4 Troubleshooting Your PC
Recovering from a BIOS Update Failure
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English
Recovering from a BIOS Update Failure
If you attempt to update (flash) the BIOS in your PC and the update
fails, perhaps due to a bad ROM image or a power failure during the
update process, the PC will be left with a corrupted BIOS. To recover
from this situation, you need to use the BootBlock procedure.
What is BootBlock?
BootBlock is an area of the BIOS memory that is not erased during a
standard BIOS update. It contains a minimal set of commands that
bypass the normal boot procedure and “jump” directly to booting from
the floppy disk.
CAUTION
You should not use the BootBlock procedure as the normal method of
updating the BIOS. Use it only as a recovery process.
BootBlock is loaded during manufacturing, and should never be
updated.
Using the BootBlock
feature
To recover from a faulty BIOS you need to use a floppy disk containing
the BIOS file HS0x0x.ROM, but renamed to AMIBOOT.ROM (you need
to rename the file yourself).
To activate the BootBlock crisis recovery procedure:
1
Disconnect the computer’s power supply cord and any connection to
a telecommunications network.
2
Remove the computer’s cover.
3
Set system board switches 5 (Clear CMOS) and 6 (Clear Passwords)
to the On position.
4
Replace the cover and power cord.
5
Insert the floppy disk into the floppy disk drive.
spid.bk : spid-up4.fb4 Page 80 Tuesday, May 12, 1998 1:11 PM
