.

[Wonkanoby]

what makes you think you need to update the bios?

[rwfish]

Don't update the BIOs until after you have installed the OS and see how things are running.  You already have a functional BIOs in there just to use the board.

[Manny]

Here's what happens when I start the pc.

If I don't press anything then it tries to boot from network and repeatedly fails so I ctrl-alt-del and press shift-f10 to make it not boot from network.  When it restarts it comes up the the standard options...

del:setup  f11:boot menu  f12:network boot  tab:logo

but then immediately says go>flash recovery, and the options yes or no.

if I say no then it asks me to put a boot disk in a: (which I don't have) and if I press yes it starts to re-build but stops on two dots and then does nothing.  I'm afraid to do anymore in case I'm buggering something up!!  I'm sure there's a simple course of action but as I said, this is my first as I'm a diy noob!

[Legolas_524288]

ok, stay calme, that's the first thing to do.

If I don't press anything then it tries to boot from network and repeatedly fails so I ctrl-alt-del and press shift-f10 to make it not boot from network. When it restarts it comes up the the standard options...

Please change your boot sequence in the "Advanced BIOS Features" section of BIOS setup (there's a submenu inthere called "Boot Configuration Setup" or " Boot Sequence" which allows you to change the booting sequence). Also you may need to disable your onboard LAN to kill the "Netowrk Booting" message.
 

if I say no then it asks me to put a boot disk in a: (which I don't have) and if I press yes it starts to re-build but stops on two dots and then does nothing. I'm afraid to do anymore in case I'm buggering something up!! I'm sure there's a simple course of action but as I said, this is my first as I'm a diy noob!

If you hit "Y", AMIBIOS will enter flash recovery mode. Your system is not hanging.
It seeks for a floppy in legacy diskette A: with a BIOS file for your board on it, called "AMIBOOT.ROM" . It's in fact the same as the CTRL+Home update method.

[Manny]

Cool.  So as long as I get the floppy with the correct amiboot.rom file on it, it should update, and I can start configuring as normal?  Where's that available from, cos I seem to be lost in various model numbers for motherboards on the msi download page.  Here's the actual board I have....

865PE Neo2 (P series) PFISR

I can't seem to find this model exactly.  Probably need to download the closest match?

Thanks for you help btw!  

[Manny]

Hello again!  Sorry for being so crap, but I can't find this amiboot.rom file that has been mentioned above.  Can someone tell me where to find it.  Also, do I just need to put it on floppy and run it from there when it asks to flash rebuild?
Bearing in mind I haven't even formatted my sata hard drive on my new pc yet, so floppy is the only thing active.  Haven't been able to get it to go to the dvd drive yet either as I can't get passed the flash rebuild stage.

If anyone else has tried to build a pc completely from scratch with all new parts, is this the kind of problem that occurs?

[FordTech]

Hello,
       Since the hardrive has no operating system installed,why dont you install one and see if it boots up then.Change the boot sequence to boot to cd first and put in the cd(WINXP I hope).If it boots to a blue screen with the option to install the system,then you are good to go.I never heard of a new mobo needing to be reflashed right out of the box.If that is the case,I would return it.

[Legolas_524288]

Ok, the 1001th time I post this   :

Using AMIBIOS Flash Recovery Mode to update your BIOS:
1. Copy the BIOS image you want to flash to a floppy and rename it to AMIBOOT.ROM.
2. Insert the floppy in your system's floppydrive.
3. Power on the system while holding CTRL+Home keys. Release the keys when you hear a beep and/or see the floppy light coming on.
4 . Just wait until you hear 4 beeps. When 4 beeps are heard the reprogramming of the System Block BIOS went succesfull, so then you may restart your

And yes, you may also press F10 key during POST in your case to perform BIOS update. Since updating BIOS this way only the system block of BIOS will be updated (the boot block part is left intact) you should be able to recover when something goes wrong during flashing process. You can just reflash your BIOS the above described way.

Last but not least, please be SURE to have the correct file for your board.
there are several 865PE based boards made by MSI and so there are several BIOS updates available. Note the difference!