Z590 BIOS update questions

[gomtuu]

I'm looking at the current version of the BIOS in my Prime Z590M-Plus and considering updating. Questions:

1) Tools that display current BIOS version yield American Megatrends version 1017 07/12/2021. When I go to the ASUS web site and view BIOS downloads for this board, that version is not even listed and the history goes back to version 0404. Seems curious.

2) Seems that it's recommended that before updating you should return all settings to default. Is that necessary? Offhand I don't recall what changes I've made. Is there a way to save and then restore current settings? Or perhaps a way to see what has been changed from default?

3) Guidance also states you shouldn't update the BIOS unless you have to. I'm not having any issues but in the past I've always thought that keeping things up to date is the right thing to do. Comments?

[Silent_Scone · Accepted solution]

1. Legacy versions are not always listed. This is usually to avoid security risks due to older CPU microcode or compatibility problems.

2. Yes. Most users will have an applied overclock of  some kind in the form of an XMP profile. To avoid running into instability or data corruption the system needs to be at complete operating defaults. You can save your current settings as a CMO file from within the UEFI tools menu. Save this to a USB pen drive, as they can be lost when using USB Flashback.

3. UEFI updates are not compulsory, if you don’t wish to update you don’t have to.

[TheInspector069]

I also have the Z590, the series is Tuf Gaming. When ever I update the UEFI/ BIOS, upon reboot, the system automatically takes me to the BIOS screen, automatically setting everything back to the defaults. In most cases there is a description informing the end user just what that update will do. Most cases, improves system stability and compatibility for new devices.

In answer to your question about retaining those custom settings, no. I would recommend writing them down and placing them in a safe place for future reference. Or, just document them to your phone.

The only time I have seen that documented, (Don't Update the BIOS, Unless there are issues) is coming from MSI.) I have never seen that with ASUS. In fact when contacting ASUS about a problem, they always ask if you have updated your BIOS. Updating is a excellent practice. Before Intel discontinued manufacturing motherboards in 2016, I was always on their site updating drivers. Now it's a little tricker, because Intel builds NUC's (Next Unit of Computing), but the internal components are the same. Chipset, RAID, Ethernet, Wireless, just to name a few.

I just checked for the latest UEFI/ BIOS update for our chipset.

Prime Z590M-Plus BIOS 1801, Dated January 4th, 2023.

Key Factors:

1) Improves System Stability

2) Compatibility with the NVIDA RTX 40 Graphic Card series.