WHEN YOU SHOULD UPDATE YOUR BIOS ~ Tech Mantra

Monday 6 April 2015

WHEN YOU SHOULD UPDATE YOUR BIOS

NOTICE

BIOS updates will not make your computer faster, they generally won’t add new features you need, and they may even cause additional problems. You should only update your BIOS if the new version contains an improvement you need.

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KNOWLEDGE BASE

BIOS updates may be released to fix existing bugs, add support for new hardware and standards or add functionality. Read the release notes or other documentation for the BIOS update you're considering to see if the update will benefit your PC.

The BIOS provides an operating system with information about hardware, and is designed to support a specific range of components. The BIOS itself is typically an EEPROM, or Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, that is programmed with "firmware" and has the ability to save small amounts of information specific to user configurations. BIOS components are often soldered to the motherboard and therefore not serviceable by the user. Others can be inserted into a socket, making it easy to replace with a new one.

If the BIOS firmware has become corrupted and you have a similar motherboard with the same CPU socket and a BIOS chip of the same type, you may be able to recover your corrupt BIOS if you are willing to risk the other BIOS chip.

If your system is currently working well, perform a BIOS update only if you're willing to part with it (for an extended period of time) in the event of a critical failure. System builders and motherboard manufacturers will often repair systems and motherboards that failed to take a BIOS update, provided they are still under warranty.

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WARNINGS

Make sure to obtain the BIOS upgrade software from a reliable source. Downloading a BIOS from sources other than the manufacturer's web site is risky. For example, versions from the same BIOS software developer for one manufacturer's motherboard may not work on a different manufacturer's motherboard. Using the wrong BIOS or version might "brick" the board, thereby requiring either a BIOS replacement or reprogramming of the BIOS by the manufacturer and rendering the computer unable to boot until that is done.

The process itself is fragile since any power fluctuation during a flash may irrevocably corrupt the firmware. Great care needs to be taken in order to safely accomplish this.

Avoid updating the BIOS unless you know exactly what you are doing. Failure to follow a manufacturer's directions and precautions may corrupt the BIOS as well.

Make sure the electrical power source is reliable when flashing a BIOS. Any sizable fluctuation or loss of power during a flash process can corrupt the BIOS. Therefore, never power down or reset a PC when flashing the BIOS. If flashing the BIOS from a booted OS, first disable all unnecessary applications and background processes.

Monday 6 April 2015