Flashing bios. How to flash BIOS on a Windows laptop. We create a bootable USB flash drive

If you are on this page, most likely, you know why you needed to reflash the BIOS. But still, I will give a couple of examples in which cases this can help us.

BIOS- this is software that is responsible for setting up the computer’s hardware and is stored on a small storage device, which in turn is located on the motherboard. And like any program, it requires periodic updates.

In what cases is a BIOS update necessary? The most common problem is the failure of the motherboard to work with a newer processor. The reasons for replacing the processor can be different: it has failed, the computer has frozen, or they simply decided to improve the PC.

Having bought a brand new processor and inserted it into the motherboard, when turned on, nothing appears on the screen, and the computer itself does not make any sounds, except for the noise of the cooler. Many people immediately run to the store to return the product due to its malfunction. But often the problem is that the BIOS does not know about the new type of processor.

There are also such malfunctions as: lack of sound or when installing a new, powerful video card, it is simply not recognized in the system as a device. But flashing the Bios often helps with all this, updating it to a newer version.

What you need to flash the BIOS

So, the first thing we need is the firmware itself, which you can download from the motherboard manufacturer’s website.

Here are some main sites:

1. Asus- www.Asus.com
2. ASRock- www.asrock.com
3. Toshiba- www.toshiba.com
4. Acer- www.acer.com
5. Gigabyte- www.gigabyte.ru

The next thing is a flash drive on which we will put the downloaded file for further updating. As for the size of the flash drive, it can be minimal, since the space taken up by the file ranges from several “KB” to a couple of “MB”.

How to flash Bios

Step one: Preparing the flash drive

After inserting the USB drive, go to “My Computer”. By right-clicking on the flash drive, select “Format”

Mandatory a condition for successful BIOS flashing is a flash drive with a file system FAT32

Having selected FAT32, click on “Format” and wait for the process to complete

Step two: download the new firmware.

Go to the manufacturer's support site. In my case, this is: www.asus.com.ua/ru/support/, since the example will be on an Asus motherboard. In the search bar, enter the name of your motherboard. And already in the drivers we download the latest version of the BIOS.

Have you downloaded it? Great. Now we extract everything from the archive and transfer the files to the USB flash drive, after which we reboot the computer.

Step three: BIOS firmware

To enter Bios, press the “Del” or “F2” key several times.

In the program that opens, we need to select the device on which the file for flashing the BIOS is located. My flash drive was displayed with the letter “C:”, and the name of the file itself appeared on the right side of the window. If your flash drive or floppy disk is displayed and you see the firmware, then you can proceed to the BIOS update itself by pressing “Enter”.

After pressing “Enter”, a notification will appear asking you to confirm that you really want to update the BIOS. By choosing the affirmative option, the file version will be checked and the update itself will begin.

After the process is completed, the computer will notify us that the BIOS firmware is completed, and that in a few seconds the computer will reboot.

That's all. After reboot, PC will load as always. In case you have You had some kind of problem, then after the same reboot, you can check whether updating the BIOS helped.

If your ASUS device is implemented on a modern motherboard, then you can use the instructions How to flash the ASUS BIOS (ASUS EZ Flash 2) (in this case you will not need to create a bootable USB flash drive)

Preparatory stage:

1. First of all, go to the ASUS website.
2. Select your product (laptop or motherboard), then the series and model, then press the Enter key or the Search button.
3. The site will prompt you to select an operating system, if possible, select the one you are using, if it is on the list.
4. Go to the BIOS section and download the latest BIOS version.
5. Download the utility for BIOS firmware- AFUDOS. This can be done on the same ASUS product page in the BIOS Utilities section. Or
6. Create a bootable DOS USB flash drive (optional - another way to create a bootable DOS USB flash drive)
7. I also recommend connecting the device to be flashed to an uninterruptible power supply (for a laptop, fully charge a working battery), because If there is a power failure during the firmware process, the device will have to be taken to a service center for restoration.

1. We open our bootable USB flash drive, write the afudos program (afudos.exe file) and the BIOS itself (example: p4c800b.rom file) onto it.
2. We reboot and when the first picture appears on the monitor, press F8. We get to the menu quick launch and select our flash drive. Either at startup, press F2 for laptops or Del for desktop PCs, go to the Boot tab and put the flash drive in first place, usually for this in the 1st Boot Device item you need to set Removable Device, then press F10 and confirm that we want to save the changes in the settings.
3. The computer will boot from the flash drive and will prompt you to work C:\> on a black screen. (or another drive letter - it doesn't matter)
4. To start the firmware process we write afudos /i p4c800b.rom and press the Enter key. Launching BIOS firmware
5. Note: Do not turn off the power or reboot the system while BIOS updates! This can cause serious damage to your system.
6. After the BIOS update is completed, the utility will return to DOS. Remove the floppy disk (flash drive) and reboot the system to log into BIOS menu. BIOS flashing completed
7. Go to BIOS and reset settings to original values.

Usually, there is no need to replace the BIOS firmware of the motherboard - the device works great, and risking the performance of the device for the sake of a higher firmware version number is at least stupid. However, it happens that a motherboard enters the market with “raw” microcode (manufacturers are in a hurry to beat competitors at a turn), or problems arise with integrated devices, or it turns out that the motherboard refuses to work with certain memory models, or new, more modern equipment comes out ( for example, the list of supported CPUs has been expanded), etc. Then new batches of motherboards go on sale with updated firmware, and owners of earlier devices are left to reflash the BIOS. New firmware versions appear on manufacturers' websites with a list of corrections and changes made compared to previous version. If with motherboard If any problems arise or there are shortcomings in its operation, you should look at the manufacturer’s website and study the lists of these changes - perhaps the answer will be found there. There are also firmware versions upgraded by craftsmen that allow you to enable one or another function blocked by the manufacturer in the microcode for budget model the same chipset. If the need to change the firmware version has become obvious, get ready to flash it, and we will try to tell you what awaits you and how to proceed.

How to sew?

To flash the BIOS, specialized utilities from the motherboard manufacturer or third-party programmers are used, which write the firmware image to the CMOS chip. CMOS in modern mothers is a flash memory in which the microcode itself and BIOS settings are stored. Thus, to flash the firmware, you actually need a file with the required BIOS version and a flasher program. There are flashers for both Windows and DOS. Flashing from Windows is much more convenient, but DOS is traditionally more reliable. To identify all aspects of the BIOS flashing process, we flashed from both Windows XP and DOS.

