[NTLUG:Discuss] upgrading the BIOS without MS Windows

[Robert Citek]

Q: How do you flash the BIOS on a x86 machine without using  
Windows/MSDOS and without a floppy?
A: Use FreeDOS.

Here's how we did it:
  - downloaded the BIOS upgrade and flash program from the manufacturer  
and burned to a CD
  - downloaded the FreeDOS ISO image and burned to a CD
     http://www.freedos.org/
      
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/ 
beta9rc4/fdbootcd.iso
  - booted the FreeDOS CD
  - ejected the FreeDOS CD and inserted the BIOS upgrade CD
  - ran the flash program

Worked great.

As for creating a boot floppy, in addition to downloading an image, you  
can create a boot floppy from the FreeDOS CD:
  - boot with the FreeDOS CD
  - at the boot: prompt, press Enter
  - at the first menu, select 1) for XMS & IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM
  - at the second menu, select 3) create FreeDOS boot floppy (1.44MB)

I tried this on a spare IBM ThinkPad 600E.  Worked great.  My gosh it's  
tiny.  On a 1.44MB disk, I still have 1.1 MB free - plenty of room for  
the flash program and the BIOS update.

Regards,
- Robert