Creating Bootable Floppy Disk

[Boyd Gathwright]

Creating Bootable Floppy Disk


…. Is there anyone who knows how to conveniently make a bootable floppy disk for Win2k so I can update my system board and SCSI board controller BIOS?

<O</O
Boyd


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[Ken Garlock]

Hi Boyd. To cut a bootable floppy you only need to format a disk using the /sys option. That will get the bare minimum to bring up a command prompt. Unfortunately, that does not work with W2K. You will need to find another machine with Windows 98 in order to create the disk

I have Adaptec SCSI built into my mother board, An Asus PB2-S. I get my bios updates that contain the SCSI bios directly from an Asus website. I suspect that if you look around your SCSI vendor's website in the service or support area, you will find both the bios code and a specific load program for the SCSI card. If you find it, be sure you take a backup of the existing bios before updating.

I hope this helps a little.

[Don Abele]

Boyd, here's a link to a site that has boot disks for pretty much all the OS's.

http://www.answersthatwork.com/Downr..._bootdisks.htm

Hope this helps.

Be well,

Doc

[Steve Evans]

Boyd

If you're still looking, www.bootdisk.org is a great site for something like that,

Steve

[Michael Perata]

Boyd

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;197063

You shouldn't need to boot off floppies for a BIOS, system or SCSI, update unless you want to boot to a DOS environment, and DOS is not supported by Windows 2K. The BIOS update should include its own bootable system.

[Boyd Gathwright]

…. Thanks all. Ken this does help a little. I have and old 98 system that I was considering using for Linux, this may cause me to change my mind.

…. Don and Steve, thanks for the inputs. You made me aware of one web site of which I had no knowledge.

…. Michael, my BIOS updating at present is installed with a boot floppy as specified by the vendor. I believe what you are referring to is the new way of updating the BIOS. You hit (ALT F2) on startup and that, as I understand it, copies the new update to the E-prom and you’re done. This method is used on the new boards, mine I believe was just before the change over. My board is an ASUS CUV4X-DLS, which needs to be flashed from a floppy, thanks.

…. The Key word here is CONVENIENTLY, I was hoping by this time that someone out there in cyberspace had come up with a quick and dirty way (convenient) of flashing and the only way to find out is to ask around. If I come across a quick and dirty fix I will pass it along.



Boyd

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Creating Bootable Floppy Disk

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[Chuck Wintle]

Boyd,
I was checking on the Asus website and the program you need is aflash221 and the latest bios v.1016. boot into dos with a win98 boot disk then run the flash program using the syntax needed to start the flash process.

[Boyd Gathwright]

.... Thanks Charlie, I have those updates. I guess I will have to activate my old 98 box until a more practical and appropriate way comes along. By the way, you wouldn’t know where I could get all the latest updates for Win9x by chance?


Boyd

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Creating Bootable Floppy Disk

[Chuck Wintle]

Boyd,
From your first post i gather you are running Win2K? If so, there is no need to boot with a Win2k boot disk....the Win98 disk will do the job.
What I do is boot with the Win98 boot disk until it prompts for a decision. I think its "Shift-F5" to go to a command prompt from there. Now the environment is pure DOS.
Insert the diskette with the flash program and run it. Make sure any virus protection in the board BIOS is disabled first. HTH

[Boyd Gathwright]

…. Now that is the quick and dirty I have been looking for. Right under my nose, I should have realized it. Just goes to show when you’re in the forest sometimes you just can’t see the trees.
<O</O

Thanks again Charlie.

<O</O

Boyd

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Boyd,
From your first post i gather you are running Win2K? If so, there is no need to boot with a Win2k boot disk....the Win98 disk will do the job.
What I do is boot with the Win98 boot disk until it prompts for a decision. I think its "Shift-F5" to go to a command prompt from there. Now the environment is pure DOS.
Insert the diskette with the flash program and run it. Make sure any virus protection in the board BIOS is disabled first. HTH

[Boyd Gathwright]

Hi Charlie,<O</O

…. The suggestion you made, using the 98 boot up disk worked like a charm, flashed that bios right in there. Just happened to have a backup copy in my desk drawer from long ago.

…. If I may ask, what if any, diagnostic disk do you use for windows, dos, linux? And if this is not the case, is there one or more that you would recommend?

Thanks

Boyd

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Boyd,
From your first post i gather you are running Win2K? If so, there is no need to boot with a Win2k boot disk....the Win98 disk will do the job.
What I do is boot with the Win98 boot disk until it prompts for a decision. I think its "Shift-F5" to go to a command prompt from there. Now the environment is pure DOS.
Insert the diskette with the flash program and run it. Make sure any virus protection in the board BIOS is disabled first. HTH

[Chuck Wintle]

Norton will work as a diagnostic disk but what problems are you encountering?

[Boyd Gathwright]

…. None really, I would just like to have a good diagnostic disk or disks on hand for when that time comes as it always does. I would think it would beat the alternative of many hours and diagnosing sometimes consisting of trial and error. I do now use Norton’s System Works Pro.

Thanks again

Boyd

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Norton will work as a diagnostic disk but what problems are you encountering?