First, you need to make a backup using a flasher program installed version BIOS to floppy disk. In case of unsuccessful flashing, this floppy disk will be very useful to you. At first, the macro program was replaced using utilities supplied by the manufacturer itself. You can always find such a utility on the disk that comes with the motherboard, or on the website of its manufacturer. We do not recommend using third-party programs unless necessary, since there is a high chance of later going to a warranty workshop. We also do not recommend installing the latest firmware version right away. It is better to look for information regarding your motherboard in the appropriate forms and look at the reviews of users who have installed one or another version of the firmware. This should be done because the firmware is sometimes not fully debugged, and serious malfunctions may occur in the mother’s work.

Process Features

First of all, we advise you to take care of a stable diet. The ideal E2 option is to have a source uninterruptible power supply. If there is no such miracle, then it is best to choose a time for flashing when power surges are least possible, that is, at night (after all, your neighbors don’t drill into the walls with an electric drill at night?).

The second point is the choice of the operating system from which the flashing process will take place. If you want beauty and peace, then you can safely do it from Windows. The Windows XP system is already quite stable, so firmware updates can be carried out under it without much fear. Just in case, it is recommended to close all applications and disable the antivirus. Under others Windows versions(with the exception of the Widows NT line), knowing how buggy they are, it’s better not to reflash them. It will be safer to do this from DOS.

As for DOS, this method can be used by those who are not too lazy to spend a little more time on configuration. For this we get a little more reliability. The preparation itself consists of creating a boot floppy disk. Additionally, you will need to write a flashing program onto it (for example, the awdflash program is used for Award microcircuits, and amiflash for AMI BIOS) and the firmware itself. You can create a bat file with the parameters for launching the flasher, and all that remains is to insert the floppy disk and boot from it. For those who have ever worked in DOS, it will not be difficult to understand everything.

The third method of updating firmware is not common. Firmware updating is carried out using the BIOS itself. Just go to the update menu and specify the desired firmware, previously recorded on a floppy disk.

However, regardless of the chosen flashing method, be sure to first make a backup of the old version!

Testing

We took two motherboards: ASUS DualBIOS with chips from Award And Gigabyte with two BIOSes from Phoenix. It was decided to flash it in two ways: in WindowsXP and in DOS. Let's start with Gigabyte.

To flash the firmware, we used the utility supplied on the disk with the motherboard - @BIOS(can be found on the Internet as atBIOS). First, we saved the current firmware to a file. The second step was to check the box next to Internet update. It was interesting to test the BIOS update via the Internet. This was not possible, since the program simply did not know where to download the update from, and the utility did not allow you to enter the address manually. Version 17 of the firmware was downloaded from the official Gigabyte website. @ was relaunched BIOS and the update procedure was carried out. To do this, it was enough to indicate the path to the file on the hard drive. For a couple of minutes, the progress indicator showed the process of uploading the firmware, after which a message was displayed about the successful update. The computer was turned off, the power supply was disconnected (there was still enough left on its capacitors). long time charge is conserved) and the CMOS battery is removed. In principle, it is enough to close a special jumper on the motherboard, but to be sure, it is better to remove the battery for a few minutes. This must be done after each flashing in order to reset all BIOS settings to their original state. The fact is that previously made settings are stored in the same chip and after flashing they are saved and may conflict with the new firmware version.

After some time, the battery was returned to its place, the power supply was connected and the system was booted. Everything worked stably. Having launched @BIOS to view the BIOS parameters, we were somewhat surprised by the data received: according to the program, we had version 15 of the firmware, although we installed version 17 (before the test it was version 6).

After this, it was decided to repeat the flashing process, but from the BIOS, since this motherboard had such an option. The same microcode was used for this. The 17th version of the firmware was recorded on the floppy disk. You could get to the firmware replacement menu if you entered the BIOS (using the ), press . First of all, save the main BIOS to the second (backup) chip with the command “save main bios from reserved” (in case of a failure, it will be restored from there) and do not forget to make a backup on a floppy disk. The next step is to replace installed firmware to a newer version. This is done with the command “update main bios from floppy”. Select the desired version from the floppy disk and wait a few minutes. After completing the procedure, turn off the computer and again disconnect the power supply for a few minutes and remove the CMOS battery. We boot, turn on @BIOS and in the properties we see firmware version 17. Conclusion: despite the efforts of programmers and the release of a good utility for updating the BIOS from Windows, there are still shortcomings, and flashing using BIOS is a more reliable method.

The next one to be tested was an ASUS motherboard with an AWARD chip. The first step was to install and study in detail the utility supplied on the disk with the motherboard - ASUS Flash. Again, the first thing we did was save the current firmware and start testing. Among other functions, there was an update via the Internet. The program went through several servers in its database and connected to one of the addresses. The update was successfully downloaded and saved somewhere in the depths of the system. Automatic flashing failed - the utility did not find the downloaded firmware. Then we set about searching for microcode on the Internet. The motherboard manufacturer's website turned out to be very friendly and described in detail what shortcomings were eliminated in the next version of the code. We took the latest firmware and updated it. The download went as usual. After this, the computer was turned off and the battery was removed. After some time, the machine was turned on, and it immediately refused to work, citing the absence or error of the keyboard. In this case, a floppy disk prepared in advance with a flasher and old firmware was needed. First, we decided to go into the BIOS and look at the changes that had occurred. They were obvious: In the Power managment setup, all indicators showed a lack of power. And the temperature readings were 49 and 6 degrees Celsius for the motherboard and processor, respectively (at 25 degrees indoors). This is what glitches in unfinished code look like.

After booting from the “emergency” floppy disk and ignoring the error messages, we launched awdflash. I really didn’t like one feature of the program: you need to know the name of the file with the firmware and specify it in the query line. The utility refused to work, citing the lack of new firmware. Then it was found on the Internet ASUS program ACPI BIOS FLASH MEMORY WRITER and written to the same floppy disk. It also needs to indicate the name of the firmware file. The process went without incident, and the machine was turned off followed by CMOS reset. The computer booted without errors, only a message was issued about the BIOS being damaged and a request to restore from a spare chip was displayed. The recovery was answered positively, and the test was declared failed. This is especially strange because a proprietary utility was used, and the firmware file was taken from the official website. Perhaps this is a firmware glitch. Thus, it is more reliable to flash from under DOS and you should always have firmware backup with a flasher program on a floppy disk.

Problems and solutions

When flashing the BIOS, you must remember that an error during the process of changing the firmware can lead to dire consequences. Sometimes during flashing the power goes out or the system freezes. In this case, only a programmer is guaranteed to help, which is not often found at home and is only available in a warranty workshop. This is where it is best to go in case of problems.

