Help! How and when to update NF4 chipset driver and BIOS?

aqm consultant · Post by **aqm consultant** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:02 am

I suspect this question has been covered somewhere here, but I can't find it. I understand that the BIOS on an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium needs to be updated in order to recognize both cores of an x2 4800+, and the ASUS site says the Nvidia chipset driver needs to be updated to ver 6.65 prior to the BIOS update. I'd like to do this (if necessary) before installing WinXP, but there are a few problems.

1. I can't tell whether I'm already at current chipset and BIOS versions, and thus might not need to do risky updates. The screen with the BIOS version flashes past to quickly to read, and I can't find information on where to find the Nvidia chipset driver version. Obviously, with no OS, I can't use Windows system tools to find these. Any ideas?

2. Can I do the updates with a CD, or do I need to install a floppy. I've got a USB floppy/card reader combo that isn't being recognized yet (I'm assuming because it needs drivers). I can cannibalize another system for its floppy, but would rather not.

3. If I don't have a floppy on it, how much of a risk am I taking since I can't backup the BIOS before flashing with the update?

4. Does all this really matter? What are the potential liabilities of installing WinXP before doing chipset and BIOS updates?

Thanks,

Mr Evil · Post by **Mr Evil** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:23 am

1) Press the Pause/Break key to pause during booting to see the BIOS version. If you haven't installed an OS then there are no chipset drivers and thus no version number to see.

2) You can do BIOS updates from a bootable CD. If your hard drive is formatted then you should be able to save a backup of the original BIOS there.

3) Can you not download previous BIOS versions somewhere? At worst, you would have to ask Asus for a new BIOS chip. I wouldn't worry too much - it's rare for anything to go wrong.

4) The risk is that it might not work properly. There shouldn't be any particular problems with doing it in a different order though; you can always reinstall Windows if it comes to that.

Locklear · Post by **Locklear** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:54 am

Think all newer versions of the asus mb's come with a bios recovery directly from the CD included. From what i understand the PC will boot from CD even if the BIOS is hosed and install the one from the CD.

aqm consultant · Post by **aqm consultant** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:09 pm

Thanks Mr. Evil and Locklear--
Couldn't hit pause fast enough to get the screen to hold, but went back into BIOS, turned off quick boot and "full screen logo", and low and behold, found that the BIOS is the current 1009 version. So, the chipset driver must also be current.

No update needed and I can proceed to my protracted "frank and open discussion" with Mr. Gates finest installation program

Live · Post by **Live** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:02 pm

aqm consultant wrote:So, the chipset driver must also be current.
No update needed and I can proceed to my protracted "frank and open discussion" with Mr. Gates finest installation program

Chipset driver is something you updated once XP is installed. Just like you do videcard drivers. Heck any driver...

bbzidane · Post by **bbzidane** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:04 pm

the bios version should be listed inside the bios configuration screen

so try entering the bios configuration screen and check the bottom on the screen to see if the bios version is listed

aqm consultant · Post by **aqm consultant** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:09 pm

Hi Live,
I'd normally expect that, but the ASUS site says (somewhat cryptically):
"A8N-SLI Premium Bios version 1009
Please do read the description before updating BIOS
To avoid crashing file system, please do update the chipset driver to below version prior to this Bios.
For WinXP 32bit system, please download and update chipset drivers V6.65 or later
For WinXP 64bit system, please download and update chipset drivers V6.65 or later
For Win2k/2003 32bit system, please download and update chipset drivers V6.66 or later
For Win2003 64bit system, please download and update chipset drivers V6.66 or late"r

The implication is that the v6.65 driver needs to be there to keep the BIOS update from crashing. Seems weird to me too.

Live · Post by **Live** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:13 pm

That is if you updated BIOS using asus tool from windows.