For some reason, many users believe thatThe primary BIOS I / O system, as a program, needs to be upgraded. This is not entirely true. The fact whether you need to update the BIOS, and then will be discussed. But right away it should be noted that if the computer works without failures, it is strongly not recommended to do such things, because it is connected with quite serious risks.
Do I need to update the BIOS: possible situations
First of all, each user must clearly understand that the firmware of the primary system is integrated into a special chip on the motherboard, and not located on the hard disk.
In addition, the upgrade of this system does not giveperformance enhancement device. In some cases, manufacturers indicate that new firmware may simply improve the stability of the system. But this is mainly due to the support of new devices. So, why update the BIOS if you do not intend to install new hardware on your computer?
Another thing is when a user wants to update.computer hardware, for example, to install a new processor or strips of RAM of the latest standard. In this case, of course, an upgrade may be required. But the process of updating the firmware itself, even if a special original program is used to update the BIOS from the developer, is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. The slightest discrepancy, system failure, power surge - all this can provoke an interruption of the upgrade, which will lead to a complete failure of the entire computer configuration. This will be discussed separately.
BIOS versions
As for the types of primary I / O systems - at least three distinguish them today:
- AWARD BIOS, developed by Award Software, but later purchased by Phoenix;
- AMI BIOS from American Megatrends Inc .;
- BIOS UEFI - the newest system with a graphical interface.
The first two types are similar to each other quite strongly both in the settings and in the appearance of the interface.
The third type appeared relatively recently and is presented in the form of a graphical interface with the ability to control the mouse. Some even compare UEFI with a mini-OS (partly the way it is).
Possible risks when updating
In a question, whether it is necessary to update a BIOS, it is necessary to consider possible problems:
- First, install onlyupdates designed for a specific version of the system and from a specific motherboard manufacturer. Installing another firmware will lead to a complete loss of performance. And to make recovery by the type of Windows rollback will not work.
- In addition, for the first two types of updates should be made only when booting from removable media and only from DOS mode.
But for the UEFI version of the program to updateThe BIOS can run directly in the operating system environment. As a rule, the upgrade is performed automatically after the restart of the computer device.
What you need to know when using the program to upgrade the BIOS
If we talk about the mandatory conditions for the upgrade, you first need to find out the version of the primary system.
You can determine it by the designation of the chip onthe motherboard, use the system information called by the msinfo32 command in the Run console, or use specific utilities like AIDA64 Express.
Next you need to download the new firmware version from the site.developer and create bootable media. After entering the BIOS settings, use the Tools menu, in which the utility is selected for the upgrade, after which the required media is installed directly in the update section and the update file is used.
If you use a USB-drive, connect it to boot on stationary PCs, it is desirable to the port that is located directly on the motherboard (on the system unit - behind, not in front).
Special attention should be paid topower supply In the process of updating, it is necessary to exclude any probability of a voltage drop or computer shutdown. To do this, install an uninterruptible power supply unit with a stabilizer.
And, of course, you need to download the firmwareexclusively from the official resources of the developers and manufacturers of motherboards, in strict accordance with the version numbers. In some cases, when downloading, it may be necessary to disable the antivirus, and when starting from a USB-carrier - to disable additional ports.
Conclusion
Thus, in the matter of whether to updateBIOS, the answer suggests itself: if the computer is not supposed to install new hardware, which is not supported by the old firmware, it is better not to do it. Anyway, no performance effect will be achieved. But if the decision on the upgrade is still made, you need to be extremely careful and comply with all the necessary conditions, otherwise the dire consequences can not be avoided.
