BIOS Backup

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Adrian Zamfir - Mar 2, 2014 at 09:54 AM
xpcman Posts 19528 Registration date Wednesday October 8, 2008 Status Contributor Last seen June 15, 2019 - Mar 2, 2014 at 03:43 PM
Hello,
How can I backup my BIOS and where should I backup it to be safe?
Any recommendation for backup programs?
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1 response

xpcman Posts 19528 Registration date Wednesday October 8, 2008 Status Contributor Last seen June 15, 2019 1,824
Mar 2, 2014 at 03:43 PM
Assuming that you have downloaded the necessary update files for BIOS, you now need to prepare your chosen boot device.

If your BIOS has a built-in flash menu or has the appropriate program for updating via Windows, you can just put the BIN file on the PC hard drive and create a backup of your current working settings. Otherwise, you must prepare the boot media to accommodate BIN file as well as the flash utility program for writing on your PC's firmware.

Using a Floppy Disk
Under DOS, create a boot disk at "format a / s." Insert your floppy disk. Once in the Explorer, right-click on "Drive A:" and select "Format." Choose the option "Create An MS-DOS Startup Disk." Clear all files on the disk (including hidden files) except "Command.com," "Io.sys" and "Msdos.sys."

Go into the Control Panel and proceed "Folder Options." Select "View > All Files And Folders " and uncheck the option "Hide protected operating system files." Run the update files you've downloaded, and you're good to go.

Using a USB Drive
To make a USB drive bootable, you can format it as FAT 16 format and identify the boot sector with Ox80. This may not be the native Windows format function, but you can use the freeware PeToUSB to fix this problem.

The tool displays the name of your USB drive and sets it as the "Destination Drive." Enable "Allow Format" and "Enable LBA (FAT16X)." By the way, "Copy Options" must be disabled for this to work. After clicking on "Start" your USB drive is formatted and is turned to a bootable disk with no files in it.

Click on the link "DOS Boot Disk With Some Useful Tools." Download the file "Wbootess.exe" and run it. When unpacking, select "File Extraction" instead of "Writing On Floppy." When specifying the path, click on "Browse" and navigate to your USB drive. Delete all unnecessary files, and run BIOS update files you've downloaded.

Backup All Important Files
To prevent any disasters or accidents, you should backup all important files externally before initiating the flash update process. While you are not risking the data and files on your hard drive when updating BIOS, an update gone wrong can cause considerable downtime. With the backup files, you can at least continue to work on another PC.

Make Provisions In Case Of Emergency
If your PC is just a 'backpack' for your private digital photos, downtimes might not hurt too much. However, if your PC is essential for your business, such downtimes can be catastrophic. It is advisable to get a replacement for the built-in BIOS chip. Check out the BIOS Savior RD1 Set, which is priced more than $30. Mind you, this is only for socketed chip models.
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