Mailing List Archive

pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze.
Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing the
system when ran from memdisk?
The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
bios, although it freezes then as well.)

I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and also fell back
to 2.11 all have the same issue.

I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted on the
memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the image to freeze before
even booting. (frozen cursor before loading the boot sector?). The disk
image is a Windows 95 boot image that I used winimage to expand to
2.88MB. I use this image for all my bios upgrade needs.

This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest offerings (w/
award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and g965m). I used this same
image on a Dell laptop for giggles, and it worked fine (it spit out the
usage menu).

At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does anyone have any
suggestions before I try taking the issue up with MSI? Any idea how I
can troubleshoot this further, so that I can give them specifics as to
why it locked up?

If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different hardware,
different configurations, all hardware has been tested to be good.

Thanks in advance,

-Andrew

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
I'm guessing that the image you are booting via memdisk is FreeDOS-based? I've had similar problems with FreeDOS disks images and firmware updates. If that's the case, try copying the update programs to a MS-DOS 6.22 image instead.

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: syslinux-bounces@zytor.com
> [mailto:syslinux-bounces@zytor.com] För Andrew Stuart
> Skickat: den 24 augusti 2007 07:11
> Till: For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa
> Ämne: [syslinux] pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze.
>
> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program)
> freezing the system when ran from memdisk?
> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting
> to update bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>
> I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and
> also fell back to 2.11 all have the same issue.
>
> I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted
> on the memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the
> image to freeze before even booting. (frozen cursor before
> loading the boot sector?). The disk image is a Windows 95
> boot image that I used winimage to expand to 2.88MB. I use
> this image for all my bios upgrade needs.
>
> This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest
> offerings (w/ award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and
> g965m). I used this same image on a Dell laptop for giggles,
> and it worked fine (it spit out the usage menu).
>
> At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does
> anyone have any suggestions before I try taking the issue up
> with MSI? Any idea how I can troubleshoot this further, so
> that I can give them specifics as to why it locked up?
>
> If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different
> hardware, different configurations, all hardware has been
> tested to be good.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> -Andrew
>
> _______________________________________________
> SYSLINUX mailing list
> Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
> Unsubscribe or set options at:
> http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
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>
>
>


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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
OK, I missed that it's a Win95-based image. Please ignore previous post.

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: Lindgren Daniel
> Skickat: den 24 augusti 2007 08:41
> Till: 'For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa'
> Ämne: SV: [syslinux] pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze.
>
> I'm guessing that the image you are booting via memdisk is
> FreeDOS-based? I've had similar problems with FreeDOS disks
> images and firmware updates. If that's the case, try copying
> the update programs to a MS-DOS 6.22 image instead.
>
> > -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> > Från: syslinux-bounces@zytor.com
> > [mailto:syslinux-bounces@zytor.com] För Andrew Stuart
> > Skickat: den 24 augusti 2007 07:11
> > Till: For discussion of SYSLINUX and tftp-hpa
> > Ämne: [syslinux] pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze.
> >
> > Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program)
> freezing
> > the system when ran from memdisk?
> > The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting
> to update
> > bios, although it freezes then as well.)
> >
> > I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and also fell
> > back to 2.11 all have the same issue.
> >
> > I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted on the
> > memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the image to freeze
> > before even booting. (frozen cursor before loading the boot
> sector?).
> > The disk image is a Windows 95 boot image that I used winimage to
> > expand to 2.88MB. I use this image for all my bios upgrade needs.
> >
> > This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest offerings (w/
> > award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and g965m). I
> used this same
> > image on a Dell laptop for giggles, and it worked fine (it spit out
> > the usage menu).
> >
> > At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does anyone have
> > any suggestions before I try taking the issue up with MSI? Any idea
> > how I can troubleshoot this further, so that I can give
> them specifics
> > as to why it locked up?
> >
> > If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different
> hardware,
> > different configurations, all hardware has been tested to be good.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > -Andrew
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > SYSLINUX mailing list
> > Submissions to SYSLINUX@zytor.com
> > Unsubscribe or set options at:
> > http://www.zytor.com/mailman/listinfo/syslinux
> > Please do not send private replies to mailing list traffic.
> >
> >
> >


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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Andrew Stuart wrote:
> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing the
> system when ran from memdisk?
> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
> bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>
> I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and also fell back
> to 2.11 all have the same issue.
>
> I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted on the
> memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the image to freeze before
> even booting. (frozen cursor before loading the boot sector?). The disk
> image is a Windows 95 boot image that I used winimage to expand to
> 2.88MB. I use this image for all my bios upgrade needs.
>
> This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest offerings (w/
> award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and g965m). I used this same
> image on a Dell laptop for giggles, and it worked fine (it spit out the
> usage menu).
>
> At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does anyone have any
> suggestions before I try taking the issue up with MSI? Any idea how I
> can troubleshoot this further, so that I can give them specifics as to
> why it locked up?
>
> If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different hardware,
> different configurations, all hardware has been tested to be good.
>

Can you boot MEMDISK from media, as opposed to PXE? That way we can at
least separate the PXE stack from the rest of the system...

