How to update bios from. What program is needed for the BIOS update procedure? Where can I get the update?

The development of computer technology is manifested not only in the growth of power. The change from the basic I/O system to UEFI went unnoticed by most users. Now, to update the BIOS, you don’t need to “dance with a tambourine” and boot into DOS. The user can perform all actions in the familiar Windows graphical environment. Motherboard manufacturers build update mechanisms directly into the UEFI shell or place the necessary utilities on the driver disk.

When deciding to update the BIOS on a computer, the user must first find out its current version. This will be enough for owners of laptops and all-in-one PCs. Users of prefabricated PCs additionally need to know the model of the motherboard. You can find out this data directly in Windows. Call up the “Run” dialog box and enter the command indicated in the screenshot.

As a result of its execution, the system information window will open. Here we will find the current BIOS version and its usage mode.

Similar information can be obtained using the command line.

Users who rely more on third-party utilities and do not trust the built-in OS tools can use the CPU-Z program. If you download it as an archive, you won't even need to install it. Simply launch the EXE file of the required bit depth and go to the Mainboard tab.

As you can see, the data obtained with its help coincides with the system data.

Updating ASUS UEFI BIOS from Windows

We will consider further operations in relation to motherboards manufactured by ASUSTeK Computer. Updating the ASUS BIOS from Windows 10 can be done using several of the manufacturer's utilities.

BIOS Flash Utility

The program comes bundled with motherboards and is designed directly to work in the graphical OS environment. Windows BIOS Flash Utility allows you to save the current version to a file and update it via the Internet or from a ready-made firmware file.

When you select a network update from the manufacturer’s website, the program will offer several “mirrors” for downloading.

Checking available versions is performed completely automatically. Having detected firmware that is more recent than the one in use, the program will prompt you to select the appropriate option.

After downloading the marked software, it is tested for integrity. Successful completion of the check is accompanied by an information message.

Flashing ASUS BIOS from Windows is performed in three stages. The old version is erased, the new one is installed and tested.

The entire process is displayed graphically and takes a few minutes. The new firmware is being tested again. This time, the correctness of the recording and correct operation of the equipment are checked.

In the notification field, the program reports successful completion and prompts you to restart the computer.

ASUS Manager

This utility has a broader purpose. With its help, you can not only update the BIOS via Windows, but also check for the latest versions of drivers and ASUS application software.

The program can work in manual and automatic modes.

If the firmware file has already been downloaded from the ASUS website, you can install it yourself. Switch to the “From File” tab and specify the path to it.

The update process is uninformative and is not accompanied by graphics. The program does its job and, having completed a full cycle of operations, offers a reboot.

Both utilities discussed above also allow you to update the ASUS BIOS from Windows 7. User actions in the graphical shell of both OSes are completely identical.

Updating ASUS UEFI BIOS via the built-in menu

Now that you know that there are utilities for updating the BIOS directly from Windows, let's consider another option for changing the firmware. It does not require booting into DOS, but all operations are performed from the UEFI menu.

Media preparation

We use a flash drive to update. The size of the firmware usually does not exceed ten megabytes, so the size of the drive does not matter. By inserting it into the USB port, call up the context menu of the explorer and find the indicated item in it.

The media we have chosen must be formatted in FAT32 and the volume label removed from it.

We copy the firmware and can exit the operating system.

It is worth noting that the extensions of the files used may be different. In the screenshot, the number “1” indicates the firmware for the motherboard, and the number “2” for the ASUS ZenBook ultrabook. Comprehensive UEFI updates for laptops receive a firmware version number as an extension.

Login to BIOS

Entering the BIOS setup menu on computers with Windows 7 is done in the usual way. At the moment of reboot, the function key is held down or quickly pressed. ASUS, like many manufacturers, uses DEL or F2 for this purpose. Windows 10 uses Fast Boot technology and makes it impossible to use function keys.

Go to the OS settings and select the marked item.

In the quick navigation area we find the “Recovery” item, and in it the “Special options” block. Click on the marked virtual button to reboot the OS.

Once the computer starts, it will show us a menu for selecting additional actions. Select the marked item in it.

