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Appendix
A.
Updating
system
programs
This
appendix
contains
information
about
updating
system
programs
and
how
to
recover
from
a
POST/BIOS
update
failure.
System
programs
System
programs
are
the
basic
layer
of
software
that
is
built
into
your
computer.
They
include
the
power-on
self-test
(POST),
the
basic
input/output
system
(BIOS)
code,
and
the
IBM
Setup
Utility
program.
POST
is
a
set
of
tests
and
procedures
that
is
performed
each
time
you
turn
on
your
computer.
BIOS
is
a
layer
of
software
that
translates
instructions
from
other
layers
of
software
into
electrical
signals
that
the
computer
hardware
can
understand.
You
can
use
the
IBM
Setup
Utility
program
to
view
and
change
the
configuration
and
setup
of
your
computer.
Your
computer
system
board
has
a
module
called
electrically
erasable
programmable
read-only
memory
(EEPROM,
also
referred
to
as
flash
memory).
You
can
easily
update
POST,
BIOS,
and
the
IBM
Setup
Utility
program
by
starting
your
computer
using
a
flash
update
diskette
or
by
running
a
special
update
program
from
your
operating
system.
IBM
might
make
changes
and
enhancements
to
the
system
programs.
When
updates
are
released,
they
are
available
as
downloadable
files
on
the
World
Wide
Web
(see
the
Quick
Reference).
Instructions
for
using
the
system
program
updates
are
available
in
a
.txt
file
that
is
included
with
the
update
files.
For
most
models,
you
can
download
either
an
update
program
to
create
a
system-program-update
(flash)
diskette
or
an
update
program
that
can
be
run
from
the
operating
system.
Note:
You
can
download
a
startable
CD-ROM
image
(known
as
an
.iso
image)
of
the
system
program
from
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/
to
support
systems
without
a
diskette
drive.
Updating
(flashing)
BIOS
from
a
diskette
1.
Insert
a
system
program
update
(flash)
diskette
into
the
diskette
drive
(drive
A)
in
your
computer.
System
program
updates
are
available
at
http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/
on
the
World
Wide
Web.
2.
Turn
on
the
computer.
If
it
is
on
already,
you
must
turn
it
off
and
back
on
again.
The
update
begins.
Updating
(flashing)
BIOS
from
your
operating
system
Note:
Due
to
constant
improvements
being
made
to
the
IBM
Web
site,
Web
page
content
(including
the
links
referenced
in
the
following
procedure)
is
subject
to
change.
1.
From
your
browser,
type
http://www.pc.ibm.com/support
in
the
address
field
and
press
Enter.
2.
Locate
the
Downloadable
files
for
your
machine
type.
3.
Under
Select
your
product,
choose
your
machine
type
and
click
Go.
4.
In
Downloadable
file
by
category,
click
BIOS.
5.
Under
Download
files
-
BIOS
by
date,
click
your
machine
type.
©
Copyright
IBM
Corp.
2004
103