BIOS update on Medion motherboard

[Evan20x]

I'll start of by saying hello.

My problem today is flashing my BIOS. There is some trickery going on and I want to run this by Tom's first for any help.

Motherboard: ASUS P5GC-MX/Medion/SI
Current BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0106, 7/19/2007

I bought this motherboard from Geeks.com and they advertised it as P5GC-MX/S. The one listed on the ASUS website is listed as P5GC-MX. I wondered what the /S meant before I purchased it from Geeks and I did no research to what it was about. It wasn't until I received the motherboard and got everything up and running to discover its some custom motherboard for the PC vendor Medion and that explains the /Medion/SI.

I have been pondering using the BIOS file from: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_775/P5GCMX/ but I am scared to flash it with BIOS version: 0518 since the BIOS that reads on mine is 0106 which isn't even listed under the downloads on the ASUS website.

So I am in a pickle here. Any and all help would be greatly appreciative.

If there is any other information that I should submit to help further just let me know and I will post back ASAP.

Thanks!

 

[o1die]

Yes you are in a pickle. Medion doesn't provide any bios updates. If you're looking to improve the bios settings or run a newer cpu, then the risk might be worth it. But if you don't find the bios flash program "ez flash 2" somewhere in your motherboard bios, then I wouldn't try flashing your medion board. You will either get a message from asus that the flash program can't be run or you may end up with a dead board. Windows 7 may find some of the drivers, but not all. Windows xp will definately need some help from medion's website. Use the Geeks link for driver downloads and see if you get a working link. If this link doesn't work, go to Intel's website for the chipset and vga driver; the lan driver for the asus board is listed as "atheros" but your board may have a different lan driver. Good luck.

 

[Evan20x]

Thanks for the input o1die.

I am not seeking drivers. Drivers aren't a problem for this board, the ones from the link to ASUS I posted all work just fine (other than the poor audio chipset.) I just need help on the BIOS.

I can access the EZ Flash feature on the motherboard via Alt + F2. I'm afraid I'll end up with a dead board if I do try to flash it. I did download the ASUS Update program on their website and it allowed me to save the current BIOS to a file. Still weary to try anything though.

If I do flash to 0518 and it does not work will I still be able to access EZ Flash and revert it back to the original I saved through ASUS Update utility?

 

[o1die]

Can't help you there. That's why I don't recommend flashing the bios unless your new cpu doesn't post and you have an old one to do it. Flashing hoping to get some overclocking settings is also too risky. I did it once, but didn't see any improvement overall.

 

[Evan20x]

Right now I'm running a Pentium D on the motherboard. A buddy of mine is soon giving me a Core 2 Duo E4600 and I am worried about it supporting it or if it would need a BIOS upgrade. I was also hoping to unlock more motherboard features because I cannot do a thing with this Medion crap.

 

[o1die]

Oem boards are like that. They would rather have you buy a new system than upgrade the board bios for newer cpus. I recommend you sell your old medion board and 805 cpu on craigslist as soon as you test the medion board, assuming it doesn't work with the e4600. This newegg board will work: http://www.asrock.com/mb/cpu.asp?Model=G31M-S R2.0.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157173

 

[Evan20x]

I almost bought that exact motherboard before going on to getting the ASUS one I have now. But I decided on the ASUS one. It only costed me 25 bucks. Wishing now I would of put in the extra cash on the ASRock.

I'm tempted to break down and sell my mobo, cpu, HSF(its loud as hell) in a combo all together and pickup that ASRock and just be done with it haha.

 

[Evan20x]

Bumping this post back up to see if anyone can shed some new light on this since one of my questions never really got answered.

"If I do flash to 0518 and it does not work will I still be able to access EZ Flash and revert it back to the original I saved through ASUS Update utility?"