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    AST RESEARCH, INC.          TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1428A              2-28-96

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    		      Ascentia 950N Updating BIOS to 3.01

    This is an informational bulletin.  This technical bulletin applies to the
    202746-XXX system board and the following systems:

    501741-XXX          Ascentia 950N LM 90 CSS10
    501742-XXX          Ascentia 950N LM 90.CT10
    501743-XXX          Ascentia 950N LM 90 CTS10
    501744-XXX          Ascentia 950n LM 554C/75 CT10
    501897-XXX          Ascentia 950N LM 120 CTS 10.4
    501898-XXX          Ascentia 950N LM 120 CTS 11.8
    501905-XXX          Ascentia 950N P54C/75W CTS10

    NOTE

    Do NOT flash AST Ascentia 950N notebook systems, part numbers 501707-XXX and
    501708-XXX with BIOS version 3.01.  Flashing these systems with this BIOS can
    cause irreparable damage to your system.  The system part number is located
    in the battery compartment, under the battery.

    Prior to upgrading your Ascentia 950N system to BIOS version 3.01, read the
    following important notice:

    			     IMPORTANT NOTICE
    		    READ THIS BEFORE UPDATING THE BIOS

    If your Ascentia 950N is a 75MHz system with BIOS Rel. 2.59 or earlier, and
    you want to upgrade the BIOS to a Plug and Play BIOS, read this notice
    carefully.

    Follow the BIOS update instruction in your Ascentia 950N User's Manual.
    When you boot the computer on the new BIOS for the very first time, you
    may receive the following error message,

    		     "...The computer cannot identify your hard disk
    			  Press  to continue"

    If this occurs, go into System Setup by pressing + to change the
    options as stated below:

    1. From the Main menu, change Advanced Power Management setting to
       "Enable."

    2. From the Main menu, change Hard Disk setting to "Enable."

    NOTE:  If you have Windows 95 on the system, continue on to step 3.
           Otherwise, skip to step 4.

    3. Go to  sub menu and change the answer to Boot Plug&Play
       System? question to "Yes."

    4. Press  to exit and select "Yes" to save the changes made.

    5. Turn the system OFF and then ON.

    If you do not feel comfortable performing the steps above, call our AST Hot
    Line (800) 727-1278 for help.

    SYSTEMS AFFECTED
    AST PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION

    All Ascentia 950N systems.