I'm about to set up a new motherboard (MSI B850 Mag Tomahawk) and I have a flash drive ready with the Windows installer. I'm thinking of getting another flash drive for the latest BIOS update. Do I need to put anything else on the BIOS flash drive, like Wi-Fi or LAN drivers? My plan is to update the BIOS first, then install Windows. If I have internet after that, I'll download the necessary chipset drivers. Also, can I just use one USB for both the BIOS and Windows installer by flashing the BIOS first and then switching over?
4 Answers
I'd recommend just putting the latest BIOS on the flash drive and nothing else. After you update the BIOS, go ahead and install Windows. If you don't have internet right away, you can grab the Wi-Fi or LAN drivers later from another device. Keeping it simple is the way to go!
Thanks for the tips, everyone! I think I’ll stick to flashing the BIOS first and then install Windows, and see how it goes from there.
Remove everything else from the BIOS USB drive. You want to avoid bricking your motherboard. And yes, you can use one USB for everything. Flash the BIOS, then after that, switch the drive to install Windows. I suggest putting your LAN/Wi-Fi drivers on the same USB when you format it for Windows, since sometimes those drivers aren't included in the default Windows install.
You don’t need separate USBs if you don’t want to. First, flash the BIOS, then install Windows. If the built-in Windows drivers don’t connect to the internet, you can use a second device to download the drivers from the motherboard’s website. Alternatively, connect your phone to your new PC as a hotspot to download them directly!
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload