UPGRADING REPAIRING PCs

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A second source for BIOS updates is from one of the following companies.
For systems that originally used the Phoenix BIOS, contact Micro
Firmware (www.firmware.com or 800-767-5465). Micro Firmware
typically supplies updated Phoenix flash BIOS code on disk for systems
they support. See the Web site for the current list of supported
systems and motherboards.
For systems that originally used the Award, AMI, MR BIOS, or
Phoenix BIOS (including systems not supported by Micro
Firmware), contact Unicore Software (www.unicore.com or 800-
800-BIOS). Unicore might supply the update on disk or as a
replacement MR BIOS chip. Contact these vendors for details and
prices, which vary by system.
Precautions to Take Before
Updating a BIOS
Use the following checklist to be safe, not sorry, when updating a
BIOS.
First, back up your data. An “almost working” BIOS that doesn’t
quite work with your hard drive can blow away your data.
Back up your current BIOS code if you can. Some BIOS update
loader programs offer this option, but others don’t. As an alternative,
some BIOS chips keep a mini-BIOS onboard that can be reactivated
in the event that a botched update destroys the main BIOS.
Some motherboards have a jumper that can be used to switch to
the backup; check your system documentation. For others, check
the Micro Firmware Web site for its Flash BIOS Recovery Disks page
to find out whether your motherboard is listed. If the BIOS update
isn’t completed properly, you could have a dead system that will
need a trip to the manufacturer for repair. See the next section,
“How to Recover from a Failed BIOS Update Procedure,” for a typical
recovery procedure.
Record your hard drive configuration information, including the
following:
• Cylinders
• Heads
Chapter 3—BIOS Configurations and Upgrades
• Sectors per Track
• Translation (Normal, LBA [greater than 504MB], Large, and
so on)