does this seem kinda funny to you?

[woedend]

Dillard S: Welcome to HP Total Care.

My name is Dillard. How may I assist you today?
alex: hi i have a pavilian a250e desktop computer, ive installed linux and noticed there is a bios upgrade available for windows...is there a linux version or a way?
Dillard S: Alex, there are no supported updates for Linux from HP. Also, HP does not recommend upgrading the Operating System. We support only the pre-installed Operating System. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused to you.
alex: that's cool...do you by chance know the exact motherboard type...i read it detected from linux as a7n8x, the website as a7n8x-la...is there a difference?
Dillard S: Let me check that for you.
Dillard S: Please provide me the Serial number and the product number of the computer. Look on the sticker located at the back of the computer.
alex: yes gimme a second please
Dillard S: Sure
alex: mxp3380015 is the serial let me see about product
Dillard S: Okay
alex skinner: d7219l
alex skinner: does that look right
Dillard S: Yes
Dillard S: Thank you
alex: no problem sorry the computers buried away
Dillard S: Alex, the motherboard installed on the computer is A7N8X-LA (Explorer 2). which appears to be displayed correctly in the operating system.
alex: let me ask in case you know, is that different than just a7n8x?
Dillard S: It is not different from A7N8X - LA


two things I found funny - he referred to linux as an OS upgrade and the last question I asked. The last question is because I can find a7n8x upgrades, just no reference to LA. I must admit I don't know a lot about motherboards or bios at all, although I have upgraded it from windows years ago, but ah well...if anyone actually knows the answer to the last question please inform me. I did thank the kind man for all of his helpfulness.

[Sevoma]

You can upgrade the bios by using a dos floppy disk...

[mstlyevil]

Dillard S: Welcome to HP Total Care.

My name is Dillard. How may I assist you today?
alex: hi i have a pavilian a250e desktop computer, ive installed linux and noticed there is a bios upgrade available for windows...is there a linux version or a way?
Dillard S: Alex, there are no supported updates for Linux from HP. Also, HP does not recommend upgrading the Operating System. We support only the pre-installed Operating System. I regret any inconvenience this may have caused to you.
alex: that's cool...do you by chance know the exact motherboard type...i read it detected from linux as a7n8x, the website as a7n8x-la...is there a difference?
Dillard S: Let me check that for you.
Dillard S: Please provide me the Serial number and the product number of the computer. Look on the sticker located at the back of the computer.
alex: yes gimme a second please
Dillard S: Sure
alex: mxp3380015 is the serial let me see about product
Dillard S: Okay
alex skinner: d7219l
alex skinner: does that look right
Dillard S: Yes
Dillard S: Thank you
alex: no problem sorry the computers buried away
Dillard S: Alex, the motherboard installed on the computer is A7N8X-LA (Explorer 2). which appears to be displayed correctly in the operating system.
alex: let me ask in case you know, is that different than just a7n8x?
Dillard S: It is not different from A7N8X - LA


two things I found funny - he referred to linux as an OS upgrade and the last question I asked. The last question is because I can find a7n8x upgrades, just no reference to LA. I must admit I don't know a lot about motherboards or bios at all, although I have upgraded it from windows years ago, but ah well...if anyone actually knows the answer to the last question please inform me. I did thank the kind man for all of his helpfulness.

In my experience the bios should be the same. I ran into a similar problem with a MSI board. Does the web site offer a way to flash the bios using a floppy?

[majikstreet]

well.. linux is an upgrade to windows :D

[woedend]

it does. I won't tackle it now, I have no floppies. Ill let you guys know if it works :). Ill be sure to backup the old one though.

[darkmaze]

what if the computer doesn't have a floppy drive?

[BWF89]

what if the computer doesn't have a floppy drive?
They sell detatchable USB ones.

[theturner]

what if the computer doesn't have a floppy drive?
You can also make a small DOS or FreeDOS (I believe it's called GNU/DOS now) partition.

[BoyOfDestiny]

what if the computer doesn't have a floppy drive?

I've done this like 4 times with my dell inspiron. It's easier than it sounds, honest.

Download/make a dos boot disk image (I was lazy, I should try using it with FreeDOS, then I can put up a legit how-to). Mount the image, drop in the bios.exe thing.
unmount, and use mkisofs to make an iso. Burn this to a CD (preferable a rewritable) and just pop it in your machine and reboot. Upgrade the bios as usual. :)

[jason.b.c]

well.. linux is an upgrade to windows


I agree!:)


Speeking of b.i.o.s. upgrades, anybody know where i can get the updated one for my computer?

HP Vectra vl
P3 701 mhz
( thinks its an msi mobo )

I've searched and searched, no luck!:(

[mcduck]

yes, no problem there. BIOS isn't made for any operating system, it's made for your motherboard. Only some BIOS flasher programs need Windows, but you can always use bootable disk or CD to do the BIOS upgrade. You should do that anyway, as the BIOS flashing is more reliable without windows running, and you certainly don't want to end with a corrupted BIOS chip..

Anyway, if you can't find the BIOS itself without windows installer, you could ask HP to send you a BIOS chip with newer BIOS (tell them that the stupid Windows flasher ruined your BIOS and the computer doesn't boot or something ;)), or you can order those online. I suppose some computer service might also have a BIOS flasher so they could make you a new chip..

I also noticed the part about upgrading from windows to linux. What's funny about that? It's true and we have all done that. :D

[woedend]

i'm not gonna risk it...ah well. I didn't mean to insult linux, of course I see it as an upgrade myself, I would never go back. I just found it funny that the tech who will only support windows considers linux an upgrade :).

[xmastree]

Speeking of b.i.o.s. upgrades, anybody know where i can get the updated one for my computer?

HP Vectra vl
P3 701 mhz
( thinks its an msi mobo )
Take a look here:
http://www.motherboards.org/moboidtools.html
to see how to identify the mobo.

[majikstreet]

I was just looking on the dell site, and found the drivers and downloads section.. you can choose "linux" as your operating system.. but sadly the flashbios things are only for windows even when I choose linux! .exe's! how rude! anyway, I wish someone would make a howto on making the bios floppy from linux :D (well now that I think about it I think that I have the latest bios, they didn't update it since I got the comptuer I think)