Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 14:04:

I have an IBM ValuePoint 433SX that has an older version of the BIOS on it (L6ET53AUS) and I'd like to update it to the latest which I believe is L6JT70AUS. I was able to find the BIOS file on the greyghost site (http://greyghost.mooo.com/pccbbs/valuepnt/) but when I run the L6JT70A.EXE file and attempt to make the boot disk it gets to about 2% and says that the 'Image File is Corrupted'. Is there a good version of this file somewhere? Or is it possible that in transferring the file to my PC from my modern PC (I have a USB 3.5" floppy I use for that) that the exe got corrupted somehow?

EDIT: I tried L6JT68A.exe and it did the same thing. Maybe it doesn't like my setup somehow? I can't see why though.

Saw your post at VCFed as well.

I found two versions of the file:

First one with the size of 429,023 bytes, dated 05/06/1997, found in that VCFed thread, here, and here. I assume that's the same file you've downloaded.

However, I also found the 2nd version, with the size of 430,579 bytes, dated 02/25/2000, in here and here.

Please don't blame me if the second L6JT70A.EXE doesn't work. 😅

Since this is a valuepoint Bios thread , do you guys know where i can find the bios for the valuepoint 325T Model (6384 motherboard) , there is one at the retroweb site but I don't know if it is the lastest

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-24, 14:31:

Saw your post at VCFed as well. […]
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Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 14:04:

I have an IBM ValuePoint 433SX that has an older version of the BIOS on it (L6ET53AUS) and I'd like to update it to the latest which I believe is L6JT70AUS. I was able to find the BIOS file on the greyghost site (http://greyghost.mooo.com/pccbbs/valuepnt/) but when I run the L6JT70A.EXE file and attempt to make the boot disk it gets to about 2% and says that the 'Image File is Corrupted'. Is there a good version of this file somewhere? Or is it possible that in transferring the file to my PC from my modern PC (I have a USB 3.5" floppy I use for that) that the exe got corrupted somehow?

EDIT: I tried L6JT68A.exe and it did the same thing. Maybe it doesn't like my setup somehow? I can't see why though.

Saw your post at VCFed as well.

I found two versions of the file:

First one with the size of 429,023 bytes, dated 05/06/1997, found in that VCFed thread, here, and here. I assume that's the same file you've downloaded.

However, I also found the 2nd version, with the size of 430,579 bytes, dated 02/25/2000, in here and here.

Please don't blame me if the second L6JT70A.EXE doesn't work. 😅

This file looks more official, it doesn't have all the 'pirate' junk in it. But it did the same thing. I'm going to try it on a different PC and see if it will at least make the disk. I really don't understand what the issue is.

Can anyone else try this and see if they can get it to make a disk? If so can you post the contents of the disk here?

Just tried it on my pentium under DOS 7 and same issue. But I tried it by copy the file directly to the CF card instead of using the floppy drive and it seems to be working.

EDIT: I got an 02 error which means UNSUPPORTED COMPUTER MODEL OR FLASH WRITE PROTECTED'.

I have a Model 6382-K50 which is supposed to be supported by this BIOS (at least I thought it was): http://ps-2.kev009.com/pcpartnerinfo/ctstips/ceda.htm

It worked! I had to power off the computer then try. I guess rebooting wasnt good enough.

The system still sees my large hard drive as 504MB. I was hoping updating the BIOS to the latest would fix that. Oh well, I'm sure it fixed other things.

Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:12:

It worked! I had to power off the computer then try. I guess rebooting wasnt good enough.

Glad to hear that! 😸 The .txt file did require user to turn the computer completely off:

1 *            ONCE A SELECTION HAS BEEN MADE FROM THE MENU AND        *
2 *            ENTERED, YOU WILL FIND THAT THE KEYBOARD WILL NO LONGER *
3 *            EXCEPT INPUT.  DO NOT BE ALARMED BY THIS, THIS WAS DONE *
4 *            TO FORCE YOU TO POWER OFF THE COMPUTER AND TO POWER IT  *
5 *            BACK ON AGAIN FOR THE CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT.           *

"EXCEPT" sounded really strange here; shouldn't it be "ACCEPT" instead?

Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:12:

The system still sees my large hard drive as 504MB. I was hoping updating the BIOS to the latest would fix that. Oh well, I'm sure it fixed other things.

Aww, that's a pity. 😿

dormcat wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:23:

Glad to hear that! :smile_cat: The .txt file did require user to turn the computer completely off: […]
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Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:12:

It worked! I had to power off the computer then try. I guess rebooting wasnt good enough.

Glad to hear that! 😸 The .txt file did require user to turn the computer completely off:

Copy code to clipboard

1 *            ONCE A SELECTION HAS BEEN MADE FROM THE MENU AND        *
2 *            ENTERED, YOU WILL FIND THAT THE KEYBOARD WILL NO LONGER *
3 *            EXCEPT INPUT.  DO NOT BE ALARMED BY THIS, THIS WAS DONE *
4 *            TO FORCE YOU TO POWER OFF THE COMPUTER AND TO POWER IT  *
5 *            BACK ON AGAIN FOR THE CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT.           *

"EXCEPT" sounded really strange here; shouldn't it be "ACCEPT" instead?

Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:12:

The system still sees my large hard drive as 504MB. I was hoping updating the BIOS to the latest would fix that. Oh well, I'm sure it fixed other things.

Aww, that's a pity. 😿

Yeah I noticed that when I was looking up the error codes. That was on me.

Looks like if I want to use the 8GB CF card I have I have to use the XTIDE BIOS. I do have a network card with an empty boot socket, but I don't have any way to flash an EPROM (or any EPROMs to flash for that matter). Does someone offer this service?

Tempest wrote on 2024-07-24, 16:12:

It worked! I had to power off the computer then try. I guess rebooting wasnt good enough.

The system still sees my large hard drive as 504MB. I was hoping updating the BIOS to the latest would fix that. Oh well, I'm sure it fixed other things.

I'm probably late to the party, but I have the same machine and the same 504MB capacity limit problem.

However, I discovered that I can mount a 2GB hard drive (or CompactFlash) and, although the BIOS will still show 504MB, I can partition the entire 2GB with FDISK and use the device to boot without any issues.

If there are flea markets or e-waste centers in your area, it's not too difficult to find CF or SD memory cards in retired (either working or broken) digital cameras. I've acquired several dozens of CF and SD cards this way, with capacities ranging from 8MB to 64GB.

check the XUBdisk thread for a quick inexpensive solution the hard disk size limit problem