EPACoder is a tool for converting bitmaps into AWARD BIOS logo (picture in upper-right corner showed while POST) format and inversely (EPA to BMP).
Why EPACoder
... there are many tools like this ... Yes, but:
ONLY EPACoder can do everything in one place
this is stand-alone program, no need any additional drivers, system files, libraries and other ballast
supports old EPA format (AWBM1.0) and AWBM2.0 BIOS logo format
extremely easy to use! Work in GUI, you don't think about the program command line and start-up parameters
EPACoder is really FAST.
EPACoder is free :-)
Features
EPACoder 1.52 features include:
preview of input Bitmap and EPA file (WYSIWYG :-))
work with standard BIOS logo dimensions: 136x84 and 136x126 pixels images ...
... and non-standard dimensions. Now you can create&edit BIOS logo images in any format, for example: 136x240, 140x448, 136x480 pixels. Warning!!! Only SOME of NEWEST BIOS-es can work with this non-standard dimensions! BTW: using EPA1.0 you can't create logo bigger than 136x126 pixels, BIOS technical limit :-(
work with monochrome or color bitmaps. No stupid colouring!
convert:
Bitmap into AWBM1.0 EPA format
Bitmap into AWBM2.0 EPA format
EPA (AWBM1.0 or AWBM2.0) into Bitmap format (useful when you want to save your favourites BIOS logo in well-known graphic format)
EPA AWBM1.0 into EPA AWBM2.0 and inversely (useful when you want to convert, for ex. your favourite BIOS logo from old EPA to new EPA logo format)
work quite fine under Linux with Wine as an emulator ;-)
History
EPACoder history is very stormy ;-)
ver. 1.52 - added support for indexed palette images (BMP and EPA). Use it carefully! Minor changes of code, removed requires about minimal image dimersion.
ver. 1.50 - repaired bug in EPA2.0 saving procedures, minor code corrections, uninstall program, dockable windows ("glue" between each program's windows, like for ex. in Winamp)
ver. 1.12:
added keyboard shortcuts ('Open BMP'=Alt+O, 'Help'=Alt+H and other),
a lot of tweaks to the source code, several minor problems fixed
when error apperars during conversion to EPA1.0, now there is an information which block in bitmap image is invalid,
preview of bitmaps before opening/saving disabled caused compiler change (Delphi3->Delphi2)
added small but powerfull program's internal integrity self control. When file is corrupt (for ex. by virus modification, bad file download, unauthorize modification and other), EPACoder discover it and warn user.
and 3kB less of EXE code :-)
ver. 1.11 - minor repair of WYSWIG. Now the EPA's images look is the same as during POST
ver. 1.10 - small corrections: now program look good on any resolution&font sizes, source code optimalization makes EXE 8kB lighter than previous version.
ver. 1.09 - cosmetic code changes (45kB of code less than in ver. 1.08!), fixed Drag&Drop error on Win98. Y2K compilant ;-)
ver. 1.08 - small improvements and interface changes
ver. 1.07 - another off-line version. Testing, testing, testing ... Ooops, it's midnight, time to sleep :-)
ver. 1.06 - some improvements:
tiny errors removed from program
program not create temporary files. Using 'memory stream' EPACoder loads files to memory; thats decrease hard disk activity and incerase booth Input/Output operations and conversion speed
new ability: program can recover corrupted EPA-files. In some cases it can help ...
better integration with System registry
more options you can set: 'disable hints' and 'save settings'
double-click on EPA, LAY, BIT files in File Manager opens them in one program's sesion, that mean there is created only one copy of EPACoder in the same time
ver. 1.05 - added ability to work with non-standard image dimensions (other than 136x84/126 pixels), images open in separate windows, preview of bitmaps before opening/saving, implemented Drag&Drop routines (DDFM - drag&drop from file manager), some small corrections
ver. 1.02-1.04, program's mutation on my home computer, never published :-). Next on-line release was version 1.05
ver. 1.01 - added 'show grid lines' option, registry function, some small corrections
ver. 1.00 - first release
System Requirements
Program requires:
computer with monitor :-)
Windows 9x/Linux (with Wine). Also should work on Windows NT/Me/2000/5000/WorldDomination ;-), but I don't tested this program on this OS-es. Windows 3.x? I don't think so. Maybe with Win32 library run? If you interested in EPACoder 16bit version, please simply mail me.