Open additional options.

Here we have access to a boxed item that allows us to directly launch UEFI.

Thus, we have entered the initial settings menu and are ready to update the BIOS from a flash drive.

Using ASUS EZ Flash

The latest models of ASUS motherboards use the EZ Flash 3 Utility program to update the BIOS. On older models, its second version is used. The difference between them is the possibility of network updating.

To start updating, go to the Tool ASUS UEFI BIOS menu.

We connect the prepared flash drive with the firmware to the PC and select the option of using external media.

The screenshot shows the identified media and the file with the CAP extension placed on it. Everything is ready to update the motherboard BIOS.

The process is started by pressing the Enter button on the keyboard. After a notification appears about the completion of the installation and verification operation, reboot the PC. In most cases, the system resets previously configured settings. Before using Windows OS, check and reinstall the required hardware configuration settings.

The second icon in the selection menu is responsible for network updating.

Having selected the appropriate connection option, we launch the Network Connection Wizard.

We answer his questions and configure the Internet directly in the BIOS.

BIOS recovery

A prerequisite that must be met when flashing UEFI firmware is a stable power supply. A failure during the update will prevent the operation from completing. In this case, the software on the system disk with drivers includes the ASUS CrashFree utility. Turn off the PC and, having installed the flash drive with the BIOS, boot from the proprietary DVD media. EZ Flash will start on its own and restore the base software version to the first one detected.

Finally

Despite the regular release of firmware and the extremely simplified procedure for its implementation, equipment manufacturers do not recommend updating unless necessary. Visit the ASUS website and first study the list of changes made. If the PC works stably and new functions will not be used, you should not interfere with the system.

Many users do not know the answers to the question. They don't know how to update the BIOS. Don't think that updating this program is super difficult. Believe me, everyone can figure it out.

The abbreviation of this system when translated into Russian sounds like a basic input-output system.

Why do you need a BIOS?

When the computer starts, the BIOS checks the standard hardware and its viability. If any of this equipment burns out, a special sound signal will sound.
The program runs a boot program that directly loads the Operating System.
Provides interaction between the OS and various peripheral equipment.
Gives the user the ability to configure PC hardware components.

Do I need to update the BIOS and why?

Updating this program is a deeper process than conventional computer programs. This implies a short algorithm of changes. Basically, this is correcting the malfunction of some rare components of the system or adding support for the latest processor models.

If the computer works without problems, it is better not to deal with this program. And it's not worth updating. You will not see any differences between the previous and new versions, and on the contrary, the update can generate unexpected problems for your PC. Most often they occur when the previous version was tested more thoughtfully than the new one.

The update should only be launched for your motherboard model. If you try to update the BIOS designed for a different model, it may bring you a number of unpleasant difficulties and problems.

But there are times when updates are necessary, and sometimes urgently:

The motherboard requires the installation of a new processor, which the updated version can provide. In this case, it is necessary to update the program.
You need to connect a hard drive of a size that is not supported by the old version of the program.
It is necessary to activate additional functions of the chipset (a set of chips that are designed to work together to provide a set of various functions) that are not included in the original version.
It is necessary to replace the outdated OS on the computer.
In case you plan to overclock your computer.
The system functions slowly or incorrectly due to errors in the BIOS code.
The version you have installed is broken, which is why the system does not function partially or completely.

What does a BIOS update do?

Updating the motherboard BIOS, as you already understood, is done mainly to ensure that new processors and new memory, which are released very often, are supported by the motherboard installed on your computer. Because of this, updating the program is sometimes simply necessary.

Is it worth updating the program unnecessarily? Is it possible to update it constantly without thinking about the consequences? Programming professionals advise against doing this.

How to view the current current version of your system program?

The fastest way to find out the current version is to use command line on your computer.

Enter: Wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion. A window will open in which you will see the current version.

After you have found out the information you need, you should go to the website of the manufacturer of the motherboard that is on your computer.
There are five most popular manufacturers:

How to update BIOS on a laptop?

Special programs for updating BIOS

Top 3 programs:

Asus – Asus Update,
MSI - Live Update,
@BIOS.

