3D Blaster Banshee Readme
===========================

BIOS Upgrade

   Please ignore this section if the BIOS in your card has a
   newer version number.

        BIOS version : 1.03.2

   The 3D Blaster Banshee BIOS Upgrade utility consists of
   the following file:

        * BNF1032d.EXE  - BIOS upgrade program

   Note: You only need to flash this BIOS if your card has
         system incompatibility issues.

   BNF1032d.EXE can be run from the MS-DOS prompt using the
   following syntax:

        usage: BNF1032d.EXE

============
PROCEDURE
============

  1.  Determine if your video BIOS has the latest update by 
      looking at the version number displayed during system 
      bootup.
      If your version is newer, you do not need to upgrade 
      your BIOS.  Otherwise, proceed with the following steps.

  2.  Boot to native DOS, and run the BIOS upgrade program 
      BNF1032d.EXE.
     
      Notes: 
      . Due to the nature of Windows environment, this program 
        has to be run in native DOS mode.  If you do not know 
        how to boot up your system in native DOS mode, refer to 
        the section below on "BOOT TO NATIVE DOS MODE".

      . The programming process takes about 10 seconds 
        (including verification time) to complete.

      WARNING: 
      Do NOT interrupt this process.  Interrupting this process 
      may result in unexpected (and undesirable) consequences.

      When the VGA BIOS on your 3D Blaster Banshee is upgraded,
      the program displays a message to inform you that the BIOS 
      is successfully flashed.

  3.  After the new BIOS is successfully flashed, reboot your 
      system.
      The system should now boot up with the updated 3D Blaster 
      Banshee BIOS  (verified by the new version number displayed
      during bootup).


=================
TROUBLESHOOTING
=================

  Symptom A:

     BIOS upgrade program displays error message:

     "This program cannot be executed in Windows-DOS box"

  Solution:

     You need to boot up to native DOS mode before running the 
     program.  If you do not know how to boot up your system 
     in native DOS mode, refer to the section below on "BOOT TO 
     NATIVE DOS MODE".


  Symptom B:

     BIOS upgrade program displays error message:

     "3D Blaster Banshee card not present"

  Solution:

     You are trying to use this program on a video card that 
     is not Creative 3D Blaster Banshee.  If you are certain 
     that you have a Banshee card, your BIOS is probably 
     being flashed with a non-Creative Banshee image. 
     Contact Creative technical support for further assistance.

  Symptom C:

     If you do not see any display upon rebooting.

  Solution:

       You can try to re-program the BIOS with the use of
       another PCI VGA card:

        1) Bootup with non-Creative Banshee VGA as primary 
           display card.

           Insert a second (not Banshee) PCI VGA card into 
           the 1st PCI slot and the 3D Blaster Banshee into
           the 2nd PCI slot. Connect the non-Creative Banshee
           VGA card output to a monitor, boot up and check
           if the monitor displays anything.  If it doesn't, 
           swap the slot positions of the VGA card and 3D
           Blaster Banshee until you can bootup with the
           non-Creative Banshee VGA as primary display card.

        2) Re-program Banshee.

           When the system boots up successfully with the 
           VGA card, you can then program the 3D Blaster
           Banshee BIOS as described above, beginning from
           Procedure (C).  After the program is executed,
           you can remove the non-Creative Banshee card and
           bootup with your 3D Blaster Banshee card.  If you
           still do not see any display, contact Creative
           technical support for further assistance.

=========================
BOOT TO NATIVE DOS MODE
=========================

The following are two methods of booting to the native DOS mode.

     Method 1 - Boot diskette
     
     i.    Insert an unused floppy diskette into your disk 
           drive A.
     ii.   Type "format  a: /s" at the DOS prompt to create 
           a bootable diskette.
     iii.  Leave the diskette in the drive and reboot your 
           system. Your system will boot to the native DOS mode.

     Method 2 - The <F8> key

     i.    Reboot  your  system, paying attention to the 
           onscreen initializing messages.
     ii.   When you see the text  "Starting Windows 95..."
           or "Starting Windows 98...", press <F8> within 5
           seconds to display a menu.
     iii.  From the menu, select option 6 (Command prompt only)
           to boot the system to native DOS mode.
     

                 ====End of Readme File====