Bios update

[Snowi_]

So i have had random freezes like windows completly freezing up and i ha e to restart using the power button and i checked for drivers updates on my motherboards website asus m5a97 r2.0 and i noticed the bios had an update and the updates were just performance fixes im really scared of updating my bios cuz im afraid ill brick my board i built this as my first pc and im only 14 and i really dont have any money to spare so any tips would be apriciated

[Hiitchy]

I used to have the M5a97 R2.0 board. Asus has a program where it does the update automatically for you. I believe it's called EZUpdate or another name.

 

Anyway, the process for the board is like this:

 

1. Download the update

2. Extract it to the desktop, or in the C:/ directory so it's easier to find.

3. Run the BIOS update program, it will either search for the update online, or will allow you to navigate to the file to update it.

4. Choose either option. It will tell you not to disconnect any power, or turn off your PC. Make sure you heed these directions otherwise you will mess something up.

5. The PC will restart and will go into the BIOS to complete flashing the BIOS. It may ask you to locate the file.

6. If it asks you, locate the file to the extracted directly and select it. This is a .cap file.

7. Once the flash begins, do not touch anything

8. When the flash is complete, the computer will power down for up to 5 seconds or more. Let it power on by itself.

9. A screen may pop up saying a new bios was flashed or setup options were changed. Load the setup, and change your settings back to what they were if you have

10. Boot back into windows. You should have successfully flashed your BIOS.

 

Just remember, for your specific motherboard, there is a BIOS flashback button just in case you somehow manage to brick the motherboard. This is located between the rightmost USB 2.0 header, and the headers you use to connect the power, HDD LED's and so on and so forth.

 

Good luck, let me know how it goes!

[Leonard]

How do you know the issues are because of the older BIOS?

 

You should not have any issues with a BIOS update unless your PC looses power or is power cycled during the update....that is when you will be fucked.

[Snowi_]

2 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

I used to have the M5a97 R2.0 board. Asus has a program where it does the update automatically for you. I believe it's called EZUpdate or another name.

 

Anyway, the process for the board is like this:

 

1. Download the update

2. Extract it to the desktop, or in the C:/ directory so it's easier to find.

3. Run the BIOS update program, it will either search for the update online, or will allow you to navigate to the file to update it.

4. Choose either option. It will tell you not to disconnect any power, or turn off your PC. Make sure you heed these directions otherwise you will mess something up.

5. The PC will restart and will go into the BIOS to complete flashing the BIOS. It may ask you to locate the file.

6. If it asks you, locate the file to the extracted directly and select it. This is a .cap file.

7. Once the flash begins, do not touch anything

8. When the flash is complete, the computer will power down for up to 5 seconds or more. Let it power on by itself.

9. A screen may pop up saying a new bios was flashed or setup options were changed. Load the setup, and change your settings back to what they were if you have

10. Boot back into windows. You should have successfully flashed your BIOS.

 

Just remember, for your specific motherboard, there is a BIOS flashback button just in case you somehow manage to brick the motherboard. This is located between the rightmost USB 2.0 header, and the headers you use to connect the power, HDD LED's and so on and so forth.

 

Good luck, let me know how it goes!

So if i fuck up somehow i just press that button and i flashes back to the older bios? 

[Snowi_]

1 minute ago, Leonard said:

How do you know the issues are because of the older BIOS?

 

You should not have any issues with a BIOS update unless your PC looses power or is power cycled during the update....that is when you will be fucked.

I dont think the random freezes are ram related because i ran memtest86 and it found no errors and i have tried to find something online but havent found anything

[Leonard]

2 minutes ago, Snowi_ said:

I dont think the random freezes are ram related because i ran memtest86 and it found no errors and i have tried to find something online but havent found anything

Where did you see me state anything about RAM in my post?

 

The issues do not have to be hardware related it could be software too.

[Snowi_]

Just now, Leonard said:

Where did you see me state anything about RAM in my post?

 

The issues do not have to be hardware related it could be software too.

