When you’ve purchased a brand new motherboard in recent times, you might need seen a brand new addition to the enter/output (I/O) space: a BIOS Fast Flash button.
Usually discovered alongside a devoted BIOS Flash USB port, this tiny button allows you to replace the BIOS or UEFI in your motherboard with out putting in any {hardware}, useful in case you purchase a really new motherboard that does not but help sure CPUs.
Learn on to be taught what the BIOS Flash button is, the right way to use it, and what to do when the BIOS Flash button would not work.
What Is the Motherboard BIOS Flash Button?
On the rear of the motherboard, you will discover the varied inputs and outputs required for connecting your screens, USB gadgets, audio {hardware}, and another peripherals. Collectively, this space is named the motherboard I/O, and the plate protecting it is named the I/O defend.
Some fashionable motherboards now characteristic a particular USB port and an accompanying button that assist you to replace the system BIOS earlier than you hearth up the remainder of the machine and full your PC construct.
Why Do You Have to Use the BIOS Flash Button?
Usually, the BIOS Flash button is used to replace a motherboard with a BIOS that helps a brand new, beforehand unsupported CPU.
A major instance of that is AMD’s Ryzen 5000 CPUs. The Ryzen 5000 CPUs are largely appropriate with the identical motherboards working AMD Ryzen 3000 collection CPUs, the earlier technology. However to verify the motherboard and new CPUs work correctly (or, in any respect), the motherboard BIOS wants updating to a brand new model that helps the newer CPUs.
This is not only for AMD CPUs and appropriate motherboards. Intel CPUs and motherboards additionally characteristic a BIOS Flash button to improve {hardware} help, though the method is similar for each {hardware} producers.
The BIOS Flash button can also be useful if you wish to improve your BIOS with out putting in the CPU. On older motherboards, the naked minimal required to replace the BIOS was the CPU and doubtlessly some reminiscence (RAM). With these fashionable motherboards, you now not have to put in the CPU to flash to a more recent BIOS model, making it simpler to improve to the most recent {hardware}.
How Do You Use the BIOS Flash Button?
The BIOS Flash button is pretty easy to make use of, although it does have some quirks. The button itself must be marked clearly on the motherboard and is generally discovered within the I/O space for ease of use. Moreover, most producers clearly mark a particular USB port to make use of for flashing the BIOS.
Now, the method for utilizing the BIOS Flash button differs barely between producers however does comply with a reasonably related course of. Beneath, you possibly can learn a normal overview of the right way to use the BIOS Flash button, however you must at all times take a look at the particular directions to your motherboard. Directions are discovered on the motherboard producer’s web site, and you could find them by finishing an web seek for one thing like “[motherboard name] bios flash button.”
- Head to the producer’s web site and obtain the proper BIOS file to your motherboard. When you’re upgrading to help a brand new CPU, be sure to learn the outline correctly to make sure the BIOS you select delivers that help.
- As soon as the obtain completes, extract the recordsdata from the archive.
- Rename the BIOS file to [manufacturer].bin. The producer directions will let you know precisely what to call the file.
- Now, you want a small capability USB 2.0 drive. Low capability is usually 32GB or smaller, and it should be a USB 2.0 drive except acknowledged in any other case.
- The drive should additionally use the FAT32 file system. Insert the drive into your pc, then right-click and choose Format. Below File Systemchoose FAT32. Ensure Fast Format is checked, then hit Begin. The format course of should not take lengthy.
- As soon as the drive format completes, you possibly can copy the renamed BIOS file to the foundation of the USB drive. Which means simply the BIOS file, not inside one other folder, copied instantly into the USB drive.
- Earlier than inserting the USB BIOS drive, you should join the 24-pin and 8-pin energy connectors to your motherboard (in any other case, it will not swap on).
- After connecting the facility provide, you possibly can insert the USB drive into the manufacturer-specified BIOS Flash USB port on the motherboard.
- Now, with the facility provide switched on, press the BIOS Flash button.
The BIOS flash course of can take as much as 10 minutes, and typically extra, relying on the scale of the brand new BIOS set up. Most motherboards with a BIOS Flash button even have a progress indicator of some kind, be {that a} blinking LED or a visible show on the motherboard. When the method completes, the motherboard will restart, or it might shut down relying on the producer. If the BIOS flash course of extends past 15 to twenty minutes, it is a secure guess that it’s not working and that you must attempt once more.
The BIOS Fast Flash Did not Work
The BIOS Flash button is not at all times assured to work. Frustratingly, it won’t be obvious that the BIOS flash has failed till you try to put in your new CPU or enter the BIOS. Completely different motherboards have totally different quirks with regards to utilizing the BIOS Flash button, too.
For instance, the usual info is that you must use the BIOS Flash button with out another {hardware} put in on the motherboard (meaning no GPU, no RAM, no SSDs or HDDs related). Nonetheless, you will discover a number of reviews on-line of the BIOS improve solely working with {hardware} put in.
One other factor to examine is that you’ve the proper BIOS model for the motherboard. Even when your model is appropriate, it’d require you to attempt a couple of totally different BIOS variations to get the best one. When you’re upgrading a BIOS for a brand new CPU, it may be that the primary appropriate BIOS model for the brand new CPU works and the most recent model (which you’d suppose would ship higher help) would not set up correctly.
The principle factor is, do not panic. You are most unlikely to trigger injury to your motherboard or different {hardware} parts as long as you comply with the steps, use the proper {hardware} and BIOS variations, and simply take your time.
Updating Your BIOS Simply Grew to become That Bit Simpler
When you’re upgrading to a brand new, unsupported CPU, utilizing the motherboard BIOS Flash button can prevent effort and time. Upgrading the BIOS utilizing the devoted BIOS flash USB port makes it simply that little bit simpler to improve your shiny new {hardware}, and you will have your new CPU put in very quickly in any respect.