How to Know if You Need to Update Bios
Updating your computer's operating system and software is important. On the other hand, we have previously covered why you lot shouldn't generally update your hardware drivers, although gamers will definitely want to update their graphics drivers. But what most BIOS updates?
BIOS updates will non make your figurer faster, they generally won't add new features you need, and they may even cause additional bug. You should only update your BIOS if the new version contains an comeback you need.
What'south a BIOS?
BIOS stands for bones input/output system. When you power your figurer on, your BIOS takes control, starting the power-on self exam (Postal service) and passing command over to the boot loader. This is what boots your computer's operating arrangement. The BIOS is low-level system software that should "just work" without getting in your way.
Computers are at present coming with UEFI firmware instead of the traditional BIOS, but the same is true for UEFI—it'due south low-level system software with a like role.
Dissimilar your operating system (which is stored on your hard drive), your calculator'due south BIOS is stored on a chip on your motherboard.
Flashing a BIOS
Manufacturers often release updates to their computers' BIOSes. If you built your own computer, a BIOS update would come up from your motherboard vendor. These updates can be "flashed" onto the BIOS chip, replacing the BIOS software the computer came with with a new version of the BIOS.
BIOSes are figurer-specific (or motherboard-specific), so you will demand the BIOS for your verbal model of figurer (or motherboard) to update your computer'southward BIOS.
Why You Probably Shouldn't Update Your BIOS
BIOS updates aren't big software upgrades that add new features, security patches, or performance improvements. BIOS updates typically have very short change logs—they may set up a bug with an obscure piece of hardware or add together back up for a new model of CPU.
If your computer is working properly, you probably shouldn't update your BIOS. You lot likely won't see the difference between the new BIOS version and the old 1. In some cases, you may even feel new bugs with a new version of the BIOS, as the BIOS that came with your reckoner may have gone through more testing.
Flashing a BIOS isn't every bit piece of cake as installing a normal software update. Yous will frequently want to flash your computer from DOS (yeah, DOS—yous may have to create a bootable USB drive with DOS on it and restart into that environment), as problems could occur when flashing from Windows. Each manufacturer has its own instructions for flashing a BIOS.
You volition need the version of the BIOS for your exact hardware. If you lot go a BIOS for another piece of hardware—even a slightly dissimilar revision of the same motherboard—this could cause problems. BIOS flashing tools ordinarily try to detect whether the BIOS fits your hardware, but if the tool attempts to wink the BIOS anyhow, your computer could become unbootable.
If your computer loses power while flashing the BIOS, your computer could get "bricked" and unable to boot. Computers should ideally have a backup BIOS stored in read-only retention, but not all computers do.
When You Should Update Your BIOS
Given that you probably will not run into whatever improvements from updating your BIOS, that new bugs could popular up, and the potential for errors while flashing, you shouldn't update your BIOS unless you have a reason to. Hither are a few cases where updating makes sense:
- Bugs: If you are experiencing bugs that are fixed in a newer version of the BIOS for your computer (check the BIOS changelog on the manufacturer's website), you lot may be able to set up them by updating your BIOS. A manufacturer may fifty-fifty propose you to update your BIOS if you contact tech support and take a trouble that has been fixed with an update.
- Hardware Support: Some motherboard manufacturers add support for new CPUs, and potentially other hardware, in BIOS updates. If you want to upgrade your estimator's CPU to a new CPU—perhaps i that wasn't yet released when you purchased your motherboard—yous may need to update the BIOS.
Exist certain to check the changelog for the BIOS updates and meet if they actually have an update yous require.
If y'all are not experiencing whatever bugs that have been fixed and don't need hardware support, don't bother updating. You won't get anything out of it except possible new problems.
Every bit the saying goes, don't set up what ain't broke.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/136881/htg-explains-do-you-need-to-update-your-computers-bios/
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