HP Vectra VL 5/xxx Series 5 - Manual (Page 38)

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2 System Board
Devices on the ISA Bus
Flash EEPROM (the System ROM)
The computer uses 256 KB of Flash EEPROM implemented within a single
256 K ✕ 8-bit ROM chip (or in two 128 K ✕ 8-bit chips). Flash EEPROM is
ROM in which the whole memory can be returned to its unprogrammed
state by the application of appropriate electrical signals to its pins. It can
then be reprogrammed with the latest firmware.
The System ROM contains: 64 KB of system BIOS (including the boot code,
the ISA and PCI initialization, RPO, DMI, the Setup program and the Power-
On Self-Test routines, plus their error messages); 32 KB of video BIOS;
32 KB of Plug-and-Play code; and 32 KB of power management code. The
functions of these are summarized in Chapters 4 and 5.
Updating the System ROM
The System ROM can be updated with the latest BIOS. This can be
downloaded, as a compressed file, from the HP Electronic Services. You
must specify the model of the computer since the utility which is supplied
for a different model cannot be used with this one. (More information is
given in the “Hewlett-Packard Support and Information Services” chapter in
the User’s Guide that was supplied with the computer).
The compressed file, once downloaded, can be executed. This causes it to
be expanded out into a number of files, including:
• the Flash EEPROM reprogramming utility program, phlash.exe
• the BIOS upgrade file, HA0700xx.FUL
• the binary file, PFMHA106.bin
• the batch file, flash.bat
• a number of *.txt files, giving information about the new version of the
BIOS, and instructions on how to install it.
The Phlash utility must be run from a diskette.
Do not switch off the computer until the system BIOS update procedure has
completed, successfully or not, otherwise irrecoverable damage to the ROM
may be caused. The control panel switches are automatically disabled to
prevent accidental interruption of the flash programming process.