Friday, October 29, 2010

All About Motherboard BIOS

Upgrading the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) of your computer's motherboard, also sometimes called 'flashing,' used to be a complex operation full of potential perils for your PC. The task involved downloading the correct BIOS file, the proper CMOS chip flashing software, rebooting the PC into DOS mode, applying the correct commands and then waiting in suspense until the update finished. All the while there was a lurking danger - if something went wrong, you would be left with an essentially unusable motherboard… Not an operation for the novice, and not one that even PC enthusiasts approached with enthusiasm.



In recent years, things have gotten a whole lot more friendly on the BIOS upgrade front, and markedly more failure resistant too. It's likely that the major motherboard manufacturers realized that consumers were simply not bothering to update their motherboards due to the complexities involved. Since BIOS updates can add new features and considerable stability to their products, it was definitely in the manufacturer's best interest to find an easier and more fault resistant way for consumers to update a BIOS.

Flashing the BIOS is still not an operation that the large majority of PC users are even aware of, and that's something that we'd like to try to change. In this article will describe some of the methods you can use to upgrade your computer's BIOS, and explain what a BIOS is, and does. PCstats will also help walk you through the process of locating potential updates, and deciding if you need them.

What does a BIOS do?

The BIOS is a set of instructions contained on special type of volatile memory chip built onto your motherboard. As the name suggests, the BIOS provides a Basic Input/Output System… More specifically, it enables you to use the keyboard, see a display on the monitor, access the hard drive or CD drive, etc., all without the need for an operating system. The BIOS is the software that carries you from the moment you power on your computer to the point where the operating system begins to load, providing the instructions necessary to access the hard disk, memory and other hardware.



This is a very simplistic definition though, as the BIOS has many more functions. All the hardware attached to the motherboard, such as the memory, processor, video card and disk drives, can be configured to a greater or lesser degree through the BIOS. Memory timings, processor speed and overclocking, hard disk detection and booting are all properties controlled by the motherboard's BIOS.

As you may be aware, you can change the BIOS settings through an interface generally reached by pressing the DEL key on your keyboard immediately as your system begins to boot.

Every modern motherboard contains a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) memory chip which is powered by a small battery, storing any changes you have made to the default BIOS configuration. This is why you can restore your BIOS to its default settings simply by removing the motherboard battery for a few minutes.

Upgrading the BIOS is a different procedure. The motherboard manufacturer provides a file which will overwrite the default file on the CMOS chip itself, providing the motherboard with a new or updated set of controls.

Why do you need to upgrade?
There are a number of reasons to update your BIOS. Newer revisions can give support for new lines of processors and features as they are released. They can also increase the stability and performance of the motherboard and provide new options for timing and overclocking your system.

While a BIOS upgrade is not essential, you should certainly check to see what is available. Motherboard manufacturers will provide a list of fixes and features with every new BIOS revision they release, and it's worth your time to peruse these to see what you could gain with the update.

As a good example, when AMD first release their AthlonXP+ line of processors, they used the same socket A connector as the previous line of Athlon CPUs. While the AthlonXP+ processors were mechanically suited to attach to older socket A motherboards, some differences in voltages and other requirements rendered them incompatible. Fortunately, many manufacturers soon released BIOS revisions which allowed some older Socket A boards to recognize and use the new AthlonXP+ processors.

Are there risks when updating a BIOS? Yes, but only in extreme circumstances. Your motherboard does need a properly working BIOS in order to boot the computer, and the CMOS is vulnerable for a few seconds while you are overwriting the old information with your new BIOS revision. If the power to the PC is cut, or the computer is reset during this operation, the BIOS file can become corrupted. This will essentially leave you with a dead motherboard.

