Hi folks, I have a Pavillion a-6230-n Desktop with what appears to be a corrupted bios. I am totally unable to run any windows OS's on the machine but Linux runs just fine on it and I can boot into DOS6.22 I need to re-flash the BIOS and a really nice guy at another forum helped me to extract the ROM file from the HP provided windows executable. My question is about which flashing tool to use because there are so many for the AWARD bios. I know if I do this wrong, I may not get another shot because if the bios gets totally blown, I'm not sure I could ever get back in again.....(bricked MoBo). So, if anyone can help me determine the correct DOS based flashing tool to use with this Bios.rom file that was extracted using WinHex from the HP provided Windows Bios flashing executable I would appreciate it. Best Regards!
Use the BIOS updating tool supplied by HP on their website. If HP supply a BIOS update they will also have a utility to apply the update with.
I feel your nervousness, If the manufacturer doesn't supply a floppy alternative, I have used my own by downloading the flash utility (awflash.exe or whatever) and then use 7zip to open their exe file they do supply, and extract out the bin file or whatever they have in there as the bios. Then add the flash exe if its not in the exe utility and the bios file to a bootable floppy with the config sys and autoexe bat removed. When you get to the A prompt, you type the flash utility name and it will run. If it doesn't like what it see's or gives an error your ok cause its not an autorun, you have to tell it to go before it makes any changes. Since your present bios is corrupt saving the old bios would not be an option for you. I have made my own flash floppies this way and have never had a failure. I went to the HP site and the only bios I could find was under Vista. Using 7zip I see the rom inside and an installer exe thats the bulk of the file. If you remove the installer from the picture and add the rest to a boot floppy you can run winflash exe I suppose but it doesn't say award anywhere inside and that makes me nervous.