Question Is it Worth Updating BIOS for these ASUS Motherboards?

[GNTSquid]

I have a couple of computers here that i'm doing a lot of "cleaning" and optimizing on. One has a B85M-G BIOS ver: 0904 motherboard and the other has a P9X79 WS BIOS ver: 3401 motherboard.

Both have BIOS versions that are from 2013 and 2014 and while there are some USB port issues on one of the PC's the thing i'm wondering about is if its necessary to update them to protect against the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities? I was reading that is how you stop this vulnerability but I cant seem to find anything that says yes or no for those specific mobo's.

I've never updated a BIOS so i'm very cautious about doing it at all and want to make sure its necessary before making an attempt at updating them.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

Honestly, if it were me I would not update the bios just because of a meltdown/spectre patch. Just keep windows updated and you should be fine.

But if you want to update the bios, it is not that risky (although probably more risky than meltdown/spectre). Just make sure you have the correct bios and update it from the bios and not windows and you will be good to go.

 

[drea.drechsler]

What I recall about Spectre and Meltdown as layman in computing security...

It was kind of theoretical in that it was a potential exploit that nobody ever showed was actually used and someone needed physical access to the computer in order to use it anyway. The fear was mainly for large servers and or corporate networks where a highly priviledged bad-actor could wreak havoc. So to me, an average home owner with a computer that's locked up every night in their computer room was really at nil risk of being compromised.

Maybe I'm wrong, so correct me. But if I'm not then if you want to update BIOS, do it for reasons of hardware stability or increased compatibility, just as you would any other update.

 

[GNTSquid]

I see, I guess with all the hoopla about the two I figured it was a threat to most everyone. These are two work computers so they're sitting in the office all week, but we're also a very small office of 7 people and not a large corporation.

Forgot too add both PC's have been updated to W10 if that makes any difference.

Its said all the time to not update your BIOS unless you're having issues. What would constitute an issue worth updating BIOS over? Is it really that risky to update the BIOS if you dont have any problems? I know it has a risk of bricking the system but I thought that was only a possibility if you tried to update through Windows and not the UEFI.

 

[drea.drechsler]

....
Its said all the time to not update your BIOS unless you're having issues. What would constitute an issue worth updating BIOS over? Is it really that risky to update the BIOS if you dont have any problems? I know it has a risk of bricking the system but I thought that was only a possibility if you tried to update through Windows and not the UEFI.

Like I said: update bios if it fixes any stability or compatibility problems you're experiencing. Reading the release notes of the BIOS, and BIOS releases between yours and the current one, will clue you in to what it 'fixes'. Another is if the release expands support to include later hardware you'd like to install, usually CPU's sometimes memory.

The risk of bricking your board is there however you install it, although it seems to be a little bit greater when done using Windows utilities. But in general, start the update and don't touch the machine until it's done. Don't do it when there are storms in the region as power interruptions are the usual cause of a failure. If you're super cautious, and have one, put it on a battery back-up system during the process.

But in general, be patient. It may seem to take way too long...just wait. Go have a beer and watch GoT re-runs. Just leave it be.

EDIT add: And oh yeah...in a small office use case like yours I'd be more concerned about whether you inject more problems than you solve. Now more than ever that old aphorism still works: don't keep trying to fix what ain't broken.

 

[GNTSquid]

EDIT add: And oh yeah...in a small office use case like yours I'd be more concerned about whether you inject more problems than you solve. Now more than ever that old aphorism still works: don't keep trying to fix what ain't broken.

Me and one other guy are acting as a sort of improvised IT so we've been winging it and both of us have no experience with updating BIOS, but yeah I'd rather be safe than sorry and not bother with it and risk breaking something.