您的计算机的 BIOS 或Basic Input/Output System是一个硬连线计算机程序(computer program)，它允许您的操作系统(operating system)与连接到计算机的硬件进行通信。它也是在操作系统(operating system)接管 之前启动和准备 PC 的计算机的一部分。
换句话说，它会检测所有连接的设备，检查它们是否正常工作，并在您选择的操作系统(operating system)加载之前让您知道是否有问题。
您的BIOS被写入只读闪存芯片(memory chip)，不受断电或操作系统(operating system)出现任何问题的影响。这并不意味着BIOS本身无法更新。通过称为“刷新”的过程，您的BIOS可以更新为主板制造商(motherboard maker)发布的新版本。
但是你应该(should)更新你的BIOS吗？它是怎么(How)做到的？
何时应该更新 BIOS(When You Should Update Your BIOS)
BIOS 更新(BIOS update)绝非易事。如果由于某些原因出现问题，您很可能会得到一块无法启动的主板，在这种情况下，您要么必须购买新的主板，要么将其送去更换BIOS 芯片。(BIOS chip)然而，一些现代主板确实具有“双” BIOS，其中第二个备份芯片(backup chip)可用于恢复主芯片。如果您想知道您的主板是否具有此功能，请查阅您的主板文档。(motherboard documentation)
如果您的计算机工作正常并且您没有遇到任何问题，那么您可能不必担心更新BIOS。也就是说，除非新的BIOS 版本(BIOS version)添加了您想要的特定功能。
如果存在需要修补的严重安全漏洞或您打算升级到新CPU ，您还应该更新BIOS。创建BIOS(BIOS)后发布的CPU可能无法工作，除非您运行的是最新版本的BIOS。主板(Motherboard)制造商通常对每个主板都有一个CPU 支持(CPU support)列表，其中还显示了该CPU所需的BIOS 版本(BIOS version)。
如果卡上没有非常理想的功能、主要错误或硬件升级(hardware upgrade)，那么最好不要管BIOS。
BIOS 与 UEFI(BIOS vs UEFI)
虽然通常的做法仍然是使用术语“BIOS”，但大多数现代计算机都有称为UEFI或统一可扩展固件接口(Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)的东西。这是BIOS的花哨的现代等价物。
(UEFI)与老式BIOS相比， (BIOS)UEFI带有一长串改进的功能，但就我们的目的而言，这里没有真正的区别。更新BIOS/UEFI的工作方式几乎完全相同。
更新 BIOS 需要什么(What You’ll Need To Update Your BIOS)
有两种主要的方式来更新您的BIOS。一种是在BIOS自己的界面中，甚至在您的操作系统(operating system)启动之前。另一种是在您的操作系统中(operating system)，使用主板制造商提供的(motherboard maker)BIOS刷新实用程序。
如果该选项对您开放，我们强烈建议您使用基于操作系统的实用程序。这有几个原因，其中最重要的是，如果BIOS 刷新(BIOS reflash)出现问题，您仍然可以在计算机尚未重新启动时对其进行处理。
换句话说，刷回旧的BIOS或重试刷新的。这也有助于大多数优秀的主板制造商拥有本质上是自动化的更新实用程序，让您的生活变得轻松(life easy)。
如果您确实需要从BIOS 菜单本身更新(BIOS menu)BIOS，通常是因为没有安装操作系统(operating system)，那么您还需要一个带有新固件副本的USB 拇指驱动器。(USB thumb)您必须将驱动器格式化为FAT32并使用另一台计算机下载文件并将其复制(file and copy)到驱动器。我们将进一步引导您完成具体过程。
是否有可用更新？(Is an Update Available?)
有两种方法可以轻松检查BIOS 更新(BIOS update)。如果您的主板制造商(motherboard manufacturer)有更新实用程序，您通常只需运行它即可。有些人会检查是否有可用的更新，有些人只会向您显示当前BIOS的当前固件版本。
在这种情况下，您可以转到您的主板型号的下载和(motherboard model)支持页面(support page)，查看是否有比您当前安装的更新文件更新的固件更新文件可用。
您还可以使用诸如CPUZ之类的实用程序来检查您当前的BIOS版本，或者作为最后的手段，引导到BIOS 菜单(BIOS menu)并在那里检查版本号(version number)。
使用实用程序更新(Updating Using a Utility)
我们在这里使用的计算机有一个技嘉主板(Gigabyte motherboard)，所以我们必须下载技嘉(Gigabyte)更新实用程序，它被称为@BIOS。每个主板品牌和型号(motherboard brand and model)可能不同。因此，为您的特定板寻找等效的实用程序。
下载该实用程序后，我们所要做的就是运行它。它检测当前的BIOS 版本并检查(BIOS version and checks)更新。如果找到，它将要求我们启动更新。您也可以手动刷新使用此实用程序下载 的固件文件。(firmware file)
如果您因为兼容性问题、新错误或性能下降(performance degradation)而需要返回旧版本的BIOS ，这很有用(BIOS)
Updating Using The BIOS/UEFI
假设您已下载新固件文件(firmware file)并将其复制到闪存驱动器，请重新启动计算机，然后按 键启动进入BIOS。这通常是Del 或 F12(Del or F12)键，但请查看您的主板手册(motherboard manual)以了解确切的方法。您的BIOS可能看起来像这样。
每个BIOS看起来都不同，但它应该是提及更新或刷新BIOS的选项。如果您选择该选项，它应该允许您从USB 驱动器中选择(USB drive)固件文件(firmware file)。完成所有适当的确认后，闪烁过程应该完成。
对于我们的技嘉主板(Gigabyte board)，该实用程序称为“Q-flash”。
不幸的是，UEFI屏幕截图功能(function doesn)在Q-flash启动时不起作用，但该实用程序只是询问您更新固件文件(firmware file)的位置，然后刷新BIOS。简单的！
重要提示(Important Tips)
确保 200 % sure您下载的固件实际上适用于您的主板。某些主板型号有多个硬件版本。因此，将更新与您的确切板相匹配非常重要。同样重要的是不要以任何方式中断闪烁过程。无论(Whether)是断电(power cut)还是您按下重置按钮(reset button)。
我们自己从来没有遇到过砖块或失败的闪光，但它们确实发生了，而且修复起来真的很痛苦。因此，请按照您的主板制造商(motherboard manufacturer)的说明进行操作，并确保您在尝试之前了解该过程。好消息是，无论如何，闪光应该在几秒钟内结束。
Should I Update My BIOS? How To Check If One Is Needed
Your computеr’s BIOS or Basic Input/Output System is a hardwired computer program that allows your operating system to communicate with the hardware attached to the computer. It’s also the part of the computer that starts up and prepares the PC before the operating system takes over.
