How to update bios?

[crakddx]

How I update bios?
Mobo: Msi b550 a pro
CPU: Ryzen 7 5800x
Just wondering as pcpp says this motherboard need a bios update before using vermeer CPUs

[Chris Pratt]

You may not need to. It just depends on when the board actually ran off the line. Most of them will come with a recent BIOS revision that supports Zen 3 now, but because these chipsets existed before Zen 3 came out, it's always possible you might get one that's been on a shelf for a while and needs the update.

 

In any case, this particular motherboard has flashback support, so you just need to follow the instructions in the mobo manual for that. Usually, you just download (and unzip) the BIOS update from the manufacturer's website, put it on a USB stick, plug it into the designated USB port on the motherboard and press a button. You only need power supplied to the mobo. Installing a CPU or RAM is not required for flashback.

[crakddx]

@Chris Pratt
I see what you mean, but if I do need the update, how do I do so?

[GuiltySpark_]

I should keep drafts of the writeup on how to use BIOS flash buttons for each vendor so they're a copy and paste away. 

 

Anyway @Mr-G-Manthis should get you there but if you get caught up on the details we can answer them here. 

 

 

[crakddx]

@rickeo
did you aattach aa link or a video/image or ssomething? because alll I can see is text. must be a kindle bug, because yes, it's a potato

[mariushm]

 

If the motherboard has no bios flashback feature

 

You find a USB stick. 

You format it to use FAT32 or exFAT file system... FAT32 is probably better, older and simpler file system. 

You unzip the file you download from the website, so that the files inside are in the root folder of your USB stick. 

You go in BIOS by pressing DEL or F2 or whatever key is listed to enter in BIOS. 

Find the option to update bios in the menus, the bios will ask you to select the file from the USB stick, you select it and wait 1-2 minutes for the update process to be done. 

 

It's not rocket science. 

 

If motherboard has a bios flashback feature look in the manual of the motherboard for the procedure. 

 

It's usually same story ... prepare a usb stick as instructed in the manual (probably format as FAT32)  and then you'd probably have to save the bios file (after extracted from the zip) with a specific name like bios.rom  or bios.bin  or msi.bios  or whatever. It says in the manual.  edit : in the video above it shows they want you to rename it to MSI.ROM  (all uppercase, it matters)

Then you insert the usb stick in the special usb connector that's for bios flash back, and you press the "update bios" button. 

 

This feature uses a small microcontroller on the motherboard to read the bios from the usb connector and program the bios chip, without having to install a cpu in the socket or start anything. Because it's a lightweight microcontroller, it's dumber and probably doesn't support anything different than FAT32 which is ancient and super simple file system, but good enough for a 16-32 MB file on a stick. 

 

Also, because it's a cheap small microcontroller, reading a few KB, programming, and repeating the process, it updates the bios slowly, so it could take up to 10 minutes for the bios update to complete - in the video above it says 5 minutes, but be patient and let it do its job.

 

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to CPUs, Motherboards and Memory