If the BIOS is not fully flashed, and there is only one chip in the system, this rather risky method can help: The same motherboard is in the turned on state, after the machine has booted, a working CMOS is removed from it and a couple of threads are placed in the socket so that you could easily remove the chip by pulling them. Then the damaged analogue is very carefully placed in the vacant space. After this, you can run the firmware, and then change the microcircuits back in the off state. According to statistics, when hot-swapping CMOS, a working motherboard is damaged in 15% of cases.

Another method assumes the presence of two microcircuits on the motherboard (in this case, the name of the board usually includes the Dual BIOS prefix). Then, if the firmware is unsuccessful, the BIOS recovers on its own (after notification of the error and a request for recovery). This happens by simply copying a known working microprogram from the second microcircuit.

Possible questions

Sometimes the problem arises of determining the manufacturer of the motherboard and the chipset installed on it. To solve this problem, just at the very beginning of booting the computer, write down the line that the BIOS produces. In addition, since 1998, all installed BIOSes display the manufacturer’s logo upon boot. Next, any search engine will return all the information about your motherboard using this line. True, if the board is second-hand and taken on the radio market, no one can guarantee that the logo and information line have not been changed.

What to do if there is a password on the BIOS? In this case, there are three options: 1) reset the CMOS using a special jumper on the motherboard or simply remove the battery; 2) use engineering passwords, a list of which can be seen in the sidebar (although they may not work); 3) crack the BIOS password. For this there are special programs, each BIOS manufacturer has its own. For AWARD you can download the program at:

For AMI

It happens that it is not possible to get to the jumper or battery. In this case, you can reset the settings from DOS (just not in DOS emulation mode in Windows!). To do this, type the following commands at the command line:

For Award and AMI BIOS

For Phoenix BIOS

Thus, you directly write the value 17 to port 70, which is not equal to the BIOS checksum when normal operation, so CMOS is reset. However, be careful - if you make a mistake, you can disrupt the operation of your computer or damage the BIOS!

Automation

To automate the flashing, you can create a bat file, name it autoexec.bat and write it to a floppy disk with a flasher and new firmware. This file will look like this:

AWDFLASH, where FileName1 is the name of the new firmware, and FileName2 is the name of the current firmware being saved. The program also has some switches, for example /E - exit to DOS after completing the microcode update procedure, /R - reboot the system after finishing the firmware. The remaining keys can be viewed by running awdflash.exe with the /? parameter. Thus, our boot file took the form: “AWDFLASH /R”. Having prepared such a floppy disk, you can reflash the BIOS without even turning on the monitor (there are times when the graphics do not work). The end of the download can be determined by the end of the drive and the beeping of the speaker (during a reboot).

Bonus

As an additional feature, you can consider changing the logo displayed by the BIOS on the screen. For the entire operation, we will need two programs: cbrom and converta. cbrom is needed to work with the firmware file, and converta is needed to convert images into the required format.

First you need to download the firmware or save the existing one. The result will be a file with the extension “.bin” or “.awd”. To find out the required image format, run the program with the following key: “cbrom mybios.bin /d”. Among the components there will be an “EPA Pattern”, which is the logo. Extraction is carried out with the command “cbrom mybios.bin /epa extract”. In this case, you will need to specify the file name. To find out the image format, run converta with the key “converta your.logo /?”. It will display the image format. Next, we prepare our image in accordance with the limitations of this format. Then we save the image in BMP (16 colors, uncompressed) into a folder with converta. Now you need to convert the graphic file into a form that the BIOS can understand. This is done simple start programs with a key indicating the conversion format: “converta mylogo.bmp /key”. The formats are:

• /bmp- conversion to BMP;


• /mon- conversion to monochrome AWARD format;


• /bit- conversion to AWARD bit format;


• /lay- conversion to complex AWARD format;


• /all- conversion to all listed formats at once.

Now the resulting image must be inserted into the firmware and uploaded to CMOS. To do this you need to use cbrom: “cbrom mybios.bin /epa mylogo.ext”.

Conclusions

So, replacing the firmware is quite risky, although not so difficult. Therefore, we recommend updating the BIOS only if necessary. As practice has shown, it is best to use firmware and utilities from the manufacturer, and carry out the process of replacing the firmware from the BIOS or from DOS.

Factory passwords for AWARD BIOS:

AWARD_SW, TTPTHA, aPAf, HLT, lkwpeter, KDD, j262,

ZBAAACA, j322, ZAAADA, Syxz, % six spaces %, Wodj,

% nine spaces %, ZJAAADC, 01322222, j256, ?award

There are no such passwords for AMI BIOS, but if you just purchased the motherboard, you can try the AMI password.

The procedure for updating or flashing the motherboard BIOS is a very important undertaking. Making a mistake can be very costly! If your computer is working fine, there are no glitches, you are not going to upgrade it or overclock it, It's better not to touch the BIOS. However, there are cases when this procedure is justified and when flashing can be useful and even necessary.

In what cases is flashing the BIOS required?

1. If your computer has Intel processor and updating the processor microcode is allowed, then the new BIOS version can “patch up” the processor microcode, correcting errors and shortcomings made during the design of the processor, but corrected later.
2. You want to install a new processor, support for which appeared only in the new BIOS version.
3. You install a new device into your computer, which refuses to work without support from the BIOS.
4. You have decided to overclock your computer. In this case, updating the BIOS should be the first step in this direction, since the latest BIOS versions usually include support for the latest standards and capabilities. This is especially useful for motherboards released immediately after their chipset went into production.
5. The system is unstable due to BIOS errors. Although this happens very rarely. The causes of problems, as a rule, lie elsewhere.
6. You want to install software that requires support for one or another new BIOS standard (for example, the ACPI power consumption standard or the Plug-and-Plau automatic configuration standard for connected devices).

Sequence of actions when flashing

Most motherboard manufacturers provide their products with special utilities that allow you to flash the BIOS directly from Windows. At the same time, the flashing procedure itself is quite simple and consists of several basic steps:

• Run the BIOS update program.
• Indicate from what you will update the BIOS. Some programs allow you to make updates via the Internet, automatically downloading new firmware from the manufacturer's website.
• If the update is carried out from a file, specify the firmware file.
• Indicate whether you need to save the current BIOS version and, if necessary, where.
• Press the button and wait until the flashing procedure is completed. During this time, it is advisable not to use other applications.
• Reboot your computer.

Flashing the BIOS using WinFast LiveUpdate

As noted earlier, this or another similar program should be on the driver disk that came with your motherboard. Programs of this type are identical, so let's look at the process of updating the BIOS using the example of the program and the WinFast motherboard. If you have such a motherboard and for some reason do not have a disk with drivers and this program, download it. Its size is only 2.3 MB. The update process using such a program takes place in a matter of minutes and is so simple that the most notorious “teapot” can handle it. So, let’s not “shag grandma” and let’s start...

