How do I update BIOS using MS-DOS?

[da na]

Please excuse the stupid and odd question; I have experience with DOS and modern servers but never considered there would be any overlap between the two.

In short, the previous owner of my PowerEdge C2100 used some devious trick to rename the system so the Windows BIOS flash tool no longer recognizes it as a PowerEdge and thus does not flash an updated BIOS (which I need to upgrade the CPU). The only way I can update the BIOS is through a .bat file for MS-DOS. 
The readme has some really unclear instructions.

I know I have to save these four files to a USB stick. 

But from there I have not the slightest inkling of an idea of what comes next. 
Do I boot from the USB stick and the .exe file is a bootable DOS environment allowing me to flash the BIOS? Or do I need to install MS-DOS to a hard disk, access the USB drive, and flash the file? 
The "Windows 98" part really threw me off; I'd assume typically the boot media with the new BIOS is inserted, ya boot from it, boom new BIOS. But that bit made me think that I needed an OS present on the system.

Any advice?
@Windows7ge Do you have any ideas?

[Windows7ge]

You might be able to use FreeDOS here if you don't already have a means to boot from MS-DOS.

 

What are the contents of the F.bat file?

 

It looks like AFUDOS.EXE is the firmware update program.

C99Q3B23.ROM is the firmware image itself.

I'm assumeing F.bat is the script that runs the update.

 

So assuming all of these are in the same directory you'd just run the command: f.bat

 

My guess without more context is it will run a command like: afudos.exe -h c99q3b23.rom

[da na]

1 minute ago, Windows7ge said:

You might be able to use FreeDOS here if you don't already have a means to boot from MS-DOS.

 

What are the contents of the F.bat file?

 

It looks like AFUDOS.EXE is the firmware update program.

C99Q3B23.ROM is the firmware image itself.

I'm assumeing F.bat is the script that runs the update.

 

So assuming all of these are in the same directory you'd just run the command: f.bat

 

My guess without more context is it will run a command like: afudos.exe -h c99q3b23.rom

Excellent. I might first try XP and see if the BAT file will run within the built-in MS-DOS emulator. 

Thanks for the FreeDOS suggestion though - only copy of DOS I have on hand is on six 5.25" disks. Not the most practical. 

[Blue4130]

1 hour ago, da na said:

Please excuse the stupid and odd question; I have experience with DOS and modern servers but never considered there would be any overlap between the two.

In short, the previous owner of my PowerEdge C2100 used some devious trick to rename the system so the Windows BIOS flash tool no longer recognizes it as a PowerEdge and thus does not flash an updated BIOS (which I need to upgrade the CPU). The only way I can update the BIOS is through a .bat file for MS-DOS. 
The readme has some really unclear instructions.

 

I know I have to save these four files to a USB stick. 

 

But from there I have not the slightest inkling of an idea of what comes next. 
Do I boot from the USB stick and the .exe file is a bootable DOS environment allowing me to flash the BIOS? Or do I need to install MS-DOS to a hard disk, access the USB drive, and flash the file? 
The "Windows 98" part really threw me off; I'd assume typically the boot media with the new BIOS is inserted, ya boot from it, boom new BIOS. But that bit made me think that I needed an OS present on the system.

Any advice?
@Windows7ge Do you have any ideas?

No way to update it through the ipmi?

[da na]

10 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

No way to update it through the ipmi?

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though I can do that.

[da na]

18 hours ago, Windows7ge said:

You might be able to use FreeDOS here if you don't already have a means to boot from MS-DOS.

 

What are the contents of the F.bat file?

 

It looks like AFUDOS.EXE is the firmware update program.

C99Q3B23.ROM is the firmware image itself.

I'm assumeing F.bat is the script that runs the update.

 

So assuming all of these are in the same directory you'd just run the command: f.bat

 

My guess without more context is it will run a command like: afudos.exe -h c99q3b23.rom

Thank you, FreeDOS was the closest I got to making it work. 

I first booted from a FreeDOS live CD and installed it to a USB flash drive. I added the four files to the flash drive from another computer then booted and ran AFUDOS.EXE from the C: (flash drive).

The .bat file automatically flashes firmware with a few tweaks. However, very unfortunately, after hours of work, the BIOS update program still did not recognize the server as having a compatible BIOS. Oh well. 

I will have to buy a new BIOS chip. 

Thanks for your help though, I've learned something.