AsRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 + i5 2500k - latest BIOS?

[warning077]

What is the latest BIOS for the AsRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 + i5 2500k combo (Sandy Bridge)?
Currently I'm still at 1.30 BIOS and it's working ok.

However, in the following days I will get the MSI GTX 970 video card, and in case
I need to update the BIOS, which version should I flesh to?

I read the thread regarding updating BIOS to the newer (Ivy Bridge) versions with installed Sandy Bridge CPU,
however, I am not sure what is the official AsRock policy regarding this?

[parsec]

Re: AsRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 + i5 2500k - latest BIOS?

As you can see on your board's BIOS download page, the only BIOS versions available are Ivy Bridge support versions:

ASRock > Z68 Extreme3 Gen3

Check the dates on all the BIOS versions, all from 2012 and over two years old. Even the latest beta BIOS version is from February 2013.

A GTX 970 video card is a very new model, introduced a month or so ago in 2014. If your video card needs a BIOS update, none of the versions currently available will have any changes needed for a 900 series video card.

Even if you flashed to an Ivy Bridge compatible BIOS successfully, the chances that it would add support for your GTX 970 are zero.

If I were you I would not flash to any of the BIOS versions available, and just hope for the best with your new video card. If it does not work because of the BIOS, then you can contact ASRock and hope they will add a new BIOS version.

You might have read in forums about compatibility problems some of the new video cards, with both AMD and Nvidia GPUs, are having with even the newest mother boards, so I understand why you are worried.

[warning077]

Re: AsRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 + i5 2500k - latest BIOS?

Well I managed to install and ran the GTX 970 card with the old (1.30) BIOS. Thank you for your help.

[PowerPie5000]

Re: AsRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 + i5 2500k - latest BIOS?

I tested a friends Zotac GTX 980 on my older PC which uses a Biostar TH67XE motherboard (H67 chipset) along with an i7 3770K CPU and it worked perfectly (we suspect his PC has a failing PSU). If a GTX 980 is compatible with an old Biostar board with a 2012 BIOS, then I would have thought the GTX 900 series would be fine with your board too.

EDIT: Somehow missed your last post... Glad to hear it works ok :).