1. Let's launch the program. In the window that opens, on the left (in the red rectangle) there is a control panel, on the right (in the green rectangle) - information about your current version BIOS:

2. Just in case of emergency, make a copy of the old BIOS version and save it in a location of your choice on your computer’s hard drive. To do this, on the Local Update tab, select Backup Bios:

3. If you have a new BIOS version downloaded from your manufacturer's website motherboard, select the Local Update → Update Bios tab and update. If there is none, then you need to go to the Online Update → Update Bios tab and click the Start button:

4. The program starts searching suitable version on the Internet:

5. The search result may look like this. A small window will tell you that the search was unsuccessful and you will need to repeat the operation later:

6. Do not despair, after some time, for example, the next day, repeat the search and in the end luck should smile on you in the form of such a picture with stars. The green star at the top signals to you that a new BIOS version has been found (relative to yours) and its release date is written just below:

7. Activate the selection by clicking on the checkbox in the form of a circle to the left of the asterisk, press the Update key and the program does everything itself. The only condition is that when flashing, “hold your breath”, that is, do not perform any actions with the computer, in order to avoid errors and other unpleasant moments.

8. The further procedure does not last long; at the end the program will prompt you to restart the computer. That's it, your BIOS is updated! Simple and without any hassles!

9. The capabilities of this program do not end with updating the BIOS. The program can also search for “fresh” drivers and utilities.

Flashing the BIOS using the BIOSAgent Plus program

In this situation, I think this is an alternative method, very good, therefore PAID. I present it not for advertising purposes and without deriving any material benefit from it, but for comparison with the first method and simply as information. It would be useful to remind you that we are dealing with a Winfast motherboard and a BIOS version from Phoenix (Phoenix).

1. We go to the official website of Phoenix //www.phoenix.com/. In the top menu, follow the link indicated in the picture:

2. In the newly opened window at the top, select Russian. Just below, read a brief description of the program's capabilities and press the FREE BIOS REPORT key:

3. On the page that opens, you can read instructions for installing and operating the program and download it.

4. After installing the program on your computer, it will automatically check:

5. The results of the check specifically for BIOS will appear in a pop-up window:

6. And you can see the general results of scanning the BIOS and drivers on the same page by closing the window with the results of the BIOS scan. Everything that is marked with a red cross, according to the program, is hopelessly outdated and requires immediate updating:

7. When you click on the cross to update the BIOS or outdated drivers, you will be redirected to the registration page:

8. And after successful registration you will be offered to buy this program:

Whether to buy it or not is yours personal choice. I believe that it can be used even in a demo version, in the sense that you can at least find out which systems on your computer require updating. The difference in quality between paid and free is sometimes significant, but, it seems to me, not in our case. I would be happy to recommend you the first free option- program ! Good luck! L.M.

BIOS is an abbreviation familiar to everyone, the meaning of which is not familiar even to many sophisticated and experienced users of personal computers. Most of them associate it with a gray-blue interface in the style of MS DOS or Windows 3.1, but many may not tell you about its functionality. Most of the knowledge of the average user, in best case scenario, are limited to the fact that BIOS is system settings computer or something like that, because it’s quite difficult to give an exact answer. This complexity is quite justified - a personal computer is not easy for the average person to understand when it comes to fast and productive work in any industry, and understanding the basic mechanisms of its functioning and, moreover, each of its components seems almost impossible - in practice, this knowledge borders on erudition and are not useful in most situations.

So, BIOS is an input/output system that stands between hardware and software (together with the user) and allows you to use computer resources for their intended purpose. It has a module permanent memory, which contains a number of data about the configuration of the equipment, including time - all owners of old computers have encountered replacing the battery and could hear that it powers this particular component. An important feature of the BIOS is that the capabilities of other equipment located on the motherboard directly depend on its capabilities.

But for most PC users, all these technical issues are unimportant, but there is a practical need for those actions that they too may encounter. These include, for example, replacing an outdated processor with a newer and more productive model: support by the motherboard at the software level directly depends on whether the BIOS is “friendly” with it. Compatibility may not be added immediately: if the processor slot (Socket) can no longer be changed, then it is possible to create the necessary conditions for the functioning of a suitable hardware model, and the majority of motherboard creators take care of ensuring compatibility.

Why flash the BIOS?

As it became clear from the above, the BIOS provides working together all components located on the motherboard. We are particularly interested in the processor and RAM: their capabilities are developing at the most rapid pace and require the release of motherboard models at an appropriate speed. But this practice is not very profitable and the creators decided to leave a reserve for the future, leaving the user the opportunity, within certain limits, to improve the compatibility of the motherboard with hardware independently. This was the reason for the emergence of the BIOS firmware procedure on personal computers, which allows you to get rid of many problems with it.

It is worth noting that the procedure is quite dangerous compared to other actions with a PC: if the light is turned off at the time of overwriting (rarely, but it happens), it will not be possible to restore everything in any way and the motherboard can be put aside somewhere else or simply thrown away. But in frequent cases, such a procedure is still necessary, it brings support not only for new components, but also tools for working with new equipment - older models of motherboards that do not support flashing via USB devices received this opportunity thanks to the compatibility package included in the firmware for such equipment. The computer's flexibility in capabilities is invaluable, and in cases where firmware is still necessary, do not be intimidated by the high complexity of this process - if all procedures are performed correctly, the risk of harming the computer is minimal, and the process can often take only a few minutes, but this is worth talking about in more detail.

Often the manufacturer himself may recommend reflashing - this may be due to a number of shortcomings that were not noticed and/or eliminated during the production phase. For many PC owners who have one of the new series of motherboards, this practice is not something unfamiliar - due to objective reasons, this happens very often.

Which motherboards require flashing their BIOS?

An important feature of this whole story is the fact that there are still only three companies in the world that produce the software part of any I/O system. It will become intuitively clear to many that this increases the chances of each individual model for flashing, and in fact this is how it turns out: no matter what the manufacturer of your motherboard, with a high degree of probability (which tends to a hundred percent) this procedure is possible for you. But it is worth adding that the same company is engaged in supplying updates and it is not in its commercial interests to invest heavily in improving the performance and capabilities of old models - then there is simply no need to buy new ones.

The theoretical possibility of replacing the firmware is included in any BIOS - at the heart of the device there is a memory module designed for approximately 1000 rewrite cycles. But the release of firmware will now be entirely the responsibility of the motherboard manufacturer.

