How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboard’s System BIOS

Flashing the BIOS in the Windows Environment
For some reason flashing in an operating system environment is considered unsafe by many people.  I haven’t looked lately, but in the past, in the Asustek forums (not run by Asus techs) there was a sticky  telling everyone not to use Asus Update (Asus’ operating system BIOS update utility) for updating BIOS.  At that point in time, I don’t think that I had ever updated an Asus BIOS except by using Asus Update and have used it many times since.  I have also successfully used ASRock’s WIN executable BIOS update files and Gigabyte’s @BIOS update utility.  I have no fear using these very handy utilities.  Again, keep in mind that I am using Asus Update and any other brand will have a different utility.

To get started, insert the motherboard’s driver disk and install Asus Update.  Launch the utility.  With Asus Update, you have some choices…you can let the utility do it all, download and flash the BIOS at the same time, download the BIOS file, then flash it, or you can download the file yourself, and use Asus Update to flash the file you downloaded.  This gives the user a lot of flexibility, and should eliminate most fear since you can download the file yourself.

How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS
Normally I would just let the utility do it all, but since I am trying to get screenshots while doing this, I’d feel a little more comfortable with updating from a file.  I highly recommend closing all applications while updating the BIOS.

Just like EZ Flash 2, Asus Update checks the .ROM file to ensure it is actually intended for the motherboard in question.

How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS
Next, the BIOS is erased, copied, and verified.  Then the same is done to the Boot Block.

How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS
Reboot the system, make any applicable changes in the BIOS, reboot, and you’re done.

How to Flash (Update) Your Motherboards System BIOS
Conclusions
As we’ve seen, flashing your BIOS is a pretty simple proposition.  I suppose that the mystique should remain to a certain extent, I probably wouldn’t want to do it if I was in an extreme hurry, in a state of high emotion, or under the influence of a large amount of adult beverages.  I wouldn’t want kids tugging at my legs or dogs trying to jump in my lap.  If my wife was yelling at me to hurry up for something I probably would wait until later.

But take your time, keep your head, and you will be able to enjoy the goodness an updated BIOS can bring.