darry wrote on 2020-06-12, 00:00:

[...]

By the way, I'm pretty sure it's not a self-extractor, but the actual flashing utility with embedded BIOS that needs to be run from pure DOS, not under Windows .

I know it's not a self-extractor. The file on the Dell site is BXPST_11.exe. That's a floppy-disk creator that creates a minimal boot floppy with the XPSST_A11.exe flash utility on it. That utility contains a BIOS image somewhere in it, but not in a way I'm currently able to get out.

The utilty doesn't run, assumedly because it checks current BIOS string and that doesn't match (as it's for an Intel-branded SE440BX-2)

There are ways to force newer Dell flash utilities to ignore model check, but they don't seem to work for this one.

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2020-06-12, 00:23:

BXPST_11.exe, which I zipped, is the packaged version designed to create a bootable floppy which you'd need for recovery […]
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BXPST_11.exe, which I zipped, is the packaged version designed to create a bootable floppy which you'd need for recovery

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-uk/drive … driverId=R22940

The same floppy can either work for a normal bootable update, or in recovery mode (without video) when the protected bios boot-block loader attempts a blind recovery.

How do I load the BIOS using the BIOS recovery method?

Create the BIOS disk according to the directions in the BIOS download file. Create two disks (one as a backup) in case something goes wrong and the disk gets messed up.
If you have the manual for your motherboard, use the procedure for recovering the BIOS :

1. Turn off the computer
2. Remove the configuration jumper to set recovery mode
3. Insert the bootable BIOS disk in A:
4. Turn on the computer and let it boot
5. Listen to the speaker:

two beeps and the end of activity in A: indicate successful recovery
a series of continuous beeps indicates failure. Return to step one and try again.

6. If recovery is successful, turn off the computer.
7. Put the configuration jumper on pins 1 and 2 to set normal mode for setup
8. Leave the BIOS upgrade disk in A: and turn on the computer.
9. Perform the BIOS upgrade as normal.

I'm not confident that this will work as I assume the same BIOS string check will be present in this mode. But it's easy enough to try. I'll also look and see if Uniflash supports that odd SMD Intel EEPROM well enough to get a dump of current BIOS.

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but really for corruption only & they don't seem to use the exact Intel recovery process on this purely OEM board)

You're trying to go from Intel to Dell, and the Dell all-in-one updater app (XPST_A11.exe) will never let you do that, so apparently you have to trick it into working by...

Open XPST_A11.exe in UltraEdit or similar

Replace the string: 313041 with string: 383641 - there should be six instances to be changed in the file.

This changes the BIOS string from a DELL BIOS (code 10a) to an Intel BIOS (86a), while keeping everything else intact.

Run this BIOS on the machine to be upgraded with the command xpst_a11 -forceit

Info extracted from here https://www.motherboardpoint.com/threads/dell … say-what.47538/

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2020-06-12, 18:18:

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but […]
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OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but really for corruption only & they don't seem to use the exact Intel recovery process on this purely OEM board)

You're trying to go from Intel to Dell, and the Dell all-in-one updater app (XPST_A11.exe) will never let you do that, so apparently you have to trick it into working by...

Open XPST_A11.exe in UltraEdit or similar

Replace the string: 313041 with string: 383641 - there should be six instances to be changed in the file.

This changes the BIOS string from a DELL BIOS (code 10a) to an Intel BIOS (86a), while keeping everything else intact.

Run this BIOS on the machine to be upgraded with the command xpst_a11 -forceit

Info extracted from here https://www.motherboardpoint.com/threads/dell … say-what.47538/

This is good to know . Thank you.
The SE440BX-3 seems like a great board to own . Do you know if it is as locked down as the Intel one in terms of support for Tualatin ?

darry wrote on 2020-06-12, 18:53:

The SE440BX-3 seems like a great board to own . Do you know if it is as locked down as the Intel one in terms of support for Tualatin ?

Pretty limited for anything Tualatin core-wise

https://www.roberthancock.com/dell/xpstproc.htm

but I've run a 1GHz coppermine skt 370 (SL5QV) sloket combo on mine without a hitch (POST screen reports 1000MHz but the bios setup screen was never designed for 4-digit speed, so reports 000MHz 😀 )

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2020-06-12, 18:18:

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but […]
Show full quote

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but really for corruption only & they don't seem to use the exact Intel recovery process on this purely OEM board)

You're trying to go from Intel to Dell, and the Dell all-in-one updater app (XPST_A11.exe) will never let you do that, so apparently you have to trick it into working by...

Open XPST_A11.exe in UltraEdit or similar

Replace the string: 313041 with string: 383641 - there should be six instances to be changed in the file.

