BEST WAY TO UPDATE BIOS?

[spazticdeath]

I'm setting up my new system now, and will update bios a bit latter once I get word from you guys....which is the best way to update the bios? I know that some auto-updaters by mobo makers are messed upped, some bios's updates are bad as well...

I need advice so I don't make a critical mistake....thanks

 

[paq7512]

It really depends on the manufacturer, using an old school floppy has never failed me. Sometimes the actual program under windows is fine too.

 

[skittle]

Ive had good luck with the autoupdater applications.

 

[cfvh600]

Asus actually warns customers against the auto updater program on their forums. But that is for the P5W DH Deluxe. Don't know about the other boards.The stiffy drive way works fine.

 

[chookman]

I own Asus P5B and P5K boards ... to update them i use the EzyFlash util in the bios. If you have the updated bios on a USB key it detects them, you need only point it to the right file and bobs your uncle

 

[tlmck]

Unless you need to update BIOS to solve a specific problem, don't do it. Most BIOS updates are either bug fixes, or to update component compatibility(ie, new processors, etc...) If your computer boots up and runs fine, leave it alone.

 

[itotallybelieveyou]

Use your floppydrive it's the best

 

[mcidfta200]

If u have a jump drive, check if ur mobo supports "Q-Flash". It's very easy, and it was convenient for me since I don't use a floppy drive.

You just download the BIOS.
Extract in on you drive.
Hit <End> key, and you're in.

 

[systemlord]

Asus says, "Please note, BIOS update is only recommended when experiencing technical difficulties with your system, And is not recommended to be performed regularly.

Moreover, due to the nature of BIOS update, there is certain level of dangers involved. BIOS update must be performed with extreme caution . During BIOS update process, your system must be maintained without interference or power loss to prevent unexpected damage.

In case of BIOS update failure, please follow instructions in your User's Manual for guidelines on BIOS recovery via CrashFree BIOS. In the event that BIOS recovery is not recoverable via CrashFree BIOS, please contact your place of purchase for further assistance on BIOS recovery.

I don't mean to scare you but it does happen, if I were you I'd only update through the old floppy drive rather than a USB flash drive. Also never update your bios in a overclocked state, load defaults first.

 

[mcidfta200]

Asus says, "Please note, BIOS update is only recommended when experiencing technical difficulties with your system, And is not recommended to be performed regularly.

Moreover, due to the nature of BIOS update, there is certain level of dangers involved. BIOS update must be performed with extreme caution . During BIOS update process, your system must be maintained without interference or power loss to prevent unexpected damage.

In case of BIOS update failure, please follow instructions in your User's Manual for guidelines on BIOS recovery via CrashFree BIOS. In the event that BIOS recovery is not recoverable via CrashFree BIOS, please contact your place of purchase for further assistance on BIOS recovery.

I don't mean to scare you but it does happen, if I were you I'd only update through the old floppy drive rather than a USB flash drive. Also never update your bios in a overclocked state, load defaults first.

Well... while I disagree with the floppy over flash, because to me the flash is faster, there for less time for chance of something getting screwed up... I do agree about it being a bit dangerous. I have had it go wrong on me, and I had to create a special floppy which would re-flash the BIOS. (BTW when it got screwed... I was using a floppy to flash it, being my reason for disagreeing).

 

[systemlord]

Well... while I disagree with the floppy over flash, because to me the flash is faster, there for less time for chance of something getting screwed up... I do agree about it being a bit dangerous. I have had it go wrong on me, and I had to create a special floppy which would re-flash the BIOS. (BTW when it got screwed... I was using a floppy to flash it, being my reason for disagreeing).

Using a floppy got you a bad bios flash, wow. So who is to blame for a bad bios flash? Its not like its still new tech, can't they make a bios flash as easy as pie?

 

[Andrius]

A floppy can die on you while you reboot to flash BIOS so chances of a bad flash are way higher when doing it from a floppy.

The best way appears to be with a usb key if your motherboard supports it.

I've had luck until today with every method. Asus and Gigabyte Windows utils and floppy on older boards, but I newer loaded the bios to a floppy. I always ran it from the harddrive.

Aside from BIOS updates the most annoying use of a floppy remains the WinXP to a RAID installation.

 

[Crashman]

Using a floppy got you a bad bios flash, wow. So who is to blame for a bad bios flash? Its not like its still new tech, can't they make a bios flash as easy as pie?

So far as I know floppy media hasn't been manufactured for many years, so a "new" floppy disk is "new/old stock" meaning its been sitting around a while. I've unwrapped new boxes of floppies and found some of them were bad already.

I use a USB flash drive. Most of the big brands have a utility built into BIOS that will allow flashing from a "non-bootable" USB flash drive, and for others I use a bootable flash drive. You can make a flash drive bootable using Hewlett Packard's USB thumb drive application, or similar.

 

[bobbknight]

The best way to flash a bios is by using the floppy drive.
That said I have one mother board that allows a bios flash from a usb thumb drive and it works just as well as using a floppy.
The abit motherboard systems that I have just don't seem to work with the windows flashing utility.
Now as to the reasons to flash your bios mostly it's to update cpu microcode that allows you to use newer cpu's with the motherboard, or to fix a problem with stability or board function.
It really would be nice if motherboard makers would give a better description of what the newer bios does for the board. Without having to contact tech support to try and find out if a newer bios will fix a problem you may be having with you board.
Anyways, always look before you leap, and if your bios flash is not fixing a problem, or allowing you to use a new cpu, it's best not to mess with a working system.

 

[jitpublisher]

I would agree with most other posters here that using a floppy is the best way.
Also unless you are having a SPECIFIC PROBLEM with the current BIOS, and the new update has been written to fix the problem you are having, updating it is completely pointless.
There is no magic performance improvements or any other benefit to be obtained by updating a BIOS that is configuring your system correctly without problems.

 

[Crashman]

OK guys, the best way isn't from a floppy because I've had those fail DURING the flash, causing me to go to another system and create a new floppy to attempt a reflash. Some people don't have a second system handy, and if you reboot before reflashing all is lost.

Thumb drives work for most systems. For BIOS that doesn't support flashing from a thumb drive, a bootable thumbdrive works. Nearly all systems support booting from flash media, either as a removable device or as a detected hard drive, simply set the boot order as appropriate in BIOS.

The BEST way to flash is from a DOS bootable HARD DRIVE, because it's supported by all systems. But nobody wants to keep an old spare hard drive around, or hook it up simply to flash BIOS.

 

[systemlord]

Well why were on the subject, after I pass POST I see a very quick freeze frame of distorted colors with what looks like logo's but when Windows starts to load it just go's away like nothing ever happenned. The second strange thing is when in bios menu the letters and [ ] around the letters blink which didn't happen with my older card.

I have had no problems of any kind. Even ran Orthos on my OC for 32 hours no problem. This strange behavior started when I first installed my new 8800GTX. And no Asus's newer bios only enable better support for 1333MHZ FSB processers. What do you guys think is my problem if I even have one? I have tried it without my card OC'ed.