How many flashes can a bios chip handle?

[Greysky]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Before it breaks? I have heard the number of reliable bios flashes you can
do to a bios chip is 5. After that the programmable gate arrays inside them
begin to malfunction. If this is true, I should be getting worried.... my
P4P800 Delux board started out life with version 1006, and now I am up to
1015. I hope I am not into the danger zone - I want to wait to flash to
version 17 when it gets out of beta.

 

[Paul]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <SZztc.73703$vQ2.13907@newssvr25.news.prodigy.com>, "Greysky"
<greyskynospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Before it breaks? I have heard the number of reliable bios flashes you can
> do to a bios chip is 5. After that the programmable gate arrays inside them
> begin to malfunction. If this is true, I should be getting worried.... my
> P4P800 Delux board started out life with version 1006, and now I am up to
> 1015. I hope I am not into the danger zone - I want to wait to flash to
> version 17 when it gets out of beta.

Here is a sample device, used on an A7N8X Deluxe -

http://www.sst.com/products.xhtml/serial_flash/49/SST49LF020

It says 100,000 programming cycles and data retention of 100 years.
If you can believe it.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

There is no practical limit....Certainly I can say for sure I've flashed my
current board 20 or more times without issue.

--
*****Replace 'NOSPAM' with 'btinternet' in the reply address*****
"Greysky" <greyskynospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:SZztc.73703$vQ2.13907@newssvr25.news.prodigy.com...
> Before it breaks? I have heard the number of reliable bios flashes you can
> do to a bios chip is 5. After that the programmable gate arrays inside
them
> begin to malfunction. If this is true, I should be getting worried.... my
> P4P800 Delux board started out life with version 1006, and now I am up to
> 1015. I hope I am not into the danger zone - I want to wait to flash to
> version 17 when it gets out of beta.
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

> There is no practical limit.
On the other hand, sometimes just once is one time too many.
www.badflash.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Greysky" <greyskynospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:SZztc.73703$vQ2.13907@newssvr25.news.prodigy.com...
> Before it breaks? I have heard the number of reliable bios flashes you can
> do to a bios chip is 5. After that the programmable gate arrays inside
them
> begin to malfunction. If this is true, I should be getting worried.... my
> P4P800 Delux board started out life with version 1006, and now I am up to
> 1015. I hope I am not into the danger zone - I want to wait to flash to
> version 17 when it gets out of beta.
Normal manufacturers spec, is between 1000, and 10 million flashes,
depending on the chip used. In the past, the numbers were a lot lower, and
some of the flash programs do not use the best algorithms for reliability
(there is a very significant trade of in speed, and the 'full' programming
spec often requires features not available on the motherboard, such as
verifying at different supply voltages), however a failure below perhaps 100
flashes would be exceptional.

Best Wishes