Attempting a BIOS Update.

[aristide1]

First - my floppy drive seems to have problems. Anything formatted on my PC (running Vista) isn't recognized on my roommate's PC running XP and vice versa, so creating a bootable floppy on the XP pc is SOL.

2nd - I created a bootable CD from a "bootable Win 98 ISO file", which I planned on adding the BIOS and updater to it. No way. First, the image is only 2.8MB and it's full, second the entire disk is read only.

I tried to "add files" to an ISO file with freeware called Free ISO, but it did not give me valid results.

I really don't want to spend $25 on a ISO update program I will never use again.

What are my options?

ISO disappointed.

Thanks

[Vicotnik]

Forget about floppies and CD-ROMs. Unless your system is very old you should be able to boot from an USB stick. Google can help you find out how to make a bootable USB stick and you can use boot images from www.bootdisk.com as a base. I have a small 64MB USB stick that I use to flash things. It's based on a Win98SE boot image.
Most modern motherboards has a flash tool built in (look for info about that on the POST screen), making the process even more simple. Good luck.

[fumino]

ISO disappointed.

hilarious. i must be tired.

try out InfraRecorder for the iso issue, also if your file is going to stay under 300mb then poweriso lets you use its software for free.

[aristide1]

Well every place I wrote the ISO image, including CDRW which is updateable, shows only the original 2.8MB space allocation of the floppy the ISO came from. Both DOS 6.22 and Win 98 can be found & both ISO images are full. Also, the CD drive is not recognized as such, it becomes the A drive, which means other CDs formatted as CDs are not recognized. When Win 98 boots up MSCD001 is missing, the driver pgm for CD drives.

Solution found on-line. Make a small HD partition and format it FAT16. Insert CD, Win 98 will boot, not recognize any of the NTFS drives (all the others), but will access the FAT16 drive as C.

Bewildering, but it works.

[Monkeh16]

Of course the iso is 'full', it's a complete image of a read-only filesystem.. You can't just add files.

It's really, really, stupifyingly easy to make a USB stick with DOS on it for BIOS updates.

http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197

[aristide1]

It's really, really, stupifyingly easy to make a USB stick with DOS on it for BIOS updates.

What should be easier than this process is realizing I had a solution 3 days ago. What does that tell you?

[Monkeh16]

It tells me I wasn't around three days ago to see the thread.

Anyway, your 'solution' is clumsy and not portable. But I guess you're not interested in being shown a better way.

[aristide1]

The solution was posted and available while you decided to write your barb.

Very clumsy.

[Monkeh16]

The solution was posted and available while you decided to write your barb.

Very clumsy.

I didn't intend for it to be a barb.

But yes, your solution was clumsy.

Not elegant or well-planned, lacking tact or subtlety
awkward or inefficient in use or construction, difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape

Yes, you managed to flash your BIOS. And I've just posted an easier method for future reference.

[aristide1]

Intent is not required, stupifyingly does the job alone.

Agreed your method is simpler, but you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Perhaps its just a cultural difference.

I think we will both survive.

Enjoy your holiday.

[Monkeh16]

Intent is not required, stupifyingly does the job alone.

I think, perhaps, you should consult your dictionary..

to stupefy (third-person singular simple present stupefies, present participle stupefying, simple past and past participle stupefied)

1. To dull the senses or capacity to think thereby reducing responsiveness; to dazzle.

ie. surprisingly simple. Deceptively simple. So very simple it stuns you you didn't realise it beforehand. At least in the motherland, that's not insulting.

*shrug*

Enjoy your holidays also.