Bios

[kuzzz]

How do you know if your BIOS needs updating? Is updating your BIOS as scary as I've heard? I hear some people update their and say there is nothing to it and then I have heard the opposite. If it improves performance I would think about doing it. What are the dangers if you make a mistake?

Thank you

kuzzz

[Jaytee]

My 2 cents worth is if it aint broke don't fix it.
I only ever did one bios update and it all ended in tears as far as I can remember.

[smurfy]

I have only ever updated a PC BIOS two or three times.
10-15 years ago, it was a nightmare and a very risky process. Many board manufacturers improved their update process (ASUS is a good example).

There is very rarely any need to do this unless you are wanting to add newer hardware to a board that doesn't support it without the update.

If your manufacturer lists a BIOS update available for your motherboard, read up what it changes. If it is just new hardware support, then you don't need it. If there are bugfixes that correct issues that you may have experienced, then it might be worth it.

[kuzzz]

Thank you for the advice. I think I'll leave it be. I don't like nightmares!!!

kuzzz

[Digerati]

How do you know if your BIOS needs updating?

"Needs" the key word there. Except when the motherboard is a brand new model that might still have a bug or two, there rarely is a "need" to update. As noted above, most updates are to add support for new hardware (CPUs, or faster/larger RAM for examples) that came out after the motherboard was manufactured. But if you are not updating your hardware, there is no "need" to update the BIOS.

It only "needs" to be updated if (1) the update provides a fix to a problem you are having. But unless the problem was present from day 1, that's would not be likely. Or it needs to be updated if (2) the update corrects a newly discovered security flaw, but those are very rare.

The best way to see if your BIOS needs updating is to visit your motherboard's website and see if any updates are out there and then read what the update does. If it doesn't address a problem you having, then you don't need to update it.

Note the older your motherboard is, the less likely there will be new updates out there.

That said, it is very rare for a update to cause problems with a modern motherboard. In fact, I have done countless updates in recent years without any problems. But because a failed update can in rare instances, render a motherboard useless, it is best just to leave it.

[kuzzz]

Thank you for the info it is much appreciated

kuzzz