I didnt see anything about ram in your post just as i said people have said online that it could be ram related and i dont think it is software but it could be

[Leonard]

1 minute ago, Snowi_ said:

I didnt see anything about ram in your post just as i said people have said online that it could be ram related and i dont think it is software but it could be

oh....well exactly when do the freezes happen during a CPU/GPU intensive program or just randomly? Have you checked your system temperatures?

[Snowi_]

Just now, Leonard said:

oh....well exactly when do the freezes happen during a CPU/GPU intensive program or just randomly? Have you checked your system temperatures?

System temps are fine and they can happen at anytime when playing a game or just scrolling through a website or just sitting on the desktop

[Hiitchy]

9 minutes ago, Snowi_ said:

So if i fuck up somehow i just press that button and i flashes back to the older bios? 

On the back of your motherboard, you should have a USB port that says "BIOS Flashback" this port will require a FAT formatted USB drive and should only contain the .cap file for the bios. All you would do is put the usb drive in there, and without turning the PC on, push the BIOS Flashback button on the motherboard (BIOS_FLBK)

[Snowi_]

5 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

On the back of your motherboard, you should have a USB port that says "BIOS Flashback" this port will require a FAT formatted USB drive and should only contain the .cap file for the bios. All you would do is put the usb drive in there, and without turning the PC on, push the BIOS Flashback button on the motherboard (BIOS_FLBK)

I do have the bios file on a flash drive idk why but i do

[Hiitchy]

Just now, Snowi_ said:

I do have the bios file on a flash drive idk why but i do

Good, just make sure nothing else but the bios file is in that flash drive for this process, and that you've formatted it to FAT so the motherboard can read it in the event things go wrong. With the process I've explained, you should have no issues whatsoever. Just remember, don't touch the computer while it's flashing the BIOS and you should be fine.

[Snowi_]

16 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Good, just make sure nothing else but the bios file is in that flash drive for this process, and that you've formatted it to FAT so the motherboard can read it in the event things go wrong. With the process I've explained, you should have no issues whatsoever. Just remember, don't touch the computer while it's flashing the BIOS and you should be fine.

I will try this tomorrow and my parents have another pc so if the flash drive is incorrect and i screw up i can just get the newest bios from there and format the drive

[Hiitchy]

Just now, Snowi_ said:

I will try this tomorrow and my parents have another pc so if the flash drive is incorrect and i screw up i can just get the newest bios from there and format the drive

Okay, awesome. Best of luck, let me know how it goes!

[Snowi_]

1 minute ago, Hiitchy said:

Okay, awesome. Best of luck, let me know how it goes!

One more thing when i so the update where do i out the bios file? Just on the c drive in a folder or? 

[Hiitchy]

Just now, Snowi_ said:

One more thing when i so the update where do i out the bios file? Just on the c drive in a folder or? 

Put it in a location you'll be able to navigate to in the event when you get to step 6 in my instructions I left you. I just chose the C:/ drive because all you'd have to do is click the C:/ drive and find the .cap file.

[Snowi_]

5 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Put it in a location you'll be able to navigate to in the event when you get to step 6 in my instructions I left you. I just chose the C:/ drive because all you'd have to do is click the C:/ drive and find the .cap file.

Ok i will message you here tomorrow after i have tried to update the bios

[Snowi_]

10 hours ago, Hiitchy said:

Put it in a location you'll be able to navigate to in the event when you get to step 6 in my instructions I left you. I just chose the C:/ drive because all you'd have to do is click the C:/ drive and find the .cap file.

So now i did the update it went well but i cant boot into windows i just get the message overclocking failed and i havent done any overclocking 

[Snowi_]

10 hours ago, Hiitchy said:

Put it in a location you'll be able to navigate to in the event when you get to step 6 in my instructions I left you. I just chose the C:/ drive because all you'd have to do is click the C:/ drive and find the .cap file.

Ok i fixed it i just reinstalled the bios and reset everything to default. Thanks for the help