This changes the BIOS string from a DELL BIOS (code 10a) to an Intel BIOS (86a), while keeping everything else intact.

Run this BIOS on the machine to be upgraded with the command xpst_a11 -forceit

Info extracted from here https://www.motherboardpoint.com/threads/dell … say-what.47538/

Halleiluiah!!!

That did the trick 😀

Took the XPST_A1.exe and repaced string 313041 with 383641, tried recovery but it failed. Then booted into the recovery floppy, ran it manually with -forceit. I now have a Dell SE440BX-3 BIOS, after restoring BIOS defaults booted into Windows, the drivers were already there and everything worked!

Eternally grateful.

Please follow these instructions to the letter.

I can confirm this is the official bios recovery procedure for Intel boards that can be used to flash OEM bioses on retail boards and vice versa.

HOWEVER: as is shown in this case it not always works, there can be minor hardware differences that will bite you from behind. Since this board is confirmed OEM it's best to flash back the OEM bios. I agree.

dionb wrote on 2020-06-12, 20:30:

Halleiluiah!!! […]
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Halleiluiah!!!

That did the trick 😀

Took the XPST_A1.exe and repaced string 313041 with 383641, tried recovery but it failed. Then booted into the recovery floppy, ran it manually with -forceit. I now have a Dell SE440BX-3 BIOS, after restoring BIOS defaults booted into Windows, the drivers were already there and everything worked!

Eternally grateful.

Glad we could help, as they're nice boards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBByTiKfyY?autoplay=1

dionb wrote on 2020-06-12, 20:30:

Halleiluiah!!! […]
Show full quote

PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2020-06-12, 18:18:

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but […]
Show full quote

OK, see the problem now - when I did my XPS T board I was updating from Dell to Dell so not a recovery issue (jumper works, but really for corruption only & they don't seem to use the exact Intel recovery process on this purely OEM board)

You're trying to go from Intel to Dell, and the Dell all-in-one updater app (XPST_A11.exe) will never let you do that, so apparently you have to trick it into working by...

Open XPST_A11.exe in UltraEdit or similar

Replace the string: 313041 with string: 383641 - there should be six instances to be changed in the file.

This changes the BIOS string from a DELL BIOS (code 10a) to an Intel BIOS (86a), while keeping everything else intact.

Run this BIOS on the machine to be upgraded with the command xpst_a11 -forceit

Info extracted from here https://www.motherboardpoint.com/threads/dell … say-what.47538/

Halleiluiah!!!

That did the trick 😀

Took the XPST_A1.exe and repaced string 313041 with 383641, tried recovery but it failed. Then booted into the recovery floppy, ran it manually with -forceit. I now have a Dell SE440BX-3 BIOS, after restoring BIOS defaults booted into Windows, the drivers were already there and everything worked!

Eternally grateful.

I also have the Dell XPS t450 with the same v550 video card and all installed without an issue until I tired to install the sound. I'm am actually having the same issue with the Yamaha on board sound that you had. It looks like you got it to work finally by flashing the bios with a custom one made here because the original bios is incorrectly set up. Once you got the audio working did it perform like you hoped it would? I think this would make an awesome windows 98 machine with a focus on dos games. I would really would hate to brick this board though. Thank you for your time.

k9cj5 wrote on 2022-09-04, 14:50:

[...]

I also have the Dell XPS t450 with the same v550 video card and all installed without an issue until I tired to install the sound. I'm am actually having the same issue with the Yamaha on board sound that you had. It looks like you got it to work finally by flashing the bios with a custom one made here because the original bios is incorrectly set up. Once you got the audio working did it perform like you hoped it would? I think this would make an awesome windows 98 machine with a focus on dos games. I would really would hate to brick this board though. Thank you for your time.

Yes, it worked fine. After a while I sold it in a system as I already had enough other BX boards to play with.

However, please re-read this post:
Re: SE440BX-3 YMF724F-V 98SE driver refuses to install

This isn't modifying the BIOS image, just telling the flash tool to run on a board showing Intel OEM BIOS string rather than the original Dell one. The image is an unmodified Dell image, needed to get the onboard sound supported properly.

Moral of the story: knee-jerk flashing original manufacturer BIOS over vendor ones is not always a good idea...

Grateful for this thread. I've been trying to find a driver for this darn onboard audio for literally years now. Thanks to all of you.

Question: Is there a working DOS mode driver for this same device? (And if so, how do you set it up and use it? Ashamed to say but I'm not that great with understanding how to set up and use the DOS mode drivers for stuff.)