W7 64 Installation

[#1]

I've been using the 32bit version on my PC since W7 came out and my laptop has the 64bit version which works well.
I'm aware of possible issues with 64 drivers for hardware connected to the PC but I think I have all that covered.
I'm about to install another 2GB RAM taking it to 6GB which will aid video editing.
What concerns me is the motherboard (M4N78). Would it be wise to update the BIOS before installing W7 64bit (I've checked the Asus website and there's nothing specific relating to 64bit use. Current version is 0805 and the latest is 1103

[#2]

It's not a bad idea; in fact if it were me I would probably update the BIOS regardless of whether or not I wanted to change the OS.  The only risk is if there is a power cut whilst you are updating. 

[#3]

I've only once before tried to update the BIOS (around 4 years ago) and it went horribly wrong and required the MB to be replaced (no power cut involved).
I understand that it's easier to do with less chances of it going wrong these days, but still a chance...

[#4]

I'd always bring the BIOS up to date before installing a new OS.
(And often do anyway as part of regular maintenance)
For example, I did one earlier this week - a Dell laptop - which didn't "restart" properly, e.g. after Windows Updates. An updated BIOS fixed that.
(I later reinstalled Windows anyway for other reasons, but the problem was fixed straight away)

[#5]

Thanks.
Any advice on how to best go about the update (DOS v Windows) to minimise possibilities of it going wrong?
Perhaps remove (disconnect) all other drives, leaving just the boot drive, first?

[#6]

Easiest and safest is to make a bootable USB flash drive, and add the BIOS update files to that. Then boot from that stick into DOS to do the upgrade. It's much more stable from DOS, although I've done it through windows too with no issues - though that was on a motherboard aimed at the overclocking market with a specific utility to do so. You shouldn't need to worry about disconnecting any drives.
Just a thought too - some manufacturers have a floppy disk or CD image that you can download and burn which will do exactly the same thing, if yours doesn't then you could always grab one from another manufacturer's site and add your own BIOS file and flashing utility to that before you burn it.

[#7]

A bootable CD is always good, especially if they provide an image that does it all.
(dunno why but I'm not good at making bootable USB sticks)
Sometimes you just have to wire in a floppy drive and do it that way. 
The Dell laptop I did earlier this week was rather unhelpful as it had a collection of problems getting in the way, including a corrupt HD boot sector and unreliable CD drive!
I couldn't run the upgrade from within Windows (the normal way with Dell) due to these problems and didn't have a suitable floppy drive.
In the end I booted from a CD that I'd used to fix the boot sector to re-enable the Dell System Restore. (FreeDOS based - http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/files/dsrfix.zip )
Then I switched to the appropriate drive letter for the CD (R: in this case!) and swapped to a CD containing the DOS upgrade program (downloaded from Dell) and ran it.

[#8]

Quote from: Mav

I've only once before tried to update the BIOS (around 4 years ago) and it went horribly wrong and required the MB to be replaced (no power cut involved).

I had a similar experience about 8 years ago when the floppy disc or the floppy disc drive failed mid-update.  With hindsight it was quite a good learning experience.  I quite like running BIOS updates from Windows, if the option is available, because the update procedure usually over-compensate for the unreliability of Windows so tries to do things in the most fail-safe manner possible.   

[#9]

Quote from: ReedRichards

floppy disc or the floppy disc drive failed mid-update.

I don't think that's very likely with most modern updates as they tend to load everything into RAM first and verify checksums etc. before proceeding.
Obviously on older systems with less RAM that's not a viable process, but it's the way all the ones I've done in quite a while have worked.

[#10]

Quote from: HPsauce

.... most modern updates ... tend to load everything into RAM first and verify checksums etc. before proceeding....

Yes, making it much less important what medium you use for the BIOS data or whether you run the update from Windows or not.