How do I apply Update to Quad Flop

[bbflunkie]

Card is new from TexElec a month ago, v2.6 (arrived before 2.7)
It's been here for a month waiting for me to have time to install it in my 5150 Model B.

No F2 option. Tried while booting.
Stuck at INT 13...

Multi-Floppy BIOS, Version 2.6, Copyright (C) 2010 - 2022 Sergey Kiselev
Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public license

BIOS extension is installed on INT 13
_ << underline cursor flashing here

I saw the release notes to update to 2.7, and I saw the BIOS file (downloaded it).
I have searched here and the goggles and I don't see an update procedure.

How do I apply Update 2.7 to Quad Flop?

Second Question: Do the 'Motherboard Floppy Count Switches' matter when using the Quad-Flop?
I suspect they do and they're correct.

[skiselev]

First of all, I contacted TexElec, and asked them to test 2.7 on their hardware (not that I except any unusual behavior, but it wouldn't hurt to do more testing). Hopefully they'll ship Quad Flop with the new version of Multi-Floppy BIOS extension soon.

Versions 2.5 and 2.6 had a compatibility issue with IBM BIOS (IBM BIOS, compared to other BIOSes, keeps timer interrupt disabled when initializing BIOS extensions). The issue is fixed in 2.7.

As far as upgrading the Multi-Floppy BIOS extensions you have at least two options:

Option 1: In system upgrade

I think the following procedure would work:

1. Disable ROM on the Quad Flop using the first switch on the DIP switch block, so that you can boot your system.
2. Make a bootable floppy, possibly you'll need to use 5.25" / 360 KB diskette or maybe 3.5"/720 KB diskette, since other media will not be supported by IBM PC 5150 BIOS.
3. Download xiflash.exe utility and copy it to the diskette
4. Download new floppy_bios.bin and copy it to the diskette
5. Boot your PC using the floppy
6. Enable the ROM by carefully moving the ROM enable switch. Don't use metal or other conductive materials... use something like wooden toothpick...
7. Run xiflash -i <floppy_bios.bin> -a <hex_address> -p; where <floppy_bios.bin> is the name of the image you've downloaded in step 4 and <hex_address> is the paragraph address of the Floppy BIOS ROM - check your Quad Flop switches settings for the address. For example, if your image name is floppy27.bin, and the address is 0xC8000, you can use the following command: xiflash -i floppy27.bin -a C800 -p
8. Reboot the system. The Multi-Floppy BIOS extension should work now

Notes:

• If it is easier for you, you can use another ISA system to do the upgrade
• Also, if it is easier, you can use HDD, CF card or other media to boot and run xiflash instead of the floppy drive

Option 1: Use EPROM Programmer

This method assumes that you have an EPROM programmer that supports whatever Flash ROM Quad Flop uses (I think it is SST39SF010, but I am unsure about it)

1. Download new floppy_bios.bin
2. Carefully extract Flash ROM IC from your Quad Flop
3. Set up your EPROM programmer: Connect it to your host system; Install the software, etc.
4. Insert your Flash ROM into the programmer
5. Load floppy_bios.bin image. If needed, choose to pad the rest of the chip with 0xFF
6. Program the Flash ROM
7. Install the Flash ROM back into Quad Flop, and the Quad Flop back to your PC
8. Boot your PC

Motherboard DIP switches that select the number of floppies should not matter. Multi-Floppy BIOS has its own configuration

[skiselev]

I tested the option 1 above on my IBM XT system, and it worked perfectly. Note that in my case the Multi-Floppy BIOS Extension ROM is at 0xC8000

[bbflunkie]

Awesome, thanks for that information.
I'll collect the specified files and clock through 'Option 1 - In system upgrade' this week and let you know.

Motherboard DIP
I wondered if the QF BIOS would stomp on the switches.

Thank you for both useful answers.