Every computer owner knows that there are both hardware components of a computing system and software components. The latter are actually instructions on the basis of which the general organization of work takes place.
Many people are accustomed to believing that computer programs can be stored on hard drives, compact disks, USB flash drives, etc. However, the list is not limited to this. In fact, very often microcircuits act as carriers. A vivid example is the
BIOS firmware integrated into each computer
. A special microcircuit is always located on the motherboard, in which the program code is written, initialized immediately after power is supplied to the main components. Without it, loading the operating system is not possible. Moreover, damage to this software solution turns hardware components into a simple set of electronic elements. One of the features of the above chip is that the user can update the BIOS using the board itself.
A fine line
Having decided to update the BIOS, you first need to download the firmware. It can be found on the motherboard manufacturer's website by going to the appropriate section. At the same time, a warning is displayed on the page according to which the BIOS can be updated, but this should not be done without emergency .
Let us dwell on this moment in more detail. The task of BIOS is the initial testing of hardware components; configuring their operating modes; interaction with the operating system (transfer of control to the bootloader). Often in new versions, additional configuration options are implemented, bugs are fixed, which positively affects stability and performance. At the same time, interfering with well-functioning work in search of the best can lead to the opposite result. Therefore, updating the BIOS is necessary if:
- new equipment does not work correctly, for example, the processor voltage is incorrectly determined;
- periodically inexplicable failures occur, despite the fact that the components pass all verification tests;
- I want to get additional features implemented in the new version, for example, "overclocking" of components.
In these cases, the risk is less than the benefits obtained.
Flashing chip
The process of updating the firmware is called firmware. It can be implemented in several ways. In any case, you must prepare the BIOS file . It is impossible to update data without it. You should go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website (ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI), in the “Support” section, find your model (revision is also important, therefore it is recommended that you first examine the stickers on the motherboard textolite) and download the latest BIOS file. You also need to download the program for updating - usually it is in the same section. If the BIOS file is in the archive, then it should be unpacked. After installing the program, the user enters an intuitive menu, where there are always two main features: save the existing version to a file and execute the firmware. Additional items can not be used. It is always necessary to save the previous version: time losses are 10-15 seconds, but in case of incidents recovery is easier to perform. Then perform the firmware and restart the computer.
Simple example
Let's see how to update the Asus BIOS. The firmware program is called Asus Update. After starting it is necessary to select the “Update from file” mode, then in the explorer window specify the prepared BIOS file. The program will check whether it is suitable for this board, and if no errors are found, then the user will have to click "Flash". After the end of the process (about 20 s), a message about the need to reboot will be displayed.
Important points
For motherboards in which the Dual BIOS system (or an analogue) is not implemented, even a short-term loss of mains voltage during the firmware process can be fatal. Conclusion: upgrade through UPS.
In parallel with the firmware, no “heavy” applications should work. Even anti-virus is recommended to disable.
An attempt to “sew” a file from a board of another revision may lead to a complete or partial loss of system performance.