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Comment: 900 Linux model addon
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Comment: added update on 900a
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900A Linux Model: with the release 0607 I cannot update the bios with the mentioned hints. I used succesfully a freedos live usb (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/), with bios .ROM and the asus afudos utility (ftp://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/flash/AFUDOS236.zip).

Translations: [:DebianEeePCGerman/HowTo/UpgradeBIOS:German], [:DebianEeePCFrench/HowTo/UpgradeBIOS:French]

Upgrading the BIOS (Firmware) of your Eee

Disclaimer: The following instructions are tested on EeePC models 701 only. If you have experience with other models, please edit the page and add your notes at the foot of the page

  1. Download the BIOS image from [http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx] or from [http://update.eeepc.asus.com/bios/]. Make sure you select the right model.

  2. Prepare an USB drive formatted with FAT16 filesystem. Note that a SD card won't work, unless you insert it in an USB card reader. To format it using FAT16, use mkdosfs -F 16 (tip from twb). If you get an error, you may need to run *fdisk on the USB drive and shrink the partition you're using (16 MB partition seems to work). Yes, it really does need to be FAT16. The simplest way is to use the USB key installer as descibed in ["DebianEeePC/HowTo/Install"].

  3. Open the downloaded file. It should contain a file named like 701-ASUS-0801.ROM. The 701 part corresponds to the EeePC model. Copy that file in the root directory of the USB key, and rename it to 701.ROM. Again, 701 corresponds to the model. If your model is 901, then the download file should contain version.ROM and it should be renamed to 901.ROM when copied on the USB key.

  4. Reboot and press Alt+F2 during the boot. The BIOS updating program will start searching for USB drives, then for a suitably named ROM file. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Updates On Other Models

900 XP Model: Somehow the BIOS does not find the 900.ROM image on my Eee PC 900.

900 Linux Model: BIOS does not find the 900.rom image on boot. Use fat16 on partition type, 16Mb partition size and format partition as FAT16.

900A Linux Model: Success updating from BIOS version 0403 to 0607 on two 900A Linux models, using these directions (900A.ROM on a 16MiB FAT16 partition).

900A Linux Model: with the release 0607 I cannot update the bios with the mentioned hints. I used succesfully a freedos live usb (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/), with bios .ROM and the asus afudos utility (ftp://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/flash/AFUDOS236.zip).

901 Linux Model: Success updating from 901-ASUS-1703.zip, but only after making sure the USB drive had a small 16Mb partition to hold the update. When using a FAT16 partitioned 1Gb USB device the update was not found.

1000 Linux Model: Success updating to BIOS version 0803 on a 1000 (Linux model). Note that the upgrade will reset the bios settings (there are a just a few, anyway). The bios zip file is also without the model number for this model.