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8890 BIOS update 9-19-03

post #1 of 43
9/19/03 at 8:30pm
Thread Starter 
The 8890 system has a new bios you may choose to flash your system with.

Fixed:
-User Password not working.

Added:
-Enable / Disable Power on BEEP option in bios
-Power on Password Enable / Disable option in bios

Warning
Only attempt to flash the 8890 system with this file and follow the procedure listed below. If they are not followed, you increase your risk of having to reinstall your OS or even system failure. You always have a risk with problems when flashing the bios, so it would be good to back up anything important. The chances are small of any problems, but they can happen so you're aware of that.

First you need to download the file titled "pctbios" to your desktop

Click to download

Make sure your AC power is plugged in!
Then put in a blank floppy into your floppy drive (make sure it's not write protected). Double click the file


Click "Create"


Click "YES" and it will format and write everything you need to your floppy disk.

When it's done reboot your 8890 with the floppy disk still in. If you have changed your boot sequence from the factory default, go into your bios (F2) and set it back to boot from the floppy.



Once it's done flashing the firmware, you will need to remove the floppy disk and press any key to reboot:



If it fails to boot, manually boot it by holding down the power button.

During the first part of boot up, press F2 to enter the bios. Once in the bios, push F9 to reset default settings, then go to the Advanced tab and make sure Hyperthreading is set to "Enabled" and you will notice you can also turn off your beep during bootup there.

Once you set those, arrow over to the "Exit" tab and save and exit.

If during boot up you notice the RAM test/count seems to be really slow, just get into Windows and reboot and it'll run normal after the first boot.
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post #2 of 43
9/19/03 at 10:26pm
What if you chose not to have HT enabled?
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post #3 of 43
9/21/03 at 7:35am
Will flashing the BIOS cause problems with a RAID setup, specifically RAID 0 when the OS is already loaded on it? Is the RAID array created in the BIOS on the 8890 like it is in most desktop motherboards?
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post #4 of 43
9/21/03 at 10:10am
I flashed mine and it works fine, no more annoying beep. I don't know about the raid thing, i would assume not since you dont configure raid through bios.
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post #5 of 43
9/21/03 at 10:43am
Just did the flash & it worked great, that annoying beep is gone & everything runs fine
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post #6 of 43
9/21/03 at 11:41am
Quote:
Originally posted by Sandman333
Will flashing the BIOS cause problems with a RAID setup, specifically RAID 0 when the OS is already loaded on it? Is the RAID array created in the BIOS on the 8890 like it is in most desktop motherboards?
u don't control raid in the bios...there's a switch underneath the keyboard/heatshield that controls it. however each time u switch it on or off u'll have to reset the bios.
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post #7 of 43
9/22/03 at 5:50am
Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure of that. In the desktop motherboards I have used, you specify RAID in the BIOS (rather than a dip switch), and then have to create the array in BIOS also. I've never had to flash a BIOS after creating a RAID array, but I always wondered if it would corrupt the array. the dip switch setting seems to be a better way to go, though it probably wouldn't work on the desktop since there are 2 IDE devices which can be connected to each channel. Thus, you have to specify which drives (of the 4 available) to use for the array in the BIOS. I would think that information would get lost when you flash...
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post #8 of 43
9/26/03 at 7:34pm
I know, i'm a little behind the times...

but would THIS also work for the Prostar 8814?

again, thanks for the ctrl/fn key swap.
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post #9 of 43
9/27/03 at 3:48am

request for a new BIOS feature

After my sister took a look at my new 8890, she asked me if I was going to have my name an phone number engraved on the chassis, just in case the unit gets lost or stolen .

How crass I thought.

Rather than that, what about a user alterable boot screen message?

So would it be possible to have a feature in the BIOS under the "Security" menu that allows us to enter say 4 lines of text that gets displayed above the boot login screen.

Obviously the text would only display during the boot sequence if the "Password on boot" is enabled. Likewise if a supervisor password is set only the supervisor could change the lines of text.

I was thinking enough text to put something like:
This laptop belongs to: <owners name>
Contact: <address or phone number>
Reward offered if found.

