8KNXP BIOS F5->F6

I have updated my MAIN BIOS to version F6 using QFlash.
Before doing so, I have copied the F5 BIOS to the BACKUP BIOS.

Now, under Windows XP, I see with "Gigabyte @BIOS Writer": Intel i875P
AGPSet BIOS for 8KNXP F6 AWARD BIOS Fine ;-)

But the "DMI Information tool" displays F5 as BIOS information, as
does "MS System Information" (BIOS Version/Date Award Software
International, Inc. F5, 8/18/2003)

Which tool can I trust, or even better,
can someone explain the difference?

Regards KB

"Klaus" wrote in message
om...

I have updated my MAIN BIOS to version F6 using QFlash.
Before doing so, I have copied the F5 BIOS to the BACKUP BIOS.

Now, under Windows XP, I see with "Gigabyte @BIOS Writer": Intel i875P
AGPSet BIOS for 8KNXP F6 AWARD BIOS Fine ;-)

But the "DMI Information tool" displays F5 as BIOS information, as
does "MS System Information" (BIOS Version/Date Award Software
International, Inc. F5, 8/18/2003)

Which tool can I trust, or even better, can someone explain the
difference?

I have F6 installed, too, and Win Sys Info also shows "Award Software
International, Inc. F5, 8/18/2003." I bought the mobo in June and upgraded
the bios in Aug. or Sept., so the date reported seems correct for the
upgrade but not the version. Look at the report at POST, bottom of first
screen, which should be the correct bios version reported. Mine shows F6.
I'm not familiar with the "DMI Info Tool," but Sisoft Sandra also reports
F5.

I suspect that Award failed to change the version number in the reporting
function that transfers the info to the OS, although that's just a guess.
Another idea might be that it is reporting the bios version of the backup in
error. I'm not going to worry about it since the system is very stable.

"Klaus" wrote in message
om...

I have updated my MAIN BIOS to version F6 using QFlash.
Before doing so, I have copied the F5 BIOS to the BACKUP BIOS.

Now, under Windows XP, I see with "Gigabyte @BIOS Writer": Intel i875P
AGPSet BIOS for 8KNXP F6 AWARD BIOS Fine ;-)

But the "DMI Information tool" displays F5 as BIOS information, as
does "MS System Information" (BIOS Version/Date Award Software
International, Inc. F5, 8/18/2003)

Which tool can I trust, or even better,
can someone explain the difference?


Read my previous post first, then continue below.

I've discovered something interesting here. I rebooted just to check and
found that mine is booting into the backup bios (F5), which it probably has
for some time. Going into the bios and hitting f8 shows that it has just
booted into the backup bios even though the main bios is selected as the
boot version.

Further, when I reboot from that screen, having not changed anything, it
goes back into F6, but won't unless you enter and exit (again, no changes)
the Q-flash utility (f8). It seems to boot correctly until you reset the
machine while it is booting but before the OS begins to start. According to
the manual, it will revert to the backup bios upon "any failure (ex. Update
ESCD failure, checksum error, or reset...) occurs in the Main BIOS just
before the OS is loaded...." when "Wide Range Protection" is enabled. Note
that a reset is in the list! If I reset the computer during or after POST
but before the OS starts, it will load the backup bios AND WILL CONTINUE
UNTIL YOU ENTER THE Q-FLASH (F8) AND EXIT.

The manual says that this will occur when WRP is enabled, but mine will
revert to the backup regardless of this setting and will continue as
described above! Further, if I disable WRP there is no change in this
behavior. This must be a bug and I'll report it to Gigabyte. Or is this a
"feature"?

FWIW, Windows System Info still shows it as F5, but the POST screen and
@bios in WinXP show it as F6. I am fairly confident that I'm now on F6, but
I must remember that I cannot do a reset at the time mentioned above and
have the Main bios return without first entering the bios, then Q-flash,
then exit before it'll go back to the Main Bios (F6). I suppose if you send
F6 to the backup bios it'll then behave properly!

I tried to flash to f6 numerous times and it would always show f5 on all dmi
programs (tweak xp -sys info - sissoft sandra etc). It wasn't until I
disabled the Hyper Threading in the bios that it actially took.

"Klaus" wrote in message
om...
I have updated my MAIN BIOS to version F6 using QFlash.
Before doing so, I have copied the F5 BIOS to the BACKUP BIOS.

Now, under Windows XP, I see with "Gigabyte @BIOS Writer": Intel i875P
AGPSet BIOS for 8KNXP F6 AWARD BIOS Fine ;-)

But the "DMI Information tool" displays F5 as BIOS information, as
does "MS System Information" (BIOS Version/Date Award Software
International, Inc. F5, 8/18/2003)

Which tool can I trust, or even better,
can someone explain the difference?

Regards KB

"bdh" wrote in message
om...

I tried to flash to f6 numerous times and it would always show f5 on all
dmi
programs (tweak xp -sys info - sissoft sandra etc). It wasn't until I
disabled the Hyper Threading in the bios that it actially took.

Mine holds until I reset as described earlier. I'd like to know how to
disable this "feature," as I don't want to feel like I must watch which bios
version is being loaded at every boot.

1) Thx to all who've responded
2) I have sent this question to the GB Support and let you know what they'll answer.

Regards KB

Klaus,
darf ich dich mal per Email um Rat zum 8KNXP bitten?
Mein englisch ist gerade nicht das Beste.
Die angezeigte Adresse, unter der ich dich erreichen wollte
ist nicht gültig.
Danke!

MfG
Heiko

"Klaus" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
om...
1) Thx to all who've responded
2) I have sent this question to the GB Support and let you know what
they'll answer.

Regards KB

My experience has been that the Gigabyte "added features" are crap and I
have stopped using them [i.e.. Easy Tune, Dual BIOS [you need to get
into BIOS to use it!] DPS]. For BIOS upgrade I used the traditional
Award/Ami BIOS upgrade utility.

Heiko Baruth wrote:

Klaus,
darf ich dich mal per Email um Rat zum 8KNXP bitten?
Mein englisch ist gerade nicht das Beste.
Die angezeigte Adresse, unter der ich dich erreichen wollte
ist nicht gültig.
Danke!

MfG
Heiko

"Klaus" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
om...

1) Thx to all who've responded
2) I have sent this question to the GB Support and let you know what

they'll answer.

Regards KB

Agree. Dual Bios? Who needs 2 when 1 that works correctly is sufficient. No
need for DPS either, and forget about the GIGA Raid.
- Tim

"Michael Len" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
My experience has been that the Gigabyte "added features" are crap and I
have stopped using them [i.e.. Easy Tune, Dual BIOS [you need to get
into BIOS to use it!] DPS]. For BIOS upgrade I used the traditional
Award/Ami BIOS upgrade utility.

Heiko Baruth wrote:

Klaus,
darf ich dich mal per Email um Rat zum 8KNXP bitten?
Mein englisch ist gerade nicht das Beste.
Die angezeigte Adresse, unter der ich dich erreichen wollte
ist nicht gültig.
Danke!

MfG
Heiko

"Klaus" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
om...

1) Thx to all who've responded
2) I have sent this question to the GB Support and let you know what

they'll answer.

Regards KB