Ultimate BIOS Guide: Every Setting Decrypted and Explained!
Posted 06/15/09 at 12:35:52 PM by Paul Lilly
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When and Why to Update the BIOS
Updating or flashing the BIOS carries a certain amount of risk, but the potential rewards make it worth the effort. Motherboard makers are contstantly enhanching the BIOS firmware and the end result can be significantly improved performance, less buggy behavior, additional functionality, improved overclocking performance, and much more.
BIOS updates can also be minor and only address a specific function, such as adding native support for higher frequency RAM or a new CPU stepping. If the added functionality isn't something that affects your setup, you needn't worry about updating your BIOS. The general rule of thumb is if it isn't broken, well, you know the rest.
We recommend checking your vendor's website every few months to see if any new BIOS versions have been released, and if so, what changes they bring. Then make a determination on whether or not you should flash your BIOS.
Precautions
You've heard of Murphy's Law, and it definitely applies here. While BIOS flashes have become orders of magnitude easier and less risky in recent years, the one time you attempt to update your BIOS unprepared will inevitably be the time something goes wrong.
Standard housekeeping applies - backup any important data. A BIOS flash won't nuke your hard drive, but if done incorrectly, it could kill your motherboard. Plus, you should have a routine backup plan in place anyway.
Next, tune your system for stability. If you're overclocking, revert back to default clockspeeds and voltage levels. The reason for this is because if there's an underlying instability issue -- even one you're not aware of -- your system could suddenly reboot during the middle of a BIOS flash, rendering your BIOS chip corrupt and your motherboard a rather bulky keychain.
Finally, make a note of any pertinent BIOS settings that you've changed from their default values. Sometimes when updating the BIOS, all settings are reverted back to default. Did you disable onboard sound? You may need to do so again.
Windows BIOS Update Utilities
Most motherboard manufacturers offer some kind of handy Windows utility with a snazzy GUI for updating your BIOS. If at all possible, avoid using these, particularly if you're updating your BIOS because of instability. Should your Windows installation suddenly freeze or restart, you could be in a world of trouble.
How to Update
There are several alternative methods to updating your BIOS, the simpliest being from a USB key. Some motherboard manufacturers implement a built-in utility for updating the BIOS during POST. Gigabyte boards, for example, come with a Q-Flash utility. To use it, you would first go to your motherboard's product page and download the latest BIOS file (when updating a BIOS, you don't need to go in order - you can skip straight to the latest BIOS version) and copy it to your USB key. Next, reboot your PC and hit the End key during post or F8 from within the BIOS. This brings up the Q-Flash utility. Follow the GUI prompts to locate and load the BIOS on your USB key and sit back while the new firmware is written. Be sure not to power down or reset your system.
If you own an older or proprietary system, you may need to kick it old school and update your BIOS with a floppy disk using one of several utilities. Reference your motherboard maker's website to see which utilities your motherboard supports (see here, for example).
Check out our Essential BIOS Tweaking Guide here!
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Submitted by Mikeytron on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:44am
I second another poster. This needs to be in .pdf form. You did a whole lot of work but the value to us is limited because we really cannot easily "take it with us". Yeah we can bookmark it but that's really not good enough. To be honest what needs to be done is to create a smaller pocket sized book that we can keep in our desks or briefcases. This is an item that has value unlike the CD'S that come with the issues. In fact how about when we subscribe we get a pocket sized how to book on the above piece? The CD is good for people not online, but really we ALL are by now big time. Simple links in the mag every month could do away with the CD and you would be going green!!! Give us hard copies of stuff we want to KEEP, again like the above piece. The CD usefullness is DEAD.
Try this
Submitted by One4yu2c on Sun, 07/05/2009 - 9:37am
It's not PDF, but maybe this would help? http://www.maximumpc.com/print/6543
Could also combine the single-page print version with Firefox's PDFit extension.
-Paul Lilly
Submitted by adeletwo6789 on Tue, 09/29/2009 - 11:16am
Thanks much for this writeup!! Great job on describing EXACTLY what to do! All in all the whole setup took me.
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Submitted by domih2009 on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 9:34pm
...If you've already installed Windows, suddenly switching from IDE mode to AHCI will quickly muck things up. On the other hand, it's a good way to see what a BSOD looks like if you've never seen one before. Otherwise, be prepared to start fresh with a new Windows installation.
You can save yourself a new Windows installation depending on your OS and ICH chipset.
For Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976 (easy)
For XP: brave minds can peruse through http://www.google.com/search?q=How+to+enable+AHCI+on+Intel+under+XP (less easy)
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Fantastic Guide.....BUT.......
Submitted by ghot on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 6:32am
......kind of useless if I cant down load it, since i seriously doubt that Ill be ONLINE while OCing in the BIOS :)
This DESERVES to be in .pdf format, as well as the linked to articles ^^ Remember also that nVidia still makes chipsets :)
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
simply copy paste it to
Submitted by Bless on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 3:17am
simply copy paste it to word, and hit print
Sweet
Submitted by FenixSS on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 11:22pm
Another example of great bathroom reading material.
Submitted by rob41 on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 6:29pm
Great job Paul. This is some very useful information!
Submitted by water_man3 on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 12:10pm
One of my favorite issues of all time, the August 2003 issue, happens to have - I quote - "the most in depth white paper - EVER" on BIOS Secrets. This is great stuff guys - exactly why I subscribe.
Submitted by Dysthymia on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 11:34am
I'm confused... the only users who should have this setting enabled are those running a legacy os with an older processor -- and those running XP, Vista, or Windows 7?
I saw the same thing. This
Submitted by BlazePC on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 7:20pm
I saw the same thing. This article, although well intentioned, has some really poor grammar/explanation of logic in relation to BIOS "settings". I'm actually quite shocked at how bad some of this reads. I subscribe to the mag and I'm coming up on renewal shortly, and this may have been the straw that changed my mind on doing that. Pretty sloppy guys...you might consider clearing up the explanations for the "new" user base on the next go around ...and there will be a next time because this stuff gets recycled a lot.
Submitted by Mothership on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 10:35am
I found this very helpful and already printed a copy for myself and others. Good if you want to learn what your ACTUALLY doing when your OCing that cpu =).
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