Also correct, I sometimes get ahead of myself with an
incomplete answer.
| Right you are, Jim...but firmware can't be rolled back to
an earlier
| version from Device Manager. ;-)
|
| ---
| Ted Zieglar
| "Backup is a computer user's best friend."
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
| > Firmware is a BIOS in a device and as long as the
computer
| > can boot, or the device is installed in a working
computer,
| > the firmware can be up or graded of re-flashed.
| >
| >
| > | > | Just to add a little something to Jim's good
| > advice...firmware is not
| > | the same as a device driver. Firmware is contained
inside
| > the device in
| > | a chip, whereas a driver is installed on the hard
disk.
| > |
| > | ---
| > | Ted Zieglar
| > | "Backup is a computer user's best friend."
| > |
| > | Jim Macklin wrote:
| > | > If the BIOS update to the mobo is corrupted, the
| > computer
| > | > likely will not boot at all. It is recommended that
you
| > do
| > | > not update the BIOS unless there is an issue with
your
| > | > hardware that requires a BIOS update to allow new
| > hardware
| > | > to function. Then it is recommended that you have a
UPS
| > | > [battery backed power supply or uninterruptible
power
| > | > supply] so that a line power failure will not be as
| > likely
| > | > to happen and trash the BIOS. Also, many new mobo
| > mfg'rs
| > | > have a Windows program to update the BIOS rather
than
| > | > requiring that the BIOS be updated from a bootable
| > floppy.
| > | >
| > | > As long as the computer will boot, you can re-flash
the
| > BIOS
| > | > with a previous BIOS version, but often if the BIOS
is
| > | > damaged your only fix is a new mobo or factory
| > replacement
| > | > chip.
| > | >
| > | > As for the firmware in a CD or DVD drive, the
computer
| > | > should still be able to boot and Windows does have a
| > "driver
| > | > roll-back" function in the Device Manager.
| > | >
| > | > Unlike software updates, BIOS and firmware updates
are
| > not
| > | > required unless you have some compatibility issue
that
| > needs
| > | > to be solved, i.e. your drive doesn't run properly.
| > Read
| > | > the details in the update notice about what the
update
| > does
| > | > and decide whether you really need it before getting
| > | > adventurous with your only computer.
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > | > | > | Perhaps asking the particular manufacturers tech
| > support
| > | > will get you a
| > | > | qualified and correct answer.
| > | > |
| > | > | Dudley Henriques wrote:
| > | > |
| > | > | > Just to help basic understanding;
| > | > | >
| > | > | > If you do a firmware update on say an optical
drive,
| > is
| > | > it possible to
| > | > | > reverse it back to the drive's original firmware
if
| > | > something goes wrong
| > | > | > with the update.......and basically the same
| > question
| > | > concerning a BIOS
| > | > | > update?
| > | > | > On the BIOS, I understand you can select return
to
| > | > default before exiting
| > | > | > the setup screen in the BIOS but its my
| > understanding
| > | > that doing this
| > | > | > returns the BIOS to its absolute initial
settings
| > and
| > | > that any settings
| > | > | > specially made to the BIOS by whoever initially
set
| > up
| > | > your system will be
| > | > | > lost.
| > | > | > Just concerning the BIOS, is it then a good idea
| > with a
| > | > new system to print
| > | > | > out your BIOS settings for each page and keep a
| > written
| > | > record of them and
| > | > | > if so, how can you do this without doing a print
| > screen
| > | > for each page?
| > | > | > I know you can back up the BIOS, but can you
| > actually
| > | > view the backup if you
| > | > | > need to?
| > | > | > Many thanks. I'd like to understand this a bit
| > better if
| > | > possible.
| > | > | > Dudley
| > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | > |
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
