Don't get me wrong. I am not panicking nor giving up. And I appreciate the positive advice. I have no linux system available, but I will try one of the bootable mini-linux images later today or tomorrow if I don't see a windows solution before then.

My anger is at the [idiots] who make the blanket statements like 'what did you expect for beta', or 'you were warned, it was marked beta' -- all of which are crap.

The status of the image [beta or otherwise] should have nothing to do with the functionality of the NON beta software used to flash it, particularly given the reputation [on this very board] of the 770 as being able to be brought back from virtually any disaster with a re-flash.

And further, if I had anything to do with putting up the image for download [and I have been part of software QC for a major silicon maker for 25+ years now, so this is an additional part of my frustration], I would have never put it up for download -- even an alpha version -- without at least testing -- and documenting -- recoverability with the recovery software and images from the same download site. That's 'rule one' in any software world in which I've been involved.

Even a statement that a 'new flasher is needed for the new image' [while not in the original link that started this thread] is hardly sufficient to warn a user that the OLD flasher won't reflash the OLD image.