How to restore the previous version of the bios. How to restore the BIOS of a computer and laptop if it has crashed
Hello dear readers.
Any computer is a complex system. Sometimes, during the operation of the device, some problems may appear related to the correct performance of its functions in an area such as the BIOS. There are several ways to solve such an ailment - it all depends on the type of error. Later in the article I will tell you how to restore BIOS on a laptop, depending on the type of problem.
Restoring to factory settings
If suddenly the device stops functioning normally, and you have a suspicion that the reason for this is incorrect settings in the area mentioned above, you can try to restore them to the factory settings:
In most cases, this procedure helps. True, sometimes you can meet a simple error that does not allow the OS to start normally. It's easy to fix:
With a password
Sometimes users may encounter a situation where someone or they themselves previously set a password for the area we need, and safely forgot it. As a result of several incorrect attempts, the device will simply cease to function.
Then you need to open the mobile computer itself. By the way, this method will help if it does not turn on:
Important! Before moving on, there are a few key points to clarify. So, in some laptops, for example, Acer Aspire, not two, but three contacts are provided. In this case, you need to set the jumper to another position and wait a few minutes.
In addition, sometimes you can find a special small button that performs the same function in its functions. You just need to press it with a pencil for a few seconds.
Another way out is to remove the battery that keeps all the important data in memory. If you remove it, everything will be reset.
Recovery after firmware
If the problems appeared as a result of an unsuccessful installation of a new version of the software for the corresponding component, you need to perform a series of actions.
Any mistake, even the smallest one, during a BIOS update can damage the motherboard. For example, if the computer suddenly loses power during a BIOS update or the wrong version is loaded, the motherboard will completely stop functioning. Moreover, even if everything went well and the BIOS was successfully updated, there are times when the new firmware version contains errors that lead to system instability. Therefore, it may often be necessary to restore an old BIOS in order to return the system to a working state.
How the BIOS works
The BIOS or "basic input/output system" works like a simple generic driver. It allows hardware and software capabilities to be tied together, allowing the operating system to communicate normally with all of the computer's components. The BIOS is also used to check, initialize, and configure hardware when the computer boots, including the pci device . On motherboards, the BIOS software is flashed onto a special chip with flash memory. The most famous developers of the BIOS firmware code are Phoenix-Award and AMI. ASUS and other companies are constantly releasing new BIOS firmware for motherboards that fix various bugs, as well as improve their functionality and compatibility with new hardware. But do not abuse the installation of new BIOS versions if you have no comments on the work motherboard. This operation should be resorted to only when you need to fix a flaw in the system or install a new processor.
Restoring an old BIOS with ASUS CrashFree BIOS
ASUS offers its customers a built-in utility called ASUS CrashFree BIOS, which allows you to roll back the BIOS version to the previous version if you have problems with the new firmware. This utility can read the firmware file recorded on a DVD, floppy disk or flash drive, and then automatically uploads it to the chip instead of the "buggy" version. In order to use the recovery mode, you need to save the file of the old firmware version and the utility itself on one of the removable media in advance. If you didn't have time to prepare such a disc, then you will have to burn the old firmware and CrashFree BIOS on another, working computer. If the disk is ready, you can install it in the drive of a non-working computer and turn it on. At the same time as the system boots, the BIOS recovery utility will be launched.
Clearing CMOS
Most BIOS chips have a separate module called, which is a memory component dependent on the backup battery. CMOS records the hardware settings that the BIOS accesses each time the computer is turned on. If the computer becomes unstable after updating the BIOS, it makes sense to clear the CMOS to return the settings to the factory settings.
When you cannot boot your computer normally after updating the BIOS, you should enter BIOS settings(BIOS setup). To do this, in the first seconds of loading, you must press the "Del", "Delete" or other buttons. Then in the BIOS main menu, find the option "Load Setup Defaults" or "Fail-Safe Defaults", select it and press "Enter". This operation will reset the settings to factory defaults. If the computer does not boot at all and you cannot enter the BIOS Setup, you can perform a CMOS hardware reset, for which you need to find the appropriate switch (jumper) on the motherboard. Switch it to "Clear CMOS" for 10 seconds and then back. The location and appearance of this switch depends on the motherboard type and manufacturer. After that, you can try to boot your computer.
