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BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58 SLI... - 12/11/2008 12:04:58 AM   
3oh6


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this is one USB method for flashing the BIOS on the EVGA X58 SLI and EVGA X58 SLI Classified. download the following to your desktop...

BootDisk2BootStick - freeware program for imaging USB stick
AWDFLASH.EXE - program used to flash the BIOS in DOS
Image for Dr.DOS - image of Dr.DOS that will create a bootable USB stick

plus whichever BIOS you wish to flash...and of course, you need a USB stick...

>1MB USB thumb drive or USB card reader with >1MB flash card (2MB minimum as BIOS file is 1MB)

i have provided the Dr.DOS image that we will use BootDisk2BootStick to image our USB thumb drive which allows booting to Dr.DOS.  after imaging the thumb drive, we simply drop the .BIN BIOS file and AWDFLASH.EXE on the USB stick and we are ready to flash in a relatively safe DOS environment without a floppy drive or burning a CD.


Step 1 // Install BootDisk2BootStick
this is fairly straight forward, simply double click the .EXE file on the desktop and follow the prompts.  there are not many choices here:

choose your language OK


select NEXT


select the installation directory NEXT


choose start menu options INSTALL


FINISH




Step 2 // Image USB Stick with Dr.DOS
when BootDisk2BootStick opens, we can see it is very small and quite simple.  we want to write an image of Dr.DOS that i have prepared to the USB stick that will allow us to boot to the thumb drive.  the only thing you have to make sure before imaging the USB stick is that Windows is not accessing the USB stick.  ensure there are no Windows Explorer or prompt windows open to the USB stick, otherwise bootstick2bootdisk will not be able to image the drive.

select Write to USBStick/Flash tab


ensure Floppy Disk-Image is selected for Source(Floppy/Image): & choose your USB stick from the drop down menu for Destination (USB Stick):
i am using a CF card in a card reader that was evidently last used in my camera, hit START


the dialogue to open our Dr.DOS image opens so go to Desktop and select the drdos.bin file i have included above


the program will ask if we are sure we want to overwrite, click OK


the image will then write to the USB Stick.  it only takes a second or two and the progress meter across the bottom disappears when done




Step 3 // Place .BIN BIOS file and AWDFLASH on USB stick
open explorer to the USB drive we wrote the image to and we should see the following, indicating we now have a bootable floppy disk instead of a USB Stick.

you may not see the files below unless you have Show hidden files and folders selected as well as Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) un-checked.  you can change these options in XP by selecting Tools > Folder Options > View (tab).  In Vista you can access these options going through Organize > Folder and Search Options > View (tab).


at this point, simply drag&drop or copy the desired BIOS .bin file to the USB stick as well as the included AWDFLASH.EXE and we are ready to go.  the drive should now look like this, substitute EZ758SZ19.BIN with whatever BIOS file you are flashing




Step 4 // Load BIOS defaults, boot to USB stick, flash BIOS
at BIOS defaults, the EVGA X58 SLI seems to automatically see the USB drive as a bootable device.  so at this point, we want to reboot the system with the USB stick plugged in and enter the BIOS to LOAD DEFAULTS...SAVE & EXIT

during POST after the reboot, hold down ESCAPE to enter the boot menu


select REMOVABLE then the USB stick we prepared

the system should then boot as normal but instead of going to Windows, say Starting Caldera Dr-DOS...and go to a command prompt.  type the following exactly as shown including spaces...

awdflash <bios filename> /sn /cc /cd /wb

so for instance, if we were flashing SZ19 we would type...

awdflash E758SZ19.bin /sn /cc /cd /wb

AWDFLASH will start and automatically load the BIOS file.  do not hit any keys until the program asks us if we are sure we want to flash the BIOS.  at that point hit Y for Yes then wait until you hear the series of beeps upon completion asking us to hit F1.

after rebooting i always recommend loading BIOS DEFAULTS then SAVE & EXIT, then going back in and adjusting settings.

you can now flash your BIOS without a floppy drive, without burning a CD, and without rolling the dice of doing it in Windows.  HTH and if there are any questions, concerns, or comments...fire away.  keep in mind this is the manual method and you should be able to flash any BIOS previous or after SZ19 with this method...simply copy the desired BIOS file to the USB stick and flash it instead.

**of course i don't take any responsibility for your inability to follow instructions or an un-expected act of deity during flashing...flash at your own risk **

< Message edited by 3oh6 -- 3/6/2010 10:24:33 PM >
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 12:15:13 AM   
shansmi


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nice!
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 4:41:20 AM   
friedric


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Wow nice

Admins make this a sticky please
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 5:06:39 AM   
GarnetandBlack


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Sticky and 3ohhh6 deserves a blue ribbon.  Nice guide, thanks!
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 5:31:02 AM   
Shamino


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yes this is what we need, thanks!
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 5:36:58 AM   
YerBuddy


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quote:

ORIGINAL: GarnetandBlack

Sticky and 3ohhh6 deserves a blue ribbon.  Nice guide, thanks!


+1 for the BR.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 7:24:06 AM   
blotron

 

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you'll pay 1200+ for new system parts but won't 'waste a cd'?  What is that, like $0.10?

haha.  just joking.   nice guide.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 7:24:17 AM   
3oh6


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no problem and thanks guys, just hope is saves some frustration and lowers the amount of bricks from flashing.

i could also prepare the AUTOEXEC.BAT to run just like the ISO if guys want, but i figured typing it in manually allows for the use of any BIOS file with a single image, where as each BIOS would need separate images otherwise.

quote:

ORIGINAL: tfannon

you'll pay 1200+ for new system parts but won't 'waste a cd'?  What is that, like $0.10?

haha.  just joking.   nice guide.

i just don't like the idea of burning a CD for a one time use.  money isn't the issue, waste is more why i don't like it.

