flashrom is a utility for identifying, reading, writing, verifying and erasing flash chips. - http://flashrom.org

Instead of having to go through the painful process of burning FreeDOS CDs or making Windows boot floppies it's possible to update your BIOS directly from Linux using the flashrom utility.

  1. Install flashrom using your package manager, or compile from source.
  2. Download the latest version of your motherboard's BIOS from the manufacturer's website.
  3. Flash the BIOS using the following command:
  4. flashrom -wv /path/to/bios/file
  5. Provided that the flash was successful - reboot and reload the BIOS default settings.

As explained on http://flashrom.org you should only update your BIOS if it is likely to fix a particular problem that is occurring. Even then, only attempt it if you know what you are doing. Flashing your BIOS is dangerous and could render your PC unusable. If a problem occurs, do not reboot, ask for help.