ASUS BIOS Updater Utility
In order to protect yourself from problems that may arise in the future, you can use another utility - ASUS BIOS Updater, which will help you create a backup copy of the current BIOS version before the update operation. Format the USB flash drive to FAT 32 or FAT 16 file system, then download and save the latest BIOS firmware and ASUS BIOS Updater utility to it. Connect the flash drive to a free port on your computer and turn on your computer. While the computer is booting, press the "F8" button to call up the boot menu, in which select the "CDROM" item. Before these, you need to install a boot disk with the FreeDOS operating system in the drive. After loading the OS, on the command line, select the drive letter that is assigned to the flash drive, for example "d:" and press "Enter". After that, you can run a command to create a file in which the old BIOS will be saved - type and run "bupdater / o filename.rom", where the correct name of the firmware file should be indicated.
A BIOS update often brings both new features and new problems - for example, after installing the latest firmware revision on some boards, the ability to install certain operating systems is lost. Many users would like to go back to the previous version of the motherboard software, and today we will talk about how to perform this action.
Before starting a review of rollback methods, we consider it necessary to mention that not all motherboards support this feature, especially from the budget segment. Therefore, we recommend that users carefully study the documentation and features of their boards before starting any manipulations with it.
Roughly speaking, there are only two methods for rolling back BIOS firmware: software and hardware. The latter is universal, since it is suitable for almost all existing motherboards. Software methods sometimes differ for boards of different vendors (sometimes even within the same model range), so it makes sense to consider them separately for each manufacturer.
Note! You perform all the actions described below at your own peril and risk, we are not responsible for violations of the warranty or any problems that arise during or after performing the described procedures!
Option 1: ASUS
ASUS motherboards have a built-in USB Flashback function that allows you to roll back to a previous BIOS version. We will take advantage of this opportunity.
Remove the flash drive with the firmware image from the port and turn on the computer. If you did everything right, there should be no problems.
Option 2: Gigabyte
On modern boards from this manufacturer, there are two BIOS schemes, the main and the backup. This greatly facilitates the rollback process, since the new BIOS is flashed only into the main chip. The procedure is as follows:
- Shut down your computer completely. With the power connected, press the start button of the machine and hold it without releasing it until the PC is completely turned off - you can determine this by stopping the noise of the coolers.
- Press the power button once and wait for the BIOS recovery procedure to begin on the computer.
If the BIOS rollback does not appear, you will have to use the hardware recovery option described below.
Option 3: MSI
The procedure is generally similar to ASUS, and in some ways even simpler. Proceed as follows:
- Prepare the firmware files and USB flash drive according to steps 1-2 of the first version of the instructions.
- MSI does not have a dedicated BIOS slot, so use any suitable one. After installing the flash drive, hold down the power key for 4 seconds, then use the combination ctrl+home, after which the indicator should light up. If it doesn't, try the combination Alt+Ctrl+Home.
- After turning on the computer, the installation process of the firmware version recorded on the USB flash drive should begin.
Option 4: HP laptops
Hewlett-Packard on its laptops uses a dedicated BIOS rollback partition, thanks to which you can easily return to the factory version of the motherboard firmware.
Option 5: Hardware rollback
For "motherboards" that cannot be rolled back the firmware programmatically, you can use the hardware. For it, you will need to unsolder the flash memory chip with the BIOS written on it and flash it with a special programmer. The instruction further assumes that you have already purchased the programmer and installed the software necessary for its operation, and also unsoldered the “flash drive”.
- Insert the BIOS chip into the programmer according to the instructions.
Be careful, otherwise you risk damaging it!
- First of all, try to read the available firmware - this should be done in case something goes wrong. Wait for the existing firmware to be backed up and save it to your computer.
- Next, load the BIOS image you want to install into the programmer management utility.
Some utilities have the ability to check the checksum of the image - we recommend using it. - After downloading the ROM file, press the burn button to start the procedure.
- Wait until the end of the operation.
In no case do not disconnect the programmer from the computer and do not remove the microcircuit from the device until the message about the successful writing of the firmware!
Conclusion
Rolling back to a previous BIOS version may be necessary for various reasons, and in most cases it can be done at home. In the worst case, you can contact a computer service where the BIOS can be flashed using a hardware method.
This article describes the procedure BIOS downgrades on Dell laptops.
Attention! Dell does not recommend downgrading the BIOS. This will lead to the rollback of all installed updates and improvements made to the system by a newer BIOS version.
Why roll back the BIOS version?