General instructions for the programs:

Let's look at the option of how to update the BIOS from a flash drive:

How to make a bootable floppy disk for updating the BIOS?

The update method from a floppy disk is considered one of the most reliable in terms of security.

After all these manipulations, you need to restart the computer and boot from the floppy disk. Make sure that the disk drive is set as the first boot device in the BIOS. During the reboot, open the BIOS setup menu by pressing the special open keys. We select - Advanced BIOS Features, Boot Sequence, which are sometimes called Advanced, Advanced BIOS Features.

How to update BIOS without battery?

For update purposes, you often need to charge your computer to at least 10%. If this condition is not met, then the message “Power Check Error” will pop up in front of you, preventing you from updating the program.
In order to update it, you need to find out one key. What do you need to do for this?

Windows won't boot after BIOS update

It happens that after an update, Windows stops loading. In this case, you need to start the computer's BIOS. Find the parameters of SATA devices and try to change the operating mode. If the settings are set to IDE, you need to activate AHCI (or vice versa). After this, save the new settings and restart the computer.

And remember that you don’t need to log into this system unnecessarily, as this can harm your computer! If you still don’t understand or can’t figure out some subtleties, contact a specialist!

Have a great day!

If problems arise with the motherboard, when purchasing new hardware for the system unit, errors may appear in the BIOS. In some circumstances, it is enough to update the BIOS. But it must be done with caution and only in cases where it is really necessary.

Reasons for flashing

With the help of BIOS, the joint operation of all equipment located on the motherboard is ensured. And since processors and RAM are changing quite rapidly, there is a need to improve the compatibility of these devices with the motherboard. With the right approach, it is, of course, possible to harm a computer or other devices with an installed OS, but it tends to zero. The process is usually short and takes from a few seconds to a minute.

Determining the current version

Before updating the BIOS, you need to check which version is installed on your computer. The newest ones may solve problems with some processors and motherboards, and you may have the latest version.

The check can be carried out using OS tools. For example, in Windows it is done through the command line by entering:

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion.

In addition, you can use third-party software, for example, msinfo32 or AIDA64.

In other operating systems that are becoming increasingly widespread as desktop operating systems and are most widespread among server ones - GNU/Linux - this check is carried out through the terminal (console):

dmidecode -s bios-version.

This command is executed with administrative rights.

Downloading the update

Updating BIOS varies slightly among different motherboard manufacturers. They share common methods, but the tools, files, and instructions are different.

First of all, you need to find out the name and model of the motherboard. This can be done by opening the system unit, finding sales receipts for the purchase of computer components, or using special programs that will display available information about the equipment.

You need to download the firmware provided by the manufacturer. You should not search through a search engine, since you can find one that can lead to infection of computers with malware.

Updates usually come in zip format. Once downloaded, they need to be written to a boot disk or flash drive.

Update using USB via BIOS

Motherboards, as a rule, have special modes through which BIOS updates can be installed. You can launch it directly from this program or using hot keys after the computer is started.

Updating the BIOS via BIOS is carried out by installing the first boot device of the one on which the new version of the downloaded firmware was unpacked. After downloading from this media, you may need to indicate where the installation file is located.

Update for Gigabyte motherboards using Q-Flash

It is possible to use the previous option here. In addition, updating the BIOS of Gigabyte boards can be done using the Q-Flash mode:

To activate it, when starting to boot the system unit, you need to press the End button.
Files with updated firmware should already be on the appropriate media.
After selecting this mode, the file browser starts, in it we select the “Update BIOS from the drive” item.
Then we indicate the device on which the firmware is saved.
After confirmation, by pressing the Enter key, a fairly long period of updating the microsystem code starts.

The recording process cannot be interrupted, as this will contribute to the failure of the computer, and then it will be possible to “revive” it only using special equipment.

Update for Gigabyte motherboards from various OS

In addition, the update for this card can be performed from under Windows OS using the @BIOS flasher program. It is downloaded from the manufacturer’s website, where you need to select the download option that matches the computer configuration.

After this, we launch the program to update the BIOS, having first killed processes that take up a lot of memory and heavily load the processor and closed running programs.
What's next? In the running application, select “Update BIOS from file”, indicate where the unpacked firmware is located and begin the recording process.
After a short period of time, the update will complete.

