In article <5MGdncSDR4JH3ofYnZ2dnUVZ8qSdnZ2d@bt.com>, "Panchev"
<npspamming@spindoctor.com> wrote:
> "Panchev" <npspamming@spindoctor.com> wrote in message
> news:t9ydnU_4GJbQoofYnZ2dnUVZ8tydnZ2d@bt.com...
> > hello I am new at BIOS flashing can anyone guide me through how to do it,
> > someone told me its a bad idea but i think I need to do it with my Asus
> > M2N-E Motherboard.
> >
> > I downloaded a zip file and all it has in is a .bin file
> >
> > what do i do to flash the bios?
> >
> > any help would be lovely
> >
> > Thank you
> >
>
> should i do the flash before installing windows or after installing windows?
>
> does it matter?
Read section 4.1.3 here. (PDF page 65). It doesn't get any easier
than this. The flashing tool is built-in to the BIOS, and is accessed
by pressing <alt-F2>. You put the unzipped BIOS file on a floppy
and the built-in flashing tool can read the file off the floppy.
It is also supposed to be able to read the file off a USB key.
ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/s...n-e_manual.pdf
Since the manual says the flash chip is a 4 megabit device, the
unzipped file you use should be 512KB in size. There should be room on
the floppy, to backup the current BIOS version onto the floppy,
before flashing the new version. If you ever need to go back to
the old version, then you'll have a copy.
Also, no matter which flashing method you use, always read the
warnings on the Asus download page. If you click the BIOS button
on the download page for your board, then click "BIOS History",
a popup window shows you this:
******************************
[ 0402 ]
----------------------
Latest beta BIOS.
[ 0304 ]
----------------------
Patch memory compatibility.
[ 0302 ]
----------------------
Patch memory compatibility
[ 0203 ]
----------------------
(Do not use EZ-Flash to flash BIOS if your BIOS version is prior 0203.)
Support new CPUs. Please refer to our website at:
http://support.asus.com.tw/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx
******************************
Look at the paper sticker on top of the socketed flash
chip on the motherboard. Sometimes it has printed on it,
what BIOS version is currently installed. If the version
is earlier than 0203, you should use a method other than
the built-in EZFlash2 method. So it pays to check for
warnings, before attempting to flash.
In section 4.1.6 of the manual, it describes the Crashfree 3
feature. If the BIOS is ever corrupted to the point that
it gives a "BIOS ROM Checksum Error", then the board can
use the motherboard CD, to flash a known good BIOS into
the board. Be aware, that if you are overclocking, sometime
you will see this error. Instead of reflashing the BIOS,
all you need to do if you overclocked too high, is
clear the CMOS and this error will go away. Flashing
a motherboard while it is overclocked, is not a good
idea, because on some motherboards, the LPC bus to the
flash chip also gets overclocked.
Paul
BIOS flashing? 
Linear Mode
