Important steps to replace your PC

(Pocket-lint) – In case you’re having points along with your laptop then it may be that updating your BIOS may very well be the repair.

Typically, most individuals will advise that BIOS updates ought to be the very last thing you must try as they will result in greater issues if it goes mistaken. Nonetheless, motherboard producers usually roll out updates which might be value putting in for improved system stability, enhanced options and unlocks for issues like new chips on your particular motherboard socket.

So if you happen to’re upgrading your PC then it is a strong first step however it will also be a useful factor to do to resolve issues. So we’re right here to speak you thru find out how to replace your BIOS simply and safely.

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Replace your BIOS with care

Earlier than you get began, it is value conserving in thoughts that BIOS upgrades may be dangerous. If there is a powercut or another kind of failure in the midst of updating your BIOS this might brick your PC. If the replace course of breaks down whereas it is occurring it may render the motherboard inoperable and should imply it will not work in any respect.

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That stated, we have efficiently up to date many a motherboard BIOS with out challenge.

The right way to examine what BIOS model you are working

So as to replace your BIOS, you first have to know what model you are working. It actually helps if you understand which motherboard mannequin you are working in your machine. In case you’ve built your PC yourself then chances are you know already. Don’t worry if not though, because there are ways to find out.

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One way to do it is with a free piece of software known as CPU-Z.

This nifty tool not only tells you what CPU you’re currently running, but gives you access to other data that includes the version of your BIOS and the date it was released.

Download and install the software, then click the “Mainboard” tab to see the BIOS info. This will give you information on who the manufacturer is, the motherboard model number and the current version of the BIOS that you have installed.

Once you know that, head over to the motherboard manufacturer’s website, find the support page for your motherboard and download the latest BIOS.

How to update your BIOS to the latest version

Here’s an example of how to do it on Asus motherboards.

Many motherboard updates follow the same sort of logic, so the steps are usually like this:

Back up anything important to an external drive before you start
Download the latest BIOS files from the manufacturer’s site
Unzip the files if they’re compressed
Copy the files to a USB thumb drive (an empty drive is best)
Keep the drive plugged in and reboot your PC
When the PC is restarting click F2 or DEL on your keyboard to access the BIOS
Find the option to update BIOS in the BIOS settings
Click to update and find the file(s) you copied to the drive
Wait for the update to complete

Do not turn off the PC while it is updating. It might take some time for the update to finish so you will have to be patient. You may also need to check the instructions on the manufacturer’s website as the steps might be different. Sometimes it’s possible to instigate the installation process using motherboard software in Windows.

You may also find there’s a specific USB port on your motherboard that you should use for the USB drive. Asus has a port marked “USB Flashback” on some of its motherboards. Putting the drive here will allow you to press a button to start the process and install automatically from there.