Do I need to flash the BIOS on my new motherboard?

[mnemonikos82]

I have a gigabyte z270 (GA-z270-d3) motherboard but for this new build I didn't get an optical drive. I figured that I would just download all of the drivers on another computer, load them on a USB drive and handle it that way. The problem is gigabyte's website is really hard to figure out. There's a ton of drivers on there and several of them specify that you have to have the newest bios to use the most up-to-date driver. This is a brand new build, no idea what the bios version is) so should I flash the BIOS to the newest version and then download the newest drivers. I would just go load the driver installation disk into another PC and copy and paste from there, but the disc contains a bunch of different driver versions and uses a tool to scan the computer and tell you which drivers to install. I'm about to be lazy and just drop $40 on an external optical drive, which is twice as much as I would spend ordering online. What's the easiest way to do this without spending the money?

 

[timmy_area51]

if oyu wanna get a coffee lake yes

 

[clutchc]

I think you are making this too complicated. Does the CPU you are using require a new BIOS version to be recognized?
Btw, Gigabyte offers a really good Win app to update the BIOS called @BIOS. No need for a flash drive or optical drive.

 

[Paul NZ]

You cant use a coffee lake on a Z270 mobo. All you need are the chipset drivers. And maybe Intel ME

If you're installing Win10 just use the drivers it installs.

Dont install anything like Easytune, cfosspeed, on/off charge. The only thing they'll do is crash your system

 

[mnemonikos82]

It shouldn't, it's a 7th gen i5.

Won't I need internet to use @bios? I didn't think I could access the internet without installing the lan driver first.

 

[Paul NZ]

Win7, 8 and 10 should install a generic LAN driver

 

[rgd1101]

if oyu wanna get a coffee lake yes

coffee lake use 300 series board, not 200 series

 

[clutchc]

+1^ Paul NZ
W10 for sure.

 

[mnemonikos82]

@PaulNZ I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. Is there anything on the motherboard driver installation disc that is required for basic function from the get go? Or am I good to just ignore the driver installation disc use the windows drivers and then just do updates as needed afterwards (I'm thinking of things like the Realtek HD drivers)?

 

[Paul NZ]

I wouldnt bother with the mobo cd. Everything on it is probably out of date anyway. I've never used the cd myself

You should be able to get online once you install Win7, 8 or 10. You may have to install drivers if you install a wireless card / adapter tho.

Sound will also work. You only need the realtek drivers off the site, if you want more options for the sound

 

[mnemonikos82]

Thank you so much this has been incredibly helpful!

 

[timmy_area51]

if oyu wanna get a coffee lake yes

coffee lake use 300 series board, not 200 series

intel has announced that if you flash upgrade your 200's it would accept coffee lake too . after all it's a 1151 socket

 

[Paul NZ]

I dont think so. Where's the proof?

 

[Darkbreeze]

intel has announced that if you flash upgrade your 200's it would accept coffee lake too . after all it's a 1151 socket

Timmy, you need to either stop posting dangerous misinformation, or we're going to have to do it for you. Your choice.

This is patently FALSE. 200 series boards will NOT work with Coffee lake cpus. It was reported that the motherboards COULD be made to work with them if Intel chose to, which they did not.

 

[smorizio]

to the thread starter. if you used the windows media creation tool to make your windows boot iso. it going to have most of the newer drivers needed for the new mb. you can after making the usb boot disk. make a folder called drivers. there 5 drivers you need. the intel chipset driver. (check to see if intell or the mb is newer. the mei driver from intel (same check to see which is newer). the newest ethernet driver and usb 3.x driver. if it an intel ethernet driver see if inte web site has the newer driver.