BIOS and BIOS Updating

Introduction

The BIOS (Simple Enter/Output Method) is the software package code that initially runs when the Computer powers on. It has all the data needed to initialize just about all the components parts of the Pc. Typically, when you swap on the Computer, the BIOS performs a Power on Self Test, or Put up as it is identified as. This is a collection of diagnostic exams on the RAM and other Components. It also initializes all the hardware units these as the difficult disk, memory, online video and other components, identifies and reserves memory addresses for all the IRQs and ports available on the motherboard, and phone calls a smaller running system system regarded as the boot loader. The boot loader, making use of the BIOS details amongst other issues, begins contacting the courses that will load the OS. And at last, the OS utilizes the BIOS info to acquire manage about the really hard ware equipment.

Mother board manufactures use the BIOS to define settings for the numerous components components like the hard disk, RAM, CD-RAMs, I/O ports and many others. These are usually established at the factory and are what is termed the Factory Settings or the BIOS Setup Default Options.

The BIOS software package code and all the options for the Computer system are stored on a memory chip which is continuously provided with the electricity by a battery. The battery also powers a real time clock that keeps accurate situations. As a result, these configurations are retained even when the energy is switched off.

Mom board manufactures and BIOS sellers regularly launch updates, which can be “flashed” to the BIOS. In some troubleshooting circumstances, your only solution is to update the BIOS.

To enter the BIOS setup, you may require to push [Delete], or some thing identical, when your laptop or computer is booting up. Dependent on the Pc, the critical could be distinct – [Esc],[F1],[F10]. And many others.

Updating the BIOS and other firmware

Getting benefit of the capabilities provided by EEPROM, motherboard manufactures have begun releasing new variations of the BIOS with increased frequency these days. There are a lot of good reasons that an update to the BIOS may be expected: the new model gives superior balance, compatibility or functionality new specialized split feelings require new options in the BIOS a device attached to the computer system may possibly not function devoid of the more recent version and more and more, flashes resolve some complications in the before variation of the BIOS.

Just as the Laptop motherboard has a BIOS chip, so do other difficult ware components and peripherals. These involve points these kinds of as the video clip card, the CD-ROM/RW, DVD-ROM/RW,etc. Usually, the BIOSes on these are acknowledged as firmware. And just as the Computer BIOS can be up to date, the BIOS of these equipment can be up-to-date, also. Even though we only include flashing the Personal computer BIOS, the process is pretty equivalent for other firmware. In all situations, make absolutely sure you have all the information and facts and the technique down ahead of the course of action.

Discover If Your BIOS is flashable

The initial action is to establish if you have a flashable BIOS. Peel the sticker off the BIOS chip and note down the model number. Go to the motherboard manufacturer’s Website web page and research for the product and regardless of whether it is really flashable. Once you’ve got determined that you have a flashable BIOS, we are in business.

Observe Down The Current Options

The subsequent action is to take note down all the recent BIOS settings. Swap on the Laptop and enter your BIOS set up. If you have a printer attached and the print display button functions, go to each and every and each individual menu webpage and print out the options. Or else, be aware it down by hand. In scenario a little something goes wrong, you will need to have to refer to these established items to reset BIOS.

Get the Most up-to-date BIOS updates

After you’ve copied down all your settings, the upcoming step is to discover the most up-to-date updates for your BIOS. To do this, go to your motherboard manufacturer’s site and appear up BIOS updates for your mom board product, make and amount. Download the suitable update from the web-site. Download the flash method that will ‘flash’ the update onto your BIOS chip. Normally, the update and the flash application will be zipped with each other.

Make two MS-DOS boot floppy disks

Ensure that you are on a dependable electrical power supply and that your floppy push is not defective. Copy the flash application to a new floppy disk formatted as on MS-DOS startup disk.. Keep 2nd formatted disk also completely ready.

Back up your existing BIOS

Assure that the floppy product is the first boot product in your BIOS options. Insert the initial floppy and reboot the process. You will taken to a DOS prompt (A:) from exactly where you must variety in the name of the flash program. On the display that seems, select the option to help save your latest BIOS to the initial floppy disk where you only have the flash plan. This will serve as a again up in situation something goes wrong with your update and you require to revert to your aged BIOS.

Flash the BIOS

Copy the flash plan and the BIOS update file to the next floppy disk. Verify that the update file has been copied the right way. Reboot the system with the floppy inserted in the floppy generate. At the A: prompt, variety out the identify of the flash software followed by the BIOS update file name. A monitor appears displaying you the update file that will be flashed to the BIOS. Validate it. Hold out will the BIOS flashed. You will be informed when it is above and questioned to exit. After you are back at the DOS prompt, take away the floppy and reboot the program. If every little thing has long gone off properly, you should really get the regular Submit screen.

Configure the new BIOS

Immediately after flashing your BIOS with new edition and rebooting, enter the BIOS setup. The 1st step is to load the manufacturing unit defaults. This will guarantee that all the new options will default to the manufacturing facility location, which beneath usual circumstances need to be harmless. Immediately after loading the defaults, the upcoming step is to configure the BIOS to your system certain configurations. Pull out the display screen photographs you printed out earlier and the important in all the settings there. You may, of course, alter any of people options if you are positive about what you are doing. As a very first phase, even so, it is better to use the aged options and check out if your program boots up to the OS and anything is working commonly.

Recovering from a Corrupted flash

Some of the most important causes for the flash BIOS corruption are incompatible increase-on playing cards, aborted flash updates because of to energy fluctuations, or incorrect BIOS image.

If your flash attempt fails, really don’t worry! These kinds of failures are generally reliably recoverable, as most more recent BIOS codes now consist of a Boot Block Safety possibility. A BIOS of this kind has two distinctive sections. The Initial Boot Block part is made up of data necessary to initialize only vital procedure units these kinds of as floppy travel, processor, memory and ISA video clip devices. This section is produce shielded and can not be overwritten by flashing. The next component is the flashable portion, acknowledged as technique block, and includes all the data desired to initialize other system gadgets these as online video, storage, COM ports, input equipment, other peripherals, and carrying out the Write-up.

To get better from a corrupted flash, you have to have to be in a position to boot into the floppy the place you have the flash software and the BIOS file you want to flash. An ISA video clip card is preferable, but if you do not have 1, you can nonetheless do it. If you have the ISA card then you will not be capable to see what you are carrying out. Reboot the method to the DOS prompt and repeat the methods outlined over for flashing, or the actions specified by your mother board producer.

If you really don’t have an ISA movie card, make an autoexec.bat file, which will operate when you boot into the DOS technique. Use Notepad to make a one line entry which will incorporate the flash system identify adopted by the update file identify together with any switches that are specified.

This instructs DOS prompt to run aotuexec.bat when the method boots up and run the awd802.exe flash method using the backup.bin BIOS update file. The switches are a variety of choices specific to the flash method, with the very last switch instructing the system to reboot after flashing is finished.

Duplicate the autoexec.bat file to the floppy with your flash application and the BIOS update file you want to use. The floppy need to only consist of the simple DOS technique information, and ought to not have any other documents that may well car-load on get started up and interface with the flashing.

The case in point above is for an Award BIOS update. Though the parameters will most likely vary for your individual BIOS version, the normal approach stays the identical:

o Create a DOS process floppy

o Copy the flash method and the BIOS update file

o Develop an autoexec.bat batch file with a solitary line entry instructing DOS to flash the BIOS when method starts off up

Be certain to read through up the manufacturer’s guidance on each individual change parameter and how they really should be applied.