In other words, it detects all attached devices, checks that they are working properly and lets you know if something is wrong before the operating system of your choice loads.
Your BIOS is written onto a read-only flash memory chip that’s unaffected by the power being cut or anything that goes wrong with your operating system. That doesn’t mean the BIOS itself can’t be updated. Through a process known as “flashing”, your BIOS can be updated with new versions released by the motherboard maker.
But should you update your BIOS? How is it even done?
When You Should Update Your BIOS
A BIOS update is no trivial thing. If it goes wrong for some reasons, you could very well end up with a motherboard that won’t turn on, in which case you either have to buy a new one or send it for a BIOS chip replacement. Some modern motherboards do however have a “dual” BIOS, where a second backup chip can be used to restore the primary one. Consult your motherboard documentation if you want to know if yours has this feature.
If your computer is working just fine and you have no trouble with it, then you can probably stop worrying about updating your BIOS. That is, unless the new BIOS version adds specific features that you want.
You should also update your BIOS if there are critical security flaws that need patching or you intend to upgrade to a new CPU. CPUs that are released after your BIOS was created may not work unless you are running the latest version of the BIOS. Motherboard makers usually have a CPU support list for each motherboard, which shows the BIOS version needed for that CPU as well.
If there’s no highly desirable feature, major bugs or hardware upgrade on the cards, then you are probably better off leaving your BIOS alone.
BIOS vs UEFI
While the common practice is still to use the term “BIOS”, most modern computers have something called a UEFI or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. This is the fancy modern equivalent of a BIOS.
UEFI comes with a long list of improved features compared to an old-school BIOS, but for our purposes there’s no real difference here. Updating your BIOS/UEFI works almost exactly the same.
What You’ll Need To Update Your BIOS
There are two main ways to update your BIOS. One is from within the BIOS’ own interface, before your operating system has even started. The other is from within your operating system, using a BIOS flashing utility provided by the motherboard maker.
We strongly recommend that you use an operating system-based utility if that option is open to you. There are a few reasons for this, the most important of which is that if something goes wrong with the BIOS reflash, you can still do something about it while the computer has not yet rebooted.
In other words, flash the old BIOS back or retry flashing the new one. It also helps that most good motherboards makers have update utilities that are essentially automated, making your life easy.
If you do need to update the BIOS from the BIOS menu itself, usually because there is no operating system installed, then you’ll also need a USB thumb drive with a copy of the new firmware on it. You’ll have to format the drive to FAT32 and use another computer to download the file and copy it to the drive. We’ll walk you through the specific process a little further down.
Is an Update Available?
There are two ways to easily check for a BIOS update. If your motherboard manufacturer has an update utility, you’ll usually simply have to run it. Some will check if an update is available, others will just show you the current firmware version of your present BIOS.
In that case, you can go to the downloads and support page for your motherboard model and see if a firmware update file that’s newer than your currently installed one is available.
You can also use a utility such as CPUZ to check your current BIOS version or, as a last resort, boot into the BIOS menu and check the version number there.
Updating Using a Utility
The computer we’re working with here has a Gigabyte motherboard, so we have to download the Gigabyte update utility, which is known as @BIOS. Each motherboard brand and model may be different. So look for an equivalent utility for your specific board.
Once the utility is downloaded, all we have to do is run it. It detects the current BIOS version and checks for an update. If it finds one, it will ask us to initiate the update. You can also manually flash a firmware file you’ve downloaded with this utility as well.
This is useful in case you need to go back to an older version of the BIOS because of compatibility issues, new bugs or performance degradation
Updating Using The BIOS/UEFI
Assuming that you’ve downloaded the new firmware file and copied it to a flash drive, restart your computer and then press the key to boot into the BIOS. This is usually either the Del or F12 key, but check your motherboard manual for the exact method. Your BIOS will probably look something like this.
Each BIOS looks different, but it should be an option that either mentions updating or flashing the BIOS. If you choose the option, it should allow you to select the firmware file from the USB drive. After doing all the appropriate confirmations, the flashing process should complete.
In the case of our Gigabyte board, the utility is called “Q-flash”.
Unfortunately the UEFI screenshot function doesn’t work while Q-flash is launched, but the utility simply asks you for the location of the updated firmware file and then flashes the BIOS. Simple!
Important Tips
Make 200% sure that the firmware you download is actually meant for your motherboard. Some motherboard models have multiple hardware revisions. So it’s important to match the update to your exact board. It’s also very important that the flashing process not be interrupted in any way. Whether by a power cut or you pushing the reset button.
We have never experienced a bricked board or failed flash ourselves, but they do happen and it can be a real pain to fix. So follow your motherboard manufacturer’s instructions to the letter and make sure you understand the process before even attempting it. The good news is that, one way or another, the flash should be over in a few seconds.
