How to update the BIOS?

Pandlouk,

I think you will find there is a dual bios present in a lot or even most mobos presently.
This business of replacing the chip died out years ago.

However I dont think its wise to dwell on this most unlikely event,as all it does is scare people from performing this simple step.

You can always find 100 arguments for not doing something,but constructively there seems no doubt nowadays,that flashing the BIOS is a routine safe procedure.

 

This is good news. My M/board is older so I don't have this luxury, but I did update the BIOS once some years back and it went well, and I was certainly a bit "tense" during the flash because I knew the board was toast if something went wrong Personally, even with a newer board and more foolproof flashing methods, I'd still only update if it addressed an important fix as specified in the release notes.

 

wat 0 114

Great-this is exactly what people should know-nowadays the BIOS chips and procedures for updating have improved so much,that you would have to be dead unlucky to have a problem.

For example,my BIOS has DUAL BIOS,Q Flash and @BIOS methods for safeguarding or flashing the BIOS.

In my experience ,seems reasonably foolproof-just use commonsense and follow the easy instructions.

Every time you turn on the computer there may be a problem of some sort,there usually is-,but we still do it.

I think you would find however,that most newer versions would improve some aspect of the performance or stability of the computer.

This is the general trend, if you read the reviews of mobos where BIOS updates are mentioned.

Can understand your logic-for example some software doesnt necessarily improve with newer versions

 

Hairy Coo,

you are totally wrong. Only gigabyte adopted the dual bios chips and even in those mobos flashing the bios is not bullet-proof.

I agree, people should not be scared but they must be causious. Telling around that there is nothing to worry about will not do them any good. If they follow the simple steps of deactivating every security software on their pc, closing open windows and not rebooting or powering-off the pc during the flashing of the bios, they will not encounter any problem.

The update procedures have not being improoved at all; maybe the opposite is true since updating through the OS can be unpredictable. It's easier yes, but is not an improvement!
On the other hand there is an improvement on the recovering procedures like the AMI Bios recovery from a floppy disk (by pressing CTRL+HOME), Asus Crashfree BIOS3 (similar to the AMI recovery but from a usb), Gigabyte Dual bios, etc.

If you check on the Gigabyte site, they released some bios updates for fixing exactly the failure of restoring the Bios.[for example: Bios F5 "Fix dual BIOS issue (Sometimes recovery from backup BIOS may fail) ]

Panagiotis

 

GOOOOD advice. If I ever need the thing updated, I will send for you. Do you make service calls to Hawaii?

 

You are too kind to me Bellgamin I'll tell you what, you give me a room in your pad to stay at and I would be delighted to make that call I absolutely loved Hawaii when I vacationed there in December of '75 with my parents and siblings. Oooh, how I envy you I loved the island of Kauai.

 

Pandlouk,

I feel that you are adapting an uneccessarily cautious,even alarmist attitude.
As you can see,this creates a situation where some users avoid flashing at all costs.

And your experience being......?

Having used Giga boards for years,I can attest to the general reliabilty of flashing and of the BIOS.
Of course its not bulletproof,nothing to do with computers is,but certainly not warranting the type of response you give,
There is absolutely no reason why other boards should present any special difficulties,either.

I said commonsense should be used,which surely a lot of users have -all the steps you mention are practically not necessary.
I leave the firewall, antivirus and TF on during flashing,but probably for the cautious,all running applications should be shut down.
If your malware conflicts,then obviously shut it down.
If you follow the manuals instructions you should be OK

Very obviously a reboot wouldnt be carried out halfway through a flash,especially as normally there is a warning about this.
Conversely your "telling around "about the dangers creates a false sense of dread.
People get frightened at the mention of BIOS!

Do not agree at all-you are quite wrong!!

If you wish some boards still have DOS provisions for updating,which should appeal to you

I also have that board-so what?
All this bumff you mention does not mean modern BIOS flashing is unreliable,there is no logic to that.

This is still the sensible procedure-dont let flashing the BIOS frighten you.

If you wish- backup before flashing-close down running apps and do not interfere in any way with the flashing! Thats it

edit-replacing the chipset-the ultimate penalty-died out years ago!!

 

Yeah right!

I guess that all these guys that bought bios chips from the following ebay sellers, wanted to make a bioses collection!

Seller 1
Seller 2
Seller 3

and I guess that the warnings that all the motherboards manufacturers include in the instructions are there to tease their customers.

Panagiotis