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Mike Halsey article on firmware upgrades/updates ...

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barney:
Firmware... If it Isn't Broken, Should You Fix it?

Wondering how the DC community feels on this matter, whether there is an sort of consensus?  As Mike remarks in the article, this tends to be a polarizing issue, with very few middle-of-the-roaders.

What's your take on firmware updates?  I can see regular driver updates, but firmware updates can be kinda chancy, at least in my direct experiences.  I've had more than one piece of hardware converted to paperweight status because of a failed or interrupted firmware changes, but that could be just me  :-\ ;D.  I have been able to revert an update on a couple of occasions, but for the most part that was not a viable, or even an available, option.

Stoic Joker:
We've had techs brick a machine several time doing a firmware update to resolve an issue that had nothing to do with the firmware. So I'm in the if it ain't broke, don't fix it camp.

If there is some additional new functionality/capability - That You Need - Okay fine ... That's considered a fix (in my book). I updated my phone to the new WMP 7.5 when it came out because it contained new fixes/features that I had an interest in/use for. Conversely I have not upgraded the firmware for my main machines Mboard that would allow it to use a newer, faster CPU ... Because I have no intention what-so-ever of buying one. It just ain't faster enough than the one I have now to be worth the money/headaches/risk.

Shades:
If it isn't broken, no repairs are required or necessary or desired or even worth losing time over.

Hmm, guess its clear which side of this fence is appropriate for me.

J-Mac:
Try asking about this in a support forum or on a support request for the particular hardware you're considering for a F/W update!

As an example, my Mobo - an ASUS - is two F/W updates behind, but ASUS told me that both address specific problems and that if I wasn’t seeing those problems I should not update the F/W. Yet Nvidia support naturally asks me for my system info and sees that my Mobo F/W is not updated to the most current. They tell me I must update it; I ask what the Mobo F/W will fix on my graphics card. They say they don’t know BUT my Mobo must be updated for them to help me. I tell them "No" and why, but they cry out, "Aha! If you won't update your Mobo F/W, then you are a buffoon and we cannot help you!"

OK, it didn't go exactly like that, but you get the gist of it. Typical hardware maker finger-pointing crap.

I don’t upgrade ANY of my hardware's F/W unless it is for a problem that I know the updated F/W is designed to fix.

Thanks!

Jim

Deozaan:
I never really thought about it before, but I guess I'm also in the "If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It" group. I usually never even know about a firmware update unless I'm experiencing a problem and during my search for a solution find out that I should update the firmware to the latest version.

Unless you're talking about things with forced firmware updates, such as the Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, etc. In those cases you don't really have a choice if you want to play the latest games online, or without a significant amount of hacking.

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