Solved Bios Update

Kashegan · Mar 26, 2022

I have just checked my Motherboard manufacturer and there are several updates for my Bios. I am confused as to if I need to flash all of the updates , or just the latest version. can anyone advise please?

FreeBooter · Mar 26, 2022

You only need to install the newest version of BIOS if you want to update or add a feature to BIOS, don't upgrade BIOS because there is a new version.

Ghot · Mar 26, 2022

@Kashegan

Flashing the BIOS is not like... updating Windows. A BIOS flash gone wrong "could" brick your motherboard.
That said, a lot of Gigabyte motherboards have a dual BIOS, which gives you hope if the BIOS flash, goes badly.

With that mentioned... the answer depends on what BIOS you are on right now. Lately, because of Windows 11 and because of certain security issues, manufacturers, have been releasing new BIOSes, that are kind of necessary.

As @FreeBooter mentioned... usually we only flash the BIOS if we "need" to for some reason.

If you do decide you need to, then yes... always flash to the latest BIOS.
Lastly, the safest way to flash the BIOS, is manually, from "within" the BIOS itself, and NOT via the internet.

bobkn · Mar 26, 2022

Usually, BIOS updates are cumulative, so you'd only need to install the latest one.

I have seen exceptions for some of my motherboards, where a specific BIOS needed to be installed before subsequent updates could be done. I don't see anything like that for the B360M DS3H, though. I presume that if you tried to flash the latest BIOS, and it needed some earlier IOS to be in place, the flash would not be allowed. Just like BIOS flashing software wouldn't permit you to flash a BIOS for the wrong motherboard. (I guess I'm an optimist.)

The motherboard is a dual BIOS one, but there's not any documentation of that in its user guide. If there is no hardware switch to go to the backup BIOS, it may offer less protection than with such a switch. I had a bitter experience years ago with an early EFI motherboard. It had a dual BIOS, but it was still bricked by a BIOS update. It failed to automatically switch to the backup BIOS, and there was no way to force that.

The generic advice is to not flash a BIOS unless it offers something you need. The latest BIOS contains security updates, so it is probably recommended for all users. There is a slight chance that it will make the machine unbootable.

If you decide to try it, I suggest having the PC connected to a UPS (uninterruptable power supply), and keeping pets out of the room to eliminate the risk of one tripping over a power cord. These aren't necessary, but they offer a little additional protection against unlikely events.

badrobot · Mar 26, 2022

Don't flash your BIOS unless you are having an unfixable problem with your PC.

Berton · Mar 26, 2022

bobkn said:
If you decide to try it, I suggest having the PC connected to a UPS (uninterruptable power supply), and keeping pets out of the room to eliminate the risk of one tripping over a power cord. These aren't necessary, but they offer a little additional protection against unlikely events.

Ditto to what @bobkn said, I never flash a BIOS unless connected to a UPS battery backup. A seemingly instantaneous power bump will kill the function.

Kashegan · Mar 26, 2022

Thanks everyone. I had presumed that since the current bios were 3 years old they would need updating. I know what I need to know - basically don't mend it if it isn't broken!

Win7ine · Mar 26, 2022

Kashegan said:
Thanks everyone. I had presumed that since the current bios were 3 years old they would need updating. I know what I need to know - basically don't mend it if it isn't broken!

If your BIOS is 3 years old there is likely also a CPU Microcode update incorporated into the new BIOS apart from other bug fixes.

bobkn · Mar 26, 2022

Kashegan said:
Thanks everyone. I had presumed that since the current bios were 3 years old they would need updating. I know what I need to know - basically don't mend it if it isn't broken!

I dunno. The F17 BIOS includes some security updates. Gigabyte strongly recommends it.

Feeling Lucky?

(Lucky that you'll never need the security fix, or lucky that the BIOS flash will not create any problems.)

cereberus · Mar 26, 2022

Berton said:
Ditto to what @bobkn said, I never flash a BIOS unless connected to a UPS battery backup. A seemingly instantaneous power bump will kill the function.

I get the impression that power outages are more common in US than UK.

Our power infrastructure is pretty rock solid, and we normally only get issues after a major storm. Funnily enough I had a power outage a couple of weeks ago after a major storm but first for many years.

zbook · Mar 26, 2022

Kashegan said:
I have just checked my Motherboard manufacturer and there are several updates for my Bios. I am confused as to if I need to flash all of the updates , or just the latest version. can anyone advise please?

