topic Re: BIOS update in Mobile and Desktop Processors

BIOS update

Mark80 — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 21:21:54 GMT

Does Intel have an easy BIOS lookup and update utility? I need to flash two motherboards and I cant seem to find two boards. I see their specifications

Any help would be greatly appreciated. These driver downloads are never very intuitive....

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/34689/intel-desktop-board-dg35ec/specifications.html

Intel® Desktop Board DG31PR

Re: BIOS update

AlHill — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 21:41:16 GMT

I have to be honest here - those boards are 17 years old. Intel has taken down all support files for those boards. After 17 years, it serves little purpose to update the bios on those boards, or even to continue to use those boards except for hobbying use. What is the point to update these boards now?

You can find the bios files for the boards if you look hard enough. To answer your question, no, Intel does not have an "easy BIOS lookup and update utility".

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Fear and the desire for control are primary motivators for shadow dwellers. ]

Re: BIOS update

Mark80 — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:14:18 GMT

Thankyou Hobby/sideproject and been out of the game for 10 years completely.

Well that is something Intel should work on with AI and LLMs so we can ask questions against their data...anywhoo....

Thank you, you are right, I forgot I was building those back in 2012, time has flown by.....

I will see what I can do. Thank you again.

Re: BIOS update

AlHill — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 10:41:41 GMT

Intel is, as far as I can see, not going to do anything. They no longer make motherboards or NUCs, and have deliberately removed all support files for these products, leaving many, many users with unsupported equipment. A few of us on the forum have saved many support files and can provide some support.

Look at the NUC, for example. Intel abandoned the NUC last year, and deleted everything, including thousands of posts on the forum. These posts were made to help users, and Intel simply deleted them. All support, such as it is for the NUC, is now provided by ASUS. But, what about the thousands of posts made here? Gone. Unless you can get something from the wayback machine, all is history. Intel has conveniently erased the fact that they ever made the NUC.

I have a fair number of NUCs, and older desktop boards (all intel). My oldest board is from 2001, and still running. I originally got it because it had an ISA slot and I needed to test an ISA card. Not wanting to throw it away after testing, I upgraded it with SATA support, USB support, 1 gig LAN, SSDs, etc. It is stuck at 2GB memory, and runs Windows 7, just for kicks. The amazing thing is that it is the most stable system in my lot. I just wish it could do something useful. It is just too slow.

I am very bothered by Intel removing all of the support files for desktop boards and NUCs. These file occupied little storage and Intel could simply have said "use as is". Instead, they said, basically, we do not want you having these older products.

This affects thousands of users, with perfectly good equipment. Add to that Microsoft's ever-changing position on W11 support, and only the recyclers will be happy.

Ok, enough of my soapbox rant. Stay tuned for a PM.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Fear and the desire for control are primary motivators for shadow dwellers. ]