Anybody here familiar with Modbin?

[Bovon]

Modbin....a small application to edit and modify Award bios files. I have downloaded a copy (there are several versions and upgrades ect.) and also an Award bios file for an Iwill mainboard.

I can't figure out how to use this utility. If I attempt to run it in a Windows environment, I don't get anywhere...yet the site I D/L it from indicated there would not be enough room on a diskette.

Here is what I tried (which didn't work).

I extracted the Modbin.exe to a Temp folder on the C: drive. I then extracted the bios file to the same folder. Then, I ran Modbin...that action brought up a dos window with a small blue screen which *should* contain the bios data...but didn't...clicking the mouse inside the dos window would get me an error that says "Can't open file!"... this is with one version of Modbin...another version creates a tmp file that apparently is read in word pad but contains binary code, which word pad dosn't read.

Any help here?...tnx.

[Rocketmech]

Sometime ago I thought about tweaking a bios , but I decided on compatible hardware instead. In other words, I chickened out. :p More than I wanted to chew on thats for sure. Its my understanding Modbin runs from DOS not MSDOS. Maybe this help file will get you by... might shoot Peter M. a PM, too.
www.ryston.cz/petr/bios/modbin45.pdf

[Bovon]

Hey Rocketmech..yeah, I usually do bite off too much..but this is something that has been bugging me a long time, and I need to know how it works. I have done some Google searches (and saved that pdf modbin user guide..) but,
I have been stopped in my tracks at every effort. Something just dosn't fit (yet).

Thanks for the input...

Bovon

[Ol'Tunzafun]

I would try putting it on a diskette anyway. Second choice would be to put it on two disks (assuming there is more than one file involved) and run it from the A:\ prompt..

[Bovon]

Well, I am a tad reluctant to run any bios type application from a dos envirionment without knowing what it does...If I wind up with some kind of flash, or mod of my working bios...I am in deep doo doo. From what little info I can find is, this is a bios edit application. An edit application would not have anything to do with working under dos I wouldn't think.

Suppose something like this takes place. I put modbin on a boot disk and boot to an A: prompt and run modbin. Then, that action brings my working bios up and ready to be edited (which I do not want to happen)..but, I miss the fact that this is the wrong file...ect. If I do all this, and make an edit...all the while thinking I am editing another file for practice...then come to find out I have totally screwed up my working bios file...what then?...

I don't do anything like this until I have a handle on what can or will happen...I ain't gonna take a chance with this bios.

[rangeral]

Check at this site http://www.biosmods.com/download.php maybe it will be of some help.

[Bovon]

Thanks rangeral...thats where I found Modbin in the firstplace. The site indicates a tutorial is available there from a link, but when following the link...I didn't find anything other than how to mod the first (EPA) logo on the boot screen...no help there. http://users.cybercity.dk/~dsl6178/bios/Bioslogo.html Look downpage and you will see some Windows type screens..this indicates to me that the utility is run from Windows, and/or possibly a dos window. The FAQs on the left allude to modding your own bios...the link takes you to the same page as above.

I think I will e-mail the "horses mouth" for some pointers...

[Rocketmech]

Ha ! same uncertainty I had .;) You ought to shoot a PM to Peter M. , he's very helpful in this area.

Hmm, I said that already...:p

[NDD]

DOS is not dead :)

This program is to be run from pure DOS, preferably v6.22. The purpose is simple - flash procedure is not as safe within Windows or any other multitasking environment.
When you first launch the program, it uses your current BIOS image or loads BIOS' .rom file. It will NOT flash your BIOS under any circumstances, you'll have to use other third-party flasher to do it.
So, the work within Windows (or so-called "DOS Prompt") is quite safe, your only concern should be "clean booting (diskette)" when actually flashing with modded BIOS.

My advice - the proggy is nice but quite outdated. And the parameters you can change are not so crucial. Doubt it will solve your problems with the K6 ;)

[Bovon]

Thanks ND...somewhere along the line, I must have made some comments that have thrown a few people off. My interest in this program is to learn about how a bios file is setup. This has nothing to do with this FIC 503+ board. I bought an Iwill KD266 that it turns out has a crippled bios that Iwill did. The CPU Clock Ratio was hidden when this file was written early this year to support the latest Athlon at that time...why Iwill hid the multipliers is anybodys guess. From another forum, there is a guy that is quite knowledgeable about modding these bios files, and modded the KD266 0104 KD266 for me...he didn't elaborate...but I suspect the function was simply turned off...and he was able to turn it back on...and I know he does not have the KD266 because when I asked him about this..he said he was unaware of the board...but, he was able to take the file and mod it for me...and thats all I would like to be able to do...but first, I have to know how to look at the file..not the working bios file in the machine in use at the time...but any Award bios file that needs a bit of tweaking.

So far, I have tried two different versions of modbin...it seems like the bios file must be in the same folder (or diskette) to work..but in both cases, I have been unable to bring up the bios file in modbin. At this point, I don't know if I am heading in the right direction or not.. I figured I would run into someone here that had used the application before and tell me how to run the thing...guess not..