DOS SKILLS NEEDED!

[Incroyable HULK]

I got another brillant idea and I wanted to know if someone could help.

I'd like to add an option on my multi-boot CD to FLASH the BIOS of our motherboard. Since we always buy the same hardware it would be a great feature.

I figured out that what I should do is the following:

1- Build a boot floppy image

2- add the BIOS file + flash program to the image

3- ??? create an autoexec.bat to start the flash program ???

The command I use normally is the following

A:\>ADSFI711.EXE A6728IMS.3A0

This is where I need your help as my experience with dos is limited...

Also I'd like to know what should be a minimal boot disk. If I build a boot disk with Windows XP, I get the following files (555Kb total):

• 91Kb - COMMAND.COM (hidden)
  
• 22Kb - KEYB.COM
  
• 29Kb - MODE.COM
  
• 58Kb - EGA2.CPI
  
• 58Kb - EGA3.CPI
  
• 58Kb - EGA.CPI
  
• 1Kb - CONFIG.SYS (hidden)
  
• 17Kb - DISPLAY.SYS
  
• 114kb - IO.SYS (hidden)
  
• 34Kb - KEYBOARD.SYS
  
• 32Kb - KEYBRD2.SYS
  
• 31Kb - KEYBRD3.SYS
  
• 13Kb - KEYBR42.SYS
  
• 1Kb - MSDOS.SYS (hidden)
  

Thanks!

[Jito463]

An autoexec.bat file should work fine. If that's the command you always use, then that should be all you need in the autoexec.bat file.

[Incroyable HULK]

so that's it? I just create an autoexec.bat and put exactly:

A:\>ADSFI711.EXE A6728IMS.3A0

should I put the A:\> since I am running from a multiboot CD is there a problem with this path?

[Asky]

Instead of using XP's boot disk stuff, I would get a DOS boot disk image and copy it to a floppy using RAWRITEXP. Put a copy of whatever you need (flash program, BIOS file) onto the floppy and edit the autoexec.bat file in Notepad to just say:

@echo off
ADSFI711.EXE A6728IMS.3A0

Leave out the A:>

As a (probably important) side note: While viewing the floppy in XP, autoexec.bat will probably not be visible. To rectify this, get into Folder Options (either through the Control Panel or under the Tools menu). Under the view tab, hit "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)". Tell Windows, that yes, you do know what you're doing and hit OK. Autoexec.bat should appear there. Be sure to re-enable "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" after you're done.

After this, use RAWRITEXP to recreate the image file, using the edited floppy and it should work for your Multi-boot CD. I'll post a link to a ZIP with the image and RAWRITEXP in a minute.

EDIT: Here's the link: http://www.ray5.net/jonathan/boot/boot.zip

[Incroyable HULK]

@ Jito463, Thanks!

@ Asky, Méga-Thanks! B)

I was about to create my floppy image with Winimage but I used RAWRITEXP and your DOS image as you suggested. RAWRITEXP is quite a simple app but it does the job! And the DOS image is exactly what I was talking about... a simple minimal boot disk!

I can wait to try it!

[Asky]

Cool. Great to know something that I can use to help someone. Let me know how it works for you!

[Incroyable HULK]

Ok, I finally got some time to test the solution and it worked fine!

The fun thing is that it goes faster since it is on a CD instead of a floppy.

Thanks!

[htc]

You can improve the usage of your "bios flash boot cd" by adding the ability to "import" a newer bios file from the regular floppy drive or usb stick(if you find a dos drive of usb for your MB), so you do not need to build and burn a new cd every time a new bios version come out...

[Incroyable HULK]

I am updating my CDs once a month (after the second tuesday of the month - Microsoft Patch Day!) so I check for BIOS update, drivers update, software update, etc. all at the same time so even if there is a new BIOS out there it can wait a few days...

[htc]

so you create the boot cd monthly?

for the patch for MS-Software it is not neccessary to create a new boot cd, you can just install them!

[Incroyable HULK]

Yes I do!

And I prefer to integrate MS hotfix into my CDs since it can take a bit of time to get to windows update, select the critical update, start the process of downloading and installing them (depending on the network connection), reboot the computer, etc.

If you have to do this 20 times in a month, it could become time consuming.

[Vitalis8]

Also I'd like to know what should be a minimal boot disk.:

For minimal boot disk you need only.:

• COMMAND.COM
  
• IO.SYS
  
• MSDOS.SYS
  
• AUTOEXEC.BAT
  

CONFIG.SYS you need only in that case when you want to build menu or load some DOS device drivers (himem or CD-ROM).

[Incroyable HULK]

Is there a difference between those files if I take them from a MS-DOS floppy disk, a Win98 Boot Disk or a Windows XP created Boot Disk (Win ME boot disk)?

wich one is the best suited for BIOS update?

[Asky]

For BIOS updates, it shouldn't matter much, MS-DOS should work fine. Just don't try mixing XP files into a DOS disk. A DOS 6 disk with XP's command.com...bad...

[htc]

for create dos boot floppy, I've posted in the thread "how to create ms dos 6.22 boot floppies":

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=31131

also point out the dos version and file system (Fat16, Fat32)