Similar actions can be carried out using GNU/Linux OS distributions. There, using the methods intended for installing programs in this particular distribution, you need to install the flashrom package.

#flashrom -r (file_name_in_which_the_firmware_is_saved).bin;

where (file_name_in_which_the_firmware_is_saved) is the name given directly to the firmware.

Then we issue a command to install the new firmware in the BIOS, using the same command, only instead of the ‑r key we enter the -w key and, accordingly, the name of the file of the new version. The program can check the installed version (we additionally specify the -v switch), as well as make the output informative (the -V switch). There are other keys that can be found using the help.

If several chips are used on the motherboard, then the selection is made with the -c key.

This system allows not only flashing the BIOS, but also saving or recording by loading the nvram module. Then from root, using the dd program, reads from this device to a file:

dd if=/dev/nvram of=(file_name).bin.

The settings can be written back by swapping if and of.

Flashing the BIOS of an MSI motherboard

In this case, you can carry out flashing in any available way. The company itself produces the Live Update program, which is capable of updating BIOS for MSI boards in computers. It is not advisable to use it in other gadgets, since such use can lead to unexpected errors that will then be difficult to fix.

The program is launched with administrative rights. It is better not to use the automated version of the firmware, since there are reviews that it does not always work correctly; it is better to download the archive and unpack it.

In the “System Information” tab, click on the “Scan” button. The application will search for the required firmware, after which we click on “Install on Windows”.

The update can also be performed when the computer is booted by selecting the M-Flash option. When using it, you enter the BIOS and look for this name there. In the “M-Flash Function as” option we set: “BIOS update”.

You can also install it like Gigabyte, using a device with written firmware as the first boot.

In the GNU/Linux system, the same actions are performed as described above.

Flashing the BIOS of an HP motherboard on a laptop running Windows

Using this manufacturer as an example, let's look at how to flash a laptop.

On his website we download the WinFlash application. Updating the BIOS in HP laptops with corresponding motherboards is carried out when using this program by clicking on the “Start” button. The program will do the rest itself. You can also use the Phoenix Tool program.

If suddenly something went wrong:

Take a flash drive and format it to fat.
Copy a file with firmware with the extension .fd onto it and rename it to a file with
Disconnect both the power and the battery, then press the “Super” (Win) + B key and hold until the power turns on.

The computer will beep, but will restore the previous BIOS version.

Flashing the BIOS of an HP motherboard on a laptop running GNU/Linux OS

In GNU/Linux OS, the firmware can be downloaded from the official HP website. True, it will be in EXE format, but it can be unpacked either using wine or using the 7z program. From the entire list you will need only 3 files: one with the extension .bin, another - .efi and the third - .sl12.

In the boot partition /boot/efi/EFI we create the HP/BIOS folders.
In it we create a New directory, in which we place the bin file, and in the HP/BIOSUpdate directory we place the two remaining files.
We reboot the laptop, press Esc (F10) (see what is written below) and select File → Update System BIOS.

The firmware is updated while the power is on. The process continues for several minutes. The FS on the flash drive must be FAT32 ESP. If you have an Internet connection, the update can be done directly through it using the same menu.

Updating the BIOS of the AsRock motherboard

This board has an Instant Flash program integrated into the BIOS. With its help, the chip code is rewritten.

Updating the BIOS of an Asrock board does not occur in the OS, but through the BIOS shell itself, so user intervention here is minimal.

The update can also be performed from Windows. To do this, find the downloaded firmware, unpack it and run it with administrative rights. The update will be performed automatically from the command line.

Actions after flashing

You need to study the instructions for your motherboard. If no additional actions are provided there, then they do not need to be performed, except for restarting the computer. After which its operation can be tested.

If any failures are noted, it is better to roll back to the old version of the BIOS, which is best saved first. How this is done in the GNU/Linux family of operating systems was described above; in Windows, this function is built into the corresponding programs with which flashing is carried out.

Thus, after updating the BIOS, the main action is to reboot.

