Safe to flash the BIOS for no reason? Small story.

I bought a pre-built machine back in February because I needed a computer, but didn't have time to build one myself. I bought it at Future Shop (basically Best Buy, since they're owned by the same company in Canada now). It's a Gateway.

The only things I've updated in this computer are whatever Windows Update suggests, as well as my video card, which I download from ATI's site. However, everything else, like the DVD-RW firmware, the BIOS, the motherboard, the modem... all originals. So I went to Gateway's website, typed in my serial number, and got all the updates for this computer.




Now, I was reading the readme for the BIOS update, and it says:

Your BIOS should only be flashed if:
1) A technician told you to flash or re-flash your BIOS.
2) You are experiencing errors when starting up the PC.

Now, I'm not experiencing errors, nor did a technician tell me to flash. And the update, according to the readme, is a new version that came out after I bought my PC.

Is it okay to burn this to a CD and flash the BIOS even though nothing is wrong and I wasn't told to?

 

It's OK but not necessary if your machine is working OK. It is not normally recommended to flash a BIOS just because there is a new one available.

Roger

 

Hello JPaterson000,

The reason for Roger's and the Readme advice is because if something goes wrong during the operation, there is no recourse - can't be started over.

So if there is no compelling reason, not a good idea.

Another possibilty is that just because its newer, doesn't mean that you couldn't experience problems with the current configuration and a new BIOS. My advice would be to leave it alone - you know it works now.

Regards - Charles

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that because of the possibility of turning your mainboard into a lifeless paperweight, if you don't have a valid reason for flashing your bios, then don't.

If you're a serious tweaker or a performance phreak and have the cash to get a new mainboard or the patience to wait for a new bios chip, then go for it. If not, I'd say no.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on flashing from a CD? I've never flashed from anything but a floppy. I have been told not to flash from hard drive and most people say flashing from DOS is safer then some Windows flash utility (if applicable).

BTW, for anyone who does flash from floppy, you'll want to go to www.bootdisk.com and create a boot floppy from their image that's made for flashing - loads you into a "clean" environment.

Gary

 

Hi Gary,
I've flashed the bios a couple of times using the Asus Update tool in Windows. Very easy and straightforward, and of course it helps to avoid the BTCATK problems.
(Between the chair and the keyboard)

Roger

 

Thanks for the replies.

I do play games sometimes, but I'm not a hardcore gamer, so I don't care if my PC isn't top of the line when it comes to stuff like that.

If anything, I'll keep the program in a .zip somewhere on the computer, and if I ever need to use it and forgot when I got it from, it's there.

Again, thanks.