Checking this possibility is quite simple: you just need to know the manufacturer and model of your device and its model (if not, then welcome to the next section of the article). We go to its official website (both ASUS, MSI, ASRock and others have their Russian-language versions) and follow the page dedicated to your version of the device. There, in one of the tabs, a category with all released firmware for this component will be available, as shown in the example of the official ASUS website below.

On the websites of other companies, the procedure is approximately the same - in the corresponding section all possible options to update the BIOS, since in models from different manufacturers they differ in process almost completely and the skill of flashing one component cannot guarantee knowledge of the intricacies of another - here it is worth carefully studying the step-by-step guides offered online or, ideally, the documentation of the manufacturer itself. There are also many videos of flashings on the network: there are relatively few motherboard models, but out of those hundreds or thousands of users who encountered the problem, at least one decided to record a video - just search on video hosting sites. Viewing the process from the outside will remove the subconscious fear of “breaking something” and will help you understand the essence of a particular stage.

Determining the motherboard model

Many find it difficult to determine the model of their motherboard - as with other knowledge of a similar nature, there is the same problem: there is no urgent need to memorize or remember an intricate set of letters and numbers and this does not help in everyday tasks. Turning to documentation or looking for a box is also not an option - many people tend to lose such things when moving, take them somewhere for storage, or simply forget about them. Also, this problem may arise for those who bought a PC second-hand, although in a store when selling an assembled system unit boxes from some devices also have a habit of not being given, and buyers are reluctant to take them with them.

There are four ways to figure out what model of motherboard you have. Of these, three involve the use of utilities, and one requires direct access to the board. The latter will not work if you have a laptop: it is not recommended for a non-professional to disassemble them, and even pros can’t always cope - they are not repairable modern solutions mediocre. The same applies to All-in-One PC and any other solutions that are not mounted in a standard system unit. Also, you should not do this if your PC is on warranty service: all screws will be covered with seals, which will easily show whether the device has been opened. There is no need to perform any manipulations - the very presence of damage is already a sufficient reason for refusal of warranty service, which is clearly stated in the terms and conditions of any such company.

If nothing prevents you from opening the system unit, unscrew two/three/four, or, more simply, all the existing bolts and remove the cover from the side. We will see a motherboard, on the surface of which a sticker will be waiting for you.

That's all: remember or rewrite the model, perform all the completed manipulations with the lid in reverse order.

In the case of checking programmatically, the command line, which is available in any version of the operating system of the company from Redmond, can also help. After opening it, you will need to type two commands, activating each by pressing Enter.

The first will provide information on the component manufacturer, and the second - by model. If you don’t want to deal with the command line and disassembling the system unit, then the AIDA64 (formerly Eevrest) and msinfo32 utilities can be a quick alternative. It's worth downloading them free versions from official sites - full functionality You most likely will not need it, but there is always a chance of catching the virus. In AIDA64 you just need to go to the “Motherboard” section from the start window, and in msinfo32 – to the System Information tab and read the data opposite the Motherboard item.

For Linux based systems (including Ubuntu, Linux Mint and the like) you need to activate the command dmidecode.

There, among all the data, you need to select the Manufacturer and Product Name items.

Is it necessary to perform a BIOS backup?

You need to understand that BIOS firmware is created by people, and the array of information for coordinated interaction must be clearly calculated, and all aspects must be clearly planned. And if in theory this is possible, in practice this does not always happen: there is a high probability that flashing this system along with a number of improvements can introduce a number of problems with your PC into your life, so it is still worth protecting yourself in case of such a possibility.

Manufacturers themselves do not provide such an opportunity, only allowing more than one firmware version to be recorded onto a medium and their subsequent use. But this does not always happen, since no one expects an unfavorable outcome when undertaking such an operation.

Similar opportunities are provided by third party program called Universal BIOS Backup ToolKit. This product was made by an enthusiastic programmer from China back in 2008 and works excellently on operating systems of the Windows family with versions from XP to 8.1 inclusive. An important feature of this program is its well-coordinated operation: backup copies are correct, the likelihood of damage to the final file is close to zero, and the software works surprisingly efficiently, as if it were made by an enthusiast. You should only launch it by right-clicking and calling up the “Run as Administrator” sub-item - otherwise errors in operation simply cannot be avoided.

The only one pitfalls, which may come across to those unfamiliar with the question: most antivirus programs recognize it as malware, which is not true. Of course, they can infect the source file, but even the utility downloaded from the official website will not will be tested most programs in this class are from the first echelon. The reason for this is a specific driver, thanks to which the software has such unique functionality. In fact, it does not cause any harm, it is only important to download it from a trusted source. The program interface is in English, but very simple. A small window contains only a few buttons, the meaning of which will be clear not only experienced user, but also even to those inexperienced in this matter. In addition to the exit button and the key that causes reading the documentation, the program window has buttons to start copying. After completing the process, which takes from one to two to three minutes, an archive in .rom format will be available in the program folder (or any other folder specified by the user), which is a complete copy of your firmware. The memory size, which is indicated on the left, is determined automatically, but it is better to double-check it for your motherboard model - if there is a failure, there will be problems and you will not be able to use an incorrectly made copy due to inevitable errors in the future. The likelihood of its success on BIOS UEFI is doubtful, but further updates to the program should correct all the shortcomings, and may have already been fixed by the time you read this article.

General information about firmware via DOS

Firmware via DOS is one of the most safe options reinstalling software for a given computer node, since all problems associated with the incorrect operation of your operating system are simply eliminated. There are slightly different variations of the process for different models of laptops and motherboards on computers, although most of them have many similar features and the guide to flashing this way can be boiled down to a universal series of steps that need to be taken.

Prepare media for flashing. This could be a floppy disk or flash drive.

In direct comparison, they are in no way inferior to each other, if we talk about this process, but it is recommended to take out a floppy disk only if the motherboard (or BIOS) does not support booting from a flash drive. If you still decide to use a more outdated option, then you should check the integrity of the floppy disk by inserting it into the computer, going to “My Computer” and calling the disk check in the properties of the media that appears in the list (in our case, this is a floppy disk). If any errors occur, you should not expect a miracle from a faulty floppy disk - there is a high probability of malfunctions during the process of “uploading” files and incorrect operation The PC even breaks down and has to be taken in for repairs.

Read the official recommendations given by the manufacturer on the official website. Also, similar manuals can be found in the instructions for the motherboard, but the data tends to become outdated and it is quite possible that the same happened in your case.

Also, during the flashing process, you will be asked to download the files necessary for this, which include, at a minimum, a utility for formatting the media and a firmware file from the list.

Do backup copy data located on the media.