Finally

As you can see, there are a sufficient number of programs for updating the BIOS. First of all, the user must decide whether he needs to flash a computer or laptop or whether he is quite satisfied with the way these devices currently work. After all, as a result of an incorrectly carried out update, you can end up with non-functional equipment.

If the user still decides to take this step, then he needs to download the firmware from the official websites of motherboard manufacturers, having first found out the name of the specific model. Then you need to follow the instructions provided or search on the manufacturer’s website, since, although not so often, both the software and BIOS menu items can change.

The most dangerous thing that can happen during an update is a power outage, so it is better if you have an uninterruptible power supply.

BIOS... the average user rarely encounters this word. If a computer or laptop works normally, then its owner does not even know what it is.

BIOS (or UEFI) is the input/output system on your computer. BIOS is those same 1-2 seconds when, just after turning on the computer, you look at the splash screen of HP, MSI or another manufacturer of your system.

Some attentive readers will notice that they do not have a BIOS (Basic Input-Output System), but rather a UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). Both solutions are low-level programs that run before your computer boots. UEFI is a more modern solution that replaced BIOS. By the way, Intel promised to completely replace the BIOS with UEFI by 2020. And this is true, since the history of BIOS stretches back to the 1980s!

In 2007, Intel, AMD, Microsoft and other PC manufacturers agreed and adopted the UEFI standard. It brings support for large hard drives, new security standards, a beautiful interface and dozens of other changes.

It's 2018, but many computers have a BIOS on board, albeit a very advanced one. We will update it.

The need to update your computer's BIOS is most often caused by compatibility problems with RAM, video cards, and SSD drives. If you are going to buy a RAM module or the latest video card, you should think about updating the BIOS. True, if your computer already works like a clock, it’s better not to touch the BIOS.

Here is one typical description of the BIOS changelog:

But be careful when updating the BIOS. In case something goes wrong, or the electrician Vasya turns off the electricity in your house during the update, your computer will turn into a “brick”. That is, it will not even turn on after this, and you will have to take it to a service center.

You perform all the actions described below at your own peril and risk!

Let's find out the versionBIOS

The update version is contained in the BIOS menu, but there is no need to restart the computer to find it. There are several ways to find out the BIOS version without restarting the computer.

Just go to Start – Run (Win + R) and type “msinfo32 » , then press Enter (for Windows 7-10). The System Information program opens. The line “BIOS Version” contains the treasured value;

The second method is almost as simple. Again go to “Start” – “Run” (Win + R) and type “cmd » . Then in the console that opens we write “wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion » and press Enter. After running this command, you will be able to see the BIOS version in the console;

Download a third-party program and look there. AIDA64 is perfect for this. download AIDA64 Extreme and launch it. After that, go to the “Motherboard” - “BIOS” section.

And there the BIOS version and its date are already displayed.

Update

When updating the BIOS, you need to be as prepared as possible. This is not the usual procedure like “Let me update the drivers for the video card...”. Here the responsibility is higher, so if you do something wrong, the computer simply won’t boot.

Different manufacturers offer different methods for updating the BIOS. Some use built-in utilities, others allow you to update the BIOS from USB flash. However, you will follow the same steps before you start updating.

The first thing you need to do is go to the website of the manufacturer of your motherboard (computer).

Section – Support.

The following are direct links to the websites of the largest motherboard manufacturers: Gigabyte, MSI, ASUS, ASRock.

For example, we need to download the latest BIOS update for MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING motherboard.

Go to the MSI website:

We enter the name “Z370” in the search bar and see our board in the search results.

After we have found our motherboard, click on “Downloads”. Then select the “BIOS” section.

It is best to use the latest BIOS version.

The downloaded file is usually an archive with update instructions and the update file itself.

When the computer boots, press Del to enter the BIOS. There we select the “M-flash” option and specify the files from the USB flash to update the BIOS. Don't forget to write down the name of your previous BIOS version. Just in case.

Sometimes your motherboard manufacturer has a utility to check for the latest drivers and BIOS. For example, MSI calls it Live Update.

The utility can automatically find BIOS updates on its own. To do this, you need to launch it and go to the BIOS Update section.

