How to Update Your BIOS Updating your BIOS can cut boot
times, fix compatibility issues, and
improve overall performance--or
brick your system if you do it
wrong. Posted on Thursday Jan 21, 2010 6:00
PM by Patrick Miller Your computer's BIOS (Basic Input/
Output System) is the first software
your PC loads. It sets the stage for
your operating system, so to speak, by
finding all your PC's various hardware
components and letting the operating system know it can use them. As
with any software, your computer
or motherboard manufacturer
periodically updates the BIOS to fix
bugs, add compatibility with new
devices, improve caching functions,
and make several other hardware tweaks that can speed up your boot
time and fix annoying issues. These
updates are available at the
manufacturer's site. But if you make a
mistake in the update process, you
risk rendering your PC unbootable. Here's how to make sure your BIOS
update goes without a hitch. Step 1: Identify your current BIOS
version. Check your BIOS version, without restarting your
PC, by using msinfo32.exe (as
described in the text).The easiest way to find your BIOS version is to open up
the System Information app in
Windows--just type msinfo32 into the search bar (for Windows 7/Vista) or
the Run box (XP), and click System
Summary; your BIOS version should
now show up on the right under your
processor speed. Record your version
number (and the date that appears afterwards, if applicable). Step 2:
Check your PC/motherboard
manufacturer's Website for BIOS
updates. Most PC manufacturers handle BIOS
updates based on your specific line
and model, so head over to your
manufacturer's support page and
check its listings for your PC, because if
you download and install a BIOS intended for a different model, your PC
probably won't work (although most
BIOS updaters are smart enough to
notice if you try to install them on the
wrong hardware). If there is a BIOS
update file available, grab it--along with any documentation it comes with,
because often warnings and specific
instructions are contained in the Read
Me docs. Those of you who assembled your PC
yourself will need to look for BIOS
updates from your motherboard
manufacturer's Website. If you don't
remember your motherboard's model
number, you can look it up without opening up the case by downloading
and running CPU-Z and clicking on the Mainboard tab. Step 3: Read the included
documentation. Your PC's BIOS handles a lot of the nuts and bolts.The
BIOS updater's Read Me file will most
likely include a list of fixes and new
functions, often to support new
hardware. Updating the BIOS for my
Lenovo Thinkpad T500, for example,
added support for a new AC adapter and a 1600-by-900-pixel screen
resolution on an external monitor; the
update also fixed fan speed and
Webcam issues that could not have
been handled by updating Windows
or my specific device driver software. More important, however, were these
notes in the Read Me file: If I was
running Vista on my T500, I'd need to
make sure that I had a certain patch
installed; and if my T500 had a certain
graphics card, I would need to update its drivers above a certain version
before updating my BIOS. Read and
reread your docs, or you might make
your PC unable to boot without even
knowing why. Step 4: Update your BIOS. Most newer PCs have a fairly easy BIOS
update procedure: Just download
the .exe file from your PC
manufacturer's Website, quit all open
programs, run the .exe, and let it
handle the patch; then reboot. If your PC suddenly shuts down in the middle
of the BIOS update, you won't be able
to boot up, so make sure you're not
running off a laptop battery. Ideally,
you're plugged into an uninterruptible
power supply (UPS), especially if you're in an area prone to
blackouts. Older PCs, however, might require you
to set up your own bootable disk to
update the BIOS yourself. You might
still be able to download an app that
configures a USB thumb drive, blank
CD/DVD, or even a floppy disk so that you can boot off of it to update the
BIOS, or an ISO image file that can be
used in your disc-burning app of
choice (if you don't have such an app,
try ISO Recorder for Windows XP or the version for Windows 7/Vista )
to create a BIOS update CD. Other systems will have you copy a
few files to your bootable disk, restart,
and open up the BIOS during startup
(typically by pressing a specified key
for setup options), and change the
boot order so your system looks for a bootable USB drive or CD before
loading the OS from your hard drive.
