nut startup driving me nuts...

Tim ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au
Tue Aug 21 15:34:19 UTC 2012


On Tue, 2012-08-21 at 09:05 -0500, Aaron Konstam wrote:
> I don't know where this fear of updating BIOS comes from.

There's the chance of a foul-up during the process, leaving you with a a
dead, and unresurrectable PC.  As a failsafe, some PCs have two BIOS
memories, where you can switch over to a second one that wasn't
corrupted, or the update-the-BIOS function is in a safe firmware
location that won't be fouled up by a failed update, so you can try to
update a failed BIOS again.  But there is a definite risk that a failed
update may need the EEPROM to be replaced, which is a nuisance at best,
and next to impossible if it's soldered in, or very old.

A new BIOS may have new bugs that cause you new problems.  And you may
not be able to restore the old BIOS to back out of it.

A new BIOS may not have a fix for what currently ails you.

If you're trying to fix a problem, then consider (with due care)
updating the BIOS.  But if a PC is working fine, then leave well enough
alone.  I've certainly seen updates to one of my PC's BIOSes that
brought about strange and unwanted changes.

-- 
[tim at localhost ~]$ uname -r
2.6.27.25-78.2.56.fc9.i686

Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored.  I
read messages from the public lists.





More information about the users mailing list