Benefits of Updating bio...

Is there any reason to? Does it unlock more overclocking features or anything at all?

 

If your computer is running fine there is no need to update the BIOS. It only really needs to be done if you are experiencing issues that can't be solved by other means.

 

I suppose it depends on what the update contains it may have refined updates for the mobo chips, FSB, northbridge, southbridge, etc etc. Just see if they have an article on "whats new". I certainly wouldn't "pay" for it because that maybe purely influenced by greed and not really offer any performance enhancements.

 

Sometimes upgrading or FLASHING your BIOS will enable you to install an , otherwise, uninstallable CPU to be installed (if used with the original BIOS)....eg. cpu Intel 2.4 GHz to an Intel Extreme Edition 3.2 GHz...BIOS flashed from generic 1004 to a new BIOS of 1019 to use this new cpu...but if it's not broken...don't fix it...only FLASH if you have too..!

 

Doomster
How true is that If it's not broke don't fix it

About the only board that needs 1, 2 or bios flashes to work out of the box is DFI. My DR-SLI Lanparty needed two to run, this expert needed 3 flashes to get beyond 220X13.

 

Apparently you can MOD your BIOS and this can unlock features within your BIOS that you normally don't have access to. Here is a link on some BIOS utilities:

http://www.bioscentral.com/misc/downloads.htm

Depending on your BIOS, ver.xx and the manufacterer there are people out there who do like to MOD the BIOS. I'm still doing research on this as I would like to up the FSB clock and RAM if possible. If you do a google you should find some info on BIOS Modding but I think it is a rather exotic paradigm and mostly for older systems.

 

I presently am using an ASUS P4P800 DLX motherboard with the Intel 865perl chipset...this board is very overclockeable...BIOS settings such as ; FSB, Voltage and Memory timings can all be changed...I've overclocked my system, through the BIOS, and also with a Windows XP ASUS overclocking utility, which allows you direct access to cpu FSB and agp bus speed increase...Some videocards will also let you overclock through their own videocard utility that lets you adjust AGP port memory access and memory installed FSB speeds...ASUS brands of motherboards and videocards , allow you to overclock, at a safe level to increase performance...