Fortunately, many manufacturers are now instituting some form of BIOS recovery technology in their motherboards to protect against this type of emergency. Generally this takes the form of a second copy of the original BIOS, stored on a second CMOS chip, which can be restored in case of a disaster with the primary BIOS. Check your documentation to see if you have a feature such as this available; it is also wise when upgrading to a new motherboard to only consider purchasing boards with a backup BIOS. Also see the troubleshooting section at the end of this article for more info on this point.

Upgrading your BIOS

Now let's go through the various procedures needed to update your motherboard's BIOS.
First you need to find out if there is a BIOS update available for your motherboard model, and if there is, whether you need it. Before we go searching for that information, you will need to locate your motherboard model number/name. This can be done by looking at the documentation that came with your system, or even just by opening up the case and looking for the name silk screened onto the motherboard.

If you have a system that was built by a major manufacturer, such as Dell or IBM, look on the manufacturer's website under your system's name or number to find updates.
If your computer was assembled by a smaller manufacturer, look for the motherboard manual to identify it. If this fails, use a program like Sisoft's Sandra to identify your motherboard model and manufacturer.

To determine your motherboard make and model through Sandra first down load and install the program. Start up Sandra and double click 'mainboard information.' This should give you both the manufacturers name, and the model number of your motherboard. Note down that information.

Once you have your motherboard manufacturer name and model, it's time to find your motherboard's model, current BIOS revision and look up what newer BIOS revisions are available. There are two ways to do this, the first through the manufacturers automatic BIOS update software, and the second by searching through the manufacturers website support section.

Automatic BIOS Update Programs

Almost all motherboard manufacturers offer a utility that will give you the exact model and BIOS revision date of your board. MSI has their "Live Update" program, Aopen their "Aoconfig" software, and so on. Generally this utility will come included on the CD bundled with the board, but failing this, you should be able to download the company specific software from the manufacturer's site under the 'utilities' or 'tools' category.

Here's some links to Asus, MSI, ABIT and Gigabyte's BIOS support pages to get you started. If you don't know the website of your motherboard manufacturer, have a look below, or run a search through Google.


Once you find the website for the maker of your motherboard, look around for their BIOS update tool, if they have one. If they do, download, install and run this program to find the exact make and model of your board.

As an example of what to expect, at right is a screen shot from MSI's software to give you an idea of what you are looking for.

Once you have the exact BIOS revision number which is currently being used by your PC, we next need to find out what BIOS revisions are available for your motherboard. In most cases, you can go directly to the manufacturer's product page for the board for a link to the available BIOS downloads. Also check the downloads, or support sections of their website.

Some of the software utilities, for example MSI's Live Update, will search for BIOS and driver updates for you, and handle the downloads.

For the most part though, you'll have to take the information you have learned about your motherboard model, and BIOS revision and go hunting through the manufacturers website. When you find the page with the BIOS updates for your particular motherboard, select the latest update and download it to your desktop. Generally speaking, if your board is using BIOS revision 3.10, you will want to download a later revision; this could be 3.10b, or 3.22 as an example.

Procedure: Flashing the BIOS in DOS mode

Many manufacturers do offer software to flash the BIOS of your motherboard from the Windows environment, something that used to be unheard of. This support tends to be for only the most recent of motherboards, though, and is extremely easy to use (when it works). For these reasons, we have decided to detail the process of upgrading your BIOS through the DOS environment. This procedure is slightly more complicated, but it works the same way for every motherboard made within the past decade or so.

To carry out this procedure, you will need a working 1.44MB floppy drive (or CD burner, though floppy is easier).

First you need to create a clean DOS boot disk. This disk will boot your computer to the DOS prompt with no additional software or drivers loaded. This is essential for the BIOS updating process. If you have an old Windows95 or Windows98 boot disk sitting around, you can use that, if not then the easiest way to create this disk is to go to BootDisk.com and download the "DR. DOS disk for BIOS flashing" file. You can find this item straight off the main page.

The download file is actually a disk image, and once it is completed, simply double click the file name and insert a blank floppy disk into the A:/ drive and it will create a boot disk for you right then and there. If you do not have a floppy drive, download the .ISO image and burn it onto a CD to create a DOS clean boot disk.

