A tiny BIOS chip lurks inside each laptop, sitting in your motherboard to breathe life into your system if you press the facility button. It not solely powers your PC, however helps shield it, too—as evidenced by AMD’s determination to work with companions to push out crucial BIOS updates for AM5 motherboards after new Ryzen 7000 X3D chips began actually (although sometimes) burning out.
BIOS stands for fundamental enter and output system, and the BIOS chip initializes all the opposite gadgets in your PC, just like the CPU, GPU, and motherboard chipset. However a few years in the past, motherboard producers—in partnership with Microsoft and Intel—launched a substitute for conventional BIOS chips dubbed UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).
Virtually each motherboard transport as we speak has a UEFI chip fairly than a BIOS chip (UEFI is a Home windows 11 system requirement, in truth), however they each share the identical core objective: making ready the system in addition into the working system. That mentioned, most individuals nonetheless name the UEFI the “BIOS” due to the familiarity of the time period.
Why you must (or shouldn’t) replace your BIOS
Understanding your UEFI is necessary so you possibly can perceive how (and if) to make the most of the function updates and bug fixes that include the BIOS updates provided by motherboard producers.
New chip and motherboard platforms usually obtain quite a few BIOS revisions early of their lifecycle, to work out bugs.
Your motherboard possible makes use of no matter firmware revision the motherboard producer was on again when it was constructed. Over the lifespan of a motherboard, producers launch new firmware packages or BIOS updates that may allow help for brand new processors and reminiscence, or resolve generally reported bugs. For years, the one actual cause to replace to a more moderen firmware revision, nonetheless, is to resolve a bug in your UEFI or to swap in a CPU that’s newer than your motherboard.
Some individuals prefer to recurrently verify for and replace their UEFI firmware packages simply to remain updated. At one time, this was thought of a dangerous observe, provided that the firmware updating course of can doubtlessly brick your motherboard in the identical manner that flashing a customized ROM on to Android telephone can brick the system. It’s finest to not replace your UEFI firmware until there’s something particular that the up to date firmware presents that you simply want.
That mentioned, you most likely need to keep on prime of BIOS updates for those who’re on a chip or motherboard platform that’s contemporary out of the gates—witness these crucial BIOS updates for AMD’s contemporary AM5 motherboard platform talked about above. Dwelling on the bleeding edge usually requires diligence.
Methods to replace your PC BIOS
Be sure to again up your crucial information earlier than trying a BIOS replace! These updates alter core features of your PC and its very important to have backups if something goes unsuitable.
1. Discover your present BIOS model: Earlier than you improve your BIOS, be sure to’re truly putting in a brand new model. The simplest technique to discover your BIOS model is to open up the System Data app by typing msinfo into the Home windows search bar. Within the window that opens, your BIOS model ought to present up on the appropriate, below your processor velocity. Report your model quantity and date, then examine it to the newest model accessible in your motherboard’s help web page on the producer’s web site.
2. Enter the UEFI BIOS: While you boot up your PC, you’ll see textual content that informs you which of them button to press to enter the UEFI BIOS. Press it! (The precise button wanted, and the design of each motherboard’s precise UEFI management panel differs, so these directions might be extra guideposts than step-by-step directions.)
3. Boot into the UEFI management panel (when potential): Though not all motherboards provide this function, on sure fashions you possibly can boot into the UEFI management panel and use a built-in replace utility to connect with the web and flash the newest firmware from the manufacture’s server. This extraordinarily good function makes updating to newer firmware revisions as painless as potential.
The method is a little more concerned for motherboards that don’t help this function.
4. Discover the newest BIOS replace out of your motherboard’s help web page: Go to your motherboard’s help web page on the producer’s web site. The newest BIOS replace must be within the help and downloads part.
5. Obtain and unzip the BIOS replace file
6. Switch replace file onto a USB flash drive
7. Reboot your laptop into the UEFI management panel
8. Launch the UEFI’s firmware replace device or flashing device and again up your PC’s current firmware to your flash drive: This protects you in case one thing goes unsuitable.
9. Use the identical UEFI utility to pick out the brand new firmware picture you saved on the flash drive: Operating the firmware replace utility ought to take simply a few minutes, however be certain to not shut off your PC throughout this course of. That is crucial.
10. As soon as the flashing course of finishes, restart your laptop: Your up to date PC BIOS is able to rock.
Some producers provide utilities that may replace your UEFI chip from straight inside Home windows by working an .exe file, however we strongly advocate utilizing one of many two strategies above to keep away from any issues.
Once more, updating your PC’s BIOS can present many advantages, nevertheless it’s necessary to know the dangers. Don’t contact it if there isn’t a transparent, compelling cause to replace your UEFI firmware. That mentioned, if you wish to drop in a more moderen CPU into an older motherboard, then it’s clear {that a} BIOS replace lies in your future.
Up to date at Might 1, 2023 to reference AMD’s BIOS updates for AM5 motherboards.
