# Windows 10 running slow....can I safely update BIOS?



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

I just had a LogMeIn session with MS tech support, and we discussed my machine running a little slow now that I upgraded from Windows 7 recently. He showed me that my BIOS is "legacy," and hasn't been updated since 2010. Is that something I can safely do, as an "amateur," or am I taking a big risk.....and should get an expert to do it?


----------



## managed (May 24, 2003)

Who requested the logmein session, you or Microsoft ? Are you 100% sure it really was Microsoft ?

What motherboard ? Or if a laptop what make and model ? Also what bios version do you have now ?


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Thank you for asking that. Fortunately I initiated the session with MS.....I would NEVER allow it unless I did so. 

Motherboard: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H55M-USB3. 
BIOS Version/Date Award Software International, Inc. F11, 11/1/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode Legacy


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

I should have mentioned......the MS guy suggested I shut down extensions on Chrome.....


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

bj nick:

The motherboard in your computer was designed for Windows XP and Vista and 7, so most or all of the hardware in it is probably several years old.

We can troubleshoot the slowness issue better if we have more information about your computer, so please do the following in it:
Download and save the *TSG System Information Utility* (SysInfo.exe) file.
After it's been downloaded and saved, double-click it to run it.
Information about your computer will appear.
Return back here, then copy-and-paste its entire text in your reply.

---------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Thanks for the help. 
Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.9
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Home, 64 bit, Build 18362, Installed 20191129013713.000000-480
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU 540 @ 3.07GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 5, CPU Count: 4
Total Physical RAM: 12 GB
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 210, 512 MB
Hard Drives: C: 446 GB (90 GB Free); E: 2047 GB (1234 GB Free); F: 931 GB (103 GB Free); S: 1863 GB (207 GB Free);
Motherboard: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H55M-USB3, ver x.x
System: Award Software International, Inc., ver GBT - 42302e31
Antivirus: Avast Antivirus, Enabled and Updated


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Get rid of *Avast Antivirus* and stick with Windows 10's built-in antivirus app - *Windows Security* aka Windows Defender.
Using a third-party antivirus app in Windows 10 can cause various issues, including a reduction in speed and performance.

The *Intel Core i3-540 3.07 GHz* dual core processor in your computer is old and slow, so that's going to affect speed and performance issue.










---------------------------------------------------------------


----------



## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

To answer your original question:

"*Is that something I can safely do, as an "amateur," or am I taking a big risk.....and should get an expert to do it?"*

Anyone can do it, but anything affecting the power during the update will render the motherboard dead. Expert or no expert so unless there were some security flaws that needing patching, you don't need to the update. As to the legacy comment, Legacy or UEFI, I don't believe it doesn't matter in terms of the speed of the computer. The CPU, Memory, and hard drive would be the main 3 hardware factors.


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Okay, so I'll leave BIOS alone. I uninstalled Avast because my understanding is that Windows Defender will automatically take over. But I went to check, and there were a couple issues it said I needed to look into: "Virus and threat protection," and "account protection." Clicking on "Turn on" for Virus and threat protection does nothing. For account protection I tried to sign into my MS account....it accepts me for "microsoft sign-in," but the next thing is: 
"Sign into this computer using your Microsoft account
Next time you sign into this computer, use your Microsoft account password or Windows Hello, if you've set it up.
We'll need your current Windows password one last time." It rejects my MS password every time, and there's no other option to proceed. Ideas? Is there a difference between MS sign-in and my "Microsoft account?"


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Also: my desktop ran beautifully with Windows 7, even with my "old and slow" CPU. Lightning-quick w/email, internet, all of it. Can the CPU, etc, be upgraded? With that motherboard? What are my options? I know it probably makes more sense overall to just get a new desktop, but I'd rather not have to go to all the expense right now......and if possible, I'd rather not just live with the slow speeds right now.....it's super-annoying. Thanks for any advice, even if it's not what I want to hear.


----------



## managed (May 24, 2003)

FYI your version F11 is the newest Bios for that motherboard.


----------



## Couriant (Mar 26, 2002)

I wonder because the computer was upgraded rather than a clean install, the upgrade brought over some issues that may have not been noticed before... I would suggest at some point to do a clean install of Windows 10.

To my knowledge, the Microsoft Account and Sign-in should be the same... but I have been in an Enterprise environment for so long, I haven't had to deal with the Microsoft Account that gets created in Windows and I haven't had a personal computer (i.e. not a work one) for years...


----------



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Thanks for that. I'd like to post this specific question about the MS account/sign-in in the Windows 10 forum...... I really need to get this resolved right away and no one else has responded. Normally I wouldn't be so impatient, but I keep trying and it's baffling and frustrating and this is a security issue.


----------