What are the reasons to roll back the BIOS to a previous version? The new BIOS version can harm the integrity of the system due to various undetected bugs at the development stage. To the delight of users, this rarely happens. Basically, the new BIOS version justifies the hopes placed on it.
Now let me give you a real life example. It should be known to most owners best laptop 2011-2012: Dell Inspiron n5110. As you know, this laptop suffers. To combat elevated temperatures, users, among other things, update the BIOS from version A09 to A11. And the most interesting thing is that after the update, the laptop functions even worse. By the way, thanks to the proposal of Denis Sisekin, it was possible, which made it possible to solve the problem of overheating of the laptop.
All in all, Dell has made the BIOS downgrade process a breeze.
Preparing for a version change
Before starting the laptop BIOS downgrade process:
- Make sure your laptop battery is more than 10%.
- The adapter must be connected.
- All external devices, including flash drives, must be disabled.
- All programs, applications and the like must be closed.
- Your Windows user account must have administrator rights.
- Disable "Security" options. When booting up the laptop, press F2 when the Dell logo appears. The BIOS window will open. Go to the "Security" tab, set the "intel TXT (LT-SX) Configuration" and "TPM" options to "Disabled". Save your BIOS settings and exit.
- Disable "User Account control" or "Change User Account Control settings" in Windows 7. Ie. it is necessary to lower the slider of this option down.
- Sometimes the firmware needs to change the "UEFI Boot option" to "Disabled".
- If there is a "Security Boot" option in the BIOS, then set it to "Disabled".
- If there is a "Computrace" option in the BIOS, then set it to "Disabled".
- Also useful before changing the BIOS version. [Not verified. Of course, after the reset, you also need to change all the recommended BIOS options].
If one of the conditions is not met, then when trying to flash the BIOS, the message "Firmware Downgrading blocked: Security features are enabled" or similar will appear.
How to downgrade BIOS on Dell laptops?
- correct BIOS version.
- Run the downloaded file and follow the instructions on the screen.
Downgrading BIOS on Dell laptops. Method 2
Turn on your laptop and wait for Windows to load. Do the following:
- Click on "Start", enter the phrase in the "Search programs and files" field cmd.
- In the open list, right-click on the line cmd.exe.
- In the open dialog, select "Run as administrator".
- A command line window will open.
- Download the required BIOS version and save it to your desktop (at C:\Users\"Username"\Desktop). For convenience, in the future we will use the phrase "UserName" instead of "UserName".
- At the command prompt, type "cd desktop". It will look like this: "C:\Users\UserName>cd desktop". The space between "cd" and "desktop" is important!. After entering the command, press Enter. You will be taken to the desktop directory: "C:\Users\UserName\Desktop".
- Now enter the name of the downloaded BIOS file into the command line. For example, the downloaded file is called E6430A03.exe. In this case, this name is entered into the command line: "C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\E6430A03.exe". But it's too early to press Enter!
- Through problems, enter the command "/forceit". The command line should now look like this: "C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\E6430A03.exe /forceit". Press Enter.
- The laptop may produce (beeps) and reboot. After that, the BIOS should be upgraded to the correct version.
Downgrading BIOS on Dell laptops. Method 3
This method is very similar to the first method #2:
- Download the required BIOS version (the one we want to downgrade) to the laptop. Run the file.
- When a message appears that the update is not possible because a newer version is installed, do not close the window. Go to directory user/temp/ and find the unpacked BIOS files. Specifically interested in the folder "foxawdwinflash". Open it.
- Copy all files to a separate directory.
- Open a Windows Command Prompt.
- Change the command line path to the folder where the BIOS files were copied.
- Enter "afuwin /forceit". The gap is also important here.
- The laptop should force the BIOS version to change.
Other ways
If it is not possible to do this from under Windows, then the BIOS board can always be flashed externally. You will need *.rom files for this. If you do not understand anything about this, you can contact the service center.
That's all! Thank you for your attention and see you on the pages of the site website
O guess the riddle: it stands like a beehive buzzes. But there is no smoke coming from the chimney, because this is not a native factory, but a computer on which the BIOS is damaged. And he buzzes because that's the only thing he is now capable of. Without a bios, it's just a bunch of lifeless iron. Is this worth worrying about? Of course not. After all, now you have a great bedside table!
The system unit as a bedside table? Well, I do not! We know how to make it work. Today we'll talk about how to restore the BIOS if it crashed.
