Home-Excel-How to update the bios of an asus motherboard. How to flash BIOS using Asus Update

How to update the bios of an asus motherboard. How to flash BIOS using Asus Update

  • 1. Why update?
  • 2. How can I find out the current BIOS version?
  • 3. Where to get the update
  • 4. Create a backup
  • 5. Installation
  • 6. Reset system settings
  • 7. Potential problems

Everyone knows that a personal computer needs constant updating - both technical and software. Using old drivers or outdated applications leads to poor performance of the device, everything slows down and lags, causing a lot of unpleasant emotions.

Despite the obvious need to constantly maintain the PC in optimal condition, few people know that it is also necessary to update the BIOS, on the operation of which absolutely all devices depend. To fill this gap in the knowledge of our readers, we have prepared material on the issue of how to update the BIOS on an Asus or other manufacturer’s motherboard.

Why update?

There are several reasons why updating the BIOS is a good decision, here are some of them:

  • After installing a new device on your PC, it is no longer supported. Most often, this situation occurs when changing a processor or hard drive, but a video card or RAM may also require a BIOS update;
  • Possible conflict with a new application, usually this concerns a variety of specialized programs;
  • To increase PC performance. If you decide to overclock the processor, then you will almost certainly have to delve into the BIOS, otherwise you will not be able to increase the frequency and supply more voltage to the device;
  • Over time, the firmware may become damaged. If the computer begins to produce various errors for no apparent reason, then the problem is probably in the motherboard BIOS.

How can I find out the current BIOS version?

Before updating anything, it would be good to know which version we currently have. To do this you need to take the following steps:


Now a table or list of characteristics should appear on the monitor, among the items of which you need to find the inscription “Bios Version” or “Bios Revision”. The combination of numbers next to this combination will be the version of your BIOS.

Another method involves logging into Bios itself; you can do it like this:


Where can I get the update?

First we need to find the new version to which we want to update our Bios. The most rational way is to download it from the official website of the manufacturer of your existing motherboard. You can find out about the model of our board in the accompanying documents for the PC or just visually inspect it; it will probably have both the manufacturer and the name of the card written on it.
You can also use one of the third-party applications that offer advanced information about the system. One of the most famous is Everest. Its undeniable advantage is the links it provides to the websites of official manufacturers, where you can subsequently find all the necessary software, so we recommend getting such an assistant even if you do not plan to update Bios in the near future.
New firmware can also be downloaded from unofficial sites, but the risk is obvious - it is likely that such software will be infected with viruses, which means the performance of your PC will be at risk. To avoid becoming a victim of scammers, try to avoid using software of unknown origin.

Creating a Backup

Remember that before making any major changes to the system, you must take care to create a backup copy, otherwise various installation errors can potentially lead to extremely serious problems. The created copy must be transferred to another medium so that in case of problems you can install it from a flash drive. Copying occurs as follows:

  • We make a bootable USB flash drive for MS-DOS operating systems;
  • Insert the USB flash drive into the port and reboot the computer;
  • During loading, press the Delete key and find the Tool tab in the sign;
  • Select Asus EZ 2 Utility;
  • Press the F2 key and enter the name of the backup copy.

Now the necessary backup data has been saved and you can start updating the BIOS.

Installation

The easiest way is to install new firmware in the Windows operating system itself. Everything is simple here - you just need to download the update program for the desired motherboard model and run this file. Almost every manufacturer has its own installer, so if you want to update the BIOS of an Asus motherboard, then you should go to their website. This installer is installed as simply as any other application; no difficulties arise in the process.
A number of manufacturers provide access to installing the update without logging into Windows; the necessary tools for performing the update are already built into the ROM. For example, ASRock Instant Flash Installer will automatically install the update after pressing the F6 key in minutes.

Resetting system settings

You can reset the current settings of the motherboard using either software or hardware. In the latter case, we will need to get into the system unit and there, in turn, remove the battery from the motherboard for 30 minutes or use a special jumper. We do not recommend this method for a beginner, especially since it can be done faster and easier:

  • Go to Bios;
  • Select Load Default;
  • We accept changes.

Potential problems

We figured out how to flash Bios, but, unfortunately, no one is immune from possible troubles. You may encounter common problems such as version mismatches or data recording errors. If you are faced with a similar development of events, then you need to use a prudently saved previously backup copy.
Remember that operations on the BIOS must be carried out, being confident in the stability of the supplied voltage - we don’t want our lights to be turned off in the middle of the update installation process? If the current suddenly turns off, the motherboard may well fail and you will have to fork out for an expensive replacement.

