Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

how to check what bios version i have

Multiple Windows computer on a desk
Thannaree Deepul / Shutterstock.com

You probably shouldn't update your BIOS, but sometimes you need to. Here'south how to check what BIOS version your computer is using and flash that new BIOS version onto your motherboard as quickly and safely as possible.

RELATED: Practice Y'all Demand to Update Your Estimator's BIOS?

Be very conscientious when updating your BIOS! If your computer freezes, crashes, or loses ability during the procedure, the BIOS or UEFI firmware may exist corrupted. This volition return your computer unbootable—information technology'll be "bricked."

How to Bank check Your Electric current BIOS Version in Windows

Your reckoner's BIOS version is displayed in the BIOS setup card itself, but you lot don't have to reboot to check this version number. There are several ways to come across your BIOS version from inside Windows, and they piece of work the aforementioned on PCs with a traditional BIOS or a newer UEFI firmware.

RELATED: What Is UEFI, and How Is It Different from BIOS?

Bank check Your BIOS Version at the Command Prompt

To check your BIOS version from the Command Prompt, hit Start, type "cmd" in the search box, so click the "Control Prompt" result—no need to run it equally an administrator.

At the prompt, type (or copy and paste) the post-obit command, and then hit Enter:

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion

You'll see the version number of the BIOS or UEFI firmware in your current PC.

Check Your BIOS Version by Using the System Data Panel

RELATED: How to Open the System Information Panel on Windows ten or 8

You tin also observe your BIOS's version number in the System Information window. On Windows seven, viii, or x, hit Windows+R, blazon "msinfo32" into the Run box, then hit Enter.

The BIOS version number is displayed on the Arrangement Summary pane. Look at the "BIOS Version/Date" field.

How to Update Your BIOS

Different motherboards employ unlike utilities and procedures, so there's no one-size-fits-all set of instructions here. Notwithstanding, you'll perform the aforementioned basic process on all motherboards.

RELATED: How to Bank check Your Motherboard Model Number on Your Windows PC

First, caput to the motherboard manufacturer'due south website and find the Downloads or Back up page for your specific model of motherboard. You should see a listing of available BIOS versions, along with any changes/bug fixes in each and the dates they were released. Download the version to which you want to update. You'll probably desire to grab the newest BIOS version—unless y'all take a specific need for an older one.

If y'all purchased a pre-built computer instead of building your own, head to the computer manufacturer's website, look up the computer model, and look at its downloads folio. You lot'll observe whatever available BIOS updates there.

Your BIOS download probably comes in an archive—usually a Null file. Extract the contents of that file. Inside, you'll find some sort of BIOS file—in the screenshot below, information technology'south the E7887IMS.140 file.

The archive should too incorporate a README file that volition walk y'all through updating to the new BIOS. Y'all should check out this file for instructions that apply specifically to your hardware, but we'll effort to encompass the basics that work across all hardware hither.

RELATED: What You Need to Know About Using UEFI Instead of the BIOS

You'll need to choose one of several different types of BIOS-flashing tools, depending on your motherboard and what it supports. The BIOS update's included README file should recommend the platonic option for your hardware.

Some manufacturers offering a BIOS-flashing choice directly in their BIOS, or as a special fundamental-press option when y'all boot the reckoner. Yous re-create the BIOS file to a USB drive, reboot your estimator, and then enter the BIOS or UEFI screen. From there, yous choose the BIOS-updating option, select the BIOS file yous placed on the USB drive, and the BIOS updates to the new version.

RELATED: What You Demand to Know About Using UEFI Instead of the BIOS

You generally access the BIOS screen by pressing the appropriate central while your computer boots—it'due south often displayed on the screen during the boot process and volition exist noted in your motherboard or PC'south manual. Mutual BIOS keys include Delete and F2. The process for entering a UEFI setup screen can be a scrap different.

Asus UEFI BIOS utility
Asus

There are also more than traditional DOS-based BIOS-flashing tools. When using those tools, yous create a DOS alive USB drive, so re-create the BIOS-flashing utility and BIOS file to that USB bulldoze. Y'all then restart your computer and kicking from the USB drive. In the minimal DOS environment that appears later on the reboot, you run the advisable command—often something like flash.bat BIOS3245.bin—and the tool flashes the new version of the BIOS onto the firmware.

RELATED: How to Create a Bootable DOS USB Drive

The DOS-based flashing tool is ofttimes provided in the BIOS archive yous download from the manufacturer'southward website, although you may take to download it separately. Look for a file with the .bat or .exe file extension.

In the past, this procedure was performed with bootable floppy disks and CDs. We recommend a USB drive because it's probably be the easiest method on modern hardware.

Some manufacturers provide Windows-based flashing tools, which yous run on the Windows desktop to flash your BIOS and then reboot. Nosotros don't recommend using these, and even many manufacturers who provide these tools circumspection against using them. For example, MSI "strongly recommends" using their BIOS-based card option instead of their Windows-based utility in the README file of the sample BIOS update we downloaded.

Flashing your BIOS from within Windows can result in more issues. All that software running in the background—including security programs that may interfere with writing to the computer's BIOS—can cause the process to fail and decadent your BIOS. Whatsoever system crashes or freezes might also issue in a corrupted BIOS. It's better to be safe than sorry, and then we recommend using a BIOS-based flashing tool or booting to a minimal DOS environment to wink your BIOS.


That's information technology—after you run the BIOS-flashing utility, reboot your figurer, and the new BIOS or UEFI firmware version loads. If there's a trouble with the new BIOS version, you may be able to downgrade information technology by downloading an older version from the manufacturer'southward website and repeating the flashing procedure.

davidsonweent1999.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/196916/how-to-check-your-bios-version-and-update-it/

Post a Comment for "how to check what bios version i have"