What causes BIOS flashing
B IOS and its "descendant" UEFI, which modern motherboards are flashed with, are special computer programs required for initial setup and management of PC devices until the operating system starts. They are stored in special flash memory chips on the motherboard, one of which is shown in the picture above. It seems to be a good storage place, reliable, but sometimes the BIOS gets uncomfortable there and runs away. More precisely, it is damaged and ceases to perform its tasks.There are not too many reasons for BIOS damage, in some cases they are obvious, in others they are not. Here is a list of the most common:
- During a power outage to the computer.
- The flasher program (flasher) incorrectly interacts with the firmware or flash memory chip.
- Flashed a BIOS version that does not match this motherboard. Yes, .
- If the update is carried out from under a running operating system - a system failure or software interference, for example, blocking by an antivirus.
- Incorrect user actions, for example, restarting the computer before the update is installed.
- Failure of the flash memory chip.
- Hidden BIOS microprogram errors. Sometimes this explains spontaneous "gatherings" that occur for no apparent reason.
- Electrical failure of the motherboard.
How BIOS corruption manifests itself
In most cases, the BIOS firmware is partially damaged, so the symptoms of a failure can be different:- When you press the PC power button, only the cooler turns on, which immediately starts to rotate with maximum speed. Sometimes the LED indicators on the case and keyboard light up.
- One or more seconds after power on, a cyclic reboot begins. Outwardly, this is manifested by a cycle of spin-ups and stops of the cooler, which are repeated as long as power is supplied.
- When turned on, the power indicator lights up, the cooler does not spin.
- The computer shows no signs of life. This happens when the boot block, the BIOS bootloader, is damaged. This is the hardest case.
There is no image on the screen. Even the splash screen of the manufacturer does not appear.
There are other forms of damage to the BIOS, more precisely, its area, which stores the configuration of the ME controller (a component of the chipset) on boards that work with Intel processors - the so-called ME region. If there is a problem in this area, a computer or laptop may:
- Incorrect loading or not turning on at all.
- Turn off or restart at regular intervals.
- It is incorrect to regulate the cooler rotation speed, for example, to turn it at high speed regardless of the load.
The elimination of such failures consists in reading the BIOS dump, replacing the ME region with a clean one and re-flashing it using the programmer. Since this is usually done by repairmen, and not by computer owners, we will not dwell on this. Let's better do what can be done at home without special equipment and the risk of finally sending your "iron pet" to the realm of eternity.
BIOS recovery without a programmer is possible only if the bootloader is saved. It is sometimes possible to determine whether it has been preserved or not by indirect signs: flashing of the screen backlight, sound signals from the system speaker, the reaction of the motherboard to turning on without random access memory(sound or flashing indicators), etc. If the BIOS bootloader is preserved, the first moments of computer operation are normal, the failure appears a little later.
How to restore the performance of a motherboard with a failed BIOS
Asus
Many Asus brand desktop motherboards support USB flashback, which is designed to quickly update and restore the BIOS in the event of a failure. This does not require anything other than a USB flash drive with a capacity of up to 4-16 GB and the BIOS file itself, which must be downloaded from the manufacturer's website from the section on your "mother" model.After downloading the firmware, you need to rename it. For example, the file "Sabertooth X79" (model name) is renamed to "SABERX79.ROM", the file "Sabertooth Z77" to "Z77ST.CAP". Information on how the firmware file should be named for your model is most likely on the Asus website, but if you do not find it, check the forums or support.
Next, save the renamed BIOS to a FAT32-formatted flash drive and connect it to USB port with notice " flashback" or " ROG Connect". It is advisable to turn off the computer before this, this will increase the chance of a successful recovery.
After connecting the flash drive, turn on the PC and press the " BIOS". Hold it down for about 3 seconds until the indicator light on the board starts blinking. Blinking indicates that the file was successfully read and flashed into memory. When the flashing process is completed, the indicator will turn off.
If your board is from a budget segment or not too new, that is, it does not support USB Flashback, most likely you can restore it in another way. If the computer is equipped with a floppy drive or optical drive, write the renamed BIOS file to the root directory of a blank floppy disk or CD, place it in the drive, turn off and then turn on the PC. The firmware will be completed when the drive indicator turns off. If there is no drive, use a USB flash drive.
gigabyte
On Gigabyte boards with Dual (dual) BIOS, failures rarely occur, since in case of damage to the firmware in the main chip ( M ain_ BIOS) the dump from the backup is copied into it ( B backup_ BIOS). As long as the main flash memory is healthy and contains firmware, even damaged, the board remains operational.Problems with starting a board with Dual_BIOS are possible in the following cases:
- The main chip is missing or has failed.
