Forced BIOS firmware update: Difference between revisions

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Basic Input/Output System, also known as BIOS, is a type of firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization during the booting process (power-on startup)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kozierok |first=Charles M |date=2001-04-17 |title=Ref — System BIOS |url=https://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218194254/https://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/index.htm |archive-date=2019-02-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=The PC Guide}}</ref>.

Generally speaking, a working computer's BIOS doesn't need to be updated frequently due to the instinct risk of BIOS flashing<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-12 |title=FlashBIOS |url=https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=Debian Wiki}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Flashing BIOS from Linux |url=https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=ArchWiki}}</ref>. However more and more mainstream computer manufactures starts pushing BIOS updates, often without user's consent or against the user's will, causing more issues and paves the way of controlling the device further.

Generally speaking, a working computer's BIOS doesn't need to be updated frequently due to the instinct risk of BIOS flashing<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-12 |title=FlashBIOS |url=https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=Debian Wiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251118135550/https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |archive-date=18 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Flashing BIOS from Linux |url=https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=ArchWiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218024432/https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |archive-date=18 Feb 2026}}</ref>. However more and more mainstream computer manufactures starts pushing BIOS updates, often without user's consent or against the user's will, causing more issues and paves the way of controlling the device further.

==How it works==

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*Undervolting<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=@u/DarkKnight04081995 |date=2020-11-17 |title=[GUIDE] Inspiron 7567: Bios downgrade from v1.12.1 to v1.11.0 |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/jw06pe/guide_inspiron_7567_bios_downgrade_from_v1121_to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251218154156/https://old.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/jw06pe/guide_inspiron_7567_bios_downgrade_from_v1121_to/ |archive-date=2025-12-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>, a method of reducing power consumption without decreasing performance

*CPU thermal design power (TDP)<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=@eXplode |date=2024-12-18 |title=How to Stop Automatic BIOS Updates and some hate for BIOS 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/how-to-stop-automatic-bios-updates-and-some-hate-for-bios-331/td-p/1064184 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002181913/https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/how-to-stop-automatic-bios-updates-and-some-hate-for-bios-331/td-p/1064184 |archive-date=2025-10-02 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum}}</ref>

*Fan control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Mell |date=2025-10-04 |title=G713qm fan problem bios 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum}}</ref>

*Fan control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Mell |date=2025-10-04 |title=G713qm fan problem bios 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117101016/https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |archive-date=17 Nov 2025}}</ref>

===Reduced reliability/Planned obsolescence===

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Users reporting increased coil whine after a certain BIOS update<ref>{{Cite web |last=@ tom.m.culle150a02ca |date=2024-01-12 |title=Coil whine after bios update |url=https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/coil-whine-after-bios-update.392641/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251218183546/https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/coil-whine-after-bios-update.392641/ |archive-date=2025-12-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=MSI Global English Forum}}</ref>, possibly reducing reliability and increasing the failure rate.

Due to its unpredictable and forced nature, uncommanded BIOS updates have a higher chance of bricking the computer<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2025-11-02 |title=New Day, Another Bricked Laptop From Windows Update! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>, such as interrupted BIOS update in the user's backpack due to over-temperature or battery depletion.

Due to its unpredictable and forced nature, uncommanded BIOS updates have a higher chance of bricking the computer<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2025-11-02 |title=New Day, Another Bricked Laptop From Windows Update! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>, such as interrupted BIOS update in the user's backpack due to over-temperature or battery depletion.

On some laptops, the battery capacity is restricted by reducing the charging voltage after a BIOS update, causing premature battery endurance decline. This practice is similar to [[Google Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program]] but without official announcement.

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==Examples==

[[File:Alienwarebiosrollback.png|thumb|From a comment on a laptop repair video<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2024-12-28 |title=Laptop Destroyed By Windows Update {{!}} Make It Stop! Microsoft |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>, a Dell user had to roll back a forced BIOS update to restore GPU performance.]]

[[File:Alienwarebiosrollback.png|thumb|From a comment on a laptop repair video<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2024-12-28 |title=Laptop Destroyed By Windows Update {{!}} Make It Stop! Microsoft |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=[[YouTube]]}} ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s Archived])</ref>, a Dell user had to roll back a forced BIOS update to restore GPU performance.]]

These examples are non-exhaustive, some known instances are currently not listed due to insufficient source(s). All the examples below have BIOS update as non-optional Windows Update.

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===HP===

Blocked RAM speed<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Gburns53 |date=2021-10-25 |title=Forced BIOS update |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |url-status=live |archive-date= |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=HP Community}}</ref>, disabled ACPI S3 sleep state<ref name=":2" />, blocked downgrade.

Blocked RAM speed<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Gburns53 |date=2021-10-25 |title=Forced BIOS update |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |url-status=live |archive-date= |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=HP Community |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260215152218/https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>, disabled ACPI S3 sleep state<ref name=":2" />, blocked downgrade.

