Question about mainboard updates

I need to update my bios, I have a asus P5B Deluxe motherboard.

I went to asus's website and downlaoded the aflash utility but it says

Please insert a clean, unformatted disk into A:\ drive and boot the system into DOS mode. In DOS mode, please type in C:\> FORMAT A: /S or click on“My Computer”icon under Windows O/S, right click on drive A:\ and choose“Format”. By using the procedure above, you can create a boot disk without AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files
QUESTION
forgive me but it's been over 10 years since I did anything in DOS. what is a unformatted disk ? I have many floppy disks but they all have something on them, I can format them and erase everything but then don't I have a "formatted disk" not a "unformatted disk "


Also I know I can reboot and press the F8 key to get to a DOS prompt but how do I unzip the new bios in DOS ??




Then, place the bundled M/B support CD into the optical drive. Copy AFLASH.EXE (unzipped) onto your boot disk. Otherwise, please refer to ASUS Download Site for latest version of AFLASH.EXE BIOS tool utility , please remember to decompress the file before copy it onto the boot disk. ASUS Download Site is located at http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us




AFLASH.EXE (unzipped) can only be executed in DOS mode and not from MS-DOS Prompt in Windows O/S. As a result, no matter if you wish to backup or update the BIOS content, you must create a new boot disk. Please copy AFLASH.EXE into the disk which you wish to boot the system. In addition, in the BIOS device boot sequence, you must set boot from "Floppy Drive" as the first device in the order of boot sequence.


BIOS Update Procedure (If neccessary)


Use Update using Aflash BIOS Update Procedure

1. ASUS Online Update (Download from ASUS WWW) for latest version BIOS and save it on a floppy disk.

2. Use the floppy disk as described in above to boot.

3. In A:\ DOS mode, please unzip AFLASH.EXE.

4. In MAIN MENU, please choose Update BIOS Main Block From File. Please refer to 2. Update BIOS Including Boot Block and ESCD] .

5. After the procedure has complete, remove the disk from the floppy drive and shutdown the power.

6. Reboot, hold down key and enter BIOS menu. You must choose "LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS" to activate the new BIOS, then reconfig other items in the BIOS menu.
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To say the least this is very confusing to me, can anyone help me and PLEASE remember I know very little about DOS

Can this board be flashed through a flashdrive.

Many of ASUS bios have become too big for a floppy. Safest way to do flash is with a thumb drive. Link to directions for building a bootable thumb drive. To boot from a thumb drive may require changing the bios settings to include the USB as a bootable device.

I used the Asus update utility and updated with a downloaded file and everything went fine..

Thanks

eaglepi said:

I used the Asus update utility and updated with a downloaded file and everything went fine..

...

Click to expand...

The Windows utility?

Nope, Asus update utility

http://support.asus.com/technicaldocuments/technicaldocuments_content.aspx?no=714

But it runs under Windows, not DOS or the BIOS.

A number of us have had to RMA ASUS boards due to bad flashes using it. Be forewarned.

Hummmmm well I was lucky this time.. Thansk for the warning I will not use it again to be safe.

I was lucky a couple times myself, then the crap hit the fan.

I'm 3-1 flashing in windows.
Asus 3
Abit -1

I just hold my breath-