Please confirm that this is the link for the motherboard:

B360M DS3H (rev. 1.0) Support | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global

Lasting Quality from GIGABYTE.GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ motherboards bring together a unique blend of features and technologies that offer users the absolute ultimate platform fo...

www.gigabyte.com

On this link there were no prerequisites displayed.
There is no requirement to install them all one by one in sequence.
The latest version can be installed.

Berton · Mar 26, 2022

cereberus said:
I get the impression that power outages are more common in US than UK.

Our power infrastructure is pretty rock solid, and we normally only get issues after a major storm. Funnily enough I had a power outage a couple of weeks ago after a major storm but first for many years.

They used to be fairly common but not for the last dozen years or so. My wife's computer was killed twice, once with after a series of power bumps and the second from static electricity when she came into the room and grabbed the mouse, now has an antistatic pad on the desk along with mine and my workbench.

bobkn · Mar 26, 2022

cereberus said:
I get the impression that power outages are more common in US than UK.

Our power infrastructure is pretty rock solid, and we normally only get issues after a major storm. Funnily enough I had a power outage a couple of weeks ago after a major storm but first for many years.

It's pretty variable in the US. Power companies tend to be regional or even local. They are usually private, if highly regulated by the state. (Those are US states, not the Federal government.)

I don't get a lot of power glitches here. Bad weather can cause them. Severe weather can take it down for a week or 10 days. (Usually due to trees on the lines.)

A UPS may not be vital, but at least avoid doing a BIOS update during a storm. Or WWIII.

Dru2 · Apr 1, 2022

I completely and utterly disagree with the "don't update BIOS" mentality, especially since the latest BIOS for your board listed has vulnerability fixes.

And BTW, I update my BIOS everything a new one is released. That's me. That said, do realize that updating a BIOS resets it to basic settings, so if you have custom settings, you'll need to redo those. Also, anytime you do do a BIOS update, at least do the "Load Optimized Settings" (or something like that) so that the BIOS can at least setup for your current hardware.

And with Gigabyte boards (I only use Gigabyte) you only need to use the latest version, meaning you don't need to install all the older ones first.

Good luck.

Ernimus Prime · Apr 1, 2022

I only update my bios for an important fix. Waiting on ASUS to release AGESA 1.2.0.7 bios update for my x570 MB to fix the fTPM performance issues.

NavyLCDR · Apr 1, 2022

In 35 years and hundreds of BIOS updates, I've never seen one bricked. Also there is a very distinct lack of threads on tenforums and here about a computer that has been bricked by a BIOS update. You have more of a chance having your car totaled in an accident going to the store than you do bricking a motherboard with a BIOS update.

Ed Tittel · Apr 1, 2022

I bricked a BIOS once with an interrupted flash. That was long enough ago that removable BIOS chips were common, and I was able to easily replace the bricked EPROM with a properly-constructed (and working) chip. Sigh: things were different then, when we struggled to fit drivers and other stuff into the area between the 640 MB address and the 1,024 MB address using TSR programs. Anybody else remember those?
Cheers!
--Ed--

badrobot · Apr 1, 2022

Dru2 said:
I completely and utterly disagree with the "don't update BIOS" mentality,

Good luck.

Tell that to the manufacturers....
The point is only update your Bios if the update applies to your issue. If you don't have an issue, you don't have to update.
I personally haven't had any issues with Bios update, but it is never a wise advise to give to always update the Bios.
In short, update at your own risk.

glasskuter · Apr 1, 2022

I am in complete agreement with @Dru2. I don't apply it the day a new bios is released, but usually give it a few weeks but I do apply all of them. As with any update there is always a lot of gray area in the description so the thinking of "only apply update if it applies to your issue" doesn't always hold water. Not long ago Event logs showed I was getting a lot of kernel power errors which I narrowed down to sleep. I updated the bios and the errors went away. Nowhere in the description was there anything to lead me to think the update fixed a sleep issue, but it did.

Ghot · Apr 1, 2022

Ed Tittel said:
I bricked a BIOS once with an interrupted flash. That was long enough ago that removable BIOS chips were common, and I was able to easily replace the bricked EPROM with a properly-constructed (and working) chip. Sigh: things were different then, when we struggled to fit drivers and other stuff into the area between the 640 MB address and the 1,024 MB address using TSR programs. Anybody else remember those?
Cheers!
--Ed--

I remember those days. Like the 286 days... installing mouse drivers that way, for mice that didn't need non-Windows drivers, and ofc Windows didn't come with mouse drivers. :)

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