Should I update my BIOS?

[Guest]

I have a three year old system running with Windows XP Home. I have no plans
on migrating to Vista. My BIOS is an Award F11. The latest version available
for my MB is F14. The system is stable and everything runs fine. Is it
recommended to update the BIOS? My Gigabyte motherboard allows for a BIOS
update without using a boot floppy with a program called @BIOS. Since a bad
BIOS flash is bad news is it worth it if all is copasetic?

 

[philo]

I have a three year old system running with Windows XP Home. I have no plans
on migrating to Vista. My BIOS is an Award F11. The latest version available
for my MB is F14. The system is stable and everything runs fine. Is it
recommended to update the BIOS? My Gigabyte motherboard allows for a BIOS
update without using a boot floppy with a program called @BIOS. Since a bad
BIOS flash is bad news is it worth it if all is copasetic?

If your system is running fine do not update your bios.

Typically, a bios update is used to get specific hardware support not
available with the current bios.

 

[Brian A.]

I have a three year old system running with Windows XP Home. I have no plans
on migrating to Vista. My BIOS is an Award F11. The latest version available
for my MB is F14. The system is stable and everything runs fine. Is it
recommended to update the BIOS? My Gigabyte motherboard allows for a BIOS
update without using a boot floppy with a program called @BIOS. Since a bad
BIOS flash is bad news is it worth it if all is copasetic?

There is no need to update a BIOS unless a specific fix in the update is needed to
resolve an issue. If all runs well enough, leave well enough alone.

FWIW, even though you mention what sounds to be an express BIOS update that you
start from Windows, it should automatically create a backup of the present BIOS
before installing the update. The support site should have documentation on what the
BIOS fixes/adds and how to install it.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Noncompliant]

I won't do a flash unless I know it will:
1. Add something that I want to the bios menu, AND, as part of the new
bios, NOT remove something from the bios menu that I want. Watch out for
that.
2. Fix something that's broke, or, fix something that's broke
intermittently.
3. Allow some capability that wasn't available before, AND, I intend to
utilize that capability.

If you have dual bios, teach yourself how to backup to the other bios
backup, how to use the 2nd one, how to Xpress recovery from the backup.
Then consider the flash.

Even though more letters, "satisfactory" is more often used and understood
word.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the advice, technical and literary. I didn't think anyone
intelligent enough to understand a BIOS flash would have a hard time with the
meaning of a word I learned when I was about eight years old. Anyone reading
this post who did not know the meaning of the word "copasetic" now comes away
with a Dual BIOS full of knowledge!

 

[Noncompliant]

All kinds of people read these posts and replies. I try to keep as many
people as possible in the picture of understanding. Some people are curious
of words they've never encountered, or perhaps forgotten because of little
or no use of the word in everyday life. Others may be repulsed. Whether
the subject matter applies to them or not.

 

[Guest]

I get your point. Please understand, my refusal or failure to obey a law,
rule, or contractual agreement of language usage, as laid out in the bylaws
of XP Newsgroups is just the result of ignoring my physician's order for
medicine-taking.
By the way what does noncompliant mean? Maybe "defiant" may be a word that
would keep more people in "the picture of understanding" I'm sure you don't
want to "repulse" anyone?