Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

[Incriminated]

Hello Guys,

im having the ASRock Z97 Extreme 9 and the Samsung XP941 (512GB) M.2-Ultra-SSD.
Updating from 1.14 to 1.30 was no problem via instant flash.

It previously installed an EFI-partition on the GPT-formated XP941 (Windows Boot Manager) during UEFI-setup (Windows 7) in the only doable state:
- set Storage OpROM CSM to UEFI only
- boot option "UEFI FAT usb-stickname"

The WIndows Boot Manager was still recognized by 1.30 and i was able to boot........
But i had to install Windows from scratch because of a corrupt installation of different reason.

Here comes the problem:

1.30 does no more show up boot option "UEFI FAT" of any USB-Stick or CD..... no matter what combination of CSM you try. I also tried disabling the USB(3) legacy mode and tried UEFI only for USB too and various SATA-modes..... but no way.

I spend the hole night to figure out that its just because of a bad BIOS not beeing able to detect UEFI-bootable devices at all!

Sticks and optical-discs will only show up as AHCI Fat ...

SO heres what I did to get it back working:
- re-flashed 1.14 via instant-flash, UEFI FAT option immediately appeared in boot-selection.
- install windows 7
- flash 1.30

THX ASROCK FOR A MARVELLOUS UPDATE!

P.S. I reported this directly via UEFI-online support-mail, hope to see a fix soon. Please any user... report this too, because this 1.30-uefi-storage-oprom-bug makes the XP941 un-installable.

[parsec]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Hello Guys,

im having the ASRock Z97 Extreme 9 and the Samsung XP941 (512GB) M.2-Ultra-SSD.
Updating from 1.14 to 1.30 was no problem via instant flash.

It previously installed an EFI-partition on the GPT-formated XP941 (Windows Boot Manager) during UEFI-setup (Windows 7) in the only doable state:
- set Storage OpROM CSM to UEFI only
- boot option "UEFI FAT usb-stickname"

The WIndows Boot Manager was still recognized by 1.30 and i was able to boot........
But i had to install Windows from scratch because of a corrupt installation of different reason.

Here comes the problem:

1.30 does no more show up boot option "UEFI FAT" of any USB-Stick or CD..... no matter what combination of CSM you try. I also tried disabling the USB(3) legacy mode and tried UEFI only for USB too and various SATA-modes..... but no way.

I spend the hole night to figure out that its just because of a bad BIOS not beeing able to detect UEFI-bootable devices at all!

Sticks and optical-discs will only show up as AHCI Fat ...

SO heres what I did to get it back working:
- re-flashed 1.14 via instant-flash, UEFI FAT option immediately appeared in boot-selection.
- install windows 7
- flash 1.30

THX ASROCK FOR A MARVELLOUS UPDATE!

P.S. I reported this directly via UEFI-online support-mail, hope to see a fix soon. Please any user... report this too, because this 1.30-uefi-storage-oprom-bug makes the XP941 un-installable.

Thanks for posting this, ASRock normally has had the UEFI storage option ROM correct as far back as their Z77 boards. Which is more than can be said about some other mother board manufactures.

What I don't quite understand is the fix you posted. Or I should say I understand what you described, including flashing to 1.30 afterwards, but one thing bothers me.

After you installed Win 7 again on the XP941, getting the UEFI OROM to be used by using the CSM - UEFI Only Storage OROM option, you then no longer need to set that option in order for the PC/XP941 to boot? Obviously (apparently?) that it true, as you said you just needed UEFI bootable devices recognized for the Win 7 installation. But something about that does not seem right, or I don't understand how the XP941 uses the UEFI storage OROM, which it must do in order to boot.

My ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 board had a similar UEFI update recently, 1.60, with the same description as your board's 1.30. The 1.60 UEFI did not corrupt a Win 8.1 UEFI booting installation on a SATA III SSD, but I haven't checked if a UEFI bootable USB flash drive is still recognized. I wonder if the UEFI OROM issue you had is related to the Add NVME support part of the UEFI update on both of our boards?

I just noticed that the Z97 Extreme 6 board has a new UEFI version, 1.70, that has Adjust AHCI MMIO setting in the description. Is that related to your board's situation? I wonder...

