Upgrade the BIOS on your P5GC motherboard to correct hardware problems.
If your ASUS P5GC-based computer is having hardware compatibility issues or another unexplainable hardware problem, updating the BIOS on the motherboard could be a solution. Although ASUS discontinued production of the P5GC series of motherboards in 2007, updated BIOS have been released that could help cure the hardware woes on your computer.
However, before you can update the BIOS on your P5GC motherboard, you will need to learn the precise steps needed to perform the task. If you make a mistake when updating the BIOS on your motherboard, it could make the motherboard unusable.
Instructions
1. Determine the exact model number of your ASUS P5GC series motherboard. You can find the model number on the gift box that came with the motherboard. Alternatively, look on the surface of the motherboard itself and locate the model number. The model number begins with "P5GC" followed by a dash ("-") and a series of letters (i.e. P5GC-MX/GBL). This is the model number of your motherboard.
2. Direct your web browser to the main ASUS webpage and click on the "Global Support Site" link under the "Services" tab. After you are on the ASUS support site, type the exact model number of your motherboard into the search box located at the top right-hand side of the screen and press the "Enter" button. Your web browser will redirect to a page where you can download the latest BIOS update for your P5GC series motherboard.
3. Click on the download link displayed on the next page. On the next screen, select your operating system from the list and click the "Search" button.
4. Make sure that your operating system is the one listed in the drop down box on the next page. Click the "BIOS" link. On the next screen, click the link to the BIOS update with most recent release date.
5. Click the "Global" (icon with a green floppy disk) link. Select a folder to save the file in and download the file to your computer.
6. Open the folder where you saved the BIOS update file. Highlight the update file, and then right-click the "Extract Here" option on the pop-up menu to create a new uncompressed file. Delete the original file, and write down the name of the new file on a piece of paper.
7. Highlight the uncompressed BIOS update file and press the "Ctrl" and "C" key simultaneously to copy the file to the Clipboard. Open "My Computer," and insert a disk in the floppy drive. Double-click the "A" Drive icon. Press "Ctrl" and "V" simultaneously to copy the BIOS file to the floppy disk.
8. Reboot your computer and make sure the floppy disk is still in the floppy drive. Wait for the computer to restart and press the "Alt" and "F2" keys at the same time while the computer is initializing and performing the system memory check. This will open the EZ Flash program included in the firmware of the P5GC motherboard.
9. Press "1" to choose the "Save Current BIOS to File" option, and press the "Enter" key. The program will then write the current BIOS file to the floppy disk. Press the 'Esc' key to exit the EZ Flash program and restart the computer.
10. Start the EZ Flash program again by pressing the "Alt" and "F2" keys during the Power On Self Test (POST) or system memory check.
11. Press the "2" key to select the "Update BIOS Including Boot Block and ESCD" option and press the "Enter" key. Enter the name of the BIOS file from the piece of paper when prompted to do so. When asked to confirm the update action, press the "Y" key.
12. Wait for the EZ Flash utility to display the message "Update Main Bios Area." Press the "Y" key.
13. Wait while EZ Flash program overwrites the current BIOS file. Once you see the confirmation screen indicating the update is complete, press any key to exit the utility. Your computer will restart.
Tags: model number, BIOS file, BIOS update, Flash program, floppy disk, BIOS your, model number your