Most Intel WfM-compatible adapters, such as the Intel® PRO/100 S Desktop Adapter, the Intel® PRO/1000 T Desktop Adapter have a factory-installed, integrated flash ROM device that has been pre-programmed with a Boot Agent software image.
![]() |
NOTES: The Intel® PRO/1000 XT Server Adapter flash ROM may be enabled using IBAUtil. |
Adding Flash ROM is applicable only to 10/100 adapters. |
In the event that you wish to install flash ROM in an adapter that has an empty socket (Intel PRO/100 adapters only), see Compatible Flash ROM Devices for instructions to access a list of flash ROM devices that are compatible with the Intel® Boot Agent.
In cases involving hardware upgrades, once a flash ROM device is available within the client computer, a valid Boot Agent software image must be installed onto the flash ROM device. The way in which the Boot Agent software image is installed within the flash ROM depends upon your hardware configuration.
If your computer includes the network adapter on its motherboard, the Boot Agent software will need to be available as part of a motherboard BIOS. Contact your computer or motherboard manufacturer to upgrade your motherboard BIOS code. Alternatively, it is possible that the motherboard has a ROM socket with a 64 KB (or larger) flash ROM device. In this case, contact the motherboard manufacturer to get the code that must be loaded into the flash ROM.
If your computer uses a flash ROM-equipped adapter, use one of the following procedures to install or update the Boot Agent software:
Installing/Updating in DOS Environments
Installing/Updating in Windows* Environments Using Intel® PROSet II
In this procedure, you will use an executable flash tool called IBAUtil that has the necessary Boot Agent images stored within the executable. You will select the NIC you want to flash, and indicate whether or not you want the Boot Agent to create a backup image of the old flash before flashing a new Boot Agent image. IBAUtil then erases the flash before writing the new Boot Agent image onto the flash.
To use IBAUtil to install or update the Boot Agent software in a DOS environment:
The following operation requires use of a DOS-bootable floppy disk containing an executable image of the IBAUtil.EXE utility. If you do not have IBAUtil.EXE on your DOS bootable floppy disk, copy it to your system disk from the CD ROM that came with your product under the \BOOTAGNT directory, or acquire the most up-to-date version from Intel's website at http://support.intel.com.
Using your DOS bootable floppy disk, boot your computer to a DOS prompt.
![]() |
CAUTION: The next several steps require that your computer be booted only to DOS, and not from a Windows* "DOS box". These steps cannot be performed from a DOS Command Prompt window or using a DOS task within Windows. |
![]() |
NOTE: If the flash ROM device installed in the adapter ROM socket is already programmed (not blank), you may need to take steps to enable your computer to boot from the floppy drive. If necessary, disable the network boot function from either the BIOS Setup program or the Boot Agent's configuration setup menu. Then, reboot to the DOS bootable floppy disk containing the IBAUtil upgrade that you just prepared. |
Type IBAUTIL
-upgrade and press Enter.
A message similar to the one below appears showing a list of all compatible network adapters found in your system, assuming both the adapter and the
flash ROM device are properly
installed.
![]() |
NOTE: Actual adapter-related data may vary depending upon adapters installed. |
Adapter Choices
===
================
=======
================
NIC
Network Address
Series
Boot Agent
===
================
=======
================
1
00D0B7D36018
1229
SST 39VF512
2
000347003E35
100C
ATMEL AT49LV040
Select NIC to update or ESC to quit:
Type the number that corresponds to the Ethernet address of the desired adapter to continue. The next question appears:
Select Option (U)pdate or (R)estore:
Type U (Update) if you want the IBAUtil utility to update the flash ROM device with the current version of Boot Agent software. Type R (Restore) if you want IBAUtil to write a previously stored flash image file onto the flash ROM device.
If you select the U (Update) response, this prompt appears:
Create Restore Image? (Y)es or (N)o:
Type Y (yes) to create a backup of the current contents of the flash ROM device (not yet updated) onto a file. If such a file already exists, you'll be asked if you want to overwrite the file. If you type Y (yes), the flash image file is overwritten with the current contents of the flash ROM. The new Boot Agent image is then written into the flash ROM device used by the adapter. The process takes approximately one minute.