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

I only can boot a UEFI-valid setup of WIndows 7 when explicetely picking "UEFI FAT stick"... because "AHCI FAT stick" will boot the setup but NOT let me install Windows 7 on the GPT formatted XP941 (MBR doesnt work at all)..... you simply need a UEFI-ready boot from stick or CD to make Windows 7 able to handle GPT-disks, thats why i set the OpROM for storage to UEFI-only. I didnt do that before and change after to legacy... The storage oprom is always UEFI only because Legacy doesnt allow installing on GPT.

But tested all kinds oof combinations.

The point was that it is unable to boot from anything that is named "UEFI" from the boot-option-selection.
When a UEFI-boot-loader is already present (EFI-Partition created by Win7-setup) it is no problem to boot with 1.30.

So the workaround to install a XP941 on 1.30 is simply to flash older BIOS first, then install windows 7, then flash new BIOS again.
I dont understand what bothers you.... that i didnt change back storage oprom to legacy?? Why? I just installed a EFI-Boot-Loader .....

No the XP941 must not have the storage oprom set to UEFI only... it doesnt matter at all.... at least not for windows 7. This is not Windows 8.1. Thats why it installs an EFI-boot-manager partition on the disk xD
Let me make it clear: All you need to do is start Windows-7-setup in UEFI mode to be able to handle and properly initialize/format the GPT-disk.... thats why you have to set oprrom storage to UEFI only... not to boot a legacy OS that created EFI-compatible boot-partition.

Anyway... it is only about booting a UEFI mode into a setup. If i missed a point... a combination i could set CSM and USB3 up to make it booot UEFI FAT please let me know.

Until then i continue using 1.30 and flashing 1.14 if i have to format the M.2-Ultra..... its horrific its that complicated at all...withoput even having to flash and old bios.

P.S: Funny thing the only "thing" that shows up "UEFI" in boot-selection is my BD-ROM but only when the original ASRock CD is inserted. xD

[ASRock TSD-Eddy]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Dear Incriminated

After update BIOS to 1.30 and set CSM to UEFI-only, we still can see USB device and CD ROM at boot up device.
We provide some suggestion for user to verify:
(1)Please update BIOS to 1.14 or 1.10 to verify if this issue is exactly related to BIOS P1.30.
(2)Please change other boot up device for try.
(3)Load BIOS default and save the setting, then press F11 to install OS at UEFI mode.
If the symptom still remains please provide us more information and take some picture about BIOS setting for verify.

Thanks.

Best wishes,
ASRock TSD
Eddy.

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

You didnt listen properly, or are talented into ignoring the problem.

I still can see USB-sticks and CDs as boot devices too... but as AHCI.
Installing onto an M.2-Ultra requires a GPT-disk, which requires UEFI booot, not AHCI.

Booting in UEFI-setup mode cannot work when picking AHCI.

So support, if you flash back 1.14 you will see that your BIOS is capable of quite a lot more boot-optioons... the UEFI ones.

These are missing on 1.30.

I cannot choose UEFI modes after pressing F11, because they dont exist. only AHCI P0,P1 etc.

WHat you say to that? Because it still only shows me the AHCI-devices.
Do you see UEFI!!!!!!!-boot devices???

(1) Yes when i flash back 1.14 the UEFI-devices list appear, its exactly related to BIOS P1.30 i already said that.
(2) what doo you mean? i checked various windows-7-bootable-setup-devices with \efi\boot\bootx64.efi present. working with 1.14... noot showing up 1.30, only AHCI, but this DOES NOT WORK for the XP941... you cant install Win/ that way.
(3) same here no UEFI devices in list after pressing F11..... only AHCI

UEFI-only, we still can see USB device and CD ROM at boot up device.

I dont believe you really tried a similar setup. Go for it, but make sure you install an M.2-Ultra before ;9
And thats a cool thing to verify UEFI-Win7-Setup... because it only would work that way.
Honestly i dont believe that you even kknow to differ AHCI- from UEFI-boot-devices..

So get this board, install an M.2-Ultra and tell me you can boot into UEFI Fat installing Windows on that disk... can you? with 1.30?

Why cannot I xD

Take pictures of yourself. Go and check it out for real.... because you didnt verified anything, stop asking things that i clearly stated all they way down. Either you care of this or you dont.... because i dont care to support YOUR work.

