EPACoder is a tool for converting
bitmaps into AWARD BIOS logo (picture in upper-right corner showed
while POST) format and inversely (EPA to BMP).
Why EPACoder
... there are many tools like this ... Yes, but:
ONLY EPACoder can do everything in one place
this is stand-alone program, no need any additional drivers,
system files, libraries and other ballast
supports old EPA format (AWBM1.0) and AWBM2.0 BIOS logo
format
extremely easy to use! Work in GUI, you don't think about the
program command line and start-up parameters
EPACoder is really FAST.
EPACoder is free :-)
Features
EPACoder 1.50 features include:
preview of input Bitmap and EPA file (WYSIWYG :-))
work with standard BIOS logo dimensions: 136x84 and 136x126
pixels images ...
... and non-standard dimensions. Now you can create&edit
BIOS logo images in any format, for example: 136x240, 140x448,
136x480 pixels. Warning!!! Only SOME of NEWEST BIOS-es can work
with this non-standard dimensions! BTW: using EPA1.0 you can't
create logo bigger than 136x126 pixels, BIOS technical limit
:-(
work with monochrome or colour bitmaps. No stupid
colouring!
convert:
Bitmap into AWBM1.0 EPA format
Bitmap into AWBM2.0 EPA format
EPA (AWBM1.0 or AWBM2.0) into Bitmap format (useful when you
want to save your favourites BIOS logo in well-known graphic
format)
EPA AWBM1.0 into EPA AWBM2.0 and inversely (useful when you
want to convert, for ex. your favourite BIOS logo from old EPA to
new EPA logo format)
work quite fine under Linux with Wine as an emulator ;-)
History
EPACoder history is very stormy ;-)
ver. 1.50 - repaired bug in EPA2.0 saving procedures, minor
code corrections, uninstall program, dockable windows ("glue"
between each program's windows, like for ex. in Winamp)
ver. 1.12:
added keyboard shortcuts ('Open BMP'=Alt+O, 'Help'=Alt+H and
other),
a lot of tweaks to the source code, several minor problems
fixed
when error apperars during conversion to EPA1.0, now there is
an information which block in bitmap image is invalid,
preview of bitmaps before opening/saving disabled :-(( caused
compiler change (Delphi3->Delphi2)
added small but powerfull program's internal integrity self
control. When file is corrupt (for ex. by virus modification, bad
file download, unauthorize modification and other), EPACoder
discover it and warn user.
and 3kB less of EXE code :-)
ver. 1.11 - minor repair of WYSWIG. Now the EPA's images look
is the same as during POST
ver. 1.10 - small corrections: now program look good on any
resolution&font sizes, source code optimalization makes EXE 8kB
lighter than previous version.
ver. 1.09 - cosmetic code changes (45kB of code less than in
ver. 1.08!), fixed Drag&Drop error on Win98. Y2K compilant
;-)
ver. 1.08 - small improvements and interface changes
ver. 1.07 - another off-line version. Testing, testing, testing
... Ooops, it's midnight, time to sleep :-)
ver. 1.06 - some improvements:
tiny errors removed from program
program not create temporary files. Using 'memory stream'
EPACoder loads files to memory; thats decrease hard disk activity
and incerase booth Input/Output operations and conversion
speed
new ability: program can recover corrupted EPA-files. In some
cases it can help ...
better integration with System registry
more options you can set: 'disable hints' and 'save
settings'
double-click on EPA, LAY, BIT files in File Manager opens them
in one program's sesion, that mean there is created only one copy
of EPACoder in the same time
ver. 1.05 - added ability to work with non-standard image
dimensions (other than 136x84/126 pixels), images open in separate
windows, preview of bitmaps before opening/saving, implemented
Drag&Drop routines (DDFM - drag&drop from file manager),
some small corrections
ver. 1.02-1.04, program's mutation on my home computer, never
published :-). Next on-line release was version 1.05
ver. 1.01 - added 'show grid lines' option, registry function,
some small corrections
ver. 1.00 - first release
System Requirements
Program requires:
computer with monitor :-)
Windows 9x/Linux (with Wine). Also should work on Windows
NT/Me/2000/5000/WorldDomination ;-), but I don't tested this
program on this OS-es. Windows 3.x? I don't think so. Maybe with
Win32 library run? If you interested in EPACoder 16bit version,
please simply mail me.
~ 120kB free space on FDD or HDD ...
... and few bytes of free memory.
CPU: 386 or higher :-)
How to use EPACoder?
That can't be easier!
To convert Bitmap file into EPA file:
create your own logo using any graphics program and save result
of your work into bitmap file. Bitmap MUST have 2 (1bit/pixel) or
16 (4bit/pixel) colours in standard RGB palette
run EPACoder and open your bitmap (by pushing 'Open' button in
'BMP Panel') or ...
... run EPACoder and drag&drop BMP file from File Manager
to 'BMP view' window or ...
doubleclick EPA image and select interested file in 'Open BMP
file Dialog'
select interested format AWBM1.0 or AWBM2.0 in 'AWBM' in
'Control' panel)
push 'BMP->EPA' button
save result into file by pressing 'Save' button (you can find
them in 'EPA Panel')
To convert EPA file into Bitmap file:
double-click on EPA, BIN, BIT or LAY file in File Manager, or
...
... run EPACoder and drag&drop EPA, BIN, BIT or LAY file
from File Manager to 'EPA view' window, or ...
