Bios Upgrade
Is a BIOS Upgrade Necessary?Neil Randall
The people at the store where I bought my computer told me that I should download and install a BIOS upgrade that is available for my machine. How important is this?
David Armonk
Upgrading your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is not important at all if your computer is giving you no trouble and you need no new capabilities. Many BIOS chips on today's motherboards can be upgraded by downloading and running an installation program. These upgrades are rarely necessary for the vast majority of users.
A BIOS upgrade may clear up some small problems. And occasionally an upgrade will include new features that are useful—the ability to recognize hard drives with larger capacities, for example. Typically, however, a BIOS upgrade won't let you work with new technology; instead, you need a new motherboard with a new BIOS. And since a failed BIOS upgrade can render your computer unusable, there's really no point unless you know you actually need the update.
Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.