We have already talked about sources of updates, but we remind you once again - use firmware only from official sites, otherwise treatment from picked up viruses will take a lot of time, and maybe even material resources. Remember that any of the existing versions should be on the manufacturer’s website; if you don’t find it, it means you didn’t look well, try spending a little more time.

And remember that you should only engage in such a risky operation as updating Bios if there is no other choice and the outdated version really has a negative effect on the performance of the device. Have you discovered that your system is not compatible with a specific device? Most likely you will have to update the BIOS. Just a new version came out and you think that with its help your computer will function better? This is not true and it is not worth the risk.

First, you need to note that updating the BIOS is a very risky operation. If the update is unsuccessful, the motherboard of the laptop or computer will fail. But sometimes there may come a time when flashing the BIOS becomes simply necessary. If you are thinking about how to flash the ASUS BIOS, namely the motherboard of this laptop, then the firmware scheme is the same as for computers. The same sequence will be typical for other laptop models.

ASUS BIOS firmware

  • First you need to download a special BIOS firmware file. It’s quite easy to find something similar on the Internet, but still, it is recommended to search for the firmware file on the website of the company that manufactures your laptop’s motherboard. As already mentioned, the update process for almost all laptop models does not differ in any significant way. Therefore, in a similar way, you can update not only the Asus BIOS.
  • You need to go to the official ASUS website, where you need to find the “Service” tab, where you select the “Download Center” item. Next, by going to the “Files” section, you need to select the model of your motherboard; the model number and production series must match completely. After that, you need to click the “Search” button.
  • In the dialog box that appears, you must select your operating system type, and then click the “General Search” button. After the search system finds files that match your version of the operating system, you need to select the required BIOS file from the resulting list and then download it. The downloaded file will look like an archive, which must have the extension “rom”.
  • After this, to update the BIOS you will also need a working, defect-free USB drive. It is necessary that you first check the media for errors and perform a full formatting. After this, the file downloaded from the official website should be written to it.
  • Before flashing the ASUS BIOS, you need to restart the computer without removing the USB drive and go into the BIOS itself.
  • Next, go to the “Tools” tab, where the built-in utility “ASUSEZ Flash 2” is located.
  • If you did everything correctly, then you need to select this utility from the list and press the "Enter" button, after which the BIOS firmware program menu should open.
  • By pressing the "Tab" button, you will go to the left column, which contains a list of available disks and drives, as well as all found systems. From this list you must select your USB drive where the BIOS firmware file is located, select the drive from the list, and press the "Enter" button. The system should ask you to confirm the action, to which you should answer “YES”. After this, the system will start the firmware process.
  • Before flashing the BIOS of an ASUS motherboard, the system will begin checking for errors. Here everything will usually depend on the motherboard itself. Usually checking for errors does not occur, but if it suddenly does, then you should not be nervous.
  • After the system checks for errors, it will begin the main BIOS update process, which takes no more than forty seconds. After this, the BIOS must verify its new firmware, and then reboot the laptop. Then you should run the system to check its operation and whether there are any errors. If the BIOS update was unsuccessful, then you need to contact the service center.

Now you know the intricacies of ASUS BIOS firmware. This will allow you to set up your laptop yourself and not spend money on calling a specialist. We wish you good luck!

In this article I will describe step by step the process of updating the BIOS firmware of ASUS motherboards. Modern ASUS motherboards is an implementation of the UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) standard, which replaced traditional BIOS systems (if you have an old BIOS version, instructions for updating it in the article - Updating BIOS on ASUS motherboards ). One of the advantages of UEFI BIOS visible to the naked eye is support not only for the keyboard, but also for the mouse. Thus, the BIOS interface has become as convenient as the interfaces of conventional programs.

As with a traditional BIOS, updating the firmware is quite easy using the built-in ASUS EZ Flash 2 utility. In order to update the motherboard firmware, the first thing you need to do is find out its model; to do this, you can use or go into the BIOS/UEFI, pressing the F2 or Del key when booting the computer/laptop and see the BIOS model and version.

Now let's go to the official website ASUS(I recommend going to the English-language ASUS website since the Russian-language website may not have updates for your motherboard) and using the search we find the motherboard model, select the "tab" Support"- "Driver & Tools", select the version of your operating system in the menu " BIOS" and download the latest firmware version.

