Flash BIOS Tutorial
The BIOS allows your hardware to communicate with your operating system. Updating the BIOS is also referred to as flashing the BIOS. You may need to flash the BIOS after upgrading your computer's hardware or operating system. Most manufacturers recommend checking for BIOS updates every two years to keep your system current.
Determine Manufacturer
The BIOS you download depends on your motherboard manufacturer. This can be found by entering your system's current BIOS. Restart your computer. Press the correct key during the first few seconds of your system's reboot process. This key varies based on your computer's manufacturer, but is usually "F2," "Del" or "Esc."
Write down the motherboard manufacturer and BIOS version number that is listed on the first page of your BIOS. Press the key specified at the bottom or right of the screen to exit the BIOS and restart your computer.
Choose Media and Download
BIOS updates can be placed on floppy disks, flash drives, CDs or run from the desktop. Removable media must be formatted before you place the BIOS update on it. For Windows users, go to "My Computer" and right-click the media you wish to use. Press "Format." Press "Start" to format.
Visit the motherboard manufacturer's website to download the BIOS update. The website listed in the Resources section provides links to most motherboard manufacturers' websites. Depending on the manufacturer, there may be multiple downloads for different types of media. If you wish to run the update from your desktop, no media is required. Download the correct update for your media.
If the latest BIOS update matches the version number of your current BIOS, no update is needed.
Flash BIOS
Read any and all instructions provided with your BIOS download. Every manufacturer has different steps for placing the update on your removable media. Once the update is installed on your removable media, restart your computer with the media inserted. If your computer doesn't boot from the removable media, press "F12" during the boot process to see boot options. Choose the media type from the options screen and press "Enter." Allow the BIOS to flash without pressing any buttons. Your computer will restart once the update is complete.
If running the update from the desktop, double-click the update file. Allow the update to run. Your computer will restart during this process. Never try to turn your computer off during the process or you'll corrupt the BIOS and possibly the operating system.
Tags: BIOS update, your computer, motherboard manufacturer, operating system, removable media