Bios Mods -The Best BIOS Update and Modification Source

I have a HP Pavilion DV4130US laptop with a Phoenix BIOS. My DVD Drive went out in it, but instead of taking the whole thing apart to replace the bad drive I decided but a USB DVD Drive. My current BIOS doesn't allow for USB Booting so I decided to look for an update BIOS from version F.17. HP didn't have one, so I went to eSupport.com to see if they had an update. They claimed they did and sent my link to F.21. I ran the update and it told me machine didn't support it, because it needed Windows Vista to run. HP uses WinPhlash to update BIOS, and since I have no floppy drive, no CD/DVD drive, and the BIOS won't boot to USB I have no choice but to use WinPhlash. The reason I need to flash BIOS is so I can wipe out the laptop and give it to my son to use. I'm currently using Windows XP Professional for my operating system.

Update:
02/23/2011 4:14 PM CST
I was able to install Vista from a Virtual drive under my Windows XP Professional install. It seems to be working. I will try to run the BIOS updates now.
BIOS update still did not install with VISTA.

Here is the Info from CPU-Z

Processor:
Intel Celeron M 370
Dothan
18
Socket 479 mPGA

Motherboard:
Hewlett-Packard
308C

Chipset:
Intel
i915GMS/i910GML
Rev. 03

BIOS:
Phoenix
F.17
04/27/2006

I also downloaded BIT.EXE from here and ran it. Here is the information I got from BIT.EXE

----------------------------------------------------[compiled@07.09.2009]---
BIOS Info Tool v1.4, Copyright© 2004 by Serge Galkin (StarGaz0r)
Win9x/Win2k/XP version e-mail: stargaz0r@nm.ru
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

¦ ROM BIOS by Phoenix Technologies Ltd., http://www.phoenix.com/, 04/27/06
Model: PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Release 6.0

¦ DMI.BaseBoardInformation:
Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
Product: 308C
Version: 35.31

¦ DMI.SystemInformation:
Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
Product Name: Pavilion dv4000 (EC317UA#ABA)
Serial Number: 2CE5230K47

¦ DMI.BIOSInformation:
Vendor Name: Phoenix
BIOS Version: F.17
BIOS Starting Address Segment: E5D6h
BIOS Release Date: 04/27/2006
BIOS ROM Size: 512 KB

¦ Supported features:
[v] HP ACPI 0.9/1.x
[v] System Management BIOS w/DMI v2.31
[v] PCI IRQ Routing Table v1.0 (correct)

¦ Add-on BIOS detected:
Intel Corp. Undefined Device was built before Class Code definitions were fi
nalized
Located @C0000
Init Entry Point @CDE51
Size 60kb

Realtek Semicon. RT8139 (A/B/C/810x/813x/C+) Fast Ethernet Adapter
Version 1.02
Located @CF800
Init Entry Point @CF800
Size 4kb

Thanks for any help possibly installing F.21 or F.22. I'm told F.22 actually adds the USB Booting options. Also please forgive me if I posted this in wrong area or if I've not given enough information.

Please post here the BIOS file/package. Probably the Winphlash program they gave to you is for 64-bit OS only. 32-bit WinPhlash should be able to run in Windows XP. Another option is using phlash16.exe - command line tool. If I remember correctly, with Windows XP, you can reboot/boot to DOS mode (necessary for running phlash16.exe).

(02-24-2011, 12:01 AM)kizwan Wrote: [ -> ]Please post here the BIOS file/package. Probably the Winphlash program they gave to you is for 64-bit OS only. 32-bit WinPhlash should be able to run in Windows XP. Another option is using phlash16.exe - command line tool. If I remember correctly, with Windows XP, you can reboot/boot to DOS mode (necessary for running phlash16.exe).

