BIOS Update

[Fitas3]

Hi all,

Does anyone know is there any BIOS updates for VGN-A317M. The nature of question more relates to update of 'boot devices' sector of BIOS, which does not allow boot from USB flash drives (though consist 'Removable device' option). Setting this option in BIOS has no effect on booting from USB drive (it still won't boot).

I appreciate any suggestions on how to persuade my VAIO boot from USB Flash drive or where to get BIOS updates to achieve mentioned functionality.

P.S. USB drive used to boot: 1Gb Sony USB Flash Drive (formated with FAT16). Boot sector created with PeToUSB Utility with BartPE image. Flash drive boots perfectly on desktop computer.

[nio_7]

Hello!

Well.. i guess that if there was a BIOS update available, for your model, then it would be here....>
http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/downloads/updates/updates.asp?site=voe_en_GB_cons&m=1804

It's the Sony Update page for your model, but as i can see there's no BIOS available among the updates.

In my case, Sony has a BIOS update for my model and it's in the relevant update page, so if Sony had an update for yours too, i guess that it would be in that page...

[Fitas3]

Thanks nio_7, but this is the very first place I visited and unfortunately (as you said)there is nothing there.

I wondering is any way around this problem?

[Blencogo]

Hi Fitas3 and welcome.

It is not possible to boot any pre-Vista Vaios through the USB connection. It is not a BIOS issue - I think it is a DOS issue.

Vaios only have the DOS USB drivers to boot from a 3.5 inch floppy drive - they simply do not have the DOS USB drivers for any other USB device. I do not know if suitable DOS drivers can be sourced and installed.

Many people have tried to do this in the past but I cannot recall anyone succeeding.

[Fitas3]

Hi Blencogo,

Thanks for your reply.

However, I didn't get a full extent of your thought regarding DOS drivers.
DOS USB drivers (as well as CD-Rom support drivers) have been installed on USB Flash Drive by mentioned utility. The problem is that before reading any drivers from USB stick the stick itself wants to be discovered by computer as a boot device. It seems to me that computer does not question USB drive for boot sector because USB drive is not in the list of boot devices.
If we are talking about internal 'drivers' (hardware based configuration) then we are getting down to CMOS. In this case all this make sense but bringing me back to BIOS. If there is no configuration on CMOS level to read USB devices on boot(except USB Floppy) then there is only way to make it work - make computer see flash drive as floppy.
Again, if we are talking about CMOS 'drivers', as you said, that will be really difficult to source CMOS patch as well as install it (except for official release of mentioned patch which called 'BIOS Update' ).

Is it for certain that VGN-A317M can boot from USB Floppy Drive?


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[Thalamus.]

Hi Fitas3,

unfortunately I wouldn't expect Sony to release a BIOS update for a circa 2005 model Vaio VGN-A317M..