Upgrading BIOS

I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
update was available for my computer.

I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
I am using to make this post.


--
KingOfChaos

Read the release notes for the BIOS update. Most of the time, it supports or
fixes things that you don't have a problem with (newer processors, different
memory configurations, BIOS settings). A lot of the time, you don't NEED the
update. Other times, it is a fix that you are having an issue with and it
makes sense to update. Just make sure you are updating it for the right
reasons.

--

Dustin Harper

http://www.vistarip.com | Vista Resource & Information Page


"KingOfChaos" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
> even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
> I am using to make this post.
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos

So?
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"KingOfChaos" wrote:

>
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
> even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
> I am using to make this post.
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
>

"KingOfChaos" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
> even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
> I am using to make this post.

Okay.

Did you have a question?

ss.

KingOfChaos;644921 Wrote:
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
> even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
> I am using to make this post.


I agree with Dustin Harper - If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This
holds especially true with updating your BIOS. Unless you're
experiencing a specific problem that can be solved by updating the BIOS,
there shouldn't
be any pressing need to update it.


--
dzomlija

_____________________
Peter Alexander Dzomlija
-Do you hear, huh? The Alpha and The Omega? Death and Rebirth? And as
you die, so shall I be Reborn...-

:cry:-U--nfortunately, my rig (As seen in
http://www.vistax64.com/general-disc...tml#post533290)
went south thanks to mother nature and a lightning bolt to the mains
supply that my UPS could not stop. Now I'm just waiting for the
insurance payout, so I can build a new machine.-'
' (http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/e...zomlija/Venus/)

You'll get a laugh out of this!

I've a 6yo Packard Bell running Vista HP(upgraded RAM and Graphics) with the
original Bios!
--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"dzomlija" wrote:

>
> KingOfChaos;644921 Wrote:
> > I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> > update was available for my computer.
> >
> > I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> > do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> > of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> > during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> > power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
> > even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> > out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
> > I am using to make this post.
>
>
> I agree with Dustin Harper - If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This
> holds especially true with updating your BIOS. Unless you're
> experiencing a specific problem that can be solved by updating the BIOS,
> there shouldn't
> be any pressing need to update it.
>
>
> --
> dzomlija
>
> _____________________
> Peter Alexander Dzomlija
> -Do you hear, huh? The Alpha and The Omega? Death and Rebirth? And as
> you die, so shall I be Reborn...-
>
> :cry:-U--nfortunately, my rig (As seen in
> http://www.vistax64.com/general-disc...tml#post533290)
> went south thanks to mother nature and a lightning bolt to the mains
> supply that my UPS could not stop. Now I'm just waiting for the
> insurance payout, so I can build a new machine.-'
> ' (http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/e...zomlija/Venus/)
>

On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:14:45 -0500, KingOfChaos
<> wrote:

>
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade.


Your fear is well-placed. It's an inherently risky thing to do.

So why do it? Certainly don't do it just because it's X years old and
there are upgrades available. Although a BIOS upgrade normally goes
well, it is not without danger. If something goes wrong while the
upgrade is an progress (for example, a lapse in power) you can be left
with no BIOS at all, and an unbootable computer.

Do a BIOS upgrade if you need to--because you are having a problem
that the new version is known to fix--not just because one is
available.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:14:45 -0500, KingOfChaos
<> wrote:

>
>I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
>update was available for my computer.
>
>I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
>do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
>of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
>during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
>power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
>even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
>out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
>I am using to make this post.

I've got a 3 month old HP laptop
I had several shutdown problems with it
On one occasion I chatted online with a HP tech and he told me to
flash the bios
Like you I was nervous
Also, I already had the bios version that the flash was for
However, the tech advised that the update also updated various drivers

When I ran the update, I took all the usual precautions
Oddly, there was very little dialogue whilst it was doing it's stuff

Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating

When I finished I was able to shutdown normally for the first time in
several weeks!

KingOfChaos;728280 Wrote:
> I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
> update was available for my computer.
>
> I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
> do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
> of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
> during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
> power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade
> and
> even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
> out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the
> desktop
> I am using to make this post.
>
>
> --
> KingOfChaos
I know EXACTLY how you feel! The same sort of thing happened to me
once. Fortunately though it's really easy and foolproof if you're doing
this on an HP computer from their software. I bought this HP a6130n last
September and there has already been a bios update. Man, I shuddered at
the thought of doing it! But, I followed HP's instructions and it was
done by itself in about 15 miniutes. Good luck


--
MrGW77
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

Same here. I kept on getting the "blue screen of death" every day. The
vendors website had a BIOS upgrade that adressed a memory problem with
Vista. Ran the upgrade, and could not be happier since.


<> wrote in message
news:...
> On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:14:45 -0500, KingOfChaos
> <> wrote:
>
>>
>>I loaded up HP update yesterday on my laptop and noticed that a BIOs
>>update was available for my computer.
>>
>>I HATE THESE. Everytime I get an update for BIOS it takes me weeks to
>>do it because I have to psych myself up to doing it because I am afraid
>>of flashing the EEPROMs...so much bad **** can happen to your system
>>during this type of upgrade. I had an entire system loss because the
>>power decided to go out a couple of years ago during such an upgrade and
>>even though I now have a UPS for my network, it still scares the hell
>>out of me...especially since my laptop cost twice as much as the desktop
>>I am using to make this post.
>
> I've got a 3 month old HP laptop
> I had several shutdown problems with it
> On one occasion I chatted online with a HP tech and he told me to
> flash the bios
> Like you I was nervous
> Also, I already had the bios version that the flash was for
> However, the tech advised that the update also updated various drivers
>
> When I ran the update, I took all the usual precautions
> Oddly, there was very little dialogue whilst it was doing it's stuff
>
> Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating
>
> When I finished I was able to shutdown normally for the first time in
> several weeks!
>