ASUS MB SUCKS!!!

[Guest]

I'm trying to add a Maxtor 40gb drive to my computer. When I plug it into the computer it doesn't find the drive or CD ROM. I tried the CDROM as the master and the Drive as the slave. They are plugged into the second IDE controller.

I understand that in order for my computer to recognize a drive larger than 32gb I need to update the BIOS. I've gone to the site (ASUS) and downloaded AFLASH.EXE along with the lastest bios file bx2f113a for my motherboard (specs at the end of this message).

When I boot from the WINDOWS ME Startup Disk and run AFLASH and try to update the bios I get the error "Unknown Flash Type". I've then found on the ASUS site a file called pflash.exe which is supposed to fix the "Unknown Flash Type" but I get the same error.

I then found out that you need to boot off of a clean boot disk (no config.sys or autoexec.bat). I tried that, same error.

I then verified that the CMOS settings are setup to allow me to update the BIOS and it was allready set to enabled.

My next step would be to run Maxtors "MaxBlast Plus" software but I don't like loading these types of programs that somehow lets your computer see larger drives. Especially because I have two other non maxtor drives in my computer and I'm not sure what that software will do to them.

-ASUS P2B-F motherboard with 440BX AGPset bios v1009)
-128mb of ram
-500mhz Pentium
-xpert128 Video card
-two Quantum or Western Digital 7200rpm ata66 drives I can't remember and can't see.
-One Quantum 4gb drive being replace by the 40gb maxtor.
-One 40gb ata100 maxtor 5400 rpm drive

This computer is used for creating and editing music, word processing and some graphics work. The two duplicate hard drives are exclusively for the music recording and the other drive is for the rest.

I use the CMOS to activate the primary controller with the twin hard drives and deactive the single hard drive when I (more likely my wife) creates her music. She would then unactivate the twin hard drives and activate the single hard drive when she needs to do her Word processing, graphics, e-mail, etc...

Any ideas? Any other way to get the Hard drive working without upgrading the BIOS, or using their Hard Drive utility?

By the way...Asus might not suck but I am peeved that the BIOS flash isn't working.

Any help would be apreciated.
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All upgrades or updates are never as easy as you think they will be.

 

[Lars_Coleman]

With the 'Unknown flash type' error, you could be getting that because you may not be typing the correct name of the flash (ie bx2f113a.awd)?

<font color=blue>From the ASUS web site, the FLASH :::
Step 1:
Make a DOS boot disk with NO autoexec.bat or config.sys files. Copy the PFLASH and unzipped BIOS Image(ex: TX5I0202.AWD) files to this disk.

Step 2:
Turn the system off. Then make sure to enable programming of the flash BIOS. This usually means that you will need to change a jumper or two on your motherboard. Check your manual to make sure you've set the correct jumpers to do this.

Step 3:
Boot the system using the boot disk you just created. Then run the FLASH utility by typing "FLASH" and pressing [ENTER]. Select option 2 to load new BIOS and program flash EPROM. It will then ask for the name of the BIOS Image that you wish to flash onto the BIOS chip. Enter it now.

Step 4:
Assuming that you have successfully flashed the bios, escape back to a DOS prompt. Then reboot the system. After the system reboots, hit [DEL] to enter the CMOS setup. At this point, go to "LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS". Then save and exit setup.</font color=blue>

<font color=red>The PFlash :::
Step 1:
Make a DOS boot disk with NO autoexec.bat or config.sys files. Copy the PFLASH and unzipped BIOS Image(ex: TX5I0202.AWD) files to this disk.
Step 2:
Turn the system off. Then make sure to enable programming of the flash BIOS. This usually means that you will need to change a jumper or two on your motherboard. Check your manual to make sure you've set the correct jumpers to do this.
Step 3:
Boot the system using the boot disk you just created. Then run the PFLASH utility by typing "PFLASH" and pressing [ENTER]. Select option 3, `Advanced Features'. Then select option 2, `Update BIOS Including Boot Block and ESCD'. It will then ask for the name of the BIOS Image that you wish to flash onto the BIOS chip. Enter it now. Afterwards, it will ask you to confirm the process. Type "Y" to confirm.
Step 4:
It will now update the flash BIOS. If everything runs smoothly, it will ask if you wish to "Try again?". Type "N". If it says that it didn't update the BIOS successfully, then keep retrying. If you reboot at this point, you might not be able to boot anymore.
Step 5:
Assuming that you have successfully flashed the BIOS, escape back to a DOS prompt. Then reboot the system. After the system reboots, hit [DEL] to enter the CMOS setup. At this point, go to "LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS". Then save and exit setup.</font color=red>

Other then that if you are looking at other means of supporting the drive other then the BIOS flash or the software, you should look into a ATA100 IDE Adapter card.
(Note:You should check Maxtor's website under promotions, because you may be able to get one for free!)

<font color=red>BIOS updates do wonders ....</font color=red>

 

[Guest]

Hi, I tried those instructions but I stil get the "UNKNOWN Flash Type". You see the message on the first screen. It even tells you in the manual that if you see that message not to attempt to flash the BIOS. Of course, I didn't read that part when I tried to flash it but the aflash program told me I couldn't upgrade the bios because of the "Unknown Flash type".

I did type the filename in wrong once, but, the message I got was that it couldn't find the file name I typed.

All upgrades or updates are never as easy as you think they will be.

 

[Guest]

I found the CD that came with the motherboard and used that AFLASH.EXE. Altough it was older than the one on the ASUS site it worked. I guess newer isn't always better.

Of course, the old hard drive just crashed before I was able to copy the data from it. I get invalid boot device (This happened before the BIOS upgrade was successful). Hopefully I'll be able to bring it up as a slave drive and copy from one hard drive to the other.


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All upgrades or updates are never as easy as you think they will be.

 

[Guest]

Your first problem is you bought a maxtor drive. I have that same Asus MB and have been using it for years. I have "upgraded" several times since I bought it, but it is still old faithful and runs without a hitch, while all the upgraded MB's have had problems.

 

[Lars_Coleman]

Yeah, the Maxtor drive is causing one BIOS update to work and others not to ... j/k.

I doubt the Maxtor hard drive is the problem ...

<font color=red>BIOS updates do wonders ....</font color=red>