- The microcode in the main chip is completely erased.
- The contents of both chips are damaged.
Some Gigabyte "mothers" can boot from backup flash memory and use it as the main one. Another group of boards from this manufacturer uses a dedicated area on the hard disk as a BIOS backup medium. This is a less reliable option, but still better than nothing.
Restoring the Gigabyte BIOS from a backup is usually done automatically, but if this does not happen, try unplugging the computer, wait a bit and turn it on again.
MSI and others
Most Micro-Star motherboards use a firmware recovery technology very similar to ASUS's - using a flash drive, floppy disk or CD. Copy the BIOS to blank media, connect it to the PC, press the shutdown button for 4 seconds, hold down the combination on the keyboard leftctrl +Home(or Alt +ctrl +Home) and, without releasing the keys, turn on the computer. The beginning of the firmware process can be judged by the blinking of the flash drive or drive indicator.BIOS on MSI board. On the right is the JSPI1 port for firmware on the programmer
On MSI motherboards and some other brands that are more than 8-10 years old, the BIOS is flashed from a floppy disk. The instructions for AWARD and AMI BIOS are slightly different.
To restore the AMI BIOS, do the following:
- Rename the BIOS file downloaded from the motherboard manufacturer's website to AMIBOOT.ROM.
- Move it to the root of a clean floppy disk. Insert the floppy disk into the drive of the switched off PC.
- Press left Ctrl + Home on your keyboard and turn on your computer.
To restore the AWARD BIOS:
- Place the flash driver and BIOS files on a floppy disk (usually downloaded in one archive).
- Create a text document on a floppy disk containing the name of the BIOS file with the extension bin. Rename the document to autoexec.bat.
- The next steps are the same as above.
By the way, some motherboard manufacturers post BIOSes on their websites only in exe format - in one bottle with the flash driver for updating from under Windows. Sometimes such a file can be unpacked as an archive, but users often do not understand what exactly of its contents is the firmware. There is no universal solution for such problems. In order not to aggravate the problem, it is better to consult on the specialized forums or in the technical support of the manufacturer.
On some boards, before restoring the BIOS, you also need to remove the real-time clock (RTC) battery from the socket or rearrange (remove) the clear CMOS jumper. It is important to find out these points before starting the procedure.
Features of BIOS recovery on laptops
On laptops, as well as on Gigabyte boards, the BIOS is also often stored in two flash memory chips. But it's not Dual and it has no backups. Both chips contain different parts of the firmware, or one contains the main BIOS, and the other contains the multicontroller program. To prevent the device from turning on, it is enough to damage the microcode in at least one of them.The procedure for recovering a crashed BIOS on laptops is about the same as on desktops. The firmware file downloaded from the manufacturer’s website and the flasher program (the latter is not always needed) are placed on a clean USB flash drive formatted in FAT32 / 16, connected to a de-energized device (just turning off the laptop is sometimes not enough, you need to disconnect the power supply and remove the battery), insert a charged the battery in place, turn on the device and hold down the key combination. On different laptops, different keyboard shortcuts are used for this, for example:
- Ctrl (left only or both) + Home
- Windows + B (this and other letters are given in the Latin layout)
- Windows+F
- Windows+M
- Windows + Esc
- Fn+B
- Fn+F
- Fn+M
- Fn + Esc.
The main work is to unpack and rename the BIOS files. Again, there is no single rule here. In most cases, you have to get the firmware from exe files, but! Many manufacturers include BIOSes for different revisions of one platform or a whole series of platforms in the program, and it can be very difficult to choose the only file you need from them. In order not to be mistaken, read the instructions for the firmware of your particular model and platform revision on the specialized forums. And feel free to ask questions.
I deliberately do not provide instructions in the article for restoring BIOSes by flashing on a programmer with and without soldering, closing various contacts, hot-swapping removable flash memory, etc., since all these methods are unsafe and require certain knowledge. However, among the readers, there will probably be those who did something similar on their PC and got nice results. It will be great if you describe in detail your actions in the comments to the article. Also, stories about negative experiences are welcome so that other readers can avoid mistakes thanks to you. In the comments, be sure to include the model name and revision of your motherboard, as well as the BIOS version you were working with.