How to Change a Phoenix BIOS

Do not restart or power off the computer while the BIOS update is running.

The BIOS, Basic Input/Output System, is a hardware level firmware program that dictates how the motherboard facilitates all hardware initialization and communication. Often, this firmware must be updated to allow for greater hardware compatibility and performance.The process of changing the BIOS has been greatly simplified allowing for virtually any computer user to update their firmware.

Things You'll Need

• BIOS update file from the motherboard manufacturer

Instructions

1. Close all other nonessential applications, including those running in the background such as anti-virus programs. This is important, as a system that freezes due to an unresponsive program in the background may lead to a BIOS failure.

2. Double-left-click the BIOS update executable (.exe) file that appears.

3. Follow any on-screen prompts. The user is often required to accept an end user license agreement prior to the BIOS change (simply scroll through and select "I Agree" at the end).

4. Restart your computer upon completion of the BIOS update to initialize the computer with the new BIOS firmware.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the current version of the BIOS by typing msinfo32 into the "Search" or "Run" box at the bottom of the "Start" menu in Windows. Select "System Summary" in the left-hand pane and the BIOS version appears in the list on the right.

• Back up all important files before running the BIOS update. Create a BIOS backup as well, just in case.

• Do not run a BIOS update if there is any chance of a power outage or system restart as the BIOS update will fail rendering the computer useless and BIOS recovery, while possible in some cases, is difficult.

• Make sure to read the accompanying Readme file closely to make sure the computer meets all specifications, such as updated video drivers or specific Windows patches, so the BIOS update does not make the computer unable to boot.

References

• How to Update Your BIOS