How can I update a BIOS?

[kyonides]

That's a question I always had but never asked. In this case I'll test it on PC with a P4 2 GHz CPU and Award something as its BIOS. What else should I tell you so you can help me with this issue?

[ardvark71]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

That's a question I always had but never asked. In this case I'll test it on PC with a P4 2 GHz CPU and Award something as its BIOS. What else should I tell you so you can help me with this issue?

Hi....

If there isn't a pressing need to flash a BIOS, please don't! This is one way a person can very easily and quickly turn a perfectly good system into an oversized paperweight.

Regards...

[toad]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

To start you off with somewhat of an answer:

1. find the latest BIOS from your mobo manufacturer - it'll probably be in the form of an exe >
a) not sure how to do it without any form of M$, but you will succeed, if you ask google...
2. alternatively and preferably check with www.openbios.org whether your hardware is supported and use their version rather than the proprietary version

[sixonetonoffun]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

[quote=ardvark71 ]

This is one way a person can very easily and quickly turn a perfectly good system into an oversized paperweight.

This was my result of my first experience attempting to "Hot Flash" from linux. In the end I bought an updated bios chip. No rookie to doing it on windows I didn't think twice of trying it. Now I'll put it on my last resort list as in very last resort.

I think it may have worked better for me if I'd tried building a live dos cd with the rom files on it. I'd even consider wiping the box and installing windows long enough to flash it before I tried it from linux.

All I can provide is a how not to! I'd made a backup as recommended but the backup wouldn't flash back error was mismatch checksum or something like that.

Good Luck!

[wizard10000]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

...a) not sure how to do it without any form of M$, but you will succeed, if you ask google...

You do it by inserting the BIOS update into a DOS floppy disk image, burning that to CD or thumb drive and booting the machine from that. Most DOS images don't include USB drivers so a CD is generally your best bet.

As others have said don't flash your BIOS just because there's a newer version out there - you flash BIOS because there's a need to do it.

[Qqmike]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

For Intel boards, easy as pie. Have done it many times, especially after a new build.
Many methods:
http://www.intel.com/support/motherb.../CS-022312.htm
The newer ISO method is particularly nice:
http://www.intel.com/support/motherb.../CS-023359.htm

If your PC works as you want it to, there is NO need to update BIOS (and there could be some risk, but others will tell you that they always safely keep the latest BIOS version on their boards without problems). You would update your BIOS only to acquire added functionality you need that your current BIOS version doesn't support.

Added:
Btw, Intel has a recovery method, too, that you should prepare (CD) before updating BIOS in case something does go wrong. Very important.

[kyonides]

Re: How can I update a BIOS?

OK, then I'd update the BIOS without making a backup first!

Just kidding!