times, fix compatibility issues, and
improve overall performance--or
brick your system if you do it
wrong. Posted on Thursday Jan 21, 2010 6:00
PM by Patrick Miller Your computer's BIOS (Basic Input/
Output System) is the first software
your PC loads. It sets the stage for
your operating system, so to speak, by
finding all your PC's various hardware
components and letting the operating system know it can use them. As
with any software, your computer
or motherboard manufacturer
periodically updates the BIOS to fix
bugs, add compatibility with new
devices, improve caching functions,
and make several other hardware tweaks that can speed up your boot
time and fix annoying issues. These
updates are available at the
manufacturer's site. But if you make a
mistake in the update process, you
risk rendering your PC unbootable. Here's how to make sure your BIOS
update goes without a hitch. Step 1: Identify your current BIOS
version. Check your BIOS version, without restarting your
PC, by using msinfo32.exe (as
described in the text).The easiest way to find your BIOS version is to open up
the System Information app in
Windows--just type msinfo32 into the search bar (for Windows 7/Vista) or
the Run box (XP), and click System
Summary; your BIOS version should
now show up on the right under your
processor speed. Record your version
number (and the date that appears afterwards, if applicable). Step 2:
Check your PC/motherboard
manufacturer's Website for BIOS
updates. Most PC manufacturers handle BIOS
updates based on your specific line
and model, so head over to your
manufacturer's support page and
check its listings for your PC, because if
you download and install a BIOS intended for a different model, your PC
probably won't work (although most
BIOS updaters are smart enough to
notice if you try to install them on the
wrong hardware). If there is a BIOS
update file available, grab it--along with any documentation it comes with,
because often warnings and specific
instructions are contained in the Read
Me docs. Those of you who assembled your PC
yourself will need to look for BIOS
updates from your motherboard
manufacturer's Website. If you don't
remember your motherboard's model
number, you can look it up without opening up the case by downloading
and running CPU-Z and clicking on the Mainboard tab. Step 3: Read the included
documentation. Your PC's BIOS handles a lot of the nuts and bolts.The
BIOS updater's Read Me file will most
likely include a list of fixes and new
functions, often to support new
hardware. Updating the BIOS for my
Lenovo Thinkpad T500, for example,
added support for a new AC adapter and a 1600-by-900-pixel screen
resolution on an external monitor; the
update also fixed fan speed and
Webcam issues that could not have
been handled by updating Windows
or my specific device driver software. More important, however, were these
notes in the Read Me file: If I was
running Vista on my T500, I'd need to
make sure that I had a certain patch
installed; and if my T500 had a certain
graphics card, I would need to update its drivers above a certain version
before updating my BIOS. Read and
reread your docs, or you might make
your PC unable to boot without even
knowing why. Step 4: Update your BIOS. Most newer PCs have a fairly easy BIOS
update procedure: Just download
the .exe file from your PC
manufacturer's Website, quit all open
programs, run the .exe, and let it
handle the patch; then reboot. If your PC suddenly shuts down in the middle
of the BIOS update, you won't be able
to boot up, so make sure you're not
running off a laptop battery. Ideally,
you're plugged into an uninterruptible
power supply (UPS), especially if you're in an area prone to
blackouts. Older PCs, however, might require you
to set up your own bootable disk to
update the BIOS yourself. You might
still be able to download an app that
configures a USB thumb drive, blank
CD/DVD, or even a floppy disk so that you can boot off of it to update the
BIOS, or an ISO image file that can be
used in your disc-burning app of
choice (if you don't have such an app,
try ISO Recorder for Windows XP or the version for Windows 7/Vista )
to create a BIOS update CD. Other systems will have you copy a
few files to your bootable disk, restart,
and open up the BIOS during startup
(typically by pressing a specified key
for setup options), and change the
boot order so your system looks for a bootable USB drive or CD before
loading the OS from your hard drive.
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