-hpa

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> Andrew Stuart wrote:
>
>> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing the
>> system when ran from memdisk?
>> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
>> bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>>
>> I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and also fell back
>> to 2.11 all have the same issue.
>>
>> I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted on the
>> memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the image to freeze before
>> even booting. (frozen cursor before loading the boot sector?). The disk
>> image is a Windows 95 boot image that I used winimage to expand to
>> 2.88MB. I use this image for all my bios upgrade needs.
>>
>> This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest offerings (w/
>> award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and g965m). I used this same
>> image on a Dell laptop for giggles, and it worked fine (it spit out the
>> usage menu).
>>
>> At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does anyone have any
>> suggestions before I try taking the issue up with MSI? Any idea how I
>> can troubleshoot this further, so that I can give them specifics as to
>> why it locked up?
>>
>> If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different hardware,
>> different configurations, all hardware has been tested to be good.
>>
>>
>
> Can you boot MEMDISK from media, as opposed to PXE? That way we can at
> least separate the PXE stack from the rest of the system...
>
> -hpa
>
Yeah, I had already planned on doing so. I was hoping to have done it
today but other projects took precedence. I hope to try this early next week

-A

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Andrew Stuart schreef:
>>> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing the
>>> system when ran from memdisk?
>>> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
>>> bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>>>
Ever tried Uniflash program instead of the vendor/motherboard dependent
flash program?
Maybe it's also DOS flavour specific, you might want to try for example
MSDOS 6.22 or DRdos or FreeDOS,
rather than depending on a Win95/98/ME/XP bootdisk.

I assume you have an empty config.sys on it and very maybe an
autoexec.bat with "@echo off" and "afud408 /options" ?

Bernd

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Just some short remarks from my experience with biosupdates,

* If you use memdisk in combination with pxelinux don't use ME it will
fail (in my expirence).
* I prefer to use DOS/bootdisks from Win 98SE
* Some Bios-Update Programms will not work with pxelinux, but will work
from other media like floppy or cd
( I had the same freeze as in your description on HP BIOS-Updates with
pxelinux but not from CD)
* Some Bios-Update Programms will not work if you use Memory mamager
programs.
* If you have to use the himem memory manager and pxelinux please use
the /testmem:off switch.


Yours sincerely

Peter Leenders




Bernd Blaauw
<bblaauw@home.nl>
Sent by: To
syslinux-bounces@ For discussion of SYSLINUX and
zytor.com tftp-hpa <syslinux@zytor.com>
cc

25.08.2007 13:24 Subject
Re: [syslinux] pxelinux / memdisk /
afud408 freeze.
Please respond to
For discussion of
SYSLINUX and
tftp-hpa
<syslinux@zytor.c
om>






Andrew Stuart schreef:
>>> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing
the
>>> system when ran from memdisk?
>>> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
>>> bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>>>
Ever tried Uniflash program instead of the vendor/motherboard dependent
flash program?
Maybe it's also DOS flavour specific, you might want to try for example
MSDOS 6.22 or DRdos or FreeDOS,
rather than depending on a Win95/98/ME/XP bootdisk.

I assume you have an empty config.sys on it and very maybe an
autoexec.bat with "@echo off" and "afud408 /options" ?

Bernd

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Peter.Leenders@computacenter.com wrote:
>
> Just some short remarks from my experience with biosupdates,
>
> * If you use memdisk in combination with pxelinux don't use ME it will
> fail (in my expirence).

You need "raw" or "bigraw" for the ME/XP version of DOS.

-hpa

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> Andrew Stuart wrote:
>
>> Has anyone had a problem with afud408 (Award flash program) freezing the
>> system when ran from memdisk?
>> The freeze occurs when just running afud408 (not attempting to update
>> bios, although it freezes then as well.)
>>
>> I was using pxelinux/memdisk 3.36, I upgrade to 3.51, and also fell back
>> to 2.11 all have the same issue.
>>
>> I have tried all the switches for memdisk that I saw posted on the
>> memdisk webpage (non wiki). raw/bigraw caused the image to freeze before
>> even booting. (frozen cursor before loading the boot sector?). The disk
>> image is a Windows 95 boot image that I used winimage to expand to
>> 2.88MB. I use this image for all my bios upgrade needs.
>>
>> This seems to occur on a large amount of MSI's latest offerings (w/
>> award bios) (Specifically: 945gm2, 945gm3 and g965m). I used this same
>> image on a Dell laptop for giggles, and it worked fine (it spit out the
>> usage menu).
>>
>> At this point I am sure it's a bios/pxe issue, but does anyone have any
>> suggestions before I try taking the issue up with MSI? Any idea how I
>> can troubleshoot this further, so that I can give them specifics as to
>> why it locked up?
>>
>> If it isn't clear, this on 10+ different systems, different hardware,
>> different configurations, all hardware has been tested to be good.
>>
>>
>
> Can you boot MEMDISK from media, as opposed to PXE? That way we can at
> least separate the PXE stack from the rest of the system...
>
> -hpa
>

I *finally* got around to trying this. I tried with a usb pen drive and
syslinux 3.53 release (w/ matched memdisk).

With my original disk Win95 1.44mb captured with dd or winimage. I
deleting everything except for what was needed and adding afud408.exe
The problem still persists (with and without flags to memdisk). I did
how ever get it to work with the FDOEM.144.imz image offered by FreeDOS,
but only with raw or bigraw flags passed to memdisk.

I don't know if you want to try and troubleshoot this further, at this
moment I am happy with the above working solution, at the very least I
wanted to update the list for archival sake.

Thanks again for all the great work hpa!

-Andrew

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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Hello!

i have an MSI k9agm3-fd and afudos :)
this would be my 'standard' motherboard that i would choose without
picking when someone asks me. it is fast anough and cheap enough.

Do You have any solution for flashing it over PXE+memdisk without freezing?

Thanx
Viktor


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Re: pxelinux / memdisk / afud408 freeze. [ In reply to ]
Viktor wrote:
> Hello!
>
> i have an MSI k9agm3-fd and afudos :)
> this would be my 'standard' motherboard that i would choose without
> picking when someone asks me. it is fast anough and cheap enough.
>
> Do You have any solution for flashing it over PXE+memdisk without freezing?
>

If the PXE stack hangs on you, then I would try to use gPXE/Etherboot,
either as an intermediate step or as a replacement.

-hpa

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