Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

[Leontin]

I'm asking you which is the best/safest method to flash bios because a few days ago my motherboard (AsRock 970 Extreme 4) completely died after a "successfuly" bios flash.
I say "successfuly" because at the end was "Programming succes, press Enter to reboot" and I pressed enter and that was it. my motherboard never booted again. My method used was Instant Flash from bios menu.There are two more methods, from windows and from dos. which is better, safer? Instant Flash is not ok in my opinion because is doesn't show "erasing,writing, verifying...ok"

[odiebugs]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

Dos is usually the best way, have never had a problem with lots of boards, never. The worst is usually windows. So did you run Dos after and it's now booting ?

But instant does use crashless and actually runs after Dos anyway so if you had a power out, your still ok.

Also, some update are only in instant, so you're forced to use it.

My opinion.

[Leontin]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

I don't now what crasless it uses but my motherboard was completely dead. i have tried all the methods i have found on the net and nothing worked.somehow the recovery feature was erased too. dr debug showed code 00 and nothing else. other persons that i talked to, their dr debug was showing code F1 or F2 that is for recovery and they managed to save their motherboards.i haven't had such luck and i have sent it to service yesterday.and for now on i think i will use only the Dos method...

[parsec]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

I've only used Instant Flash on my three ASRock boards, and have never had a problem or failure, truly a 100% success rate.

When you say, "never booted again" about your board, what happened? BIOS updates reset all the settings to default values, and you should have been prompted to accept the default values, or enter the BIOS to change settings. The boot order might need to be set correctly at the very least.

What BIOS version were you using before the problem, and what version were you trying to load?

[Leontin]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

after it showed me "Programming success, press Enter to reboot" i have pressed enter,system restarted and that was it. black screen no beep, no nothing, dr debug code 00 and nothing else.i was using bios v2.30 i was updating to v2.40. and this was the third update i was making.i bought the motherboard with v1.90 and i have updated to v2.20 and v2.30 via Instant flash and everything worked perfectly until this v2.40 flash. i don't know what went wrong since it was "Programming success, press Enter to reboot".

[odiebugs]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

after it showed me "Programming success, press Enter to reboot" i have pressed enter,system restarted and that was it. black screen no beep, no nothing, dr debug code 00 and nothing else.i was using bios v2.30 i was updating to v2.40. and this was the third update i was making.i bought the motherboard with v1.90 and i have updated to v2.20 and v2.30 via Instant flash and everything worked perfectly until this v2.40 flash. i don't know what went wrong since it was "Programming success, press Enter to reboot".

When you update, you will see the BIOS loading the new firmware (update) stores, the update is stored, crashless. This way if you were updating and the power went out, the system auto installs the update, if not, it would brick the BIOS.


On the back of the board there is a clear CMOS, you should clear CMOS and run the Dos update. Just putting this in because you never said if you have corrected the problem. If this doesn't work you can contact asrock an see if they will
send you a BIOS chip, or buy one, they are cheap, around 12.00.

[parsec]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

after it showed me "Programming success, press Enter to reboot" i have pressed enter,system restarted and that was it. black screen no beep, no nothing, dr debug code 00 and nothing else.i was using bios v2.30 i was updating to v2.40. and this was the third update i was making.i bought the motherboard with v1.90 and i have updated to v2.20 and v2.30 via Instant flash and everything worked perfectly until this v2.40 flash. i don't know what went wrong since it was "Programming success, press Enter to reboot".

A 00 debug code is a CPU problem or failure, and as Odie said, try clearing the CMOS. The board is failing the first POST test, for the CPU for some reason. You may need to remove the board's battery to get a complete clearing of the CMOS.

I don't know if your CPU failed, I would not think so, but it sure seems the BIOS was corrupted.

[odiebugs]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

A 00 debug code is a CPU problem or failure, and as Odie said, try clearing the CMOS. The board is failing the first POST test, for the CPU for some reason. You may need to remove the board's battery to get a complete clearing of the CMOS.

I don't know if your CPU failed, I would not think so, but it sure seems the BIOS was corrupted.

Hey can you double check, I believe there is no code and what is happening is there is no BIOS booting an unable to read.



It's appears someone had a rough night of drinking, the manual shows 00 as not used, the F&Q show that 00 and FF are the same an- Please check if the CPU is installed correctly and then clear CMOS.


Maybe he has to flip a quarter,

[Leontin]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

A 00 debug code is a CPU problem or failure, and as Odie said, try clearing the CMOS. The board is failing the first POST test, for the CPU for some reason. You may need to remove the board's battery to get a complete clearing of the CMOS.

I don't know if your CPU failed, I would not think so, but it sure seems the BIOS was corrupted.

I have cleared the BIOS, and removed the battery, and nothing. And i don't think that the CPU is the problem, i think is like odiebugs says, there is no BIOS to boot. somehow it was erased and the recovery too. this board uses AMI BIOS and i have read that is a recovery method called AMI APTIO, when you turn on the pc you press CTRL+HOME until it showes and if not the motherboard need service.
I hope they will fix it at service. if not i'm screwed. i have found the other day on net a method callled "Hot Flashing". did you hear of that or what do you think about it? here is the link:Tech ARP - Hot Flashing Guide Rev. 2.0

[CageJ]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

or buy eeprom programmer, they are not expensive and these new USB version very easy to use...

