A Lenovo BIOS update is important to keep your computer running smoothly. Sometimes they are released to fix bugs or improve performance, and other times they are released in response to a security issue.
Whatever the reason for the update, it’s important that you install it as soon as possible.
In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of performing a Lenovo BIOS update so that you can do it yourself quickly and easily.
Lenovo BIOS Update
Note: Be careful with any BIOS update, if the process is interrupted your computer could become frozen and corrupted.
There are a few ways to upgrade your Lenovo BIOS:
Lenovo BIOS Download
This method has you download the BIOS update file from Lenovo support to your computer and then run the file to apply the update.
- Go to the Lenovo Support website.
- Type in the name or model of your computer. This will take you to the downloads page for your device.
- Select ‘Drivers & Software’, then ‘Manual Update.’
- Click on ‘BIOS/UEFI’ to see the available downloads.
- Click on ‘BIOS Update Utility’ to download the file. Also, download the ‘Readme’ file for full details about the BIOS update.
- Double-click the downloaded file and follow the instructions to perform the BIOS update.
Note: You should use an administrator account to run the update file, and the machine will reboot to apply the update.
The BIOS Update Utility is simply a compressed file of all the BIOS update files needed to perform the update.
If you have a BIOS password set, you may need to clear or reset it if it has been forgotten.
Lenovo Vantage Utility
Lenovo Vantage is a utility that comes pre-installed on many Lenovo computers. It provides a quick way to access support, view system information, and perform maintenance tasks.
To update your BIOS using Lenovo Vantage:
- From Windows search for and select ‘Lenovo Vantage.’
- Click on the ‘System Update’ tab.
- Click the ‘Check For Updates’ button.
- Install all the updates shown or only the BIOS update.
- A prompt will inform you of a system reboot.
If needed, you can download Lenovo Vantage for your machine.
System Update Lenovo
System Update is a utility on your Lenovo computer designed to search for and install updates specifically for your machine. You can download and install any new updates including a BIOS update immediately or schedule a time to apply the updates.
- From Windows, search for and select ‘System Update’.
- Select ‘Next’ to allow the utility to search for new updates.
- Either apply the updates right away or schedule a time to do so.
Some updates including a BIOS update will require your computer to reboot.
Also, see the Steps To Fix New SSD Drive Not Showing Up in the BIOS.
USB Flash Drive
This method is very similar to the BIOS Download update procedure above. The difference is that you download and extract the BIOS update files to your computer so you can then copy them to your USB thumb drive.
- Go to the Lenovo Support website.
- Type in the name or model of your computer. This will take you to the downloads page for your device.
- Select ‘Drivers & Software’, then ‘Manual Update.’
- Click on ‘BIOS/UEFI’ to see the available downloads.
- Click on ‘BIOS Update Utility’ to download the file. Also, download the ‘Readme’ file for full details about the BIOS update.
- Double-click the downloaded file and select ‘Extract Only’ to your desired folder.
- Navigate to that folder and open the file titled “Instructions US – BIOS Flash USB Memory Key” for instructions on creating a USB flash drive.
- Insert a formatted USB flash drive to your computer.
- Open a command prompt with administrative rights and run ‘mkusbkey.bat’ as described in the file.
Computer won’t boot after a BIOS update
If you have applied a Lenovo BIOS update and now your computer won’t boot, try the following.
- Unplug the power cord or AC adapter and any battery from the computer.
- On a laptop, press either the ‘reset’ button or the ‘NOVO’ button.
- Press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds to attempt to drain any remaining power.
- Re-install the battery and power, then boot up the machine.
If the above steps did not fix your issue, try the BIOS initialization procedure.
- Press the power button to power on your computer and press ‘F1’ to boot into the BIOS/UEFI.
- Press the ‘F9’ key to load the default configuration on the computer.
- Confirm it and press ‘F10’ to save and reboot.
Lenovo Legion Memory Enhance BIOS
The Memory Enhance option in the BIOS of some Legion laptops can either be enabled or disabled. It is intended to improve or increase memory stability by adjusting the memory timings. It will improve the memory latency of your RAM for better performance.
Many users have noticed their memory speed decreased from 3200Mhz down to 2933Mhz when enabling the ‘memory enhance’ feature. This is most likely due to the use of XMP RAM which is not yet supported by Legion laptops.
You should run a couple of tests with this option enabled and disabled to find out which setting gives you the best performance.
ThinkPad BIOS Update
If you have a ThinkPad, the process is similar to the Lenovo BIOS update process above. The main difference is that you’ll need to download the ThinkPad BIOS update utility.
To update your BIOS using the ThinkPad BIOS update utility:
- Go to the Lenovo Support website.
- Type in the name or model of your Lenovo ThinkPad computer. This will take you to the downloads page for your device.
- Select ‘Drivers & Software’, then ‘Manual Update.’
- Click on ‘BIOS’ to see the available downloads.
- Download the ThinkPad BIOS update utility. Also, download the ‘Readme’ file for full details about the BIOS update.
- Run the utility to update the ThinkPad BIOS.
Lenovo BIOS Update Virus
Many users have seen a BIOS update prompt pop-up on their Lenovo computers and are wondering if it is a virus. If for any reason you are unsure of the authenticity of an update program, do not run it.
To be safe, visit the Lenovo support page to download a new BIOS update or use the Lenovo Vantage tool for all your updates. This will ensure you have a valid and safe BIOS update to apply to your system.
If you are still unsure, you can always contact Lenovo support for help.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of updating your BIOS?
Advantages:
- Fixes bugs or security vulnerabilities.
- Adds new features or support for new hardware.
- Improves overall stability of the system.
Disadvantages:
- A failed BIOS update can render your computer unusable and require expensive repairs.
- It is not always necessary to update your BIOS, so be sure to check for updates only when recommended by the manufacturer.
- Applying a BIOS update takes time and effort, so be sure you really need it before proceeding.
If you do decide to update your BIOS, be sure to follow the instructions carefully and create a backup beforehand just in case something goes wrong. Lenovo provides clear and concise instructions.
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