If you want to update your mainboard BIOS, you'll need the right:

• Flash program from your mainboard manufacturer *
• Bios update file from your mainboard manufacturer *

* if you have bought a complete PC-System (Dell, Compaq, Medion, Fujitsu-Siemens, etc.), then you have to take the Bios update file from these companies!

Many PC-Users don't know anything about the hardware equipment inside their own computers. But you need, to update your mainboard bios, informations about the mainboard type and manufacturer. There are 3 different ways to do so:

That's the easiest way to obtain to these informations. Try this free and small tool ctbios.zip. It's from the german computer magazine c't and informs about many internal BIOS settings like BIOS-passwords, chipsets, mainboard-manufacturer...

The heaviest, but most successful way to find your infos. Take a look on some imprints on the mainboard, and sticker on the flash-eeprom.

Reboot your PC. You will need to record the BIOS-ID string, which can be located at the bottom-left corner (on Computers with AWARD BIOS) during startup. Press the "Pause"-key to suspend the process and copy the ID string:

On the example picture (above) at the bottom left corner you can see:

....6A69MA1AC-00   BIOS-ID Number (00)
                |
                |BIOS Manufacturer (A1 = ABIT)

O.k. it's an ABIT, but which type? Go onto the manufacturer homepage and use the BIOS-ID-string to find your mainboard, or insert the whole string into a search machine like google...