From time to time, updated BIOS versions appear on the websites of motherboard manufacturers. This is due to the fact that by the time a new product is released, they do not always have time to develop the optimal firmware for it.
BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) - software implemented in the form of microprogram and recorded in memory motherboard... It initializes the operation of computer components and adjusts its operating mode.
In other words, this microcode boots up the computer. He controls the work, video cards, hard drives, various ports and other devices. They are also provided with further launch operating system.
Before moving on to the update process, decide on whether you need to update the BIOS at all? If the computer is already working well, then there is no need to update the motherboard firmware. It is needed only for:
- Expansion of functionality and list of supported devices. For example, such as new processor models.
- Elimination of errors of the current version, due to which normal operation is impossible. For example, there is no sound on the computer and the reason for this is not in the sound drivers.
Let's make a reservation right away, updating the BIOS is a serious and rather risky undertaking. If the upgrade is not performed correctly or there is a power outage in the process, the motherboard may be damaged. In this case, you may need to carry it to a service center.
In addition, if the motherboard is under warranty, and you decide to reflash it, the warranty will be canceled. Therefore, weigh again which is better: update the BIOS and void the warranty or postpone this action until later, when the warranty period has passed.
If you do decide to update, it is highly desirable that your computer is connected to.
If, after updating the BIOS, the computer does not boot, do not rush to panic. Many motherboards provide a factory reset option. Read more about them in the instructions for your motherboard.
To reset the configuration of the motherboard MSI boards, which will be discussed later, use the jumpers on the motherboard. Unplug your computer and short-circuit pins 2-3 to clear CMOS (volatile memory). Do not forget to return the jumper to its original state before turning on the computer (short circuit pins 1 - 2). Attempting to clear the CMOS while the PC is on may damage the system board.
MSI BIOS Update
Go to MSI official website, download section. Download the Live Update tool. It is now located at: ru.msi.com/service/download
After starting the program, go to the Live Update tab, check the Manual Scan action, then MB BIOS and click Scan.
If you have the latest BIOS, you will see the following message.
It means: the BIOS of the motherboard has the latest version. There is no need to update.
If, however, Live Update informs about the need to update the BIOS - click on the corresponding icon (download and install) to load the BIOS of the motherboard. After downloading, the installer will automatically start.
In the window that opens, click Next.
The next window will offer 2 ways BIOS updates... Select In Dos mode (USB) and click Next. - consider a little below.
Connect a USB flash drive to your computer to, then select the desired USB drive from the list.
Click on the Next button and confirm the clearing of all data on the USB flash drive by clicking OK.
Will begin to be created bootable USB drive, it will take some time. Upon completion, a message will appear stating that the bootable disk was created successfully.
Click Start to restart your PC.
Make sure that BIOS is configured to boot from a USB flash drive. This was discussed in more detail in the previous article:.
When the computer boots from the USB stick, follow the instructions.
The second way to update the MSI BIOS
At the stage of choosing the update method, specify In Windows mode, which means - in Windows mode, then click Next.
In the next window, close all programs by clicking Close all listed programs and click Next.
By clicking Start, you will start the BIOS replacement process. After it completes, the computer will restart.
If you have a different motherboard - new version Look for the BIOS and information on updating it on the manufacturer's website. Of course, you can use third-party solutions, but official updates are preferable.
Hello dear blog visitors! Today I decided to update the BIOS on my computer and write about it in a blog. I made photos and screenshots, so the article will be interesting and most likely big, well, it's okay, but understandable :).
About the system BIOS I have already written many articles, and if you want to know what BIOS is, then read this article. My computer is already a little old :), and I have not updated the BIOS on it yet, so I decided that there should be an update. Now we will look at how to determine which motherboard is installed on your computer, where to look for BIOS updates, How to update BIOS and decide possible problems in the process of updating.
Why update BIOS?
Well, I think everything is clear here. Updates will almost always improve the operation of devices, with BIOS everything is the same. After the update, new functions may appear, stability of work will increase, support for new technologies and components will appear. In short, you need to update, and it's best to do it often.