... simply run EPACoder and open EPA file (by pushing 'Open'
button in 'EPA Panel') or ...
doubleclick EPA image and select interested file in 'Open EPA
file Dialog'
push 'EPA->BMP' button
save output bitmap file by pressing 'Save' button (in 'BMP
Panel')
To convert EPA file into other EPA format:
open EPA, BIT, LAY or BIN file, using methods described
higher
push 'EPA to EPA' button (very clever description :-))
program recognise format of loaded EPA file. I there was
AWBM1.0, EPACoder convert them into AWBM2.0. And the same: AWBM2.0
convert into AWBM1.0 BIOS logo format
save result of work into file ('Save' button in 'EPA
Panel')
to uninstall program: run "uninstall.exe" or "epacoder.exe
UNINSTALL" at command line or use "Add/Remove programs" dialog in
Control Panel.
That's all!
EPA logo? Where is this?
Simple: in your BIOS, which is saved in EEPROM memory on your
mainboard.
How to find them? You should have two tools: AWDFLASH and
CBROM
run computer in pure DOS mode (no memory managers, any device
drivers, TSR programs and other)
run AWDFLASH (programmer of BIOS chip) as: AWDFLASH /Pn
bios.bin /Sy. Your BIOS will be saved into bios.bin
file
copy bios.bin into
original.bin and save this second file in safe place!
run CBROM: CBROM bios.bin /epa extract to
extract existing EPA image
run (under Windows) EPACoder and load extracted file. You will
see your BIOS-logo
How to add new logo into BIOS?
Remember: if you do something wrong you could corrupt
BIOS chip and your computer won't boot anymore. If you aren't
experience user, don't do it!
run computer in pure DOS mode (no memory managers, any device
drivers, TSR programs and other)
run CBROM: CBROM bios.bin /epa new.epa, where
new.epa is a file with your own BIOS logo created
with for ex. EPACoder ;-). New logo will be saved into
bios.bin
put new BIOS file into BIOS-chip: AWDFLASH bios.bin /Py
/Sn and restart computer. You will (should) see a new
logo!
Troubleshooting
Hmmm, problems ... Take a look of them:
I can't load my logo stored in bitmap
file! File size/format is invalid, file read/access error
or bitmap has to many colours (>16). Check format of image,
possible bad media, change number of colours in bitmap.
I can't load my logo stored in EPA file! File
read/access error. Bad media or file is uses in other task.
There is a strange errors during converting my bitmap
into AWBM1.0 EPA format! It's result of atypical format of
old (AWBM1.0) BIOS logo picture. Picture in this format is divided
into 'cells', each has 14x8 pixels. That means standard 136x84
pixels image is composed of 17x6 cells and 136x126 pixels is
composed of 17x9 cells. And in each cell there can be saved ONLY
two colours: one for background and one for foreground; and
background can't be bright. Sorry, isn't my idea... You should back
to your graphics program and change bitmap. This problem doesn't
occur in new AWBM2.0 format. Set 'Show grid lines' enabled to show
which cell(s) are wrong-made.
BIOS logo is still the same! Some of older
mainboards (for ex. with 430VX/FX/HX chipset) have BIOS without
ability to change logo ability. To change them, you must use
special method (see http://www.corbina.ru/~blik906 or
http://bios.helpl.pl/tools/convert.htm (in Polish) for Convert
program)
System has crashed after upgrading BIOS with new
logo! This is caused by error while writing BIOS-file into
BIOS-chip on mainboard or you use incorrect BIOS-logo format. Older
BIOS-es use AWBM1.0 format, new AWBM2.0 with standard 136x84/126
pixels format. But SOME can also work with bigger images (for ex.
136x240 pixels). Probably you use wrong format/dimensions of BIOS
logo. In both cases you have big problems... To set system working
go to good computers firm or do it yourself, using BootBlock or
'hot-swapping' method. See http://www.ping.be/bios or http:/bios.help.pl/ (in
Polish) for details.
There is no logo displayed or chaotic symbols
shown! Error while writing image into BIOS or you've used
incorrect BIOS logo format/dimensions. See explanation above. Try
to change BIOS logo to correct dimension/format.
There are colours differences between original BMP and
converted one! Your BMP image is not valid for conversion
to EPA format. Input BMP image must be based on standard RGB
colours palette, probably your bitmap has palette of indexed
colours or non-standard palette.
EPACoder.exe file self-control failed! (CRC32 is
incorect). What does it mean? From version 1.12 application
has a small procedure that calculate a special, 32-bit control
number (called: CRC32). When program runs, simply check this CRC32
and compare with original one stored inside. ANY difference means
an unauthorize modification of EPACoder.exe file. Mostly it could
be caused by error while downlodaing file, bad media or VIRUS
activity (!!!). It's Bly recomended to close program and check
system using newest antiviral tool, download file again or check
media. If there still will be an error, please contact me.
EPACoder doesn't work/hang up/work
unstable! Check file/media using newest antiviral. See
above.
Program caused explosion inside my
computer! Ugh, there is REALLY a big problem! Call FBI or
GhostBusters commando.
{last error interpreting was joke, of course ...}
Known bugs
EPACoder has no bugs ;-))
But if you find them or you have concept and/or ideas how to make
program better, please contact me. Thanx!
Disclamer
Short:
All copyrights to EPACoder are exclusively owned by the authors
- Sergey Nikolayev and Artur Prokopiuk
EPACoder is distributed "as is". No warranty of any kind is
expressed or implied.
NO REPONSIBILITIES FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGES OR EVEN FUNCTIONALITY
CAN BE TAKEN.
THE USER MUST ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK OF USING THIS
PROGRAM.
The authors will not be liable for data loss, damages, loss of
profits or any other kind of loss while using or misusing this
software.
If you do not agree with this rules you must remove EPACoder
file from your storage devices and cease to use the product.
Easy, isn't it?
TechRoom
Some technical information: EPACoder is created under Borland
(Inprise) Delphi2.0. Output executable file size decreased from
over 300kB to less than 120kB (!!) using UPX ver.1.01
(executable packer). Valid EPACoder file CRC32 is
291A3C93 (Hex)