Question Flash BIOS before or after the pc is built?

[Risa928]

Hi, I am building my first PC. I have 13600K and B660-A strix wifi D4 motherboard. I don’t know when to use BIOS flashback. I have seen tutorials doing it without cpu installed, before the pc is built. But I am stressing out because its hard to unplug the ATX cable and I am worried about electricity that might be in capacitors after the BIOS update using BIOS flashback is done. My question is: Can I flash the BIOS after the PC is built or no? It would be easier I think, but I don’t know if I can do it after everything is assembled, because nobod showed to do it that way, I’m worried if I maybe break the CPU or something in mobo if I flash it after the assembly. So, is it safe to flash it after the PC is built? Please answer only if you’re 100% sure. Thanks.

 

[kanewolf]

Hi, I am building my first PC. I have 13600K and B660-A strix wifi D4 motherboard. I don’t know when to use BIOS flashback. I have seen tutorials doing it without cpu installed, before the pc is built. But I am stressing out because its hard to unplug the ATX cable and I am worried about electricity that might be in capacitors after the BIOS update using BIOS flashback is done. My question is: Can I flash the BIOS after the PC is built or no? It would be easier I think, but I don’t know if I can do it after everything is assembled, because nobod showed to do it that way, I’m worried if I maybe break the CPU or something in mobo if I flash it after the assembly. So, is it safe to flash it after the PC is built? Please answer only if you’re 100% sure. Thanks.

If your CPU is supported, then I would recommend you boot to BIOS, then update your BIOS, then install the OS.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Hi, I am building my first PC. I have 13600K and B660-A strix wifi D4 motherboard. I don’t know when to use BIOS flashback. I have seen tutorials doing it without cpu installed, before the pc is built. But I am stressing out because its hard to unplug the ATX cable and I am worried about electricity that might be in capacitors after the BIOS update using BIOS flashback is done. My question is: Can I flash the BIOS after the PC is built or no? It would be easier I think, but I don’t know if I can do it after everything is assembled, because nobod showed to do it that way, I’m worried if I maybe break the CPU or something in mobo if I flash it after the assembly. So, is it safe to flash it after the PC is built? Please answer only if you’re 100% sure. Thanks.

You can safely flash BIOS either before installation or after. In fact, a Best Practice for computer building is to assemble all the components outside the case (it's called bread-boarding), update BIOS and even install the OS and run some performance tests to verify everything is operating. It's much easier this way if something isn't working out as you expected since you can easily remove it to return for exchange. Once you're confident everything's OK disassemble the breadboard and reassemble inside the case. You don't really have to worry about capacitors; just turn it off, wait about 10 min's and they'll discharge on their own.