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When Should one update mobo BIOS?

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Maggot

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Joined
Jan 12, 2002
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Goldens Bridge
There is wisdom in "If it ain't broke don't fix it" but that doesn't stop us from grabbing each new NED and trying to get better performance out of our VGA cards.

Where do mobo BIOS upflashes fit into this? It's a bigger deal, more hazardous potentially than a simple driver update. So- what's the conventional wisdom- or your personal preference- about when the BIOS flash is reasonable and prudent?

Thanks,
Dean
 
I only flash when I feel the urge....... :eek: Um, BIOS flashing that is......

Really, I only update if there is a problem that I am trying to fix or if I need to update the BIOS to extend the capability for some reason. ie: a new OS, unsupported HD etc.

Thats my 2c.
 
Flashing a BIOS is one of the easiest things to do, it's also one of the easiest things to go wrong and not so easy to fix...

As for why flash a BIOS, most people do it for upgrade reasons, BIOS has bugs like everything else, and they are always improving it, also flashing a BIOS to upgrade for newer products(getting a new XP2400+ to run on an older board, etc...)

For myself I flashed because the BIOS I run(see my sig)is reliable and stable and works well with the higher FSB I run. I actually upgraded this BIOS to the newest official release, but it caused me so much pain, I quickly switched back. I am the first one to say flash if you have to, but be warned(I have lost a EPROM or two in my day)
 
Who among us is satisfied with their box's stability?
Even the vaunted XP is far from rock-solid OS. I doubt I'm alone in *always* pining for the tweak that might help... in ways I don't even know are possible.

Hell, I have a P4TE (fast ICS DRCG) with a p4-2.0A that I run at fsb 133. It's pintricked to a Vcore 1.7v and cooled by waterblock. The RDRAM is PC1066 that *finally* keeps up with my fsb133 even at 4X & "Turbo" (whatever that means in the Award 1005 BIOS!)

But... I understand that the 1005 BIOS is at its limit with my proc going >2.6 GHz. The 1005 is >1 year old now. My machine is acting a bit odd lately
http://www.asusboards.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=32420&goto=newpost
but I am far from blaming the BIOS.

I won't hold ya to it, but do you have an opinion based on these specifics?
Thanks!

-Maggs
 
When you have eliminated everything esle no matter how unrealistic it seems the solution is probably what is left. I think you might want to consider flashing, now the question is to what BIOS? Unfortunately I can be of no help to you other than to suggeast checking the forums for advice(I am an AMD man myself)
 
"Unfortunately I can be of no help to you other than to suggeast checking the forums for advice(I am an AMD man myself)"

OK, AMD-Man, NP:
I'm flirting with Asus' 1007 build.
Thanks agn
 
Flashing bios is very easy, but dangorous at the same time, just make sure you have the right version, and dont do it if theres any risk of the power going out (dont flash during a lightning storm) and other than that there is no harm done, who knows maybe you could get some extra boost that you werent expecting out of it, maybe not, but still, worth a try if you ask me...


Matt
 
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