Unzip the downloaded archive and copy the resulting file with the .CAP extension to a flash drive or external hard drive.

Attention!!! When updating the BIOS firmware version, it is necessary to provide the computer with uninterrupted power supply and protect it from external interference, since an unexpected reboot or shutdown of the computer can damage the motherboard.

Next, you need to go into the BIOS of the computer/laptop; to do this, press the F2 or Del button while the computer/laptop is booting. Once in the BIOS, press the " Additionally"or key" F7".

A window will appear prompting you to enter advanced mode, click " OK".

Once you are in advanced mode, select " Service"- "ASUS EZ Flash2 utility"

After that, select the device on the left on which the firmware file is located. On the right, find the file with the latest firmware and left-click on it.

We agree to the offer to update the BIOS firmware, click " OK".

The process of updating the BIOS firmware will take no more than 3 minutes, after which you will be prompted to reboot and reset the settings to factory settings, we agree.

At this point, the process of updating the motherboard BIOS can be considered complete, now if you go into the BIOS you will see the updated firmware version.

Any computer equipment and software, as we know, becomes obsolete over time and ceases to meet current requirements. This equally applies to primary BIOS/UEFI systems, the software of which is integrated into a special chip on the motherboard. When installing new equipment (“hardware”), it may sometimes be necessary to flash the BIOS. This procedure will be performed on a laptop or a stationary computer terminal, it doesn’t matter. The technology is almost always the same. Some users, unfamiliar with the basics of such techniques, believe (and not without reason) that this process is unsafe and difficult. If you can agree with the first statement, then you can argue about the second. In fact, flashing the motherboard BIOS is not such a troublesome task. But to carry out this procedure correctly, you should pay special attention to some important details and nuances, which depends on the manufacturer of the motherboard and the programs and techniques used for flashing.

Why do you need to flash the BIOS?

In general, if it is not planned, and the entire system is working stably, there is fundamentally no point in updating the BIOS version.

But when new equipment is installed on a computer, which may not be supported by the primary system only because it is outdated (the device’s BIOS simply does not recognize it), flashing the BIOS becomes a pressing problem. Although many users find this process difficult, anyone who works with a computer can perform these steps on their own. It will take no more than 10 minutes.

Flashing the motherboard BIOS: prerequisites

First, pay attention to several mandatory conditions, failure to comply with which can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Download files and programs to update primary systems only from official resources of motherboard manufacturers. If you install unofficial firmware, no one can guarantee that the process will be successful and the system will work as expected.

The second thing to pay attention to is during the update. You need to take care in advance to ensure that there are no power surges or spontaneous disconnection of your computer or laptop from the power supply.

General rules for updating all firmware

Flashing the BIOS for almost all motherboard models involves using the same scheme:

  • creating a bootable drive (USB devices only);
  • firmware installation;

    • For standard BIOS systems, DOS mode is used in most cases. However, for some versions of BIOS, as well as for more modern UEFI systems, a special program for flashing the BIOS can be used, created by the motherboard manufacturer, which can even run under Windows operating systems without necessarily creating bootable media.

    How to find out the modification of the motherboard and the current BIOS version?

    The very first thing you need to do is to determine which model of motherboard is installed in the computer system, and also find out the version of the primary BIOS system (perhaps it is currently current and does not need to be updated).

    You can view information about the board and BIOS version in the section that is called from the Run console using the msinfo32 command.

    For the motherboard, you can also use specialized utilities like CPU-Z (formerly Everest). For a device identified in this way, you need to find the latest firmware on the manufacturer’s website and save the files on your hard drive.

    Preparing bootable media (general procedure)

    If you use bootable media, when an update from Windows is not provided, the first step is to create one. Regular recording of downloaded files will not work.

    To simplify the work, you can use the Rufus utility, which is very easy to learn and creates a bootable USB flash drive within a couple of minutes. There is practically no need to change anything in the parameters. Only in the file system should you specify FAT32, and in the recording method use MS-DOS mode, be sure to check the box next to the line for creating bootable media. If this is not done, then when you reboot the device will not be recognized as bootable. Then, to install the update, in some cases you will need to additionally copy the control program and the firmware file to the media.

    Next, the process of updating the BIOS will be discussed with examples for motherboards from several well-known manufacturers. Although in general they are very similar to each other, nevertheless, each of them has its own nuances. We assume that the priority is already set in the BIOS settings.

