BIOS Version 1.03R3 for Starion: The Starion 9xx series has three different BIOS: Starion 910, 911, 915, 917, 919, 920, 921, and 922 use the S3 Trio 32 and need BIOS file BG90103A.EXE for proper operation. Starion 930, 931, 932, 933, 940, 941 and 942 use the S3 Trio 64 and need BIOS file and BG90103B.EXE for proper operation. Starion 950 and 960 use BIOS file BG90103C.EXE for proper operation. How do I Update My BIOS? Sometimes a Digital Multivendor Customer Support group or your Service supplier might tell you that to resolve a problem with your computer, you should update your computer's BIOS. BIOS is software that is in read-only, non-volatile memory (ROM) chip, which is on the main logic board of your computer. The BIOS has several functions, including initializing hardware and booting the operating system when the computer is turned on. Your computer comes equipped with a means of restoring or upgrading your computer's BIOS without having to actually change the BIOS chip. This method, known as flash memory, enables you to use a software utility (PHLASH.EXE) to update or restore your BIOS. NOTE: Only use PHLASH.EXE to upgrade your computer's BIOS if you are instructed to do so by an authorized Digital support representative. The following sections describe the necessary procedures for upgrading your computer's BIOS: Preliminary steps: Creating a crisis recovery diskette Using PHLASH.EXE to upgrade your BIOS Preliminary Steps Before you can upgrade your BIOS using PHLASH.EXE, you need to run the BIOS Setup utility and record your computer's current settings (Refer to Chapter 2). You also need to make a crisis recovery diskette. It is important that you make this diskette. Should you find the BIOS upgrade unsuccessful you can use the crisis recovery diskette to bring up the BIOS. To make a crisis recovery diskette, you need: 1) A blank 31/2-inch 1.44 MB formatted diskette 2) The new BIOS diskette Creating a Crisis Recovery Diskette Make sure you create a crisis recovery diskette before upgrading your BIOS. If your upgrade is unsuccessful, you might find your computer no longer has a working BIOS. Without a working BIOS you might not be able to operate your computer. With a crisis recovery diskette, you can always bring up the new BIOS should the BIOS Phlash fail. To create this diskette: NOTE: For Windows 95 users, you will need to restart your computer in MS-DOS mode to create a Crisis Recovery Diskette. 1.) Turn on your computer and allow the POST to complete. If POST detects an error refer to Appendix B, "Computer Messages," and take the appropriate steps to correct the problem. After the problem has been resolved, restart the computer. 2.) Insert the BIOS diskette into the diskette drive and at the MS-DOS prompt type: A: Press [Enter]. At the MS-DOS prompt type: dir Press [Enter]. The entry should show the following files are on the diskette. COMMAND.COM MINIDOS.SYS MAKEBOOT.EXE MAKECRD.EXE DEVTBLS.DAT PHLASH.EXE PHLASH.INI STARION.ROM Note that there might be some additional files as well. Refer to any appropriate README files for additional information: 3.) Create an upgrade directory on your hard disk drive. For example, if your hard disk drive is c:>, enter at the MS-DOS prompt: md upgrade 4.) Copy the files from the BIOS diskette into the upgrade directory on your hard disk drive. For example, from the MS-DOS prompt enter: copy A:*.* c:\upgrade\ 5.) Insert a blank formatted diskette into drive A. Return to your hard disk drive and copy the files to the blank diskette in driver A. From the MS-DOS prompt type: cd\upgrade Press [Enter]. At the MS-DOS prompt type: makecrd Press [Enter]. The makecrd command prompts you for a blank diskette to be placed in drive A and then automatically creates the Crisis Recovery Diskette. Remove the crisis recovery diskette from drive A, label it, and then store it in a safe place. Using PHLASH.EXE to Upgrade your BIOS Perform the following steps to update your computer's BIOS in the flash memory to a new updated one. NOTE: Only upgrade your computer's BIOS if you are told to do so by an authorized Digital support representative or have a reason to do so. Create a crisis recovery diskette if you have not already done so. Refer to "Creating a Crisis Recovery Diskette" previously described. Insert the BIOS diskette into your diskette drive. NOTE: For Windows 95 users, you will need to restart your computer in MS-DOS mode to upgrade your BIOS. 1.) Turn on your computer and allow the POST to complete. Your computer now boots from the BIOS diskette. If POST detects an error refer to Appendix B, "Computer Messages," and take the appropriate steps to correct the problem. After the problem has been resolved, restart the computer. 2.) At the MS-DOS prompt type: phlash Press [Enter]. When the warning message appears on the screen asking if you wish to continue, press [Enter]. PHLASH.EXE will now automatically update your computer's BIOS. After the flashing process completes, remove the BIOS diskette and your system will reboot. Using the Crisis Recovery Diskette Use the crisis recovery diskette only if your BIOS upgrade failed. If your computer's BIOS failed to flash properly or is corrupted in some way, the following sequence of events occur: 1.) POST detects an error after a normal boot cycle or a BIOS upgrade. This message(s) appears on your monitor screen to inform you that your computer's BIOS did not flash properly or has failed. 2.) The BIOS in the bootblock memory automatically executes. 3.) Your computer attempts to find the correct BIOS files to execute the correct boot cycle. 4.) Your computer beeps several times. This means your computer cannot properly boot using the BIOS files that were just copied during the flash update. 5.) Your computer's diskette drive begins searching for the crisis recovery diskette to restore the BIOS to its previous known state. To recover from a BIOS upgrade failure: 1.) Turn off your computer, remove the cover, and set the recovery jumper (J10 to "Recovery Mode" (jumper on). Jumper J10 controls whether the computer is in recovery or normal operation. Refer to Appendix A for the location of jumper J10. 2.) Replace the cover, insert the crisis recovery diskette into drive A, and then power on your computer. Your computer automatically boots from drive A and upgrades the BIOS (this can take up to 5 minutes). When the program gets to the point of erasing and then writing to the BIOS, you will hear a series of beeps. The first series will be the erase, the second series will be the write (the beep series will have different tones). Upon completion, the computer sounds a beep code and attempts to restart. 3.) After the BIOS is restarted, turn off power to your computer and remove the crisis recovery diskette from drive A. 4.) Remove the cover and set the recovery jumper (J10 to "Normal" (jumper off). Replace the cover and turn the power back on for normal operation.