G73JH - Do I "need" to update my BIOS and vBIOS?

[quokka]

OK - so I've had my G73JHA1 since autumn last year - and its been running fine so far with no real issues. All I've had happen is maybe 2 sound-loop locks in Rift during the last month - so today I updated the audio drivers, and will see if that helps.

My real question though is regarding the ATI GPU drivers. I've not experienced any GSOD issues, and all my games seem to run fine - so I'm wondering is it really worth the "risk" of updating the BIOS, vBIOS and ATI drivers?

I seem for some reason to have a horrible track record with BIOS updates. With just about every PC I've owned, something always seems to go wrong when I BIOS update, despite always following the instructions to the letter

So, should I subscribe to the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality in this case - or are there some tangible benefits that outweigh the potential risks of updating, thus making it really really worth doing?

[xeromist]

The problem is that you may encounter a game in the future which causes problems and you'll want to update the vBIOS then. If you have a problem at that point you won't have a warranty anymore. Personally I would update it while I still have a warranty so that I have something to fall back on in case things go South. I'd much rather take that risk now if I was you.

[irdmoose]

During the warranty period I install all of the manufacturer supplied updates (i.e. bios, firmware, etc.) since there is a chance that that kind of update can brick the machine. It's much cheaper to have Asus repair a machine bricked by an Asus update under warranty than to have it repaired or replaced outside of the warranty. Just make sure you have a current backup before you do. (Windows 7's backup utility is AWESOME for that)

[quokka]

Hmm.. those are good points - thanks chaps. I think I might spend the next few weeks organising and backing up stuff, then bite the bullet and do the updates. Just the thought of doing it kind of fills me full of dread already! :P

[xeromist]

Hmm.. those are good points - thanks chaps. I think I might spend the next few weeks organising and backing up stuff, then bite the bullet and do the updates. Just the thought of doing it kind of fills me full of dread already! :P

Doing such updates always carries an inherent risk, yes, but just bear in mind that people with success seldom post about it. I'd wager the people you've seen having issues are a relatively small percentage of those that have tried. Chances are good that yours will go off without a hitch.

[Chastity@ASUS]

You'll be OK.. at PAX East I must have updated about 30 laptops in one day, doing vBIOS and BIOS both.

[quokka]

Is it advisable to do the bios first, then run it for a few days to check stability, before then doing the vBios? Likewise, once the vBios is done, is it advisable to immediately update the ATI drivers?
Fault-finding is generally easier if you've not updated 3 things at the same time right - or is that not a consideration in this case?

[xeromist]

If a BIOS flash goes wrong you will almost certainly know it immediately. The whole process has built in error checking so failure is usually the result of something catastrophic. The chances of you finding a problem with a BIOS flash days afterward are essentially non existent. You can do the flash, clear CMOS, set settings, and then check for boot. If you can boot properly then just move on to the next one.

[Chastity@ASUS]

And I would also uninstall the old stock AMD drivers first before flashing the vBIOS. So I would:

1) Remove old AMD drivers.
2) Flash the BIOS
3) Flash the vBIOS
4) Boot up and install the newest video drivers
5) Lean back and revel in your awesomeness.

[quokka]

Well I've just updated the BIOS, vBIOS and ATI drivers, and all seems good so far.

The only thing I have noticed however is that my laptop fan is now spending pretty much all the time on either 3/4 or full. Its a LOT louder than it was before I updated. This behaviour started immediately after I updated the BIOS to 213.

Is this a known issue - and is there a setting or something that I need to be changing?