Update BIOS

[JoséJosé]

Hi guys, I have a question, I recently found an old computer that I had, because my mom needed a computer. Now, I installed the Windows 7 in addition to adding 4 GB of RAM (plus the 2 GB RAM it brought).
I want to update the BIOS, but when it comes to placing which operating system I own (Windows 7) it does not let me place it currently, and it only allows up to the Vista 32 bit option, could you help me? My specifications are (those of my computer)...

CPU-Z Program: HP Compaq dc7600 Small Form Factor

CPU; Intel Pentium 4 630

Motherboard; Hewlett-Packard 09F8h (786D1 v1.03 Version, 05/18/2005 Date), Chipset is Intel i945P/PL/G/GZ Southbridge Intel 82801GB (ICH7/R)

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

What's nice about the dc7xxx model series, is you don't have to be in Windows to update the BIOS.

Here's what you do.

Download and run the latest BIOS update under the Vista drivers section, which is this one...

2.04

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp35501-36000/sp35568.exe

An information page will open.  You want to read and follow the instructions under this section...

                                                                                            F10 Setup BIOS Flashing
The HP Business Desktop system supported by this softpaq provides a BIOS upgrade option through F10 setup using the “Flash System ROM” feature. Reboot the PC and press F10 to enter setup. In the File menu, select the “Flash System ROM” item. This flash utility will present the user with the option to select the media containing the BIOS image file (XXX_MMmm.bin). The binary image file is contained in the DOS Flash directory and is named XXX_MMmm.bin where "XXX" is the abbreviated BIOS family, "MM" is the major version number, and "mm" is the minor version number. F10 ROM based flash can accept the binary file from the root directory of any removable media such as USB, legacy floppy diskette, and CD. The BIOS CD Media file, included in this softpaq, should be used to create a BIOS image CD. When flashing with F10 ROM based flash, the CD media must be El-Torito compatible. The user is prompted when the process is completed. The new BIOS code will not take effect until the PC is rebooted.
View Contents of DOS Flash Folder

Basically what you need to do is this...

Get a USB flash drive.  Format it with the FAT32 file system.

On that info page under the above section, there is a blue View Contents of DOS Flash Folder link to click on.

Click on that link and copy the file contents of the DOS flash folder to your USB flash drive.  Just the file contents, not the folder.

After you do that, restart the PC, tap the F10 key to get access to the BIOS setup menu.

Select the File tab>Flash System ROM command, and select the USB flash drive.

The PC should now 'see' the BIOS update files on the flash drive.

Follow the onscreen instructions to update the BIOS.

[JoséJosé]

I wanted to thank you because you have helped me. I am a Spanish-speaking user, I tried to write my problem in English forums, because in Spanish forums they did not know how to answer me, I thank you very much.

Finally, before closing the topic, I would like to know if there are any drivers or software that improve the performance of this HP Compaq, or something that helps improve the connection between the hardware, or something like that. Because in the HP page when I put the name of this HP Compaq and the last operating system (Vista 32) appear many software... Anyway, in the future, I plan to install Windows 7 64 bits.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Unfortunately, that model is not supported by HP for W7 (although everything works just fine), so there are no official drivers for it.

It's over 10 years old (more like 13), so I don't think there is much you can do to greatly improve the speed.

If you have 4 GB of memory, that is the max. 

The PC could take the Pentium D 945 processor, but just a certain model...SPECCode  SL9QQ

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/27520/intel-pentium-d-processor-945-4m-cache-3-...

There are a couple of drivers you can install to make things a little better...

1. Intel chipset installation utility directly from Intel.  Download, unzip and run the setup application from the driver at the link below.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/20018/INF-Update-Utility-Primarily-for-Intel-6-5-4-3-900-S...

2.  The latest Realtek HD audio driver.  Accept the agreement.  Download and install the Windows 32 bit driver from the link below.

https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/pc-audio-codecs-high-definition-audio-codecs-softw...

[JoséJosé]

Only 4 GB RAM? Oh my gosh! I installed 5.5 GB RAM, but in "Task Manager" it showed me that the total physical memory was 3.3 GB RAM ... Oh, ok, this is sad.

Regarding the drivers, I installed a "Program Updater" called "Driver Booster", and I downloaded and installed all current drivers, but I will download the Intel Chipset that you tell me.

Anyway, in a few hours I will be doing another post about another problem with this same computer, I would like you to help me because I am delighted with your answers, again, thank you very much.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

I had a dc7600 years ago, and I also played around with it by installing 2 x 2 GB of memory and it worked, even though the slot specs state the max is 1 GB/slot.

Then I added the remaining 1 GB chips in the other two slots and I think the PC only worked with one of them but not both, and the BIOS reported 5 GB but Windows only reported 3.25 GB (which is pretty much the max it will ever report on 32 bit).

I did put the Pentium D in mine and it made a decent improvement.  I also had replaced the slower PC2-4200 memory with the PC2-5300 memory so the memory could run at its fastest speed of 667 MHz instead of 533 Mhz.

I only buy off lease HP business desktop PC's.  I have had every one in that model line except the dc7700.

They last forever, yours is proof of that.

The oldest one I have now is a dc7800 CMT.  It works great--even on W10.

The biggest drawback in the dc7600 and older models is that the drive controller is set in IDE mode and can't be changed.

That provides the worst drive performance possible.

Starting with the dc7700 users had the option to switch to RAID and AHCI, which provide much better drive performance over IDE.

[JoséJosé]

Facepalm ... I think I forgot a small point, and that is that 32-bit systems only support up to 4 GB RAM. Maybe if I change it to a 64-bit system it could recognize me the 5.5 GB RAM installed.

What I do not understand is when you say that they are configured in IDE, because I just checked that I have a SATA HDD, and in the BIOS options the word "SATA" appears a lot.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I had W7 x64 on mine and it still only recognized only 3.25 GB.

Yes, it has a sata drive, and so does the older dc7100 but it is running in IDE drive controller mode.

Here is why the drive seems to run so slow on that model.

It does not have support for native command queuing which is only available in RAID or AHCI drive controller mode.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Command_Queuing

[JoséJosé]

I guess I should investigate more about this issue, with that IDE or AHCI regarding this computer, thanks for guiding me.

There I posted my new problem on this same computer, I invite you to go and you can give it a nice look.