===Lenovo===

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Basic Input/Output System, also known as BIOS, is a type of firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization during the booting process (power-on startup)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kozierok |first=Charles M |date=2001-04-17 |title=Ref — System BIOS |url=https://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218194254/https://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/index.htm |archive-date=2019-02-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=The PC Guide}}</ref>.
-Generally speaking, a working computer's BIOS doesn't need to be updated frequently due to the instinct risk of BIOS flashing<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-12 |title=FlashBIOS |url=https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=Debian Wiki}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Flashing BIOS from Linux |url=https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=ArchWiki}}</ref>. However more and more mainstream computer manufactures starts pushing BIOS updates, often without user's consent or against the user's will, causing more issues and paves the way of controlling the device further.
+Generally speaking, a working computer's BIOS doesn't need to be updated frequently due to the instinct risk of BIOS flashing<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-12 |title=FlashBIOS |url=https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=Debian Wiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251118135550/https://wiki.debian.org/FlashBIOS |archive-date=18 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-12 |title=Flashing BIOS from Linux |url=https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=ArchWiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218024432/https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Flashing_BIOS_from_Linux |archive-date=18 Feb 2026}}</ref>. However more and more mainstream computer manufactures starts pushing BIOS updates, often without user's consent or against the user's will, causing more issues and paves the way of controlling the device further.
 ==How it works==
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 *Undervolting<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=@u/DarkKnight04081995 |date=2020-11-17 |title=[GUIDE] Inspiron 7567: Bios downgrade from v1.12.1 to v1.11.0 |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/jw06pe/guide_inspiron_7567_bios_downgrade_from_v1121_to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251218154156/https://old.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/jw06pe/guide_inspiron_7567_bios_downgrade_from_v1121_to/ |archive-date=2025-12-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>, a method of reducing power consumption without decreasing performance
 *CPU thermal design power (TDP)<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=@eXplode |date=2024-12-18 |title=How to Stop Automatic BIOS Updates and some hate for BIOS 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/how-to-stop-automatic-bios-updates-and-some-hate-for-bios-331/td-p/1064184 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002181913/https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/how-to-stop-automatic-bios-updates-and-some-hate-for-bios-331/td-p/1064184 |archive-date=2025-10-02 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum}}</ref>
-*Fan control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Mell |date=2025-10-04 |title=G713qm fan problem bios 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum}}</ref>
+*Fan control.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Mell |date=2025-10-04 |title=G713qm fan problem bios 331 |url=https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=Republic of Gamers Forum |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251117101016/https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/rog-strix-series/g713qm-fan-problem-bios-331/td-p/1118443 |archive-date=17 Nov 2025}}</ref>
 ===Reduced reliability/Planned obsolescence===
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Users reporting increased coil whine after a certain BIOS update<ref>{{Cite web |last=@ tom.m.culle150a02ca |date=2024-01-12 |title=Coil whine after bios update |url=https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/coil-whine-after-bios-update.392641/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251218183546/https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/coil-whine-after-bios-update.392641/ |archive-date=2025-12-18 |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=MSI Global English Forum}}</ref>, possibly reducing reliability and increasing the failure rate.
-Due to its unpredictable and forced nature, uncommanded BIOS updates have a higher chance of bricking the computer<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2025-11-02 |title=New Day, Another Bricked Laptop From Windows Update! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>, such as interrupted BIOS update in the user's backpack due to over-temperature or battery depletion.
+Due to its unpredictable and forced nature, uncommanded BIOS updates have a higher chance of bricking the computer<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2025-11-02 |title=New Day, Another Bricked Laptop From Windows Update! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=8tRSjfFBtME |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>, such as interrupted BIOS update in the user's backpack due to over-temperature or battery depletion.
 On some laptops, the battery capacity is restricted by reducing the charging voltage after a BIOS update, causing premature battery endurance decline. This practice is similar to [[Google Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program]] but without official announcement.
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==Examples==
-[[File:Alienwarebiosrollback.png|thumb|From a comment on a laptop repair video<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2024-12-28 |title=Laptop Destroyed By Windows Update {{!}} Make It Stop! Microsoft |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>, a Dell user had to roll back a forced BIOS update to restore GPU performance.]]
+[[File:Alienwarebiosrollback.png|thumb|From a comment on a laptop repair video<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Parts-People Dell Laptop Experts |date=2024-12-28 |title=Laptop Destroyed By Windows Update {{!}} Make It Stop! Microsoft |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-31 |website=[[YouTube]]}} ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=pvhUPIkKt1s Archived])</ref>, a Dell user had to roll back a forced BIOS update to restore GPU performance.]]
 These examples are non-exhaustive, some known instances are currently not listed due to insufficient source(s). All the examples below have BIOS update as non-optional Windows Update.
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 ===HP===
-Blocked RAM speed<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Gburns53 |date=2021-10-25 |title=Forced BIOS update |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |url-status=live |archive-date= |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=HP Community}}</ref>, disabled ACPI S3 sleep state<ref name=":2" />, blocked downgrade.
+Blocked RAM speed<ref>{{Cite web |last=@Gburns53 |date=2021-10-25 |title=Forced BIOS update |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |url-status=live |archive-date= |access-date=2025-12-28 |website=HP Community |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260215152218/https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Gaming-Desktops/Forced-BIOS-update/td-p/8198864 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>, disabled ACPI S3 sleep state<ref name=":2" />, blocked downgrade.
 ===Lenovo===