微軟近日公佈 Xbox One 知名賽車遊戲大作《Forza Motorsport 6》將移植至 Windows 10 平台，並命名為《Forza Motorsport 6: Apex》，於今年春季給 Windows 10 的玩家以免費形式下載，遊戲改用課金制度。
The BIOS Enigma: A Modern Guide to American Megatrends Updates If you’ve ever restarted your computer and seen a blue screen with the logo American Megatrends (AMI) and thought, "Is my computer broken? Who is American Megatrends?" —you are not alone. American Megatrends is the "wizard behind the curtain" for a massive portion of the world’s motherboards. They create the BIOS firmware framework (often called AMIBIOS) that your hardware uses to wake up. Most motherboard manufacturers (ASUS, MSI, ASRock, Gigabyte, etc.) license the AMI framework and build their custom interfaces on top of it. Updating this firmware is often viewed with the same fear as performing open-heart surgery. This guide aims to demystify the process.
🛑 Part 1: The "Do No Harm" Protocol Before you even think about downloading a file, you must understand the risks. A BIOS update is not like updating Windows. If you lose power halfway through, or if you install the wrong file, your motherboard can become a very expensive paperweight (commonly known as "bricking"). The Golden Rules:
Don't fix what isn't broken. If your computer runs perfectly, a BIOS update offers little benefit. Only update if:
You are fixing a specific bug listed in the changelog. You need support for a newer generation CPU (e.g., putting a Ryzen 5000 chip in an older board). You have a security vulnerability patch. american megatrends bios update
Check your Power: If you have a laptop, ensure it is 100% charged and plugged in. If you have a desktop, plug it into a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) if possible. A power surge during a flash is fatal to the board.
🔍 Part 2: Know Thy Motherboard You cannot simply go to the American Megatrends website to find your update. Because AMI sells the base code to other brands, you must go to the website of the company that manufactured your specific motherboard. How to find your exact model:
The Software Method: Press Windows Key + R , type msinfo32 , and hit Enter. Look for "BaseBoard Manufacturer" and "BaseBoard Product." The Startup Method: Restart your PC. When the AMI logo appears, press F2 , Del , or Esc to enter the BIOS interface. The main screen usually displays the Model Name in large text. The BIOS Enigma: A Modern Guide to American
📂 Part 3: The "Flavor" of BIOS Update Not all AMI BIOS updates are created equal. You will generally encounter three types of update methods. Identifying which one you have is the key to success. Type A: The Modern Luxury (EZ Flash / Q-Flash / M-Flash) This is the easiest method, found on most motherboards made in the last decade.
How it works: You put the BIOS file on a USB stick, restart the computer, enter the BIOS interface, and select the file using a graphical menu. The Procedure:
Download the BIOS file from the manufacturer's website (it will usually be a .cap , .bin , or .rom file). Extract the file and put it on a USB drive formatted as FAT32 (this is crucial; NTFS often isn't readable by BIOS). Reboot and enter BIOS (usually by mashing Delete or F2 on startup). Look for a tab named "Tools," "Save & Exit," or "Advanced." Find the "Update BIOS" or "Flash" button. Select your USB drive, select the file, and let the system do the work. They create the BIOS firmware framework (often called
Type B: The Software Suite (Windows-Based Utilities) Many manufacturers provide a Windows app (like ASUS Armoury Crate or MSI Center) that claims to update your BIOS from the desktop.
Verdict: Use this with extreme caution. While convenient, Windows is prone to background crashes or driver conflicts. Recommendation: Avoid if possible. The Type A method (via BIOS menu) is safer because the hardware is in a controlled state without the Windows OS running in the background.
The BIOS Enigma: A Modern Guide to American Megatrends Updates If you’ve ever restarted your computer and seen a blue screen with the logo American Megatrends (AMI) and thought, "Is my computer broken? Who is American Megatrends?" —you are not alone. American Megatrends is the "wizard behind the curtain" for a massive portion of the world’s motherboards. They create the BIOS firmware framework (often called AMIBIOS) that your hardware uses to wake up. Most motherboard manufacturers (ASUS, MSI, ASRock, Gigabyte, etc.) license the AMI framework and build their custom interfaces on top of it. Updating this firmware is often viewed with the same fear as performing open-heart surgery. This guide aims to demystify the process.
🛑 Part 1: The "Do No Harm" Protocol Before you even think about downloading a file, you must understand the risks. A BIOS update is not like updating Windows. If you lose power halfway through, or if you install the wrong file, your motherboard can become a very expensive paperweight (commonly known as "bricking"). The Golden Rules:
Don't fix what isn't broken. If your computer runs perfectly, a BIOS update offers little benefit. Only update if:
You are fixing a specific bug listed in the changelog. You need support for a newer generation CPU (e.g., putting a Ryzen 5000 chip in an older board). You have a security vulnerability patch.
Check your Power: If you have a laptop, ensure it is 100% charged and plugged in. If you have a desktop, plug it into a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) if possible. A power surge during a flash is fatal to the board.
🔍 Part 2: Know Thy Motherboard You cannot simply go to the American Megatrends website to find your update. Because AMI sells the base code to other brands, you must go to the website of the company that manufactured your specific motherboard. How to find your exact model:
The Software Method: Press Windows Key + R , type msinfo32 , and hit Enter. Look for "BaseBoard Manufacturer" and "BaseBoard Product." The Startup Method: Restart your PC. When the AMI logo appears, press F2 , Del , or Esc to enter the BIOS interface. The main screen usually displays the Model Name in large text.
📂 Part 3: The "Flavor" of BIOS Update Not all AMI BIOS updates are created equal. You will generally encounter three types of update methods. Identifying which one you have is the key to success. Type A: The Modern Luxury (EZ Flash / Q-Flash / M-Flash) This is the easiest method, found on most motherboards made in the last decade.
How it works: You put the BIOS file on a USB stick, restart the computer, enter the BIOS interface, and select the file using a graphical menu. The Procedure:
Download the BIOS file from the manufacturer's website (it will usually be a .cap , .bin , or .rom file). Extract the file and put it on a USB drive formatted as FAT32 (this is crucial; NTFS often isn't readable by BIOS). Reboot and enter BIOS (usually by mashing Delete or F2 on startup). Look for a tab named "Tools," "Save & Exit," or "Advanced." Find the "Update BIOS" or "Flash" button. Select your USB drive, select the file, and let the system do the work.
Type B: The Software Suite (Windows-Based Utilities) Many manufacturers provide a Windows app (like ASUS Armoury Crate or MSI Center) that claims to update your BIOS from the desktop.
Verdict: Use this with extreme caution. While convenient, Windows is prone to background crashes or driver conflicts. Recommendation: Avoid if possible. The Type A method (via BIOS menu) is safer because the hardware is in a controlled state without the Windows OS running in the background.
