Should I Flash Bios?

[b3six]

Right now I have ver 1002 bios and I was wondering if I should flash it to the 1006 bios? I was told that it has better features or something for SLI but I'm not exactly sure what it is. should I flash or stick with this.. and if i should flash what would be the best/easiest way to do it.

Just to make sure that I'm getting the right update.. here is the
Link to download
this is the right one right? I've never done this before and I was told if I mess up it would be really bad for my comp

 

[ohnnyj]

I recommend doing it, and it is not too difficult.

1. Get a blank floppy and right-click on it in Windows Explorer. Select Format and click the check box to create a bootable floppy.
2. Download the BIOS file (record the name of the file, you will need it later).
3. Download the BIOS flash utility.
4. Place both on a second formatted floppy disk (you can stick them on the same floppy as 1. but I recommend a different one so that you have separate disk w/just the BIOS files).
5. Reboot your computer and hit Del to get into the BIOS.
6. Set the boot order so that Removable Disk is first.
7. Save and exit the BIOS.
8. Insert the bootable floppy from 1. and let the computer boot up from it. It will stop with a DOS prompt.
9. Take out the floppy and put the other one (w/BIOS files) in.
10. Type awdflash.exe to run the BIOS flashing program.
11. If you want to save the current BIOS you can give it a name and it will save it to the floppy.
12. Type the name of the BIOS file (including file extension) on the floppy when asked to write the new BIOS to the chip.
13. Let it do its thing but DO NOT RESET while it is going through its process.
14. When asked to reset do so.
15. Go back into BIOS and change your boot order back to what you had before.
16. Save and exit BIOS.
17. You're done. Congrats.

Alternatively if you want the quick and simple way:

1. Download the BIOS file and BIOS utility just as before and stick them on a formatted floppy.
2. Reboot and during the inital boot screen (the one that shows the processor speed, memory, etc.) hit F2 and it should automatically do everything for you.

EDIT: I think there might be a way to do it from Windows as well but I don't recommend doing it this way.

 

[b3six]

thx 4 help

 

[CheesePoofs]

My rule is not to flash unless you have problems. If everything is fine as it currently is, why change it?

 

[ohnnyj]

Originally posted by: b3six
thx 4 help

np .

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
My rule is not to flash unless you have problems. If everything is fine as it currently is, why change it?

Newer BIOSes may open new features, offer better stability, etc.

I understand the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality but in the case of this mobo in particular I think it is a good idea.

 

[mauiblue]

Originally posted by: ohnnyj

Originally posted by: b3six
thx 4 help

np .

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
My rule is not to flash unless you have problems. If everything is fine as it currently is, why change it?

Newer BIOSes may open new features, offer better stability, etc.

I understand the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality but in the case of this mobo in particular I think it is a good idea.

Yeah, but taking the risk of fubar the flash could lead to the mobo not working, no POST, etc. the need to RMA the mobo. Yes, take the risk but just remember the consequences if the positive results are relatively small gains.

 

[ohnnyj]

Originally posted by: mauiblue

Originally posted by: ohnnyj

Originally posted by: b3six
thx 4 help

np .

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
My rule is not to flash unless you have problems. If everything is fine as it currently is, why change it?

Newer BIOSes may open new features, offer better stability, etc.

I understand the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality but in the case of this mobo in particular I think it is a good idea.

Yeah, but taking the risk of fubar the flash could lead to the mobo not working, no POST, etc. the need to RMA the mobo. Yes, take the risk but just remember the consequences if the positive results are relatively small gains.

Flashing a BIOS is not exactly rocket science. If the board fails to take a BIOS update it was probably bad to begin with.

 

[Whitewolf]

Yes, I agree with ohnnyj, it's really difficult to mess something nowdays when flashing a board. And most of them support recovery from bad flashes (A8N-SLI indluded I think). And with companies releasing unstable/"incomplete" boards using the initial bios, it's absolutely recommended imho to update to the latest stable bios.

 

[thunderroller]

if pwoer gose off in between its gone

 

[Whitewolf]

Yeah, that's why we shouldn't get out of our house, so that there is no chance we can get eaten by loose tigers and crocodilles. Yes I know there aren't any tigers or crocodilles around in the major cities but... what if they suddenly appear and you are out there all alone!!! Oh common this has more chances happening than your power going off during the five seconds it takes to flash the mobo. And even if all the planets of our solar system align during your mobo flash and a message in the sky appears saying: "We hate you damned motherboard flasher, how dare you flash your board?!!!!! You evil creature shall now suffer the concequences!!" you can always rma it!

 

[ohnnyj]

Originally posted by: Whitewolf
Yeah, that's why we shouldn't get out of our house, so that there is no chance we can get eaten by loose tigers and crocodilles. Yes I know there aren't any tigers or crocodilles around in the major cities but... what if they suddenly appear and you are out there all alone!!! Oh common this has more chances happening than your power going off during the five seconds it takes to flash the mobo. And even if all the planets of our solar system align during your mobo flash and a message in the sky appears saying: "We hate you damned motherboard flasher, how dare you flash your board?!!!!! You evil creature shall now suffer the concequences!!" you can always rma it!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[mauiblue]

Yes, I guess in this perfect world the power would not go out while you are flashing to a updated BIOS. But what if some did go wrong and it could. You would be out a mobo for a while for what, some small gains. Flashing the BIOS is reccommened only if there is a good reason to to it after which you better tread carefully. The Soyo website says about BIOS upgrades:

Warning!
Updating your BIOS constitutes a risk! If flashing goes wrong, it may render your motherboard unbootable thus requiring you to send your motherboard or BIOS chip in for re-flashing (RMA).

Now why would a company print that on their website if there was not some risk involved. Obviously, it is relatively simple to flash a BIOS and by what the Soyo website states there are risks involved that they know can happen because IT DOES HAPPEN. Sh!t happens. It really does.

Moving on....