Then click Scan:

We see if updates are available:

In some cases, to flash a new BIOS version, you will need to create a bootable USB flash drive for DOS and run .exe from there to update.

It's better to choose DOS mode. It's more stable. Moreover, we do not recommend updating through Windows utilities. There have been cases when even proprietary update programs “killed” the BIOS. Although the correct BIOS versions were used. When updating via Windows, the BIOS flasher may be interrupted by antivirus and other programs.

When you select DOS mode, you will most likely be asked to boot from a flash drive (use a capacity of no more than 4 GB). In the DOS window you will need to enter a command like: firmware program.exe bios2356.bin (example).

Therefore, carefully study the instructions on the manufacturer’s website to find out the best and safest way to update the BIOS. After flashing the firmware under DOS, the computer will reboot, and all you have to do is configure the BIOS correctly. After this, you can work with the latest version and safely boot into Windows.

Good luck everyone (and you will definitely need it)!

Hello friends! In today's article we are with you update the BIOS of the ASUS motherboard. This is a serious matter and needs to be treated as such. The process of updating the BIOS of any motherboard, although very simple, any mistake in it will cost you dearly - you will have to bring the motherboard back to life in a service center, since you probably do not have a special programmer. At the beginning of the article, I will briefly remind you what BIOS is.

How to update BIOS on an ASUS motherboard

BIOS is the most important element of a computer - a microprogram written on a chip, which in turn is located on the motherboard.

BIOS - provides basic OS access to the computer's hardware capabilities. In simple words, BIOS explains to the operating system how to use this or that computer component.

Immediately after turning on the system unit, BIOSchecks all devices (POST procedure) and if any component is faulty, thena signal is heard through a special speaker, which can be used to identify the faulty device. Eif everything is fine, The BIOS will begin searching for the OS boot loader code on the connected drives and finding it passes the baton to the operating system.

Now about the not so good. The BIOS update process itself lasts a couple of minutes, but if at this time, the electricity in your house will be turned off, and your computer is not connected to an uninterruptible power supply(UPS), then the operation of the firmware will be disrupted and you simply will not turn on the computer. To restore, you will have to look for a special programmer (BIOS recovery is a topic for a separate article).

I must say that manufacturers foresaw the seriousness of the issue at the dawn of motherboard production completely excluded the possibility of updating or flashing the BIOS, Only very recently the BIOS began to be equipped with a special program for its update. But still,Updating the BIOS of any motherboard usually occurs once in its life, and sometimes not at all.

The most important rule if you work on a computer or laptopquite satisfied, then you don’t need to update anything, butif you still decideupdate the BIOS, then there must be good reasons for this. Here are some of them.

There are no new features in your BIOS. For example, there is no technology AHCI, but there is only an outdated IDE, but you bought a new interface hard drive SATA III (6 Gb/s) or generally SSD. Technology AHCI will allow your drive to use modern capabilities and the operating system on the new hard drive will run faster than in IDE. Having visited the website of your motherboard manufacturer, you saw that a new BIOS update had been released, and you also learned that after the update, your motherboard will supportAHCI! In this case, you can update the BIOS without hesitation.

One of my friends lost sound on his computer, reinstalling Windows and drivers did not help, he decided that the built-in sound card had burned out and bought a discrete one, so the system worked for 7 years, then the processor had to be replaced on this computer, this required updating the BIOS, after the update the built-in The sound card worked.

Another case. The client's computer constantly rebooted and reinstalling the operating system did not help, they replaced everything that was possible in the system unit, they did not change only the motherboard and processor. We finally decided to install new firmware on the BIOS and it helped!

In the “System Information” window that opens, we see the BIOS version - 2003

Now we go to the official website of the manufacturer of our motherboard ASUSP8Z77-V PRO and choose "Drivers and utilities"

Select any operating system and expand the “BIOS” item. We see that there is update 2104 (a newer version than ours).

Click on the “Global” button and download the firmware.

Latest BIOS firmware (P8Z77-V-PRO-ASUS-2104.CAP) downloaded in the archive. We extract it from the archive and copy it to USB-f leshka. The firmware weighs 12 MB.