Everything is simple here: if there is any important data left on a flash drive or floppy disk (which is unlikely), then you need to save it on the computer’s hard drive: during the process of changing the firmware, they will not be lost, but the removable disk will need to be formatted.

Formatting the disk.

Help here special utility, which runs as Administrator. Perhaps this is not in the recommendations, but launching any program of a similar plan must be done exactly this way, otherwise you can get large number“complex” problems and a stopped firmware process. You can also format it using built-in tools by clicking on the disk icon in “My Computer” and selecting the item of the same name. All values ​​should be left as default, nothing needs to be changed. Is it worth doing? full formatting? It will take a lot of time, so it’s better not to simply uncheck the “fast” box - the effect will be about the same.

Copying the firmware file.

This stage can be carried out either using a utility or done using regular Explorer, with the help of which we usually perform all operations with files on our computer. An important feature is that the media should not contain extraneous files– formatting (point 4) is mandatory; deleting files is not enough.

It is worth pressing the reboot button (no matter on the case or in the system menu) and when loading the initial screen, press the BIOS entry button - Delete. After this we see a menu where you need to select the boot partition: it will be called Boot. In this tab, you need to change the boot priority from media and put the one on which the firmware file is written first. After completing all the preparations, press the F10 key (save all changes and reboot) and follow the instructions given for your specific motherboard model - here the process may differ significantly.

Updating BIOS via Windows

Almost every motherboard manufacturer provides the option of updating the BIOS firmware through the operating system: each of them has its own utility that does everything in virtually automatic mode. However, you should carefully study all the instructions so as not to be confused at the most inopportune moment.

As described in the previous paragraphs of this article, you need to go to the manufacturer’s website and select your motherboard model. In the accompanying tabs, the corresponding utilities will be available for download along with the firmware files - in most cases, the process is identical even for products from different companies. Next, you need to run the utility (with Administrator rights, of course) and select the firmware method (the “From file” item or something similar). Next we look in file manager the place where you saved the archive and click the “Run” button - the program does the rest automatically. Advantage this method is simplicity - even a beginner in PC development can cope with it. Another thing is whether a beginner needs to flash the BIOS, because, as mentioned earlier, the procedure can damage components and negatively affect the operation of the computer. It is worth noting that the already small probability of a system failure or power outage is superimposed by a considerable chance of a failure in the operating system itself - despite all its stability, the data software products have extremely great complexity: even on slightly different configurations from each other, they can behave completely differently, because the number of factors that can influence this is extremely large. It is also necessary to warn users who nevertheless decide on such a move: run any programs or leave running browser, a torrent client or an office document is not recommended - any combination can affect the operation of the built-in utility and then a call to the service center cannot be avoided. The problem is in the OS itself, which has a lot of components and thousands of possible bugs, an array of which even companies like Microsoft take years to fix.

In truth, flashing firmware using utilities is far from the best idea, and if such an opportunity exists, it is better to use more reliable options: flashing via DOS or through the built-in BIOS tools. Such solutions may be less simple and time-saving, but they provide a much more predictable effect, which cannot be said about the option described above. In cases of firmware using other methods, the number of factors that can negatively affect the process is minimal, and with the inclusion of the operating system with all its shortcomings in the equation, the likelihood of failures increases by an order of magnitude.

MSI

Unlike even larger market players, this company provides the ability to flash the BIOS using any accessible way from those described above. This is convenient, since many people can’t handle it system menu BIOS, and some are worried about its safety and are ready to play it safe, not wanting to use a utility launched from under the operating system. There is also the option of flashing firmware via loading into DOS, which is also safe and relatively simple - here the choice must be made by the user based on an objective assessment of their capabilities and willingness to minimize or accept risks.

Whatever the process and whatever method is used, you need to start by determining the model of your motherboard, which can be done in several ways, described above in this article. On the manufacturer’s official website, look for your model and download necessary files, following the instructions. But since there are even three paths themselves, users will clearly not be satisfied with such a simple explanation and will ask to describe the process in detail.

Live Update

Live Update is a utility produced by the company for flashing the BIOS and some other similar manipulations. It is worth noting that maternal MSI boards laptops, tablets and other devices are also installed - it will not help here and you will have to use other methods. This is due to the fact that during the firmware process, unexpected errors may occur that will become critical to the performance and functioning of the device.

So, download the utility from the official website and install it (running the installer with Administrator rights). This will solve the problem of unexpected failures that so often occur in work after a conflict between programs and permissions. Next, launch the program and go to the appropriate item (tab). It is also necessary to simultaneously download the archive with the firmware, because the automated option, according to reviews, does not always work correctly and it is better to refrain from using it.

Then, following the menu, we will have to face a warning that calls for closing all open programs (which was already mentioned here earlier) and wait for the end of all actions that the program performs. Then, of course, the PC will reboot and using the same program you can find out about the overall success of the operation.

There is another option for the program, which offers automated installation of firmware updates via DOS, which was described in earlier sections of the article. It is worth noting that it retains all the advantages of this method and allows for easy and safe installation of a software upgrade. Technically, the program only downloads the archive with the firmware, so the further process is no different from the “manual” installation, but you no longer need to search for the required version of the motherboard and download the archive - the utility is responsible for all this. The negative point is that you may not need the newest version, but the software will download it, and the largest numbers in the version column do not guarantee better performance, as we have had the opportunity to observe repeatedly on many occasions.

MFLASH is a utility from MSI that is built into the BIOS and allows you to install updates directly using the system's tools. In order to operate it, no additional tricks are needed: just an empty (or better yet, formatted) USB flash drive and a file with BIOS software downloaded onto it. Here the sequence of actions is slightly different: the first of them should be downloading the file mentioned above for your model. Then you will need to clear the space - the presence of other files is undesirable, although some users speak positively about the success of such an installation.

After the reboot, you will need to enter the BIOS using the Delete button and find the tab with the same name as the utility. Next, you will need to specify the path to the file (disk) and click on the button to start the process. The length of the entire procedure after entering the BIOS is only a couple of minutes maximum, and after rebooting you will receive a system that is most likely to work correctly - there is no chance that it could be affected by any software failures.

From under DOS

It is also a reliable method that does not involve the system at all and works perfectly when updating software. In order to find it, you will need to look among the files on the official one for exactly the one that is needed for installation under this OS - there will be a corresponding note in the name at the end, as in the screenshot. Next, you need to get a floppy disk, check it for errors using the built-in Windows utilities and format it there. If there are no errors when checking the disk, then you can write a file to it - it will become the installation file.