WinXP doesn't have a reboot/boot to DOS mode. The BIOS file I have is the F.17 version. I'll post it here. I have the original WinPhlash that I downloaded from here now. I downloaded it when I couldn't get HP's BIOS update thingy to work. I also have the other two BIOS update files I got froom eSupport.com and HP. eSupport.com was the F.21 BIOS update that didn't work. I searched HP's site until I found the F.22 update. It didn't work either. I've got them both in EXE form and the file attachment thingy tells me their too big to upload. So if you want them tell me your email address in a PM or something and I'll email them.

My BIOS F.17: 3081F17.ZIP

Thanks for your help.

Sorry for the confusion with Windows XP & DOS there. It has been a long time since the last time I use Windows XP. Can you post the exact error message when you tried to run the WinPhlash or the EXE file?

If you put bootable disk in the external CD/DVD drive, it won't boot to the bootable disk because it attached to usb port, am I right?

(02-24-2011, 02:00 AM)kizwan Wrote: [ -> ]Sorry for the confusion with Windows XP & DOS there. It has been a long time since the last time I use Windows XP. Can you post the exact error message when you tried to run the WinPhlash or the EXE file?

If you put bootable disk in the external CD/DVD drive, it won't boot to the bootable disk because it attached to usb port, am I right?

Yes, you are correct about not booting because of it being attached to the USB port.

This is the F.21 BIOS Error from eSupport.com



This the Official HP F.22 BIOS Error.

Sorry, I'm unable to see the pictures. Please try post it again. Thank you.

(02-24-2011, 09:49 AM)kizwan Wrote: [ -> ]Sorry, I'm unable to see the pictures. Please try post it again. Thank you.

Done! I also attached the photos to the post. I changed the links and attached them to the post.

(02-24-2011, 10:28 AM)rileyil77 Wrote: [ -> ]Done! I also attached the photos to the post. I changed the links and attached them to the post.

I want to remind you, bypassing the error can be dangerous. It can bricked your notebook.

Since the EXE produced the error & won't continue flashing, the only choice right now is either using phlash16.exe or winphlash. I want to remind you again, using either of these tools can bypass the error. It is very dangerous. I hope HP support didn't make any mistake sending you wrong file.

phlash16.exe is a best choice, however you need to run it in DOS mode. Since your notebook can't boot with DOS bootable disk, we can't use it. The only choice right now is WinPhlash. Please try this one:-
http://www.mediafire.com/?6v31wc966d5wkxx
or this one:-
http://www.mediafire.com/?dsl4k56xx44kv88

Use at your own risk!

EDIT: You do know how to extract the ROM file from the EXE file, yes?

(02-24-2011, 10:59 AM)kizwan Wrote: [ -> ]

(02-24-2011, 10:28 AM)rileyil77 Wrote: [ -> ]Done! I also attached the photos to the post. I changed the links and attached them to the post.

I want to remind you, bypassing the error can be dangerous. It can bricked your notebook.

Since the EXE produced the error & won't continue flashing, the only choice right now is either using phlash16.exe or winphlash. I want to remind you again, using either of these tools can bypass the error. It is very dangerous. I hope HP support didn't make any mistake sending you wrong file.

phlash16.exe is a best choice, however you need to run it in DOS mode. Since your notebook can't boot with DOS bootable disk, we can't use it. The only choice right now is WinPhlash. Please try this one:-
http://www.mediafire.com/?6v31wc966d5wkxx
or this one:-
http://www.mediafire.com/?dsl4k56xx44kv88

Use at your own risk!

EDIT: You do know how to extract the ROM file from the EXE file, yes?

Yeah, I know how to extract the ROM file the EXE. Use WinRAR. The problem I had was I couldn't see in HPs EXE and actuall .ROM or .WPH file.

(02-24-2011, 11:28 AM)rileyil77 Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, I know how to extract the ROM file the EXE. Use WinRAR. The problem I had was I couldn't see in HPs EXE and actuall .ROM or .WPH file.

Is there any .BIN file in it? Please upload the EXE files to www.mediafire.com. I'll check it for you.