Updating the firmware of any device can be a scary process, as you have to trust that the update is correct and that nothing will go wrong in the process. In the past, updating the motherboard's BIOS on your computer could leave you with a bricked device, meaning it wouldn't work at all. That's because everything was stored on a single chip, so if the upgrade went wrong, it couldn't boot. Nowadays, the best motherboards have multiple safeguards against bad BIOS updates, so it's actually quite challenging to brick a motherboard.

Many motherboards have dual-BIOS chips

One chip is a fallback in case of issues

One mechanism employed to make BIOS updates a non-issue is dual BIOS chips. The name is pretty self-explanatory: doubling the number of BIOS chips on the motherboard so that there is always a working BIOS in case one chip fails or the reflashing of one goes wrong. If that happens, the system automatically switches to the other BIOS chip or lets the user flick a switch like the one in the image above.

Some motherboards will keep the second BIOS frozen on the version shipped with the motherboard, just in case a recent update causes an issue, you'll always have the original version. Others let you go ahead and update both chips if you'd like, so you can stay updated while keeping one chip on the current version, just in case. Again, the second chip gives you a fallback in case the primary BIOS chip fails for whatever reason.

As computer hardware gets more complex, it's not only motherboards that have BIOS. The graphics card also has VBIOS, which occasionally needs updating. Most graphics cards only have one VBIOS chip, but some with overclocking or silent-running profiles will have multiple VBIOS chips, with a microswitch to change between them. It's most common to see two different VBIOS chips, but some graphics cards even have three with different profiles.

BIOS flashback gives another layer of defense

Being able to reflash BIOS automatically is invaluable

While having two BIOS chips is great, another feature is almost as useful. That's BIOS flashback, which lets you update the BIOS firmware even without any other hardware installed on the motherboard. This can fix bad flashes, update your motherboard to support the latest processors without needing an older processor for the first boot, and other similar issues. It's one feature that I will gladly pay more for every time, and I won't buy a motherboard without it.

The process is pretty similar for every motherboard that supports flashback, but please do check your manual just in case it differs.

1. Download the BIOS file and rename it according to the motherboard manufacturer's instructions. Asus includes a BIOSRenamer tool in the download that will do it for you. ASRock wants it renamed CREATIVE.ROM, while MSI says to rename it to MSI.ROM. Gigabyte says to use GIGABYTE.bin.
2. Plug a USB drive with the BIOS file into the marked USB port on the motherboard.
3. Plug the 24-pin motherboard power cable in.
4. Press the BIOS Flashback button near that USB port for a few seconds until the LED starts flashing. Once done, that LED will turn off.

The other good thing about BIOS flashback is that if the power is interrupted, you can usually try the process again, and it will complete. It means you don't have to worry about issues during the BIOS update or put off essential security updates because you're worried about possibly bricking your PC. There is a way back.

BIOS updates are safer than they ever have been

As long as you follow the manufacturer's guide for flashing your motherboard's BIOS/UEFI, it's a pretty uneventful process nowadays. The biggest potential issue is losing power partway through, so don't try to update during a lightning storm or other situations where your home is likely to lose power. Also, don't try to reboot the PC while it's updating the BIOS; just let it run and reboot by itself. Even if you run into issues, if your motherboard has dual BIOS or BIOS flashback, you can still get it running again in no time.