[MrDK]

When making major updates to the BIOS or operating system you should always back it up as data loss in not uncommon. As far as you computer becoming totally stuffed (rendered useless?), that would be rare.

I am not an expert in PC motherboards, but deal with a lot of equipment that from time to time is updated at the lowest level (BIOS or Firmware). The design of the basic computer is almost always done in to parts and includes an OTP and BIOS/Firmware. The BIOS/Firmware is the core of running the lower level routines on your PC. The OTP (One-time-programmable) is generally nothing more than a boot routine that either will load the BIOS/Firmware or the BIOS upload "program". The OTP is programmed at the factory an cannot be updated. So if worst comes to worst and you BIOS gets so corrupted that the computer cannot boot, the OTP should allow you to reload the BIOS. One big BUT here. Since the OTP may not have drivers for the PC peripherals you may need a professional to reload the BIOS.

Again a corrupt BIOS is rare, but loss of data is not.