Bios update question

Discussion in 'Software' started by greenbrucelee, Jun 4, 2007.

  1. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    I recently did a system scan to see which version of vista my comp is best suited for.

    The scan said Vista home basic I am currently running xp sp2

    The scan also said I would need an update for realtek audio on my mobo and that I would have to uninstall Norton internet security, Nero 7 and AOL as they dont work with vista.

    Should I download the Bios update for the audio or should I not bother as if vista is not compatible with Nortons, aol and Nero then I wont bother with Vista
     
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  2. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Are you sure it said *BIOS* update for the audio? Or was it just drivers? The scanner is quite good at spotting that extra drivers not on the Vista disk will be required.

    And all lowlevel apps such as firewalls, anti-virus, and CD burners have to be upgraded for Vista. And many of these upgrades appear to be somewhat flaky.

    I'm waiting until SP1 later this year before I consider Vista.

    And Home Basic is just that - basic. Vista requires a fairly hefty machine to run well and deliver all the hyped stuff like Aero.

    Harry.
     
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  3. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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  4. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Sorry guys I did actually mean the realtek audio driver update but I also mean should i upgrade the bios also
     
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  5. dmarsh
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    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    These are the steps...

    Whats version BIOs does your motherbaord have ?

    Whats the latest version of the BIOS available ?

    What are the new features or fixes added in all the newer releases ?

    If you want these features update the BIOs (prob no!), if yes proceed...

    Update the BIOS from a boot disk outside of windows, cross your fingers you don't have a power cut ;)

    ...alternatively buy a UPS.

    Most of the time the updates will be minor if you bought a decent stable motherboard and theres not alot of upgraded devices in your machine and the industry's not inventing new protocols.
     
  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    My personal view is that doing a BIOS update isn't worth the hassle and possible problems unless there is a *major* reason for that update.

    It is too easy to get the wrong image, which will usualy render the montherboard unbootable.

    Harry.
     
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  7. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    cheers Harry see another reason for thinking about the bios update is that when I have done a memory scan on crucial it has only given me the option of 800mhz/1000mhz/1066mhz ram and according to my mobo user guide it can take 533/667/800mhz ram

    :blink
     
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  8. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    That is quite a disparity. I'd tend to take the Mobo handbook over Crucial. But it depends on just how Crucial determined this. If it did it on mobo model it might have got the board revision wrong. Board revision is something that many miss when checking capabilities, and can't be fixed by BIOS updates usualy.

    Harry.
     
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  9. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    When I did the crucial system scan that made me think, oh there must have been an update to the bios so I can take faster ram but when I have look this doe not seem to be the case, as I have the latest version

    Anyway thanks for the help.

    Steve
     
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  10. dmarsh
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    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    The speed of the memory bus will be determined by a crystal oscilator on the motherboard this is normally therefore set in stone when the motherboard is produced. Sometimes they put in extra stuff and only declare it later but basically a BIO's upgrade in itself wouldn't up it.
     

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