~ 120kB free space on FDD or HDD ...
... and few bytes of free memory.
CPU: 386 or higher :-)
How to use EPACoder?
That can't be easier!
To convert Bitmap file into EPA file:
create your own logo using any graphics program and save result of your work into bitmap file. Bitmap MUST have 2 (1bit/pixel) or 16 (4bit/pixel) colors in standard RGB palette. For the best results image height should be multiple of 14, image width multiple of 8.
run EPACoder and open your bitmap (by pushing 'Open BMP' button in 'BMP Image' panel) or ...
... run EPACoder and drag&drop BMP file from File Manager to 'BMP view' window or ...
doubleclick EPA image and select interested file in 'Open BMP file Dialog'
select interested format AWBM1.0 or AWBM2.0 (in 'EPA-logo version' in 'Control Panel')
push 'BMP->EPA' button
save result into file by pressing 'Save EPA' button (you can find them in 'EPA Image' panel')
To convert EPA file into Bitmap file:
double-click on EPA, BIN, BIT or LAY file in File Manager, or ...
... run EPACoder and drag&drop EPA, BIN, BIT or LAY file from File Manager to 'EPA panel' window, or ...
... simply run EPACoder and open EPA file (by pushing 'Open EPA' button in 'EPA Image' panel) or ...
doubleclick EPA image and select interested file in 'Open EPA file Dialog'
push 'EPA->BMP' button
save output bitmap file by pressing 'Save BMP' button (in 'BMP Image' panel)
To convert EPA file into other EPA format:
open EPA, BIT, LAY or BIN file, using methods described higher
push 'EPA to EPA' button (very clever description :-))
program recognise format of loaded EPA file. I there was AWBM1.0, EPACoder convert them into AWBM2.0. And the same: AWBM2.0 convert into AWBM1.0 BIOS logo format
save result of work into file ('Save EPA' button in 'EPA Image' panel)
to uninstall program: run "uninstall.exe" or "epacoder.exe UNINSTALL" at command line or use "Add/Remove programs" dialog in Windows Control Panel.
That's all!
EPA logo? Where is this?
Simple: in your BIOS, which is saved in EEPROM memory on your mainboard.
How to find them? You should have two tools: AWDFLASH and CBROM
run computer in pure DOS mode (no memory managers, any device drivers, TSR programs and other)
run AWDFLASH (programmer of BIOS chip) as: AWDFLASH /Pn bios.bin /Sy. Your BIOS will be saved into bios.bin file
copy bios.bin into original.bin and save this second file in safe place!
run CBROM: CBROM bios.bin /epa extract to extract existing EPA image
run (under Windows) EPACoder and load extracted file. You will see your BIOS-logo
How to add new logo into BIOS?
Remember: if you do something wrong you could corrupt BIOS chip and your computer won't boot anymore. If you aren't experience user, don't do it!
run computer in pure DOS mode (no memory managers, any device drivers, TSR programs and other)
run CBROM: CBROM bios.bin /epa new.epa, where new.epa is a file with your own BIOS logo created with for ex. EPACoder ;-). New logo will be saved into bios.bin
put new BIOS file into BIOS-chip: AWDFLASH bios.bin /Py /Sn and restart computer. You will (should) see a new logo!
Troubleshooting
Hmmm, problems ... Take a look of them:
I can't load my logo stored in bitmap file! File size/format is invalid, file read/access error or bitmap has to many colors (>16). Check format of image, possible bad media, change number of colors in bitmap.
