Upgrading CPU. How do I update the BIOS?

[Adam360]

So I need to upgrade my CPU but I'd rather not pay out for another Motherboard and RAM set.

At the moment my CPU is the i5 4430 & the Motherboard is a H81M-PLUS (Socket 1150).
Through PCPartPicker the i7-4790K seems the best option but when I add it to the build it says

"Some Intel H81 chipset motherboards may need a BIOS update prior to using Haswell Refresh CPUs. Upgrading the BIOS may require a different CPU that is supported by older BIOS revisions"

Question. How easy is that to do, tbh I want as less hassle as possible I just want to throw the new CPU in and be done.

The i7-4790k CPU has an LGA 1156 socket so... how would it even be compatible?

If anyone can shed some light on it that would be great! Also some info on the CPU would be good too. Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[TJ Hooker]

4790K is LGA1150, don't know where you got 1156 from.

Go here: https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/H81MPLUS/HelpDesk_Download/
Download the latest BIOS, copy it to a FAT32 USB stick (unzip it if necessary). Boot into BIOS, look for somewhere you can click to update BIOS, then select the BIOS you downloaded. Make sure your PC does not power off while BIOS is updating.

 

[Adam360]

4790K is LGA1150, don't know where you got 1156 from.

Go here: https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/H81MPLUS/HelpDesk_Download/
Download the latest BIOS, copy it to a FAT32 USB stick (unzip it if necessary). Boot into BIOS, look for somewhere you can click to update BIOS, then select the BIOS you downloaded. Make sure your PC does not power off while BIOS is updating.

Yeah, amazon must have the wrong details. Is it okay to update the BIOS now, it'll still work with my current i5 processor right, it just get's me prepared so I can throw it in and job done? Thanks btw.

 

[Eximo]

Yes, you must update it now with your current CPU.

The concern partpicker is putting forth is that it might not work without the BIOS update. So if it were a new build, you wouldn't be able to get a system up and running without someone providing an older CPU to perform the update. You are all set since you already have a working CPU.

 

[no_alone]

I am sorry but you both giving the wrong answers. You need to first update to 2001 using the windows update tool! using the usb drive to update to the latest bios will not work.
read this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3738110/asus-h81m-4790.html

 

[Eximo]

I am sorry but you both giving the wrong answers. You need to first update to 2001 using the windows update tool! using the usb drive to update to the latest bios will not work.
read this:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3738110/asus-h81m-4790.html

Interesting, but that might have just been you. BIOS updates aren't 100%, sometimes the assumptions the programmers make is a little off, and there are different revisions of motherboards (and CPUs with different steppnigs) to be concerned with. Sometimes it just goes wrong and re-flashing again is required.

I once had a scary moment where my main PC literally froze during the BIOS update, I waited 2 hours before mustering the courage to cycle the power. It was not happy, it kept crashing, but I was able to finally finish the flash process over again and it is still working to this day. Coincidentally the first motherboard I had had in a while without a second BIOS chip (and it wasn't socketed for replacement like on older boards)