Do I need to install Windows to update the BIOS?

DeepBlue · 12-12-2010 03:34PM #1

As per the title do I have to have Windows/Dos on my PC to run a BIOS update?

The PC I wish to update is Xubuntu only. I can use another Windows PC to create the floppy disk for the BIOS update (I think). Do I just need the floppy or does the OS also need to be Windows?

I've read this but it seems a bit complex for me and I don't want to take a risk of bricking my motherboard.

bhickey · 12-12-2010 04:18PM

DeepBlue wrote: »

As per the title do I have to have Windows/Dos on my PC to run a BIOS update?

Unlikely. It depends on your PC. What PC do you have and where are you getting the BIOS update from?

DeepBlue · 12-12-2010 05:00PM

It's a Dell Dimension 8250 and I'd be getting the BIOS update from Dell's support site here.

bhickey · 12-12-2010 08:30PM

If you have access to a Windows machine with a floopy drive, then the link here explains how to download a single file onto a Windows machine and how to use that to generate a bootable DOS floppy. You can then boot from that floppy and update the BIOS,

croo · 13-12-2010 02:01PM

http://www.linuxinsight.com/how-to-flash-motherboard-bios-from-linux-no-dos-windows-no-floppy-drive.html

might help

Capt'n Midnight · 15-12-2010 05:08PM

you could use freedos

a lot of the older dell BIOS images were bootable floppy disks , you could extract the floppy image and make the floppy in linux,

DeepBlue · 18-12-2010 01:56PM

bhickey wrote: »

If you have access to a Windows machine with a floopy drive, then the link here explains how to download a single file onto a Windows machine and how to use that to generate a bootable DOS floppy. You can then boot from that floppy and update the BIOS,

Only got around to applying the update last night. ^^ This worked without a hitch.

Do I need to install Windows to update the BIOS?

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