![]() |
NOTE: The IBAUtil utility automatically names the flash image file (backup file) as XXXXXXXX.FLB, where XXXXXXXX are the last eight digits of the adapter's Ethernet address. So, if you selected 1 (the first NIC listed) in step 4 above, the backup file's name would be B7D36018.FLB. |
--or--
Type N (no) to cause IBAUtil to proceed without first saving a copy of the current contents of the flash ROM device onto a file. IBAUtil asks you to confirm your choice as follows:
Continue Update without Restore Image? (Y)es or (N)o:If you type N (no), IBAUtil cancels the update, leaving the flash contents unchanged, and then asks you whether you want to reboot or return to the DOS prompt. If you type Y (yes), a new Boot Agent image is written into the flash ROM device used by the adapter. IBAUtil prompts you with the following question:
Press <Enter> to reboot your computer, <Q> to quit without reboot.
![]() |
NOTES: Intel PROSet II can flash the Boot ROM.
However, if you need to disable the Boot ROM use IBAUtil
from a DOS environment.
The Boot Agent update operation involves writing the Boot Agent image into the flash ROM, which may temporarily disable the operation of the Windows network device driver. Depending on what software is installed in your system, you may need to reboot the computer following this operation. To use Intel PROSet II, you must use Intel Driver Release 4.0 or higher. Do not use DOS commands in Windows Protected Mode. If DOS installation is required, refer to Installing/Updating in DOS Environments. |
You can use Intel PROSet II to install or update the Boot Agent software in Windows environments as follows:
When downloading a flash ROM image file from Intel's web site, be sure to save it to a temporary directory or a location where you can easily locate it for this procedure.
From the Windows Start menu, click Settings, and then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window appears.
Double-click the Intel PROSet icon. The Intel PROSet II screen appears.
Click the Boot Agent tab. The Boot Agent tab appears like the one shown in the screen image below. If the tab does not appear, update your network driver or make sure you have Intel PROSet II Version 4.0 or higher.
NOTE: Intel PROSet also allows you to change configuration settings for PXE and RPL environments. Therefore, if you select an adapter that operates in PXE or RPL environments from the devices listed under Network Components on the left side of the Intel PROSet screen below, you may view or change configuration settings that appear on the right side of the screen. To do so, refer to Configuring the Boot Agent in a Windows* Environment. Not all configuration settings are available for some flash ROMs.
Press Ctrl+S to enable a special capability allowing you to change the various configuration settings. Once you press Ctrl+S, the appearance of the Boot Agent tab changes to include a grayed-out (disabled) Apply Settings button.
Select the adapter that contains the flash ROM you want to update from those listed under Network Components on the left side of the screen.
Click the Update Boot Agent button. If the Windows network device driver is active (loaded and enabled), the following dialog box appears:
If the Windows network device driver is inactive (disabled or not loaded), the following dialog box appears:
In either case, click Yes to continue with the update process. The following dialog box appears:
If you want to create a backup of the current flash ROM image before updating the flash, click Yes. The Save Existing Flash Image As dialog appears. Proceed to step 10.
If not saving a backup of the current flash ROM image to a file, click No. The following dialog box appears. Click Yes to continue and then proceed to step 11.
![]()
Click Save if you want to accept the default path and filename (the filename defaults to the adapter's unique MAC address). Otherwise, modify these parameters and then click Save.
At the Open File dialog box, click Open if the desired flash ROM image file you stored in step 1 appears as the screen's default path and filename. Otherwise, modify the path and filename and then click Open.
The flash ROM update process takes between five and ten seconds; for a serial flash, this process takes up to 90 seconds. A progress control gauge appears while the update operation is in progress. The Boot Agent software image is now copied to the flash ROM.
Copyright © 2002 Intel Corporation. Legal Information