What gets reset after a BIOS update?

[SM125]

Recently updated my BIOS and its sorted quite a lot of problems I've been having, but one thing I've noticed is my sound is a lot quieter than normal, I've gone into Realtek HD Audio Manager and changed all of the settings and equaliser's back to what I had them set to, but the sound is noticeably quieter.

So, is this just something MSI has changed in this new BIOS, or do I need to reinstall some Audio drivers?

 

[Darkbreeze]

The bios is concerned with hardware support, not windows settings. Nothing related to your windows settings or driver configurations should be any different after a BIOS update. You might however want to check the website for your motherboard model to determine if there is also a newer audio driver version than the one you're currently using, or reinstall your current drivers as you suggested. You might also head over to the Realtek website to see if THEY might have newer drivers available for your sound chipset version that are newer than what's on the MSI website. That wouldn't be uncommon or unusual at all.

 

[Pinhedd]

Recently updated my BIOS and its sorted quite a lot of problems I've been having, but one thing I've noticed is my sound is a lot quieter than normal, I've gone into Realtek HD Audio Manager and changed all of the settings and equaliser's back to what I had them set to, but the sound is noticeably quieter.

So, is this just something MSI has changed in this new BIOS, or do I need to reinstall some Audio drivers?

Hi,

the PC BIOS/UEFI firmware is not at all concerned with audio. Motherboards that have onboard audio codecs may provide a mechanism to enable/disable the onboard sound but that's about it.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

You wouldn't expect there to be a relationship but I have been in the position where after doing a audio driver update, "something was amiss" . I called Asus to help diagnose the problem and their answer was that they would not provide support unless I had updated to the latest BIOS. The latest BIOS was out about 27 hours ... the driver was about 56 days old. It just might be that something in the driver detects particular BIOS settings with regard to audio and makes adjustments accordingly.

I also have been in the position, (same MoBo) where each BIOS update made my long stable overclocks unstable. There's a thread over on OCN for the M6F with many users going back and forth as to the why's but all experienced the same thing.

In short, I don't see how they could be related but I and others have observed things going bonkie after BIOS updates that should have had no effect whatsoever.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yeah, sh#$ happens sometimes. I think there's a big difference though between a bios update affecting an overclock, since those settings ARE controlled from the BIOS, and a sound chip acting goofy after a BIOS update. I've seen stranger things with machines though. But since the BIOS was updated, installing the most recent drivers should clear it up unless it's related to settings. I'd try the drivers first and go from there. If there is another, newer bios version, beta maybe, you might also try that.

 

[Pinhedd]

You wouldn't expect there to be a relationship but I have been in the position where after doing a audio driver update, "something was amiss" . I called Asus to help diagnose the problem and their answer was that they would not provide support unless I had updated to the latest BIOS. The latest BIOS was out about 27 hours ... the driver was about 56 days old. It just might be that something in the driver detects particular BIOS settings with regard to audio and makes adjustments accordingly.

I also have been in the position, (same MoBo) where each BIOS update made my long stable overclocks unstable. There's a thread over on OCN for the M6F with many users going back and forth as to the why's but all experienced the same thing.

In short, I don't see how they could be related but I and others have observed things going bonkie after BIOS updates that should have had no effect whatsoever.

Yeah, sh#$ happens sometimes. I think there's a big difference though between a bios update affecting an overclock, since those settings ARE controlled from the BIOS, and a sound chip acting goofy after a BIOS update. I've seen stranger things with machines though. But since the BIOS was updated, installing the most recent drivers should clear it up unless it's related to settings. I'd try the drivers first and go from there. If there is another, newer bios version, beta maybe, you might also try that.

A common culprit of screwy on-board sound quality being fixed by a firmware update is the user having mucked around with the system clocks prior to the update. Many audio codecs rely on an external clock to drive both the codec and the serial data stream. That external clock may be derived from its own generator or driven by the FSBClk/BClk. Overclocking either of those can muck with the audio codec indirectly unless its configured to use a fixed clock source. Discrete sound cards contain their own clock generators or use a PLL that is driven by the fixed frequency PCI/PCIe reference clocks.

I distinctly remember having an old Asus socket 478 motherboard on which the on-board sound would crap out if the FSB clock was increased.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That's just nutty. See, you DO learn something new every day, if you look for it. I never ever heard of that before but will definitely keep it in mind for the future.

 

[SM125]

Figured it out, after the BIOS update, it was recognising my headphones as a set of speakers. Changed it back and its all back to normal!

Thanks for all of the information and prompt help, its appreciated.

 

[Darkbreeze]

What a waste of our time. It wasn't even serious. Nothing technical or of an involved nature at all in that. Just a sound properties setting. That's the first thing I mentioned was windows settings. You time waaaassssssttttteeeerrrrrrrr! Nah, just kidding. Glad you got it sorted out bro. Good luck.

 

[SM125]

What a waste of our time. It wasn't even serious. Nothing technical or of an involved nature at all in that. Just a sound properties setting. That's the first thing I mentioned was windows settings. You time waaaassssssttttteeeerrrrrrrr! Nah, just kidding. Glad you got it sorted out bro. Good luck.

I know, I'm sorry 🙁 Never updated the bios before so I suppose you've got to start somewhere!

I do appreciate all the in depth info though! Thanks again.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I was just messin' with ya. Glad it was an easy fix.