< Message edited by 3ohhh6 -- 12/11/2008 7:26:01 AM >
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 7:44:39 AM   
ReVolut1on


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Yep this deserves a blue ribbon!!

But i don't still understand all this complaining about cd's.. Why don't you just buy one RW CD and just always rewrite it again?
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 8:54:57 AM   
mikecoscia

 

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tagged for later
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 9:10:54 AM   
EVGATech_JacobF


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Awesome, greatly appreciated. Sticky'd and Blur ribbone'd 
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 10:57:32 AM   
3oh6


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no problem Jacob, glad to help out.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/11/2008 4:14:25 PM   
safan80


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dang all the work! I just use ultraISO and extract the files via drag and drop and reboot.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/12/2008 3:22:38 PM   
3oh6


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quote:

ORIGINAL: safan80

dang all the work! I just use ultraISO and extract the files via drag and drop and reboot.

yeah, the only problem is that not everyone has 'show hidden files' checked so you would have to go into it that in a guide.  if figured imaging the USb stick with BootDisk2BootStick would be easier or just as easy.  your way works fine too.

updated the post with the link to the SZ1A Beta1 BIOS.


< Message edited by 3oh6 -- 12/12/2008 5:13:23 PM >
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/13/2008 6:44:41 AM   
Firerx


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Very Nice,
I hate watsing CD's too. Thank you! So basically once you have this set up the only changes are the bios bin files when updates occur. nice
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/13/2008 12:19:16 PM   
3oh6


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yup, it should work exactly like that.  sometimes manufacturers implement a new BIOS that requires an AWDFLASH.EXE update but that isn't likely.  if it is the case, however, i will update the download at the top of the thread.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/14/2008 10:18:31 AM   
Bizill


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thanks OP. i'm ready for my board and watercooling to arrive now. chased my tail a few times doing this though.  i had folder options checked to show hidden files but FORGOT to have it show system files or operating system files and what not, which is a separate box to check in the folder options list.  lol.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/14/2008 10:49:26 AM   
3oh6


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oh yeah, thanks for the heads up Bizill...i added a note to the instructions mentioning this.

for those that don't see the system files after imaging the thumb drive, it isn't necessary to change those options, but you won't see the files on the USB stick.  even if you don't change those options, the USB stick will still work assuming the image took...and if it doesn't you will simply not boot to Dr.DOS, that's all.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/14/2008 7:20:37 PM   
Bizill


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yeah, right-clicking and hitting properties showed the drive had something on it but i couldn't see it until unchecking the appropriate box.  thanks again OP.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 1:53:40 AM   
shamus5178


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Hi, am trying to use a 128 usb pen drive, what format does it need to be, NFTS or FAT32? Also, is it better to flash a new BIOS first before you put on the OS or after?

Many thanks, hopefully my board arrives today :)
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 8:36:25 AM   
3oh6


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it would be FAT32 but when you image the drive it should take care of that.  what format the drive is before imaging shouldn't matter.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 8:53:38 AM   
shamus5178


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Np, didnt recognise my pen drive, however have set it up with my compact flash card, all I need now is a mobo to put it on :(  So, do i flash before OS instal or after?
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 10:43:57 AM   
3oh6


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it doesn't matter when you flash, the OS won't effect the BIOS either way.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 11:58:39 AM   
shamus5178


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Cheers
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/15/2008 1:02:25 PM   
kris319


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The Drdos file didnt work with my scandisk cruzer but it worked with my moms Lexar. Either way I was able to do it and it work great! I'm probably going to buy a small flash drive just for bios flashing. Thanks
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/16/2008 12:05:43 AM   
safan80


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quote:

ORIGINAL: 3oh6

quote:

ORIGINAL: safan80

dang all the work! I just use ultraISO and extract the files via drag and drop and reboot.

yeah, the only problem is that not everyone has 'show hidden files' checked so you would have to go into it that in a guide.  if figured imaging the USb stick with BootDisk2BootStick would be easier or just as easy.  your way works fine too.

updated the post with the link to the SZ1A Beta1 BIOS.




I was just teasing I used hp's flash util a long time ago to make my flash drive bootable. Your guide works for those starting from scratch and that's the important thing.
Post #: 26
RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/16/2008 7:41:35 AM   
Stray_Bullet


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quote:

ORIGINAL: tfannon

you'll pay 1200+ for new system parts but won't 'waste a cd'?  What is that, like $0.10?




Heh, waste a cd? LOL You actually have a cd drive? I don't!


I actually use SYSLINUX & FREEDOS from a USB HDD!
http://www.evga.com/forums/fb.asp?m=619416

But great guide!!! Also this is good for doing other things... You can run any dos program, even programs like memtest86 from a flash drive...
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/16/2008 6:19:21 PM   
3oh6


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good points, the HP USB utility does basically the same thing and once you have the USB stick stup, you can slap Memtest86+.exe on the drive and away you go.  that or anything else you may need to do from DOS including disk imaging tools as well.

updated first post with links to the new SZ1A bios and removed the link to the beta BIOS posted last week.
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/18/2008 5:55:17 AM   
JasonPearsall

 

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the awd file isn't compatible with 64 bit os?
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RE: BIOS Flashing Guide :: USB Stick BIOS Flash for X58... - 12/18/2008 7:46:58 AM   
3oh6


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quote:

ORIGINAL: JasonPearsall

the awd file isn't compatible with 64 bit os?

ummm, are you referring to AWDFLASH.EXE?  if so, your Windows OS has nothing to do with the file, it only runs under DOS.  i am not really sure what you are asking, are you having problems flashing using this method?  if so, please provide a little more details.
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