Are there any MBs that have utils allowing BIOS changes from Windows?

I have a couple of machines that I run completely headless. My only access is via Remote Desktop.

Occasionally I need to make some sort of BIOS modification and then I have to drag out the monitor, keyboard, and cables.

I'm wondering if there are any MBs out there that have utils allow changes to be made from a Windows app. Clearly, a reboot would be needed as it's not going to make BIOS changes on the fly while in Windows, but I'm perfectly good with that.

I suspect that there is no such thing, but it never hurts to ask, right?

Only other solution I can think of is something like a lights out board.

hsehestedt said:

I have a couple of machines that I run completely headless. My only access is via Remote Desktop.

Occasionally I need to make some sort of BIOS modification and then I have to drag out the monitor, keyboard, and cables.

I'm wondering if there are any MBs out there that have utils allow changes to be made from a Windows app. Clearly, a reboot would be needed as it's not going to make BIOS changes on the fly while in Windows, but I'm perfectly good with that.

I suspect that there is no such thing, but it never hurts to ask, right?

Only other solution I can think of is something like a lights out board.

Hi there
Trouble with remote (or any even local tampering) with the bios from within a running OS is that you potentially could open yourself to all sorts of attacks from outside your environment.

For headless access you could think of SSH (Windows has OPENSSH-CLIENT installed as standard and OPENSSH-SERVER is installable from the optional programs - ensure then that the SSH server is set to start in the services).

VNC also is available - especially if the remote Windows machine is a Windows HOME edition (I don't think Windows HOME allows RDP other than as a client). You'll need to have that installed on all the machines you want GUI remote access to.

I still feel if you know what you are doing using the Windows command line via SSH is the best bet.

Both SSH and VNC allow the remote machine to be re-booted - personally I'd go for SSH if you know the program you want to run remotely and don't need the Windows GUI.

cheers
jimbo

I don't know of any motherboards that allow access to BIOS (UEFI) settings from within the running OS.

Thanks. I thought it was a long shot, but had to ask.

Berton, thanks. Just for clarification, I wasn't looking for the ability to upgrade the BIOS, but to actually make changes to BIOS settings from a Windows app.

Again, there is a big difference between updating the BIOS and changing BIOS settings. Newer computers will let Windows 10 update the BIOS through standard Windows update. But I still have never seen a motherboard that lets you change BIOS settings from inside the OS.

NavyLCDR said:

Again, there is a big difference between updating the BIOS and changing BIOS settings. Newer computers will let Windows 10 update the BIOS through standard Windows update. But I still have never seen a motherboard that lets you change BIOS settings from inside the OS.

Am I mistaken or aren't we also speaking of modifications such as overclocking or fan control that can be done in the OS environment? Those are BIOS settings too.

hsehestedt said:

Berton, thanks. Just for clarification, I wasn't looking for the ability to upgrade the BIOS, but to actually make changes to BIOS settings from a Windows app.

It's obviously possible, my System One below came with a Toshiba OEM utility call HWSetup to do just that for some of its Legacy BIOS settings.



And my Dell laptops have the Dell Command Power Manager that can change the specific UEFI BIOS settings for battery charging behaviour.



But a general purpose utility for changing all or most bios settings? That would have to come from the OEM and be tailored for the specific bios. I don't know of any such utility.


Edit: Oh, here's one for HP machines: http://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/HP_BCU.html