Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
fromthemanufacturer'swebsite.Dependingonthedesign,someupdateprogramsrequire
that you place the software on a bootable floppy or optical disc, whereas others configure
the program to run on the next startup (before Windows loads), and still others actually
run in Windows as a Windows application.
Some systems allow the flash ROM in a system to be locked (write-protected). In that
case you must disable the protection before performing an update—usually by means of a
jumper or switch. Without the lock, any program that knows the correct instructions can
rewritetheROMinyoursystem—notacomfortingthought.Withoutthewrite-protection,
virus programs could be written that overwrite or damage the ROM BIOS code in your
system.TheCIHvirus(alsocalledtheChernobylvirus)wasoneexamplethatcouldover-
write the BIOS code on certain motherboards. Instead of a physical write-protect lock,
some flash ROM BIOSs have a security algorithm that prevents unauthorized updates.
This is the technique Intel uses on its motherboards, eliminating the need for a lock jump-
er or switch.
Note that motherboard manufacturers do not normally notify you when they upgrade the
BIOS for a particular board. You must periodically log on to their websites to check for
updates, which you can then download and install at no charge.
BeforeproceedingwithaBIOSupgrade,youmustlocateanddownloadtheupdatedBIOS
from your motherboard manufacturer. Log on to its website, and follow the menus to the
BIOS updates page; then select and download the new BIOS for your motherboard.
Note
If a flash BIOS upgrade is identified as being for only certain board revisions of a particular
model, be sure you determine that it will work with your motherboard before you install it.
You might need to open your system and look for a revision number on the motherboard or
for a particular component. Check the vendor's website for details.
Motherboard manufacturers may offer several ways to update the BIOS on a given
motherboard,somemayrundirectlyfromwithinWindows,andothersmayneedtoberun
frombootableremovablemediasuchasoptical,USB,orfloppy.Youonlyneedtouseone
of them, so if you have choices, in most cases you should choose the one that is the easi-
est to perform. Which one you choose may depend on the current state of the system. For
example, if the BIOS is corrupt, you may have no other choice but to use the emergency
recovery procedures shown in the next section. If the system you are updating is one you
are building for the first time and does not yet have a working copy of Windows installed
on the hard drive, you may want to use a method that works with other bootable media
suchasanopticaldrive,USBflashdrive,orfloppydrive.Iftheupdatefilesandprograms
