How to Safely Update Motherboard Drivers

It's very possible that you have to update your BIOS chips and motherboard drivers due to a recent attack on your system. If you have just reinstalled Windows, are assembling a new computer, or bringing an old machine back up to speed, you'll probably be required to find some updates to your motherboard drivers.

Find the Manufacturer of Your Motherboard

The most important thing you must do is find out who manufactured your motherboard. You've got a variety of options that can help you detect your manufacturer.

1. Utilize Driver Identification Software to Find your Drivers

There are programs out there that specialize in locating missing or outdated drivers and identifying solutions. These programs can easily help you figure out what manufacturer you are dealing with.

2. Expose Your Machine

You should really only try this method if you're using a desktop PC. Laptops are a lot more difficult to expose, so if you want to expose your laptop, you need to consult a tech professional.

Safety first! Always make sure you disconnect your computer from a power source before you go about exposing it. You can damage your computer severely and expose yourself to electrical shock if you forget to do this.

Sometimes, other components like sound hardware, video cards, etc. will obstruct your access to the motherboard. All you have to do is remove these components and make sure you know how to replace them. They should be easily detachable from latches located inside your machine. Open these latches first; otherwise, these fragile pieces of hardware may break.

Look for a white sticker located on the side of your motherboard. This will contain manufacturer information as well as a serial number or model number.

If you're having trouble finding a serial number or model number, then never fear, you can still locate necessary components through the FCC number. Look on your hardware's casing or on the outside of your computer. You'll see an "FCC ID." You can search the Web for this ID so that you can eventually identify your manufacturer.

The above images are just provided as examples for your FCC ID. Many motherboards will have FCC IDs that look very different from the images above. Visit the following URL to deduce the make and model of your motherboard using FCC identification: http://driverzone.com/fcc_id_search.htm.

        3. Analyze Your Computer Documents

All computers come with documentation that provides easy access to necessary information. You should look through your documentation, such as your user's manual, to figure out manufacturer information. So if you have the documents, try looking through them first.

Implementing Updated Motherboard Drivers onto your System

Once you've figured out who manufactured your motherboard, you have to visit that manufacturer's website. The website will contain drivers that you can download to fix any remaining driver issues. Let's take a look at the AMD site as an example, which even gives you the option to search for drivers on its homepage. Since this is kind of complicated, let's do things the easy route. Click on the "Support and Drivers" link.

Some manufacturers display the words "Processor drivers" instead of "Motherboard drivers". These terms are interchangeable, so you should look for them on the website.

Once you click on the "processor drivers" link, you'll be redirected to a search/browse page.

When you access this page, all you need to do is spot the correct driver, download it, and install it. The motherboard driver will require a restart of your system before it starts working properly. 

Updating Drivers vs. Acquiring New Motherboards

If your motherboard was damaged, then don't just go looking for new drivers. In that case, you'll probably need to acquire a new motherboard. These devices are very fragile, so it's better to just find a new one that will offer you full functionality. With any luck, your motherboard is now working properly.