BIOS update on odd GA-G31M-ES2L

[foomanfoo]

Hi - first post. I'm impressed with how much quality info is here. I've spent the better part of today looking around - thank you to all who have contributed to this fine site.


There's another thread inquiring about the OC-ability of this particular board.
I did not want to squat on that thread, since I have a specific issue concerning a bios upgrade.

I seem to have picked up on odd rev of this board. Its rev 1.1, but none of the bios updates for "1.x" are compatible.
GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 775 - GA-G31M-ES2L (rev. 1.x)

The current bios is "F6"
06/05/2008-G31-ICH7-6A79OG0VC-00

All the so called 1.1 upgrades are for BIOS ID: 6A99OG0EC

So because of this, none of the utilities will allow me to upgrade the bios, because they detect an incompatibility between BIOS ID's. Essentially, the utilities think I have the wrong bios. I tried qflash all the way down the line...

I purchased this board new and had never updated the bios - what it has now, is what it came with. I'm looking to purpose the system as a SAN/NAS now, and would like the revisions for PCI Express NIC compatibility.

I figured I'd reach out to you folks before I pulled out the pliers and the blow torch.

Thanks to anyone who might offer a suggestion - I dont mind hacking, and will take a calculated risk. Also, if need be, I'll get a different board.

[Chike]

My guess is that you have not purchased a new boared, and a wrong BIOS was forced flashed to it.
GA-G31M-S2L F6 BIOS date match your BIOS.
When you boot (without splash) what is the board model on the top left of the screen?

[Lsdmeasap]

And does @BIOS also tell you incorrect BIOS ID if you try to update from disk? How about checking for BIOS update online with @BIOS, what does it offer you?

Please also post a CPU-z image of the mainboard tab, thanks!
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

[foomanfoo]

Thank you very much for entertaining my issue... I will get the requested info soon


I know from memory that the initial bios screen has the appropriate MB name. The board has the same name, as does the original box (yea, I'm a packrat)
The model is GA-G31M-ES2L

I will not have access to the system until later, but I do have access to the bios files - in case this is of any interest:

[Lsdmeasap]

You will have to flash via DOS then, using SPIFlash from the following link (And no, this is not the same tool as FlashSPI, but use it the same way)
http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte...ity-tools.html

You may need to use /X or /Z switches at the end of your command, but try without first. It will tell you BIOS ID Mismatch, continue with flash? Say yes and it will all get corrected!

[Chike]

Memory may play tricks on you at times and it's only one letter difference ES2L vs S2L, anyway I googled the other BIOS ID and it came up with S2L/S2C manual so it's obvious the board is flashed with the wrong BIOS.
I also wonder if it is possible to restore backup BIOS if it's the original that came with the board from factory.
You should be able to see backup BIOS version with F9.

[foomanfoo]

Yes... this will be a moment of great humility for me. I'll not even mention the time I've spent on this issue, let alone Chike's and Lsdmeasap's.

Lsdmeasap, I will hold on to this info - this is a very useful utility which I may yet examine. I'm not out of the woods yet, with my overall project, but this may come into play after all.

Chike - you're very right about the mind only seeing what it wants to. I award you this pic for your persistence on what I'd been somewhat dismissive about. I've been an IT pro for a long time, but that'll never change the fact that I'm human ;) Please accept this pic as a trophy LOL.



My friends, I have successfully updated the bios to F9 - I came right home during my lunch break. This stands as one more strange experience. I put too much faith in the packaging as it was the first place I referenced for the model number - I have no explanation as to how I got an SL2 when I purchased the ESL2. I dont even recall which retailer I got this at - whether it was online or at the local microcenter. That may be something I pursue - but one thing is for certain; I should have caught that text mismatch.

Anyhow, a big THANK YOU to you both, for taking the time!

[Chike]

Maybe someone bought the board, force flashed the wrong BIOS and returned the board. It can happen with any store.
It is not the first time we seen it on this forum and probably won't be the last.
Glad to see you got it sorted, and there was nott even need for the pliers :)

[Lsdmeasap]

Or, it may be the correct board from the box still... What does the PCB say, it will have the correct model number for sure!

If it is an ES2L see the tool I mentioned above! It will flash Both BIOSes, and any BIOS to any board, although that is a dated version and I believe that one only works up to X58.

[Chike]

Or, it may be the correct board from the box still... What does the PCB say, it will have the correct model number for sure!

This is what I have thought. I didn't mean the board is S2L just flashed with the wrong BIOS.