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Chapter 3 Award BIOS Setup
3-1-1 UPDATE MICROCODE API
Intel also provides MICROCODE API (Applications Programming Interface) for
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 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, 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 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.
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6241 Mainboard
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