Tell me more ×
Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I need to update BIOS but i am affraid of failure which will render laptop useless and only sending motherboard to manufacturer for BIOS replacement chip can solve the problem.

  • Should i run laptop on battery in case power blackout occurs?
  • Should i still run on battery even with UPS just for the sake of additional protection?

What other precautions must be taken before updating laptop's BIOS?

share|improve this question
In most cases, don't do it. Rarely if ever are BIOS upgrade critical. – surfasb Jul 20 '11 at 18:42

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

The good news is that problems with this are extremely rare, except for loss of power, so doing it to a laptop actually makes it safer since it does have the battery to make sure that it does not lose power in the middle of the update.

Simply make sure that battery is in and charged, and plugged in. It will not hurt if it is also in a UPS or surge protector to guard against power spikes.

Other than that, there is nothing you can really do, but I also would not worry too much either. BIOS updates are pretty reliable.

share|improve this answer
Agreeing with @KCotreau, but answering Boris_yo's specific question: there is no advantage to unplugging the laptop before doing the upgrade. If mains power fails during the upgrade the computer will automatically switch to battery. – CarlF Jul 20 '11 at 12:49
My Lenovo, when I update the BIOS, specifically tells me to leave it plugged in and have the battery in. That is so it has an extra layer of protection against loss of power. – KCotreau Jul 20 '11 at 12:53
And is there power fluctuatuion between mains power to battery switching? It all happens in nano seconds so this change is not noticeable to laptop? – Boris_yo Jul 20 '11 at 13:32
1  
Probably to a small degree, but in practice, it probably will not effect it. I am not an electronics expert, but my guess is that all the capacitors inside keep the critical components properly charged in case of a slight fluctuation in power. Certainly, a UPS is better than a power strip to be closer to 100% sure, but the battery is probably technically sufficient. – KCotreau Jul 20 '11 at 13:38
@Boris: I think you are worrying about the wrong items. If power fluctuations from a battery have an effect on a BIOS upgrade, good luck on calculating a spreadsheet. Heck, good luck when you got to print something. Both are more power intensive operations than a BIOS upgrade. – surfasb Jul 20 '11 at 18:44
show 4 more comments

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.