I want to say right away about the danger of updating the BIOS system. Everything must be done carefully and according to the instructions, in case of some kind of failure, there may be bad consequences. Although this method of updating which I will write about today, it seems to me that all risks are minimized.
Motherboard and BIOS version
Before proceeding with the BIOS update, we need to find out which motherboard and BIOS version is installed on our computer. Because we will download updates from the motherboard manufacturer's website.
For this we need a program EVEREST, you can download it on the Internet by typing in search engine request "download EVEREST". Install the program and run it. If these actions seemed very difficult to you, then you better not update the BIOS yourself, but if you really want to, then contact a computer service.
Well, if everything is fine, then launch EVEREST, go to the "Motherboard" tab and see which motherboard is installed on your computer.
As you can see I have a motherboard MSI MS-7267, so for her we will look for BIOS updates. Below I have highlighted the link that leads to the page for downloading various updates from the manufacturer's website. We follow this link, and also open the BIOS tab in the EVEREST program, in order to see which version of the firmware is installed.
After flashing, we will compare these dates and versions. As you can see, I have a BIOS version since 2007, and a video adapter since 2005. We will update :).
Where can I get updates for BIOS?
Now we return to the site of the motherboard manufacturer, I have this site MSI, I opened it from the link in the EVEREST program, but you can find it simply through the search. Or just the Russian version of the download section of the MSI ru website. msi. com / service / download /.
As you can see, there are three options for searching for updates.
- The first method, as requested by MSI MS-7267, did not give me any results, probably because the motherboard is already old. I did not even use the second method, because it immediately says that it is an option for new models. If you have a new product, you can search the list for it. Well, the third option allows you to download a utility that scans your computer and displays a list of necessary updates, with the ability to download them. Fine! Click "Click here" and click "Open".
The archive will open, run in it setup file LiveUpdate. exe and in a few steps install the Live Update 5 utility.
After the installation is complete, launch it and click on the "Scan" button, wait a few seconds while looking for updates.
The program will display a list of results. We are interested in an update called "MB BIOS". If such an update is listed (usually at the very top), then there is a BIOS update for our motherboard. Download it to your computer by clicking on the "Download" button (arrow).
Better to click "Browse", and choose a location to save the update file yourself. For example, I saved it to the desktop.
That's it, we now have the BIOS update file, now we can proceed to the next stage.
How do I update the BIOS?
Run the saved BIOS update file and follow the instructions.
Click "Next".
Continue ...
There are two options here: the first is probably to write the firmware image to a USB flash drive, and update the BIOS from the flash drive (or for firmware, if it is impossible to update from under). But since I did not have a free flash drive, I chose the second option, which, judging by the title, means BIOS firmware from under Windows.
Here we need to close running programs and click "Next".
BIOS update process:
Press any key. The computer should restart. That's all, BIOS has been updated!
Problems after updating BIOS
I have two small problems that I think are worth writing about.
1. Immediately after the first reboot, a black window appeared with white text (unfortunately I did not take a picture), in which it was necessary to press F1, seemingly for setting. And F2 to boot optimal settings BIOS. I pressed F2 and this message did not appear again.
2. The second problem is the absence of the A: drive.
You can just press F1, but this message will still appear. It's just that the computer does not find the A: drive, this is a floppy disk, I do not have it, but it is listed in the BIOS. I had this error after. Disabling it is very easy.
Go to the "Standard CMOS Features" section.
Hover over the item "Floppy Drive A" and press "Enter".
Select "Not Installed" from the list, press "Enter".
We save the changes by pressing F10 and confirm the saving of the settings. We leave the BIOS by pressing "Esc".
Well, that’s all my friends, the BIOS has been updated, the problems have been fixed, I hope the computer is working :).
At the beginning of the article, I posted my screenshot from the EVEREST program, with the BIOS firmware version before the update. Let's see what has changed there.
