# Insufficient Memory when trying to flash Bios



## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

I downloaded an exe called flashv73.exe from my motherboard manufacturer's site, as well as a .bin file to go with it.

When I put the two on a bootable floppy disk, and I boot from dos, and run the program, I enter in the .bin file name, and it starts doing something, then complains there is insufficient memory, and quits.

I tried copying the files to the c: drive and running it there, but it still happen. Any idea what's going on, or if you need more details?


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

Make sure you are booting to pure dos, no memory managers like himem.sys loading. Make sure with your start up disk you only copy system files. Make a new one by formatting a floppy disk and check the copy system files option.

[This message has been edited by brianF (edited 01-08-2001).]


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## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

It didn't work.

Do I have to do a step by step boot up to the floppy disk, and not load anything?

And when I flash my bios with the new one, what's supposed to happen?


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

If you are using the flashv73.exe utility, please use the following command to
flash your BIOS:

flashv73 name of .bin file /py/sn/f/cc/r

*All switches below are necessary when flashing the BIOS

py = program yes
sn = save no
f = flash
cc = clear CMOS
r = reboot

[This message has been edited by brianF (edited 01-09-2001).]

[This message has been edited by brianF (edited 01-09-2001).]


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## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

What happens is that it complains there is insufficient memory, and boots me out back into dos (on the boot disk).

I got a disk, formatted it, then copied the system files to it (through the formatting utility).

I then copied the .bin file, and the flashv73.exe file onto it, and allowed it to boot up.

That's all.


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

I found this at Unicore

doc.1251

Requested Document

Insufficient memory error

Question: When I run the Award BIOS flash loader program, I get the
error message "Insufficient memory," even tho I have xxx MB of
memory installed on my computer and I booted it with a Windows 95/98
Startup disk or a DOS 6.2 system disk.

Answer: The Award flash loader checks to see if there is enough
available memory for the program to run. It needs at least 550K of
lower DOS memory free.

There are three ways to get around this error:

For Windows95/98 users:

1. Boot with your Windows95/98 Startup disk in the floppy drive.

2. At the boot menu, select "NO CD-ROM support." Boot to the floppy
disk and reprogram the flash chip.

For Windows95 users:

1. Insert the Windows95 startup disk in the A: Drive and boot up the
computer into Windows.

2. Click on the My Computer icon.

3. Double-click on the A: drive. Look for the file "config.sys." If
it doesn't exist, create the file 
using Notepad as described below.

4. Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, Notepad.

5. Click on File, Open. Notepad looks on the A drive for the
config.sys file.

6. Click on the down arrow where it says "Look In:" and change "My
Documents" to "3 1/2 inch Floppy [A:]."

7. Where it says "Files of type: Text Documents," click on the down
arrow and select "All Files." You should see config.sys in the list, 
click on the filename "config.sys" so that it is highlighted then click Open. 
If you do not see the config.sys filename in the list, click "Cancel."

8. Find the line "device=himem.sys." If you do not see this command,
type it: device=himem.sys

9. Find the line "device=EMM386.exe." If it is there, type the word
"rem" in front of the word "device." Make sure there is a space between 
the word "rem" and the word "device."

10. Launch the MS-DOS Prompt window. To launch it, click on Start,
Programs, MS-DOS Prompt.

11. Copy the "himem.sys" file from the C:\WINDOWS directory to the A:
drive. In the MS- DOS window, type: "copy c:\windows\himem.sys A:"
and press Enter. After the file is copied, close the MS-DOS window.

12. Save the config.sys file you created. To save it, click on File,
Save As, and save it as "config.sys". Boot the computer with the
floppy disk in the floppy drive and reprogram the flash chip.

For DOS users:
1. Boot with your system disk in the floppy drive.

2. List the directories of the system disk in the A: drive. To list
the directories, at the A: prompt, type "dir" and press Enter.

3. Find the config.sys file. If you cannot find it, create it using
the copycon command or another text editor.

4. Find the line "device=himem.sys." If you cannot find it, type it:
device=himem.sys

5. Find the line "device=EMM386.exe." If it is there, type the word
"rem" in front of the word 
"device." Make sure there is a space between the word "rem" and the
word "device."

6. Save the config.sys file on the floppy disk.

7. Copy the himem.sys file from the C:\dos directory to the A: drive.
At the A: prompt type: "copy c:\dos\himem.sys A:" and press Enter.

Boot the computer with the floppy disk in the floppy drive and
reprogram the flash chip.

For further assistance with DOS commands or creating and editing the
config.sys file, please consult your operating system manual.

Award Flash Loader: Insufficient memory error.

Award flash loader TIP:3101

Revised 02/28/99

unicore


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## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

What do you mean by editing the flash? I started without cd-rom support, but it still reports the error.


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## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

Bump


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

Change the boot disk CONFIG.SYS file.

You want the following two things, and nothing else, in there:

device=himem.sys
device=emm386.exe noems

Make sure that himem.sys and emm386.exe are both on the boot disk.

Delete the autoexec.bat file if there is one, too.

Of course, make sure this isn't your only boot disk! Do all this on a backup copy.

If you don't know how to make these changes, let us know.

------------------
Get free stuff and help out a poor computer tech:
LarryCore begs for money


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## Alexiyies (Nov 25, 1999)

Well, now it just hangs there when I run the program.

I left it running for quite a long time, and nothing happened.

How long should it take?

Also, I made the boot disk by formatting a disk, then copying system files. I edited the config.sys file as instructed, and deleted the autoexec.bat


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

I beleive you need a path statement in those commands or it will never find them, something like below.
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

Although almost all flash utilities state do not have these memory managers running while flashing.

[This message has been edited by brianF (edited 01-12-2001).]


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## LarryCore (Aug 26, 1999)

If they are in the root of the A drive, no path is needed.

It would give errors during the boot if it couldn't find them.

In any case, flashing should take about a minute. So, something is wrong.

Generally flashing doesn't work for one of three reasons.

1) Jumper on MB / setting in BIOS to not allow flash

2) Wrong flash program

3) Wrong BIOS file

------------------
Get free stuff and help out a poor computer tech:
LarryCore begs for money


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