I have downloaded a new BIOS for my mobo. But to install I have to be at dos prompt NOT WINDOWS DOS. I need help on doing this if someone would be kind enough to help me. Thanks in advance

Your options depend on several factors. 1. Is your hard drive formatted to FAT32 or NTFS? 2. Do you have to run the BIOS update from the hard drive or can you run it from a floppy disk? If you can run it from floppy it doesn't matter what your file system is. Make a boot disk either from a Windows 9x machine or a WinXP machine (Win2K won't work right). Copy the file to your floppy disk, boot it, and go. If it has to run from the hard drive and it's a FAT32 partition, use the same method except that you'll have to navigate to the location on the hard drive, so put it somewhere easy to find. If it has to run from the hard drive and you have an NTFS partition, you'll want to find something like NTFSDOS, which you can download read a how to from here http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdos.shtml Again, remember where you put it and enjoy the show. Zhora

You can boot with a '98 bootdisk to the (dos) a:>\ prompt then offer up the floppy with bios update and go on from there. In some/many cases you can add the bios update to the floppy and save a floppy chage - you run the util at the a:>\ prompt as before. Many bios updates come with excellent how instructions from the web-site; Dell certainly provide a good "how to do it all" on their support site. Perhaps check with the web-site your for bios/Motherboard to see if similar helpful info?

bios updates are not run from within an installed OS; thus the format of the drive(s) does not enter into the equation. Use a dos/'9x (typically a '98) bootdisk as outlined above in my post immediately above.

I have the bios on a floppy also the bin file for the bios. I dont have a win98 disc, but I do have a windows me start up disk. Will that work for what I am wanting to do? If so do I need to change anything? I really do appreciate the help.

Any bootdisk that takes you to a dos (a: ) prompt will do. These days most folks use '98 as it's the most common one around; an ME version should do just as well. I tend to use a dos6x bootdisk as I have it too; but equally I could use a '98 version if/when needs-be. As long as you boot to dos (a: prompt) - fine. Again, it's wise to visit the web-site for motherboard/bios to see if they offer any useful/critical advice - before you actually do the flash/upgrade.

I have another question. Here is what it says from the mobo web site. 1. Download the appropriate BIOS update from the Download section according to the motherboard model and PCB (Printed Circuit Board) version. 2. Extract the BIOS binary file and the flash utility program from the zipped file using applications as WinZip. 3. There should be THREE files being extracted from the zipped file. They are: *.EXE , *.BIN and *.TXT file. 4. Copy the *.BIN and *.EXE file on to a floppy disk and reboot your system from the floppy drive. 5. Type in the following command under DOS prompt (NOT under windows!): A:\>[executable] [filename].bin /F OR A:\>[executable] /? for detailed instructions. Warning: For NFII chipset based motherboard, please do not give "/F" instruction. Otherwise, LAN MAG IP will be lost that might cause your LAN feature failed. 6. Reset your computer AFTER the completion of BIOS flash process. 7. To check whether your BIOS has been updated successfully please refer to the BIOS date code shown on the bottom left hand corner of the boot up screen. 8. Please LOAD OPTIMAL SETTINGS or LOAD BIOS SETUP DEFAULTS in the BIOS setup menu during the first system boot up after the flashing the BIOS. WARNING: Please be very cautious during the BIOS flash process, your system may fail to boot if the BIOS was not programmed correctly. Does that mean typr the executable file name in the first brackets and the type the bin file name in the second bracket?