Next, reboot and enter the BIOS using the Delete button. After this has happened, look for the Boot Device Priority item and put our media (Floppy Drive) in first place. Next, press F10, agree to save all changes and wait for the reboot.

After loading the operating system we will see a black background with fonts bright colors(or white) - that means we have entered. We will be asked to press Y to continue and N to exit this mode. We press the first button, wait a minute and a half and see a message about the successful completion of the firmware upload. We remove the floppy disk and reboot the computer, simultaneously going into the BIOS and changing the boot priority back to the hard drive, although if the floppy disk is removed and there is no boot disk in the drive, it will do this anyway.

Gigabyte

Gigabyte is the world's third-largest motherboard manufacturer, with its main facilities and headquarters located in China. The company previously did not have similar technologies and was just a contractor for large market “sharks” like Asus or Intel, but having “snooped” on some of their developments and opened research departments, it quickly turned from an apprentice into a full-fledged competitor.

Gigabyte specialists working on BIOS software did not reinvent the wheel: all methods of reinstalling software for this system are as similar as possible and are clearly borrowed from other market players. It is not known for certain whether patent wars are taking place between corporations, but one thing is certain: the user benefits from such solutions, because all the actions and methods for changing the firmware that Asus and MSI work on also work on motherboards Chinese company- the only difference is appearance(purely formally) and names of utilities. The company did not come up with anything fundamentally new, which had a positive effect on the convenience of carrying out such operations.

A positive point is that the company makes every effort to make its documentation easy to find, which is not hidden in the depths of the official website, but is easily accessible within the search results of any system on the first page in several copies.

The company, or rather its specialists, strongly do not recommend carrying out such a procedure if you have not identified any malfunctions or malfunctions in the operation of the equipment: processor, RAM and other components. In many cases, according to the company's own research, performance does not improve and worsens, so it is worth carefully considering the feasibility of flashing the BIOS.

The manuals also pay great attention to precise definition motherboard models taking into account the revision. Since in model range Gigabyte there are models that are designated the same, but one of them is a re-release of the second, then the firmware (and all other manipulations) may differ, the use of the wrong archive can have the most detrimental effect.

It is also worth noting that in the event of a breakdown or any other malfunction that may occur in the event of a flashing, the device is not subject to warranty, since this action is entirely qualified as a repair. This is also worth considering and it’s good that the manufacturer is not silent about it.

Q-Flash is the most reliable way to flash BIOS: this utility is built into the system itself and performs its functions perfectly, having minimal susceptibility to incorrect firmware. Its operation does not depend on the operation of the operating system, which is a definite plus. The only problem is that not all solutions support this technology - in other situations it is much more simple solution There will be firmware via DOS.

Before you use Q-Flash utility, you need to download the most from the official GIGABYTE website current version BIOS microcode that matches your motherboard model. The file with the BIOS microcode must be written to a medium (floppy disk, flash drive or hard drive; file system FAT32/16/12).

Since updating the BIOS microcode carries potential risks, it is not recommended to update the BIOS if the current BIOS version no complaints. Updating the BIOS should be done extremely carefully. Incorrect BIOS update may result in system inoperability.

This solution allows you to update the firmware of the input/output system from under the good old operating system such as DOS. It is worth noting that the flashing operation must be performed on a system operating in normal mode. Overclocking, low memory timings, non-standard system bus frequency can lead to the fact that our event will end with a trip to the service center (or calling familiar gurus). The easiest way is to load the default settings into the BIOS SETUP (main menu item Load Fail-Safe Defaults or similar).

The flashing operation must be performed only from DOS. To boot from a floppy disk, it is enough to have only two system files on it: io.sys and command.com. In any case, neither autoexec.bat nor config.sys should be loaded. In addition, the floppy disk should contain files with the flash driver and the firmware itself.

Run the flashing program with the parameter “/?” and you will receive detailed instructions for working with it.

Please note that updated firmware does not always meet the user's expectations. Be sure to save the file with the old BIOS version on a floppy disk (!) so that you can reverse your actions in the future. For AWARD BIOS, the flasher call can be as follows: “awdflash.exe newflash.bin /py /sy”. Where “newflash.bin” is the real name of the file with the firmware, “py” and “sy” are the flags for reprogramming and saving the old BIOS version, respectively. And lastly: under no circumstances reboot or turn off the computer until the flasher has finished working. This will inevitably damage the BIOS.

Live Update

Live Update is perhaps the simplest solution to problems with the I/O system, because it searches for the necessary microcodes and does almost all the manipulations instead of the user - to use it you do not need to be any kind of specialist in this field. To get started, you need to go to the official website and download the Live Update 5 utility, which will scan your computer and display a list necessary updates, with the ability to download them. Click “Click here” and click “Open”.

The archive will open, run in it installation file LiveUpdate.exe and install the Live Update 5 utility in several steps. After the installation is complete, launch it and click on the “Scan” button, wait a few seconds while the utility searches for updates. The program will display a list of results. We are interested in the update called “MB BIOS”. If such an update is in the list (usually it is at the very top), then there is a BIOS update for our motherboard. Download it to your computer by clicking on the “Download” button (arrow). It’s better to click “Browse” and choose a location to save the update file yourself. For example, I saved it to my desktop. That's it, we now have the BIOS update file, now we can proceed yes next stage. Run the saved file with the BIOS update and follow the instructions.

There are two options here: the first is probably to write the firmware image to a USB flash drive, and update the BIOS from the flash drive (or for the firmware, if it is impossible to update from Windows). But since I didn’t have a free flash drive, I chose the second option, which, judging by the title, means flashing the BIOS from Windows. Here we need to close running programs and click “Next”.

The further process of updating the BIOS is that we simply press any key on the keyboard, and the computer should reboot. Then everything is over - the device has received new firmware.

ASUS BIOS firmware

ASUS is one of the titans of the computer components industry, which has proven itself to be a market leader in both quantitative and qualitative terms. An important feature of their products is ease of maintenance: for each class of product there is a utility that searches for drivers or any other useful work– in the case of this company, the implementation of these solutions is at its best. The same thing happened with updating the BIOS: both options are very convenient and easy to learn by unskilled and inexperienced users.

USB BIOS Flashback is the easiest way to update the BIOS on ASUS motherboards. To update, you now only need a USB drive with a BIOS file written to it and a power supply. Neither the processor, nor RAM and other components are now needed.

List system requirements for this utility is quite prosaic:

• power unit;
• USB drive FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS (for Intel X79 only FAT16 and FAT32);
• ASUS motherboard Intel chipset X79, Z77, H77, Q77, B75 (list of motherboards ASUS boards, supporting USB BIOS Flashback technology is presented in the table).