As you can see, everything has been updated. Although the update was released in 2009, this is due to the fact that I have an outdated motherboard and updates for it are no longer available.
I hope everything worked out for you.
BIOS is an essential component of a computer that checks the health of the equipment, allows you to make settings in the operation of the computer, and is also responsible for starting the operating system. Over time, BIOS updates may also be released, which makes users want to install them.
Please note that it is not recommended to update the BIOS without a compelling need. If something goes wrong during the update process, you may even lose your computer's performance.
How to update BIOS for MSI motherboard?
Stage 1: motherboard model
First of all, you need to know the model of the motherboard installed in your computer. Information can be obtained in several ways: using the documentation that comes with your computer, by directly examining the surface of the motherboard (it contains a sticker with the information of interest), and programmatically, for example, using the AIDA64 program, the download link for which is located at the end of the article.
Stage 2: downloading a fresh distribution
The next step is to download a special Live Update utility to your computer, which will allow you to find updates for your BIOS version, and then immediately install it on your computer from under Windows. To do this, go to the MSI motherboard developer website at this link. On the page, click the button "Downloads" .
In the window that opens, enter the model name of your motherboard and click on the Enter key.
After opening the page of your motherboard model, go down to the page and click on the button "Support" .
Go to the tab "Utilities" and then specify the version of your operating system. Find and download the Live Update utility from the list.
Step 3: Installing a BIOS update
Once the utility is loaded, run it. Check the box next to "MB BIOS" and, if necessary, remove from other items, and then click on the button "Scan" .
The program will start scanning your computer for updates to the BIOS you have installed. If an update is found, it will be displayed on the utility screen. To start installing it, you need to click on the button "Download and Install" .
The BIOS installer will start automatically. As soon as a new window appears on the screen, select the item "In Windows mode" and move on.
Next, the utility will advise you to close some programs. To close the listed applications, click on the button "Close all listed programs" and move on.
Then you just have to start the BIOS update procedure by clicking on the button "Start" ... Please note that during the update process, ensure your computer runs smoothly - a sudden power outage can damage your computer.
Actually, once the utility finishes its progress, the BIOS of your MSI motherboard will be updated.
Live Update 6 supports the following updates for MSI products:
Motherboards: Drivers / BIOS / Utilities;
Graphic cards: Drivers / BIOS
DO NOT USE Live Update for AIOs and laptops.
1. After installing and running Live Update 6, the main page of Live Update 6 will open - - ... It will display information about the system, including the date of the last scan and the number of items requiring special attention.
2. On the page two modes of checking objects for the possibility of updating are offered - manual and automatic scanning. Select automatic scan , The system will automatically scan all objects and search latest versions files to update. You can also select manual mode and indicate the objects that you want to check for the possibility of updating.
3. After completing the check, review the contents of the next column containing the search results. It will list deleted objects and objects for which there are new versions. Click on the icon for details of the item and click on the icon to download and install. You can also select the objects you want to install and click on the button to download.
4. On the page (History) you will see information about the update history. Click on the icon for details.
5. On the page (settings) you can set the update reminder period to keep your system up to date at all times. The default frequency of reminders is once a month. The Live Update reminder system will remind you to check the system and update in accordance with the specified period. Click on the button (Apply) to save the settings.
6. Live Update 6 reminder will automatically open at the specified time. Please select (Yes or (no) to update. Please select (remind me later) or never remind) to set up reminders.
7. On the page (System Information) you will see a list of all installed drivers and applications by clicking on the button .
8. By clicking on the button [i] you can see the MSI website url and also Live Update 6.
BIOS update instructions:
One way or another, many users of computers and laptops, regardless of the OS installed, are faced with the concept of a primary input / output system called BIOS or BIOS. And quite often there is a need to install an update, in particular on MSI motherboards. it is for this manufacturer, now it will be considered. The topic of corrections will be discussed separately. possible mistakes, which may appear during the installation of new firmware.
MSI: and why is it needed?