    ASUS

    Flashing the Asus BIOS can be done in several ways. Among the preferred utilities, two programs worth highlighting are AFUDOS and ASUSTeK EZ Flash 2.

    When using the first utility, you should create bootable media and make sure that it contains the afudos.exe program file and the firmware itself (for example, p4c800b.rom).

    Flashing the ASUS BIOS looks like this. Booting from a flash drive. Since the media was recorded for DOS mode, the initial line C:\> will appear on a black screen, in which you need to enter the command /i p4c800b.rom and press the enter key. Once the update is complete, a reboot will occur, during which you just need to remove the media from the USB port so that the system starts from the hard drive.

    Flashing the BIOS of an ASUS motherboard when using the second utility is somewhat different from the previous option.

    Despite the fact that most firmware on the official ASUS website have a .rom extension, CAB files can sometimes be found. There is nothing wrong with this, since they are used for UEFI systems.

    To flash the firmware, you should enter the UEFI settings when rebooting, go to the Advanced Mode (additional settings) and in the service (tools) section of the Tool, select the line ASUSTeK EZ Flash 2. Next, from the list again select the media with the program (line of the same name), after whereupon the required firmware file will be shown on the right. We select it and agree to the warning twice (first to check the file, then to start the firmware process).

    At the end of the process, a reboot notification will appear, and at the beginning of the restart you will be prompted to carry out the initial setup. Press F1 and set the required parameters. Otherwise, we simply exit the settings without saving the changes.

    Gigabyte

    Flashing the BIOS of Gigabyte systems is quite different from other processes. First of all, this is due to the fact that you can use online update to install the firmware. But first, let's look at using the Q-Flash utility, which is believed to be best suited for updating firmware.

    First, you should enter the BIOS settings and use the option to reset all Load Optimized default settings. After this, you need to save the changes, restart the computer and enter the BIOS settings again. Next, to launch the Q-Flash utility, press the F8 key, and the start is confirmed by pressing the Y and Enter keys. To begin with, it is recommended to save the current version using the Save Bios option, after which you need to use Update Bios. Next, you will be asked to indicate the source from which you want to update. You should select HDD 2.0 as the media (this is how the flash drive is displayed in the settings). Then everything is as usual: select the firmware file present on the media and agree with all the warnings.

    For an Internet update, you can use the @BIOS utility specially developed by Gigabyte specialists, which runs in the Windows environment. In this case, it is strongly recommended to disable Hyper-Threading mode in the settings of the primary system, as well as deactivate anti-virus and other resident applications to avoid errors or failures during the update process.

    After starting the program, you can immediately save the current BIOS version by clicking on the Save Current BIOS button, and then select the Internet Update online update mode, click Update New BIOS and specify one of the servers present in the list. After this, you will be asked to indicate the model of the installed motherboard, and the program will automatically download all the necessary components and activate the update process.

    MSI

    Flashing the MSI BIOS, as in the case of ASUS, can be done either from Windows or from DOS. For DOS mode, a tool built into the BIOS called BIOS-MFLASH is used. But the MSI Live Update 5 or 6 application can also be used as an initial management utility. It is notable for the fact that it can also be used to update all installed MSI drivers, as well as reflash the BIOS of the corresponding graphics accelerators. Let's start with it.

    In the main window, you just need to check the required elements. Select the MB BIOS component and click the scan button at the bottom (Scan). If a new firmware version is detected, use the Download and Install button, after which the update process will start.

    First you will need to select an update environment. To simplify matters, check the In Windows mode item, in the next window click the button to close all programs that appear in the list (Close all listed programs), click the Continue button (Next) and in the next window click the start process button.

    For DOS mode, select it from the window of the running update process, then specify the media and agree to the destruction of all data present on it (the process will take no more than a minute, after which a message will be displayed indicating the successful creation of the boot drive). When rebooting, all you have to do is follow the instructions of a kind of “Master”.

    In case of updating using the built-in MFLASH mechanism, you will have to download the firmware manually, create bootable media and perform the same actions in the BIOS as described above (select the media and firmware file in the tools menu).

    Acer

    Flashing the BIOS of Acer systems is surprisingly much easier. You don't even need to create bootable media, although you will still have to format it in FAT32.

