upgrade BIOS on Asus without EasyFlash and WinFlash
I have an Asus notebook (model F200MA), running GNU/Linux (Debian Stretch) with a non-functional battery and I want to update the BIOS. How can I update the BIOS without WinFlash and EasyFlash?
- I'm not using Windows so I can't use the WinFlash utility from Asus
- the battery does not work so I can't use EasyFlash (it requires a battery charged to at least 20%)
I am used to update BIOS using FreeDOS. This works fine when the BIOS update are an executable. However, the BIOS updates from Asus appear as just data files (I have downloaded X200MAAS.506).
Edit: the reason to update the BIOS is so that it recognises the battery. The battery (which is non-removable) has always worked fine. When I changed OS, it stopped working. This is not a Linux issue, even after reinstalling Windows the battery issue remains. The reported fix is to update the BIOS which fixes it until changing OS again.
I found a post having the very same problem with the same computer model, and I finally found a solution which worked for me. You should confirm if this resolves your problem as it did for me but just in case, I wanted to add as an answer.
When you start Easy Flash to upgrade the BIOS and it tells you that you need a battery charged at least 20%, just type on your keyboard the word "risky", and it'll bypass the battery check, allowing you to flash the new firmware file.
Warning: If the firmware is in the middle of applying the update and the device powers off, then you could brick the machine you are flashing the firmware.
I have updated bios for a ASUS F75A (2012) without battery.
Download the new bios (for me X75A1AS.412) and copy it on USB key (FAT32).
Start and enter bios, then in bios menu : "Advanced" -> "Start Easy Flash"
When the system will display that you can not update the bios because there is no battery, on your keyboard you enter "risky"
Source: Asus N53SV - upgrading bios without battery