6253M Mainboard Chapter 3 Award BIOS Setup
3-1-1 UPDATE MICROCODE API
Intel also provides MICROCODE API(Applications Programming Interface) for
Pentium
II/III processor-based mainboard user to update data block in BIOS quickly
and easily. (You can find this utility in the All-In-One CD in the mainboard package).
The BIOS code on the Pentium
II/III processor-based mainboards contains data
that is specific to each silicon stepping of the processor. Integrators must ensure that
this BIOS stepping data matches the used processor stepping. When the BIOS does
not contain stepping data that matches the processor stepping, integrators must update
the data in the BIOS before shipping the system. Historically, Pentium
II/III systems
have been updated by replacing the entire BIOS with a new revision of BIOS that
contains the correct stepping data.
Intel‘s BIOS update API allows just the stepping data within the BIOS to be
updated as needed. Mainboards that contain a BIOS with the Intel-defined BIOS
update API can be quickly and easily updated, if required, without obtaining a
complete BIOS upgrade. Using this utility, integrators can easily verify that the
correct stepping data is present in all Pentium
II/III processor-based mainboards.
However, if the stepping data requires to be updated, the mainboard BIOS must
contain the Intel-defined BIOS update API, otherwise a complete BIOS upgrade is
required from the mainboard vendor.
Since API program can only be executed under
DOS Real Mode
, you must
enter
Real Mode first
and load the API program to Drive C.
To load the program to C by following steps:
(1) Type “ md c:\ api ” and press Enter. Directory “api” is made in Drive C now.
(2) Insert the Driver/Utility CD into CD ROM Drive E.
(3) Then type “ copy e:\api\*.* c:\api ” and press Enter.
(API program is loaded to Drive C now.)
(4) Type “ C:\ api \checkup ” to execute this program.
The main menu should now be displayed with the following four options :
1) Check and load update
2) Specify stepping data file [current : pep.pdb]
3) Help
4) Quit without loading update
Select 1) to know the stepping filename, select 2) to load right patch code, then
select 1 to update proper patch code. Now, the screen will show the message “please
remove the CD from CD-ROM drive”. Then cold boot (mechanical power off) system
to continue. For more information, please refer to “CHECKUP.HLP“ file.