Anyway... I had only once problem, maybe 10yrs ago or more on Matsonic MoBo.. After verifying, just freeze.. Had wait 30min and nothing, restarted and the bios wasnt erased, I was lucky.. I tried again and it worked and reflash.. Then tried sometimes from Win, but it is not safe... But last years I always use only IBT (in bios tool) to flash..

[parsec]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

Hey can you double check, I believe there is no code and what is happening is there is no BIOS booting an unable to read.



It's appears someone had a rough night of drinking, the manual shows 00 as not used, the F&Q show that 00 and FF are the same an- Please check if the CPU is installed correctly and then clear CMOS.


Maybe he has to flip a quarter,

Uhh, yeah, whom has been drinking too much?



I doubt the OP's CPU is the issue, as I said earlier. A corrupted BIOS is likely the problem.

[odiebugs]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

Uhh, yeah, whom has been drinking too much?



I doubt the OP's CPU is the issue, as I said earlier. A corrupted BIOS is likely the problem.

I wasn't referring to you about drinking, that was aimed at asrock. Not sure why you would think that was for you, when I said it was listed under F&Q so I know how you came up with that.


Pathetic to change the code when there is more then enough cpu codes to add to, where's the note to ignore the manual and read F&Q, why hasn't all BIOS been updated for these new codes ?

If the system was running, and all that was done was a update, there is no way this should throw a install error.


So where is the date for this update so people know when to ignore the manual and use this list against the date of a bios update ????


How come there's not three codes for the same problem ? two is not enough.

[parsec]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

I wasn't referring to you about drinking, that was aimed at asrock. Not sure why you would think that was for you, when I said it was listed under F&Q so I know how you came up with that.


Pathetic to change the code when there is more then enough cpu codes to add to, where's the note to ignore the manual and read F&Q, why hasn't all BIOS been updated for these new codes ?

If the system was running, and all that was done was a update, there is no way this should throw a install error.


So where is the date for this update so people know when to ignore the manual and use this list against the date of a bios update ????


How come there's not three codes for the same problem ? two is not enough.

Duh, sorry, I was confused about the target of your comment when I wrote that, my apologies. (as long as someone is drinking...)

I found some information that looks like AMI changed the meaning of "00" at some point. For a long time, AMI used 00 as the last POST code and handoff to the OS boot loader, but now (?) it means a CPU failure? Talk about a night and day change. My ASR Z77 Ex 4 manual lists 00 as not used.

You're right about how do we know what to use as a reference. If there is a special display (Dr Debug) for POST codes, then they really need to be accurate and consistent. Particularly if the code's meaning is changed by the board manufacture. Sloppiness like this hurts everyone, ASR too, I don't get it.

If I ran AMI, I would not allow changes to the POST codes, unless there are reasons I don't understand.

[odiebugs]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

Duh, sorry, I was confused about the target of your comment when I wrote that, my apologies. (as long as someone is drinking...)

I found some information that looks like AMI changed the meaning of "00" at some point. For a long time, AMI used 00 as the last POST code and handoff to the OS boot loader, but now (?) it means a CPU failure? Talk about a night and day change. My ASR Z77 Ex 4 manual lists 00 as not used.

You're right about how do we know what to use as a reference. If there is a special display (Dr Debug) for POST codes, then they really need to be accurate and consistent. Particularly if the code's meaning is changed by the board manufacture. Sloppiness like this hurts everyone, ASR too, I don't get it.

If I ran AMI, I would not allow changes to the POST codes, unless there are reasons I don't understand.

LOL. and a shot.

I see code 00 back to 2011 which if this is the case should have been changed in the manual.

Have seen a cpu power 4-8 pin cause this, bad PSU 8 pin, stuck quick reset button and also a OC on the CPU which doesn't make sense because she should go default after a flash.

You are so right about changing, I can see someone getting a new cpu over a wrong code or close to this.


Would be nice if he had another PSU to try, I know he was flashing, but that doesn't mean that something else did go bad at the same time, I think you would agree, it's rare, but can happen.

If he tried to DOS re-flash to 2.30, then check both the 8pin 24 pin, inspect the male an female plugs for damage, check cpu fan plug and inspect both, he might be looking like he will have to try a new chip or RMA after contacting asrock.

[Leontin]

Re: Which is the best/safest method to flash BIOS?

LOL. and a shot.

I see code 00 back to 2011 which if this is the case should have been changed in the manual.

Have seen a cpu power 4-8 pin cause this, bad PSU 8 pin, stuck quick reset button and also a OC on the CPU which doesn't make sense because she should go default after a flash.

You are so right about changing, I can see someone getting a new cpu over a wrong code or close to this.


Would be nice if he had another PSU to try, I know he was flashing, but that doesn't mean that something else did go bad at the same time, I think you would agree, it's rare, but can happen.

If he tried to DOS re-flash to 2.30, then check both the 8pin 24 pin, inspect the male an female plugs for damage, check cpu fan plug and inspect both, he might be looking like he will have to try a new chip or RMA after contacting asrock.

I don't think that the PSU caused this. I have borrowed a motherboard of a friend and with the same PSU and VGA card (except the CPU and Ram because this mobo doesn't support it) everything is working fine. when they will return me the mobo from service I'm really scared to flash again to the latest v2.40 BIOS. I'm thinking if the BIOS file from the website is corrupted itself and it will brick again the motherboard? It can be possible?