Of course, when buying a computer or laptop, no one particularly cares about specifications the motherboard does not penetrate. The potential user is more interested in the processor, RAM, volume hard disk, video card, etc. And not everyone realizes that all these components are installed on the "motherboard", and for the correct operation of all devices, a primary system in the form of a BIOS or UEFI is required.
Nothing is eternal. How device drivers become outdated and constantly require updates, not to mention themselves Windows systems and BIOS system is also not eternal. Let's see how on a laptop (MSI board is used as a base) or on desktop computer... Basically, there is not much difference.
General rules for installing firmware
To install BIOS updates, you should clearly understand that an incorrect firmware version or its incorrect installation can have simply disastrous consequences. Therefore, you need to use strictly defined packages designed exclusively for this brand of MSI motherboard. How to update BIOS? First, you need to fulfill a few prerequisites.
Like MSI motherboard: first thing to do
First of all, you need to find out the modification of the "motherboard". The MSI name doesn't say anything yet. To do this, you can use several of the simplest methods.
For example, access to detailed description configurations can be obtained using utilities like Everset, where a description of all devices in the computer system, including the motherboard, will be shown.
However, you can do it even easier, because Windows systems natively have a viewer for all information. To do this, use the msinfo32 command, which you enter in the Run execution console. Moreover, it is absolutely not necessary that it be launched on behalf of the administrator. You can also rummage in the "Device Manager", where you will have to find two identifiers DEV and VEN, and then search for them (by the way, this is the best option).
Required software
Basically, after that you can start installing the update. Note that not all programs for searching and installing driver updates can perform a corresponding search. Therefore, the use of automated programs like Driver booster here it will not give an effect.
This means that you will have to go to the motherboard manufacturer's website yourself through any web browser. In the browser itself, a special AdBlock blocker may be enabled by default, which should be temporarily disabled.
If the required update is found, you just need to download and install it running at the administrator level. Otherwise, a specialized utility called MSI Live Update can be downloaded from the same site.
MSI Live and "A" drive error fix
Finally, let's see how to update the BIOS. MSI Live Update is not that hard to learn as a program. The most important function here is to start scanning.
The application, by the way, works in the same way as automatic driver updaters, but has a specific focus. After the distribution files are found, you just need to select the version for installation that exceeds the modification available on the computer.
The process itself boils down to the fact that the source distribution is saved on the hard drive, however, it is better to specify the save location manually, since the program uses such a deep path by default that then it can be problematic to find the downloaded file itself. The file itself is an archive, from which you need to extract data by any archiver or simply by means of the system. Only after that you can start the executable files, the whole process will take place in automatic mode followed by a complete reboot.
In principle, for updating it is not recommended to use what is proposed to resolve the issue of how to update the MSI BIOS from a USB flash drive. Firstly, you will have to write information to the drive, and secondly, such a device is not immune to failures. As it turns out, the easiest way to update is from a file saved on the hard drive.
After starting the utility, you just need to agree with automatic installation firmware, after which the process starts. Then you just need to wait for it to finish (note: some additional installations may be required in Windows 7).
In the case of "seven", an error of reading disk "A" may be issued. This is normal, especially since floppy drives have not been used for a long time. To fix the problem, go to the settings and select the Standard CMOS Setup section there, where set the value for the Floppy Drive device to Not Installed, save the changes (F10, and then confirm by pressing the "Y" button). This will be followed by an automatic restart and the problem will disappear completely.
Instead of a total
Actually, that's all about MSI motherboards. How to update BIOS, hopefully, is already clear. Most interestingly, many users are afraid to do this, believing that in this way they can simply harm the system. Nothing wrong with that. As it is believed (this is evidenced by the reviews of many experts), after updating the BIOS, even an increase in the performance of computer systems is often noticed. And the update process itself, in general, is not particularly difficult. The most important thing here is to correctly determine the model of the "motherboard" and download for it exactly the update that corresponds to it. Well, then, as they say, a matter of technology. Moreover, any user can easily perform such operations, observing several main conditions described above.