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AST RESEARCH, INC.             TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1030               12-7-94

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          MANHATTAN P AND V SERIES EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS UPDATING THE BIOS
                                TO VERSION 1.04 OR 1.07.


PROBLEM:        When the Manhattan P and V series is updated to BIOS version
                1.04 or 1.07, the system will POST, then stop with half of a
                '58' (garbled characters) in the upper left corner of the
                screen and 58 on the LEDs.

CAUSE:          The BIOS code is correctly updated, but the Neptune chipset
                register values are not updated unless EISA CMOS is cleared
                after the flash procedure.

SYSTEMS             AST
AFFECTED:       PART NUMBER       DESCRIPTION

                501502-XXX      Manhattan P Series
                501500-XXX      Manhattan V Series

SOLUTION:       The flash update procedure on Manhattan P and V systems is as
                follows:

                1. Perform the BIOS flash procedure either by setting SW1-1
                   to the ON position or via the BIOS Setup "Exit & Update
                   BIOS" option.
                2. When the flash BIOS update is done, power down the system.
                3. Set SW1-4 to the ON position, this clears EISA CMOS the
                   next time the system runs.  If SW1-1 was set to the ON
                   position for the flash procedure, set it to the OFF
                   position now.
                4. Power up the system with SW1-4 still in the ON position.
                5. Wait until the system boots to the point it prompts:
                   "Press <F1> to continue. Press <F2> for BIOS Setup."
                6. Power down the system.
                7. Set SW1-4 to the OFF position.
                8. Power up the system and update CMOS by going into BIOS
                   setup by pressing the <F2> key when prompted to do so.
                9. When the system reboots after running BIOS setup, run
                   EISACU to update EISA CMOS.
               10. When the system reboots following the running of EISACU, the
                   system has been correctly flashed.