clean install and bios on older cpu

I need to clean install on a gateway that is about 5 years old. I am not sure about wether i need to update my bios or not. i tried to update anyway and was unable to. I guess my question is wether bios is erased (including my changes done to it) and rewritten to it's original default when I am doing a clean install. The cpu i'm clean installing on it a gateway 500. I don't know if that helps.

 

Windows never modifies the BIOS. The BIOS will only ever change if you go in as a user and make a change yourself. Furthur more when you reinstall there is no reason to make any changes to the BIOS. It should be left as is. To redo a computer simply put the windows XP cd in the drive and turn it on, then follow through the installer.

If you really want to reset a BIOS to default settings you simply go in and select the "reset to default settings" button. Of course 99.9% of the time you will NOT want to do this when reinstalling a computer.

 

Bios is a seperate software program to Windows, and is stored on the motherboard.

The only time you need to update the Bios is when it has fixed a problem or issue you are facing, like installing a faster CPU or larger hard drive.

As stated, installing Windows has no effect on the Bios.

 

you dont need to upgrade your bios. just put in your windows cd and boot your computer. should be very self explnitory from there.