    To install the update, a special utility called Insyde Flash is used, which is copied to removable media. At the same time, you need to copy the firmware file downloaded from the official website, which has the extension .fd and corresponds not only to the motherboard, but also to the laptop model, to the main directory of the program on the flash drive. Please note that the device must contain only one firmware file, otherwise the application will prompt you to flash only one of several. After running the utility while the power is on, you will be prompted to install the update immediately.

    The second method is just as simple. First you need to completely turn off the laptop, unplug the cord from the outlet and wait until the power indicator stops blinking. Next, plug the cord into the outlet, insert the flash drive into the appropriate port, hold down the Fn and Esc keys and press the power button. As soon as the indicator starts flashing, release the pressed keys. After this, reading information from the drive will begin (this can be seen by the blinking LED on the device itself). Once the update process is complete, the laptop will reboot on its own.

    Video cards

    Since GeForce and Radeon are dominant in the video card market, flashing the BIOS will be considered using their example.

    At the initial stage, you need to download new firmware and control programs for your card on the manufacturer’s website. If the system has several video cards, only one should be left during the update, inserting it into the PCI-Express slot.

    For GeForce cards, the NVFlash program (from two files) is used, for Radeon - the ATIFlash utility (one file). Next, you need to create a bootable USB drive for DOS mode, and then copy program and firmware files to it.

    When starting from a flash drive, you should make sure that the card is single-processor, otherwise the proposed method will not work. For NVIDIA use the command nvflash --list, for ATI - atiflash -i. If information is displayed for two cards, then the adapter has two processors, and the proposed firmware method cannot be used (it is better to go to the manufacturer’s website and find instructions there).

    At the next stage, flashing the BIOS of a GeForce video card involves disabling protection. This is done with the line nvflash -protectoff.

    Next, to start the BIOS update process for GeForce cards, use the command nvflash -4 -5 -6 newbios.rom (the name of the ROM file must match the name of the downloaded firmware), for Radeon cards - atiflash -p -f 0 newbios.rom. After this, we wait for the process to complete and reboot the system in normal mode.

    Brief summary

    That's all for flashing the primary I/O systems. Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the best option is to install the update exclusively in DOS mode, although special utilities can be used to simplify the work. But they only work if there are UEFI systems, and are not suitable for standard BIOS versions. You need to be extremely careful with video cards, since incorrect installation of the update or the slightest violation during the flashing process can lead to the graphics adapter failing.

    The reasons for updating BIOS versions can be different: replacing the processor on the motherboard, problems with installing new equipment, eliminating identified deficiencies in new models. Let's look at how you can perform such updates yourself using a flash drive.

    You can complete this procedure in a few simple steps. It’s worth saying right away that all actions must be performed exactly in the order in which they are given below.

    Step 1: Determining your motherboard model

    To define a model, you can do the following:

    • take the documentation for your motherboard;
    • open the system unit case and look inside;
    • use Windows tools;
    • use the special program AIDA64 Extreme.

    In more detail, in order to view the necessary information using Windows software, do this:

    1. Press the key combination "Win" + "R".
    2. In the window that opens "Run" enter the msinfo32 command.
    3. Click "OK".
    4. A window appears containing information about the system, and it contains information about the installed BIOS version.


    If you cannot execute this command, then use the software to do this:


    As you can see, everything is quite simple. Now you need to download the firmware.


    Once the firmware is downloaded, you can install it.

    Step 3: Install the update

    You can make updates in different ways - through BIOS and through DOS. Let's look at each method in more detail.

    Updating via BIOS occurs as follows:


    Sometimes to reinstall the BIOS you need to specify booting from a flash drive. To do this, do the following:


    Read more about this procedure in our tutorial on setting up the BIOS to boot from a USB drive.

    This method is relevant when it is not possible to make updates from the operating system.

    The same procedure using DOS is done a little more complicated. This option is suitable for advanced users. Depending on the motherboard model, this process includes the following steps:


    More detailed instructions for working with this method can usually be found on the manufacturer's website. Large manufacturers such as ASUS or Gigabyte constantly update the BIOS for motherboards and have special software for this. Using such utilities, making updates is easy.

    A minor update failure will break the system. Only update the BIOS if the system is not working properly. When downloading updates, download the full version. If it is indicated that this is an alpha or beta version, then this indicates that it needs improvement.

    It is also recommended to flash the BIOS when using a UPS (uninterruptible power supply). Otherwise, if there is a power outage during the update, the BIOS will crash and your system unit will stop working.

    Before performing updates, be sure to read the firmware instructions on the manufacturer's website. As a rule, they come in an archive with download files.



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