I'm a little surprised so many different systems were affected by one update. I can see different models that use the same chipset, but this is several models of laptops and PCs. I am always suspicious of updates that are released right before the holidays. Too often, they are rushed and fail to get sufficient quality assurance testing before being pushed out the door. It would appear that is what happened here.
I don't seem to be affected fortunately. I'd be a little concerned about trying to downgrade an unstable machine. If it crashes while doing so it will become a nice paperweight.
Most people never do need to do this. Sadly, many think they do. If you buy the first release version of a brand new motherboard, there may be some bugs that were not caught during initial development and testing. But typically those are pretty rare, and of those, most address very unique scenarios most users never encounter. The most common reason to update the BIOS is to add support for new CPUs or RAM that came out after the motherboard left the factory. I typically update the BIOS during the initial build of a new computer then never again - unless 2 or 3 years down the road, I am upgrading the CPU and the BIOS update is needed to add support for that new CPU. It is important to remember that BIOS firmware does not suddenly go bad. Some extreme event, such as a severe electrical surge, is needed. And in those cases, you probably have other problems too. There are such things as BIOS malware, but they are even more rare - especially on systems made in recent years. The main lesson, IMO, is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! If you think you might need to update the BIOS, read the change logs first. If they don't address a problem you are having, leave it alone. And though rare, because an improper firmware update can brick your motherboard, make sure you have a current backup of your data before starting.
OK thanks for the info, I also would personally stay away from this stuff, it looks way too risky to me.
In fairness, motherboard/BIOS makers have done an excellent job in recent years to minimize the risks. But it is impossible to totally eliminated them. And because a failed update can be so catastrophic, even if such events are very rare, it is still a risk that should not be dismissed. The last time I had personally had a BIOS update brick a motherboard was probably 20 years ago. And that happened because a co-worker tripped over the computer power cord right in the middle of the flashing. What are the odds? But still, I never now update a BIOS without making sure the power cord is out of the way. I also always put the computer on a UPS before updating too. That said, I have heard from others I trust about failed updates with current boards. So it can still happen. I think it wise you are cautious, but don't let it intimidate you. Just do your homework first. Most motherboard makers provide handy little utilities to make the process safe and easy. I would only say do not upgrade the BIOS just because an update is out there. Chances are, it only adds support for a CPU you don't have.
Don't many BIOS updates have a read-me? So, let's say there's a new version for my board (and there is--v. 1902 but it's still in the testing phase), I can see what changed--in this case "better compatibility with Windows 11." Hmmm. What else? Don't know yet. All's I know is that the machine ran perfectly well on 11 at the time, without a BIOS revision. So it's not going to be a mad rush for the latest from ASUS. Not here. If it ain't broke, yaketeh, yaketeh. Think it over from your perspective and not just because it's out there. Obviously, given this case, it's justified all over again to be leery and approach this cautiously. Even a read-me from Dell couldn't predict the actual catastrophe and might have even prompted some people to go for it anyway.
A lot of the BIOS updates recently have been to patch security exploits in CPUs. If you don't care don't bother. If you do use a UPS as stated.
I have always applied the the BIOS updates on my Dell XPS laptops via Dell SupportAssist and never had an issue, thankfully. Looks like I need to be more circumspect!
With laptops, you have the benefit of having a battery, so the laptop will keep running on battery power, if the laptop loses power when updating the BIOS. Also, if the battery is nearly flat, then the BIOS update will refuse to run until you charge the battery.
