HELP - Should I mess with my old computer's BIOS?

I have a six year old computer running Windows 2000 Pro - go ahead, laugh all you want but it runs well and does everything I need it to do (I use it for creating professional animation).

Yeah, eventually I'll get a new Vista Quad-core touch screen or whatever the latest system is these days. But for now I'm thinking about a very minor upgrade by installing a USB 2.0 PCI card. My computer now has USB 1, and my external hard drive runs much slower than on other newer computers.

I've done some research over the internet - it seems my old motherboard (ASUS A7N266-C) will support USB 2.0 with a BIOS upgrade.

Here's the question - I've never upgraded the BIOS (version BIOS Rev 1001.D), and I keep hearing that it's best to leave it alone if things are running well.

Is it worth it to mess with the BIOS? Maybe I should just live with a slow external HD. What do you think?

 

If you plan on getting a PCI USB card, it will come with the USB 2.0 drivers and that should be all you need. IF you do flash the BIOS, then the onboard USB ports will be 2.0 compliment also. What you've heard about flashing the BIOS IS correct....'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!' Personally, I'd go the PCI card route and then if you needed more USB ports, just connect a hub to the card. I think that would be the safer way to go. As for the age of your machine, well you aren't alone! I'm still running Win2000 Pro on a GA-7N400 Pro2 and I flashed my BIOS once so it would recognize Kingston RAM. I figured it would cheaper than going out and buying new RAM!! Anyhow, I hope that helps!!

 

Stubby - Thanks a lot for your reply/opinion.

One thing I don't understand - did you suggest that if I flash the BIOS, the USB ports might upgrade to 2.0? I've got plenty of ports (they're not PCI cards,
they attach to the motherboard by a cable), I don't really need more.

Is my choice flash the BIOS, or buy a PCI card for the same result? I'd like to hear more ideas/opinions. Thanks.

 

From what you said the BIOS update would make the onboard USB 2.0.
A PCI 2.0 card would not need the BIOS updated. [My own experience with a 2.0 card was that it was hit or miss on recognizing my Flash drive. One boot it would recognize it, one boot it wouldn't--I was constantly reloading the drivers. I wasn't happy with the experience.

Do you have a link to the BIOS update you are considering using?

 

:wave Welcome to Major Geeks! :major

BIOS flashing has been made MUCH simpler than it was a few years back. It used to require a special DOS boot floppy with the new BIOS on it plus the actual flashing software. Most (if not all) motherboards less than 2-3 years old have easy BIOS upgrading options by simply running a file from Windows. You run it, it tells you to reboot, you reboot, and you're done. If you have an older motherboard, and you're not comfortable with the BIOS flashing procedure (they vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer from fairly simple to very poorly written Chinese translations of the instructions) then leave it alone. Install the PCI card for the hard drive and other higher speed USB devices, and use the on-board USB for stuff like a USB mouse/keyboard or a printer maybe....
:-D

 

Hmm, without reading too much here, BIOS update is useless unless done for a specific reason. Case in point, I had to update the BIOS to plop in my X2 CPU, I wouldn't do that for any other reason.

 

Hey thanks for all the advice - this is really a great site!

I checked out the ASUS website - the version I'm running now is 1001D - The latest update is 3 versions on -1004 (or 1005 -the latest Beta BIOS).

http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

Sorry I can't link you to the exact page - you have to navigate to it >
>PRODUCT:motherboard
>SERIES: socketA(462)
>MODELS:A7N266-C
> OS:windows 2000 pro

 

I'm getting the feeling I shouldn't flash the BIOS - but this motherboard is 6 1/2 years old- will USB 2.0 work just by installing the PCI card driver?

In researching this - I found this thread - a guy with the same MB (ASUS A7N266-C) - also installed a USB 2 card (but suggests he needed to flash the BIOS first), but his main problem is something unrelated to my case.

Here's the (very long) thread. He states his problem in the first entry though.

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=8581.0;wap2

 

I'm not an expert at reading Bios updates but I don't see anything addressing the USB 2.0 capabilities in any of those updates.

I'd hold off on the BIOS update until you get some more feedback.

 

I looked around some more and I don't see any way a BIOS upgrade is going to change the onboard USB 1.1 to 2.0.

I would definitely get a 2.0 card and give it a try. Just because I had problems with my card being picky doesn't mean they all have problems. Tons of people use them with no problems. Well worth $20 to dramatically speed things up.

There is one note in the first BIOS update 1001.E about "Revise code for some PCI cards resource conflict." that might indicate a need to update the BIOS, If you have trouble with the PCI USB 2.0 card. But I would cross that bridge only if your card doesn't work properly.

 

Sach2-Thanks again for your reply.

Yeah- I'll just get a new PCI card and pray for the best (and hope that NewEgg will accept a return if I can't get it to run).

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

I just checked out the PCI slots on my motherboard and now I could use some more help.

I've started another thread here in the Hardware forum - "Can I remove my Serial Port to make room for a PCI Card?" - check it out if you have any ideas - Thanks.