Flash BIOS Update

Hi. I have a Gateway LX6810-01 desktop running Windows Vista and am having issues with random shutdowns. (I know, this isn't a model that is receiving accolades from users, I've only found this out since purchasing it a couple years ago, but replacing it isn't an option at this point in time.) I've researched the issue trying to diagnose the problem and have found a TON of info indicating that this is a common problem with this model desktop and that it is fan/thermal related and that updating BIOS usually either solves the problem or makes a drastic improvement.

I've used the command prompt, typed in "msinfo32", and based upon the info provided, I've learned that my current version of BIOS is American Megatrends Inc. R01-A0, 10/31/2008.

I visited the Gateway support website and the most recent BIOS version for my model desktop is R01-A2, 7/13/2010. Everything I am reading has caution remarks everywhere about being ultra careful with running bios updates and that doing something wrong could make my desktop unable to boot. I've read and printed out the readme file to be sure I don't screw anything up, however I feel as though I'm reading a foreign language despite considering myself to be moderately computer savvy.

Can someone please walk me through this so I don't screw anything up?

In the readme file, it indicates making a DOS bootable disk and also copy AFUDOS.EXE and target BIOS rom file and "DOSFlash.bat" onto that disk. I do not know how to make a DOS bootable disk and so I need a little hand-holding for this task.

Hi,

You can flash the BIOS also inside windows.

If you downloaded the BIOS_Gateway_R01.A2_A_A.zip file from the gateway page extract the file to a folder like c:\BIOS\

Close all the programs running including the Antivirus software and any other security programs you have.
On the extracted files locate WINFlash.bat, right click the file and choose Execute as Administrator.

After flashing the BIOS shutdown completely the computer and then turn it on again after one or two minutes.

It took me what seems like forever to finally get around to trying this.

I downloaded the zip file, extracted everything to a c:\bios folder...

First I tried right clicking on the winflash.bat file and told it to run as Administrator. I clicked through all of the prompts and a command prompt screen literally flashed on my screen for about half a second and disappeared. Nothing seemed to happen.

Next I tried right clicking the afuwin.exe file. I got a box for American Megatrends, the flash button did not highlight until I clicked "open" and selected the only .rom file that appeared. After that, I clicked "flash"... and then got a warning that said "CMOS layout difference between system ROM and ROM file has been detected. AFU recommend adding /B, /C commands of your original input commands." Then there is the option of accept, force or quit. First I tried telling it to accept and then got an error message saying "Error: File ROM ID incorrect". I tried it again, this time selecting "force" but got the same error.

What am I doing wrong?

Hi,

Edit the file winflash.bat using Notepad and add a pause command on a new line like this:

AFUWIN 8A7G1P03.ROM /P /B /C
pause

Save the file and run the winflash.bat batch as Administrator, the pause command will stop the script execution and give you the chance to read any error messages.

Make sure you close all the programs and stop the Antivirus protection before running the script.