AFUWIN is a command-line utility used to update the BIOS firmware on motherboards manufactured by American Megatrends Inc. (AMI). The utility can be used to update the system BIOS or update the BIOS for individual components, such as network interface cards or RAID controllers. AFUWIN is typically included in the BIOS update package provided by the motherboard manufacturer.
Here are some common uses and commands for AFUWIN
Updating the system BIOS:
To update the system BIOS using AFUWIN, you first need to download the BIOS update package from the motherboard manufacturer’s website. The package should contain the AFUWIN utility along with the BIOS image file.
Once you have downloaded the package, extract it to a folder on your computer. Open a command prompt and navigate to the folder containing the AFUWIN utility.
To update the BIOS, enter the following command:
AFUWINx64.exe /P /B /N /K /X
Replace with the name of the BIOS image file. The /P switch is used to program the BIOS. The /B switch is used to back up the existing BIOS before updating. The /N switch is used to prevent the BIOS from being updated if the existing version is already the same or higher. The /K switch is used to disable the BIOS write protection. The /X switch is used to force the BIOS update even if the BIOS image file is for a different system.
Updating individual component BIOS:
To update the BIOS for an individual component, you will need to download the appropriate BIOS image file from the manufacturer’s website. Extract the file to a folder on your computer and open a command prompt.
Navigate to the folder containing the AFUWIN utility and enter the following command:
AFUWINx64.exe /P /B /K /X
Replace with the name of the BIOS image file. The /P switch is used to program the BIOS. The /B switch is used to back up the existing BIOS before updating. The /K switch is used to disable the BIOS write protection. The /X switch is used to force the BIOS update even if the BIOS image file is for a different system. Note that the /N switch is not used when updating component BIOS.
Displaying system information:
To display information about the system BIOS, enter the following command:
- AFUWINx64.exe /O
- This will display information such as the BIOS version, release date, and checksum.
- AFUWIN is a command-line utility for updating BIOS firmware on motherboards with American Megatrends BIOS. Here are the instructions for using AFUWIN:
- Download the latest firmware for your motherboard from the manufacturer’s website and save it to your computer.
- Extract the contents of the downloaded firmware archive to a folder on your computer.
- Open a command prompt as administrator. To do this, press the Windows key + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.
- Navigate to the folder where you extracted the firmware files using the “cd” command. For example, if you extracted the files to a folder called “BIOS” on your desktop, you would enter the following command: “cd C:\Users\Username\Desktop\BIOS”
- Type “afuwinx64” (without quotes) and press Enter to launch the AFUWIN utility. If you’re using a 32-bit version of Windows, type “afuwin” instead.
- The AFUWIN utility will open and display a command prompt-like interface. Use the following command to back up your existing BIOS firmware: “afuwinx64 bios.bin /O” (replace “bios.bin” with the name you want to give the backup file).
- Once the backup is complete, you can proceed with updating the firmware. Use the following command to flash the new firmware: “afuwinx64 biosname.rom /GAN” (replace “biosname.rom” with the name of the new firmware file).
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the firmware update process. Once the update is complete, restart your computer to ensure that the new firmware is applied.
Note: Be extremely careful when updating BIOS firmware, as an incorrect or incomplete update can render your motherboard unusable. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, and only update the firmware if you are experiencing issues or need to add support for new hardware.