I can't load my logo stored in EPA file! File read/access error. Bad media or file is uses in other task.
There is a strange errors during converting my bitmap into AWBM1.0 EPA format! It's result of atypical format of old (AWBM1.0) BIOS logo picture. Picture in this format is divided into 'cells', each has 8x14 pixels. That means standard 136x84 pixels image is composed of 17x6 cells and 136x126 pixels is composed of 17x9 cells. And in each cell there can be saved ONLY two colors: one for background and one for foreground; and background can't be bright. Sorry, isn't my idea... You should back to your graphics program and change bitmap. This problem doesn't occur in new AWBM2.0 format. Set 'Show grid lines' enabled to show which cell(s) are wrong-made.
BIOS logo is still the same! Some of older mainboards (for ex. based on the chipsets 430VX/FX/HX) have BIOS without ability to change logo ability. To change them, you must use special method (see http://www.corbina.ru/~blik906 or http://bios.helpl.pl/tools/convert.htm (in Polish) for Convert program)
System has crashed after upgrading BIOS with new logo! This is caused by error while writing BIOS-file into BIOS-chip on mainboard or you use incorrect BIOS-logo format. Older BIOS-es use AWBM1.0 format, new AWBM2.0 with standard 136x84/126 pixels format. But SOME can also work with bigger images (for ex. 136x240 pixels). Probably you use wrong format/dimensions of BIOS logo. In both cases you have big problems... To set system working go to good computers firm or do it yourself, using BootBlock or 'hot-swapping' method. See http://www.ping.be/bios or http:/bios.help.pl/ (in Polish) for details.
There is no logo displayed or chaotic symbols shown! Error while writing image into BIOS or you've used incorrect BIOS logo format/dimensions. See explanation above. Try to change BIOS logo to correct dimension/format.
There are colors differences between original BMP and converted one! Your BMP image is not valid for conversion to EPA format. Input BMP image must be based on standard RGB colors palette, probably your bitmap has palette of indexed colors or non-standard palette. Only some BIOS-es can operate EPA with indexed color palette.
EPACoder.exe file self-control failed! (CRC32 is incorect). What does it mean? From version 1.12 application has a small procedure that calculate a special, 32-bit control number (called: CRC32). When program runs, simply check this CRC32 and compare with original one stored inside. ANY difference means an unauthorize modification of EPACoder.exe file. Mostly it could be caused by error while downlodaing file, bad media or VIRUS activity (!!!). It's strongly recomended to close program and check system using newest antiviral tool, download file again or check media. If there still will be an error, please contact me.
EPACoder doesn't work/hang up/work unstable! Check file/media using newest antiviral. See above.
Program caused explosion inside my computer! Ugh, there is REALLY a big problem! Call FBI or GhostBusters commando.
{last error interpreting was joke, of course ...}
Known bugs
EPACoder has no bugs ;-)) But if you find them or you have concept and/or ideas how to make program better, please contact me. Thanx!
Disclamer
Short:
All copyrights to EPACoder are exclusively owned by the authors - Sergey Nikolayev and Artur Prokopiuk
EPACoder is distributed "as is". No warranty of any kind is expressed or implied.
NO REPONSIBILITIES FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGES OR EVEN FUNCTIONALITY CAN BE TAKEN.
THE USER MUST ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK OF USING THIS PROGRAM.
The authors will not be liable for data loss, damages, loss of profits or any other kind of loss while using or misusing this software.
If you do not agree with this rules you must remove EPACoder file from your storage devices and cease to use the product.
Easy, isn't it?
TechRoom
Some technical information: EPACoder is created under Borland (Inprise) Delphi2.0. Output executable file size decreased from over 310kB to less than 125kB (!!) using UPX ver.1.01 (executable packer). Valid EPACoder file CRC32 is AC7F2497 (Hex)