Once you have created your boot disk, locate the BIOS update file that you downloaded from your motherboard manufacturer. Assuming the manufacturer has bundled the BIOS file and BIOS update software together in an archive (.zip), there should be at least two files there. The first is the data file (which contains the new BIOS information) and the second will be a DOS executable file (.exe) which will write the BIOS info onto the CMOS chip.

Depending on the manufacturer and the motherboard, the names of these files will vary. Below are several examples from various motherboard manufacturers to give you an idea of what you are looking for. If you only have a single data file and no executable file, you will need to download the BIOS flashing utility (generally 'flash879' 'awdflash' or 'aflash') from the motherboard manufacturer's website. Again, look in the support or downloads section.

Again, depending on the manufacturer, there may be a DOS batch file which you can run to automate the process, or a readme file which contains the manufacturer's specific instructions for flashing the BIOS. Both of these may make the process easier for you, but the method below assumes that neither is present.
Copy the two files (and a batch file, if present) onto a separate floppy disk and note down all the filenames on the disk on a piece of paper. Now, with the floppy disk still in the A:/ drive, reboot your system using the boot floppy you just created. As long as your PC is set to boot from the floppy before going to the CDROM or hard drive, the computer will access it, and boot into DOS. If this doesn't happen, reboot your PC, and make sure the BIOS is set to access the A:/ drive first. This setting is generally configured under "device boot order," or a similar name.

Manually flashing BIOS under DOS
Once the PC has found the A:/ drive, and booted into DOS, it should leave you at the A:/ prompt. At this point, replace the boot floppy disk with the floppy containing the BIOS update files.
If your BIOS update included a batch file, type in its filename now at the A:/ prompt and press enter. It should automatically start the BIOS flashing program and provide it with the data file to be used. All you need to do now is give the go-ahead to start the actual writing process.
If you do not have a batch file, enter the file name of the executable file on the disk at the A:/ prompt; for example A:/flash879.exe or A:/awdflash.exe. Hint, just type in awdflash.exe, and not the "A:/" part ;-)
You will be prompted for the filename and location of the data file. Enter A:\(datafilename).
You will also be offered a chance to save your existing BIOS. It's a good idea to have a copy of a working BIOS in case of an unexpected emergency. If you wish to do this, enter a valid location such as another floppy disk or a location on your C:/ drive.
Once you have entered the information, press ENTER or 'F' to start the flashing process. Read the warnings and confirm.
The software will now start updating your BIOS. It will take several minutes, during which you must make sure NOT to power off or reset your system under any circumstances!
Once the BIOS flashing process is complete, you will get a status report (generally 'ok' or 'failed') and be prompted to restart your system.

Final Steps: Checking the Update

Reboot the computer only after the program gives you the okay to do so. You should note the new version number on the POST screen. Press 'DEL' repeatedly at the POST screen to enter the BIOS setup screen. You will need to reset any custom settings you had previously made. Also take a quick look around to see if any new options are available to you. Save and exit the BIOS setup screen and boot into Windows.
Use the motherboard utility to verify that your BIOS is set correctly, and that the new revision is being used.
If everything looks good, and the new revision number shows up, congratulations! You have successfully updated your motherboard's BIOS, and most likely improved your computing experience. Bask in the glow of a DIY project well done. Now, time for that case modification project… ;-)

Troubleshooting Hints and Suggestions

First of all, many recent motherboards contain BIOS recovery features. These may be a second BIOS, a recovery routine built into the board, or a jumper on the motherboard which will force it to look for a BIOS file on floppy. You need to consult your motherboard's documentation and the website of your motherboard manufacturer for more information, as the procedures and possibilities are too varied to be covered in this article.If there is no BIOS recovery feature, then the best bet is to RMA your board back to the manufacturer for repair, unfortunately.