First, you need to download and extract the BIOS ROM file from the official ASUS website. It is important to understand that receiving files from somewhere else is fraught with irreversible consequences and unexpected operation of the equipment. Next, you should rename the BIOS file as written in the table, and then save it to the USB drive in the root directory:

Then you should connect the USB drive to the USB BIOS Flashback/ROG Connect connector (for boards based on Intel X79, this is a USB 2.0 connector white, for boards on other chipsets - this is the USB 2.0 connector, marked with color and the inscription USB BIOS Flasback/ROG Connect on the Q-Shield panel) and hold for three to four seconds until the light indication starts. Next, we wait for the USB BIOS Flashback/ROG Connect button to light up, which means that the update has been completed successfully.

It is important not to remove the USB drive, turn off the power to the motherboard, or press the CLR_CMOS reset button while updating the BIOS. It is also worth remembering that if the USB BIOS Flashback/ROG Connect button blinks for five seconds, then the USB BIOS Flashback is not working correctly. This may be caused incorrect installation device, an error in the file name or an incompatible file format - you should check it yourself after rebooting. It is worth noting the company’s rather loyal policy regarding problems after a firmware update: if you encounter any problems with booting after updating the BIOS, you can contact your local ASUS service representative, who, according to the authors of the documentation, is committed to helping.

AFUDOS utility

This solution is a little outdated - on motherboards released in the 2000s and 2010s, the most popular utility is EZ Flash, although the old solution is also applicable to many devices. To start flashing the firmware in this way, open the bootable USB flash drive, write the afudos program (downloaded from the website afudos.exe file) and the firmware itself (a file named p5c800b.rom) onto it. Then we reboot and when the first picture appears on the monitor, press F2 for laptops or Del for desktop PCs, go to the Boot tab and put the flash drive in first place, usually for this in the 1st Boot Device item you need to set Removable Device, then press F10 and confirm that We want to save the changes in the settings. After this, the computer will boot from the flash drive and will display an invitation to work A:\> on a black screen. To start the firmware process, write afudos /ip4c800b.rom and press the Enter key. It is worth noting that you do not need to turn off the power or reboot the system while updating the BIOS. This can cause serious damage to your system. After the BIOS update is completed, the utility will return to DOS; you should remove the floppy disk and reboot the system to enter the BIOS menu.

Intel

This method is one of the simplest, as it uses a self-extracting archive and does not require special skills from the user. After selecting the section dedicated to the motherboard, you need to download the firmware, in our case it is Express BIOS Update and run double click mice. Next, click “Next” in the invitation window, and then click “Yes” to accept the license rules. Afterwards, click “Finish”. Windows will restart to begin the BIOS update. During the update process, do not turn off the computer's power for 3 minutes. During the reboot process, you will see the BIOS update process. When the BIOS is updated, the computer will boot into Windows. When Windows restarts, a window will appear indicating that the BIOS was updated successfully.

The essence of this method is to create bootable ones (disks, flash drives, floppy disks) containing a BIOS update. In our case, download this file LF94510J.86A.0278.BI.ZIP

To work, we will need firmware files (write its name on a piece of paper, it will come in handy later) with the XXX.BIO extension and the iFlash.EXE firmware utility. These files are located in the archive with the downloaded firmware. Use the iFlash utility that comes with the firmware in the archive. The HP utility will also be useful USB Disk Storage FormatTool 2.2.3 (other versions are possible), but this one is one of the most stable at the time of writing. Of course, you can't do without MS-DOS files to create a DOS boot disk. After downloading, all files will be unzipped.

Run the utility as administrator HP USB Disk Storage FormatTool 2.2.3. Check the boxes as shown in the picture. Folder path boot device MS-DOS we register the place where we downloaded the MS-DOS files. (For example, this is drive C, folder Downloads\win98boot. And the Start button. When asked about deleting files, click “Yes”.

Upon completion of the process, copy 2 files from the archive with the firmware to the flash drive (example of what they look like: IFLASH2.EXE and LF0278P.BIO). And without removing the flash drive from the USB port, we reboot the computer. We go into the BIOS (F2 button at boot) and set the boot priority from a USB drive (on the Boot tab, enable boot from USB (Enable USB Boot) and exit the BIOS saving the settings - F10.

DOS will boot. At the command prompt, enter IFLASH /PF XXX.BIO (or IFLASH2 /PF XXX.BIO) to start the BIOS update process. Next, follow all instructions. In our example it will look like this: IFLASH2 /PF LF0278P.BIO

Creating a boot floppy disk – effective method, if the utility and firmware are small enough to fit on a floppy disk, since the floppy disk size is 1.44Mb.

For our example, there is no way to clearly show the process of creating a boot disk. So, as an example, I'll take another firmware file from another motherboard. Insert the floppy disk into the drive and run double click downloaded firmware file XXX.EXE. Press "y" to extract the necessary files. The files will be extracted to a temporary directory ( temp folder; Path C:\temp). You can also extract files using the usual WinRAR archiver. Double-click the RUN.BAT file and follow the instructions to create a boot diskette.

After creation, restart the computer, set the BIOS to boot from a Floppy disk and exit saving the settings - F10. After booting from the floppy disk, a welcome window will appear, press any key. You will see the BIOS update status. When the process is complete, remove the floppy disk from the drive and press Enter to restart the computer.

ASRock Firmware

For motherboards from a Chinese manufacturer, the sequence of actions will also not be much different when installing the firmware: here you also need to format the media and go to the official website for the files. The following list of actions is also standard and is no different from updating from DOS from other manufacturers...

You need to download the BIOS update file (WinZip file with .zip extension) from the ASRock website, unzip it and save the ASRFLASH.EXE utility and BIOS file to a floppy disk. Next, boot the system from the floppy disk. At the A:\ prompt, type ASRFLASH, press Spacebar once and type the BIOS file name, then press Enter. For example: A:\ASRFLASH K7S41GX2.00 "Enter". After this, you will see the message "Please wait for BIOS loading ROM".

After 30 seconds, you will see the message "Flash ROM Update Completed - Pass", which means that the BIOS update is complete. After updating the BIOS, remove the floppy disk. Reboot the system and during boot press F2 to enter the BIOS setup program.

From the Exit menu, select "Load Default Settings" and press "Enter" to continue. Select "Exit Saving Changes" and press "Enter" to exit the BIOS setup utility.

Actions after flashing

There is no need to undertake any special “rituals” after flashing, unless the instructions provide for it: just remove the media that was used after flashing and test the operation of the PC with the new software. If any glitches are noticed, it makes sense to roll back to the previous version or find another one so that both support for new components and the stability of the machine are not affected.