That way if the thing does get lost (I doubt you would see it again if it was stolen even with all the passwords enabled) on power up it will indicate who it belongs to.
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post #10 of 43
10/8/03 at 10:53pm
What does flashing the bios actually do? Does it improve the performance of the labtop?
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post #11 of 43
10/9/03 at 1:58pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Jyoo724
What does flashing the bios actually do? Does it improve the performance of the labtop?
most of the time no.

bios flashing is usually done to update the motherboard to better recognize parts (soldered on chips or add-in cards).

and sometimes like in this case it's done to make available options that weren't previously available... like the ability to turn off the beep during bootup.

and sometimes fixes typos or other odd errors... before it said "life." instead of "Please enter password." when you tried to get into the bios if a bios password was setup.

actually, i kinda liked it when it said "life."

and btw... yeah this bios flash works for the 8814... i wasn't sure if prostar needed a different bios or not... i guess not.
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post #12 of 43
10/11/03 at 1:56am

HELP!!!!

Everything was working just fine. Image quality was a little less than desirable. Then, I just flashed my BIOS w/ the update. Now screen flickers so bad I can't even see what's going on. Adam, I tried the Ctrl-Fn swap and that didn't help either. I also, tried to flash again a couple of times. No help....I'm hurt....Can someone please help....I just got my lappy today...
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post #13 of 43
10/11/03 at 2:14am

Flicker

The flicker is more like excess vertical and horizontal lines, cluttering the LCD. It even flickers during the POST. Like I said before it work perfectly prior to the flash update that Adam posted. Yes, I did follow his outlined procedure EXACTLY.Is there a way to unflash the BIOS? Or go back to the original? Does anyone think this could help? I would really hate to have to RMA it....
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post #14 of 43
10/11/03 at 2:43am
There was a thread here along similar lines.

It turned out to be a BIOS issue. I suggest you reflash the BIOS.
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post #15 of 43
10/11/03 at 3:05am
Aussie, thanks for the response...I had already read that post...But my problem doesn't seem to be the same. My flicker/redraw/out of synch problem happens all the time. even without the OS. Its hard to even make out the screen in the BIOS. The "flicker" is constantly happening and gets worse depending what location on the screen you are. Weird thing is that the screen seemed to be degrading until I flashed the BIOS. When rebooting from the flash, all of a sudden I can't even read what's POSTing. Hmmmmmm...this is probably going to be an RMA, unfortunately....I was just hoping someone else might have had this problem and maybe had a fix. I have tried to flash several times, but it hasn't helped.
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post #16 of 43
10/11/03 at 3:09am
did u make sure u installed the right bios? it may be a stupid question...but it could happen. the bios available on this page is for the 8890.
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post #17 of 43
10/11/03 at 3:26am
Yes...I even remade the disk several times....To make sure....
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post #18 of 43
10/11/03 at 5:49am
Now, I'm getting absolutely nothing......The computer boots to windows but I get nothing but a fade in fade out show on my LCD during the entire boot process. Could the LCD be bad? I can't even troubleshoot now...Hmmmmmm..I guess this one will be RMA'd. Waiting to hear from PCTorque, before contacting Sager....HELP
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post #19 of 43
10/11/03 at 11:35am
I have done tons of BIOS updates with no problem, but I did have one on an Abit motherboard totally fry the MB causing it to have to be replaced by Abit.

I did the flash & it completed just fine. I rebooted, entered the BIOS & loaded the setup defaults like it said to. I then rebooted & everything seemed to go fine at POST but it never got all the way into Windows, it went in to a continuous loop of rebooting & absolutely nothing I did after that worked.

I had saved the original BIOS before updating but re-flashing to the original did not work.
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post #20 of 43
10/11/03 at 1:32pm
The more I think about it, the less I think the BIOS flash had anything to do with it. I remember when I started the Windows install that the display did look right, but thinking it maybe because of the video drivers, I continued. It seemed to get progressively worse as time went by. It also seems like just uncanny timing that the display degraded to the point it did at the time of the flash. I do truly believe that I was just unlucky and got a bad LCD. Now its up to PCTorque and Sager as to the resolution to my problem. Hopefully they will both live up to their reputation and correct my problem without any further expense or as little as possible (since, in my opinion, I was shipped a bad LCD). I will keep everyone updated on the status.
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