How to Install the Abit KX7-333/KX7-333R Motherboard
Last updated: 1/18/2004
Flash the BIOS. This step
requires a computer which is interfaced to the Internet, to download the
latest motherboard BIOS from the manufacturer. It can be delayed until
after you have installed Windows and the MODEM (or network adapter for
broadband network access) is installed and configured, but is best done at
this point.
First, I'll warn you that you will be taking a
chance if you flash the motherboard BIOS and you will be doing it at your
own risk. If something goes wrong (e.g., a power outage) during this
process you could end-up with an unbootable motherboard. If that
happens you will have to find someone with the equipment to flash the BIOS,
obtain another BIOS, or buy a new motherboard. I've done it many times
without a problem. Someday it's going to get me. Do it at your
own risk.
47. Boot the computer and record the
date/version of the motherboard BIOS, which is displayed right at the
beginning of the boot sequence. You may be able to freeze the screen
by pressing the Pause key. Pressing any other key (e.g, the Space bar)
will unfreeze the screen.
48. Connect
Abit's web site and find the BIOS download for the motherboard.
Abit's detailed flash instructions with pictures. The instructions
on the Abit CD are not as good.
49. If it is newer than the one that you have,
the motherboard BIOS should probably be flashed. Download the BIOS
file set. The file I downloaded was
kx7b6.exe. It is a compressed, self-extracting file. Double-click the
file after downloading to extract its contents. It contains everything needed to flash the BIOS.
Place a bootable floppy in the
floppy drive and use the Windows Explorer to copy the extracted files to the
floppy.
Other manufactures may have the files compressed,
but they may not be self-extracting and you may need a program to extract
(decompress) them. I use
PowerArchiver to extract zipped, etc. files. It is totally
free and without advertising.
WinZip is
another popular program that works quite well. If you have Windows XP, the files can be extracted with the Windows Explorer.
50. Read any release notes and instructions.
51. Boot the computer with a Startup floppy and
insert the floppy with the BIOS flash files.
52. Ok, let's flash the BIOS. Type...
A: \>runme
...and follow the instructions. Simple...
Other BIOS flash packages may not have the
convenient runme.bat file that Abit includes. In that case read
the motherboard manufacturer's instructions. For Award BIOS, one
would normally execute awdflash.exe and enter the file name of the BIOS
when prompted. Here's an example.
53. Move the jumper (CCMOS1) to right of the CMOS
battery to pins 2-3, the two towards the back of the motherboard. Go
get a cup of coffee while the CMOS discharges (I'd give it 10 minutes), come
back and move the jumper back to pins 1-2, and power-up.
After flashing the BIOS it is a good idea to
clear remnants and settings from the old BIOS that may still be in the CMOS
memory. Some motherboards will not boot at all after being flashed until the CMOS is cleared. Do not
apply power to the motherboard with the jumper on pins 2 and 3. It
can damage the motherboard.
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