Teach you to upgrade your graphics card BIOS(1)

Preparations before refreshing

Before we start refreshing the graphics card BIOS, we still have a lot of work to do.

1. Determine the type of graphics card

At present, there are many brands of video cards on the market. Different brands of graphics card BIOS are not the same, generally not universal. The same brand of graphics card, if using different display chips (GPU), the BIOS is not the same. Even with the same display chip, if the memory is different in size, the BIOS will be different. Therefore, when refreshing the graphics card BIOS, you must "check the number". If an inappropriate BIOS file is swiped, the graphics card will not work properly, and the graphics card will be scrapped.

To determine the specific model of the current graphics card, the easiest way is to check the package box and manual that came with the graphics card. In addition, there will usually be a model sticker on the PCB of the graphics card, and you can also know the brand of the graphics card through it. And model.

2. Determine the BIOS version of the current graphics card

How do I know if the BIOS released by the manufacturer is newer than the current BIOS version? The most common method is to view the private key of the IOS version by viewing the driver of the graphics card. In addition, the EVEREST software can also learn the details of the graphics card BIOS.

3. Download the new BIOS file

Find the new version of the BIOS file on the manufacturer's website and download it to your hard drive. It should be noted that the downloaded files provided on the Internet are generally compressed files. You need to use the decompression software such as WinRAR to decompress them. Note the files after decompression. The files with the suffix .exe are refresh tools (NVIDIA dedicated refresh) The program is nvFlash.exe, ATi's dedicated refresh program is Flashrom.exe.), and files such as "XXXXX.rom" and "XXXXX.bin" are new BIOS files.

4. Make a DOS boot disk, ready to refresh the file

Since the BIOS refresh operation is more reliable in pure DOS state, you need to make a DOS boot disk, which can be booted through the boot disk. The system enters a pure DOS environment. After making the DOS boot disk, copy the downloaded BIOS update and upgrade files to the same directory on the hard disk. For example, create a new folder named "BIOS" on the C drive and copy all the downloaded files to this folder. If you find that the download file provided by the manufacturer does not include a refresh tool, you must also go to a website such as "Drive Home" to download a dedicated refresh tool for the graphics card.

Preparations are all ready, then we will begin to enter the actual stage of the graphics card BIOS upgrade.

How to refresh the NVIDIA graphics card BIOS

1.Check if the ROM chip supports refreshing

Enter the pure DOS environment through the boot disk, and type "nvflash - at the command prompt. c", test the ROM type used by the graphics card BIOS. If the refresh program supports the ROM chip of the graphics card, the detailed information of the chip will be listed (as shown in Figure 1), otherwise an error message will appear.

The related pictures of this topic are as follows:

Tip: When using nvflash and various command parameters, you can implement different functions:

-f : The BIOS file named "filename" is written into the ROM chip of the graphics card, and then verified.

-b: Read the BIOS from the ROM chip of the graphics card and save it under the name "filename"

-k: Read the BIOS from the ROM chip of the graphics card and compare it with the BIOS file named "filename"

-c: Check if the graphics card ROM chip supports refreshing

- h: Restart the machine after the BIOS upgrade is complete

-? : Get detailed instructions of the refresh program, including command line parameters, supported ROM chips, etc.

2. Back up the current BIOS

The backup BIOS parameter is "b", and its command format is "nvflash". -b "", which is to back up the graphics card BIOS and save it as "filename" file. In addition, the backup BIOS can also be done in advance under Windows, that is, through the NVIDIA BIOS Editor software.

3. Flash BIOS Process

After completing the backup work, enter "nvflash -f" to write the new BIOS to the ROM chip. During the refresh process, the screen will be shaken and blackened for a duration of about 10 seconds. If you return to the DOS interface again, the refresh is successful (Figure 2).

It is important to note that during the refresh process, you must not power off or interrupt, so as not to fail the refresh.

How to refresh the ATi graphics card BIOS

1 .ATi graphics card BIOS regular refresh method

(1) first backup the current graphics card BIOS. Start the machine into a pure DOS environment, and enter the BIOS folder under the C drive. Enter "Flashrom.exe -s 0 backup.rom" at the command prompt and press Enter. You can back up the BIOS information of the current graphics card to the BIOS folder and name it "backup.rom".

Note that when entering the above command, there is a space between "Flashrom.exe" and "-s"; there is also a space between "-s" and "0", where 0 is a number 0 does not know how to sign, it means the number of the graphics card in the system, that is, the AGP graphics card; there is also a space between 0 and Backup.rom.

(2) At the command prompt, type "Flashrom -p 0 newbios.rom" ("newbios.rom" is the name of the upgraded BIOS file). After pressing the Enter key, the program will write the new BIOS. Into the current graphics card BIOS chip. After waiting a few seconds, if you find that there is no error message, you can restart your computer (Figure 3).

Tip: When using Flashrom and various command parameters, you can implement different functions:

-p : Write a file named "filename" to the ROM chip of the graphics card. BIOS file, and num indicates the number of one of the graphics cards in the system

-s: Backs up the BIOS file in the ROM chip of the first graphics card in the system and named it "filename"

- i: Display the parameter information of the ATi graphics card