How To Flash Your BIOS From a USB Flash Drive

There may be times when you need to flash your BIOS from a USB flash drive. You will need to use a ready-to-boot flash drive. Upgrading your BIOS can help improve its stability and ability to detect newer components on your computer. Be sure to use   a flash drive that has several megabytes of memory space on it to store your BIOS upgrade flash files.  

Instructions

Step 1:

Prepare your computer for the BIOS flash. Make certain that you consult your motherboard manual for information about the BIOS. Write down the manufacturer's name and the model number. If you don't have this information available, reboot your computer and during the POST (Power On Self Test), look for the version number of your BIOS that's displayed on the screen.

Step 2:

Go online and visit the manufacturer's website to get the information you will need about the motherboard on your computer. Download the latest version of the BIOS flash upgrade from the manufacturer's website. The file should contain the “Flash Utility” file, “Upgrade Data” file and “Readme” file. Read the manufacturer's instructions about upgrading your BIOS.  

Step 3:

Insert the USB flash drive into an open USB port on your computer. Windows will display a message that says, “New hardware found.” Follow the on-screen instructions for the external storage device. Wait until Windows recognizes the device as a “Removeable Disk” and assigns a drive letter to it.           

Step 4:

Press the “Start” button on your desktop. Click on “My Computer” from the “Administrator” menu. Locate the drive letter for the flash drive. You will have to format the drive. Remove or delete any files that you have saved on the USB flash drive. Next, right-click on the “Removeable Disk” icon and select “Format” from the shortcut drop down menu. Click the “Start” button to begin formatting the USB flash drive.              

Step 5:

Copy the BIOS flash upgrade files to the USB flash drive. Reboot your computer and enter BIOS by pressing the “Delete” or “F12” key. Locate the “Advanced BIOS Setup” or “Boot” menu. Change the boot sequence order, so that your computer boots from the USB flash drive first, and not your hard drive. Save your settings and exit BIOS.

Step 6:

Wait until the BIOS flash update has finished. Don't restart or turn off your computer during the upgrade process. You will be prompted when the flash has finished.  

Warnings

Carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions before flashing your BIOS. You could damage your motherboard and render it useless, if the upgrade is not done correctly.

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