I'd say finish the BIOS flash first... The other problems may be "better" or
even go away later...  (It is "no doubt" an enumeration issue -- and driver
problems from similar, but different chipsets that Windows is "going crazy"
over trying to ID correctly...)

Most MB sites (good ones anyway) have LOTS of info about flashing the
BIOS. And LOTS of warnings to do it exactly right...

Basically, it involves several steps. (Do NOT use this info instead of what
the manufactures WEB site "should" be saying...)

1) Identify the Mother Board exactly. Right down to the version and/or
revision number (in some cases...)

2) Get the EXACT Flash file for your EXACT mother board.

3) Get the proper version of the Flash utility, (if necessary).
Note that sometimes there is only one file, one ZIP archive, or even a Windows
version of the flash utility (or entire package).

4) Depending on all of the above, put the proper files on a "clean boot"
Boot Floppy...  Be sure to find out what that is, if you do not know...
You want the floppy as empty as possible and nothing loaded in "RAM" that
should not be there, (or is not necessary...)

5) See if there are any special instructions for your flash file...  I have had
boards (low quality ones) that say to ignore the error message that "you have
the WRONG file"... I consider that VERY poor practice for a manufacturer to do
it that way... (But they do, and it can scare you unless you are expecting it...)

6) Be sure back up the old flash from the BIOS to the floppy (if asked).

7) Do not disturb the process in any way after it starts...  This includes
having a reliable source of power... (A UPS is good at a time like this...)

8) If the flash fails, DO NOT TURN OFF the computer...  The BOOT files are
in RAM and the BIOS may be VERY unstable... You may not get a second chance
if the computer is shut off --- unless the operation finished... (This never
happened to me.,)

9) Read my/ALL Disclaimer(s):  I never had ANY trouble doing this, so my
troubleshooting skills in this area are slight... The potential of an exceptional
disaster are VERY REAL, so get and follow all SPECIFIC instructions that you
can for your board.  If you can't get good SPECIFIC instructions, do NOT start...

Good luck, It should be a piece of cake... Takes a couple minutes at most...
(Some of the newer programs even show a map of the memory areas they
are changing in the BIOS so you can have a picture "show" about what it is doing...

                                   Rick Glazier

From: "Dean Besaw" <[log in to unmask]>
My motherboard manual says it recommends flashing the BIOS if I'm running Win 95 or Win 98.  It tells me the steps to choose when
each screen pops up.  I started to go through the steps but the screens do not match what the manual is stating.  I have not flashed
a BIOS before and I don't want to "guess" and what I'm supposed to do next.  I was wondering if anyone could help me with the
conflict I'm having or with the flash proceedure.

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