Next thing you want me to do is maybe to reset my CMOS after flash.... but thats standard xD

Installing 7 on M.2-Ultra XP941 actually is broke on 1.30 for me. Would be strange if my BOARD only would be broke with 1.30.....and it solely may work good with 1.14. Sure :p. Whatever you say. Over and out.

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

My ASRock Z97 Extreme 6 board had a similar UEFI update recently, 1.60, with the same description as your board's 1.30. The 1.60 UEFI did not corrupt a Win 8.1 UEFI booting installation on a SATA III SSD, but I haven't checked if a UEFI bootable USB flash drive is still recognized. I wonder if the UEFI OROM issue you had is related to the Add NVME support part of the UEFI update on both of our boards?

I just noticed that the Z97 Extreme 6 board has a new UEFI version, 1.70, that has Adjust AHCI MMIO setting in the description. Is that related to your board's situation? I wonder...

Well remember the changelog you are reffering to is FAR FAR away from complete.... more to say that that three changes are only the highlights of a quite larger array of change subsets.

Sadly ASRock doesnt provide detailed changelogs like many other ... I always like them to verify bugs and bugfixes and to really find out if a bios update is neccesarry. Nowadays a bios-update is always like "it *might* help, but it likely not but break other things" ;p

As far as I know NVME is only the interface-standard to access non-volatile-memory on the M.2-ports. The other devices are maintained through SATA or USB controllers.

The problem I have is not directly regarding the M.2-Ultra,... but that i need my Windows-7-setup-device to show up as UEFI .... so that i can install Windows 7 in a UEFI-compatible way.

I do think that the way Windows-7 enhances UEFI-compatibility (with the Windows Boot Manager-EFI-Partition) is different from Windows 8 UEFI, but im not for sure.

They root of the problem maybe a series of changes to the boot-option rom from USB.... because no matter if I try USB or USB3 or both in legacy only or in UEFI-only... with 1.30 they dont work as UEFI...... only AHCI. Tried also the compatibility patch in all combination of the before.... no help.

P.S.: UEFI Windows-7 CD was never working, not even 1.10 or 1.14 ... only the ASROCK CD shows up UEFI even with 1.30 :p ... to bad it cannot boot anything xD.

If somebody can explain the difference for Intel USB3: Smart Auto / Auto / Enabled / Disabled.... im only 100% sure about the least... no information in the help or the manual. But i dont think this would help me, since i tried my USB-Sticks also on USB2 ports... still not showing up as UEFI..... oh i got it its XHCI... and regarding USB3 downgrade before boot, ok, so Auto or Smart Auto should show up UEFI... but the dont, not even when set to UEFI-only, not even in the USB2 ports. 1.14 works out of the box with defaults.

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Pictures say more than thousands of words, youre right.



1.14.

this out of the box... default CSM is all set to legacy. and sata is on ahci thats why the raid-disks show up.

Dear support...... i just want one single of the "UEFI options" on this screenshot be available on 1.30 but im UNABLE to reproduce this, what is 1.14 does in bios-defaults....... ;)

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot



1.30 sry for quality. But you can see UEFI options are missing :(

the raid disks are missing because i loaded my defaults with set to RAID and CSM to UEFI-only.... but anyway AHCI and legacy CSM doesnt make it work either... no UEFI boot options with 1.30.

I dont want to boot the (xHCI) USB-Sticks... i want to boot the UEFI Fat Sticks!!!!

PS yeah its pivot surround ... sucks for bios-setup.. arrr my neck :D

[parsec]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Incriminated, I completely understand what you are talking about. The XP941 must have a GPT partition in order for it to boot an OS, as you said. I'm not saying the problem is related to the XP941, it's only the requirements of the XP941 that cause the need for the UEFI entry of your USB Windows 7 installation in the boot order.

Windows 7 and 8 are different in their UEFI compatibility, but that should not make any difference in the appearance of the UEFI boot type for USB flash drives.

Any USB flash drive even if it is empty should be listed in the boot order with a UEFI option. Here is an example of that, with two USB flash drives in the PC, one bootable, the other not bootable. CSM is enabled, Z87OCF board, UEFI version 2.10:



The Partiot USB flash drive is only UEFI bootable, so we see two UEFI entries. The Verbatim USB flash drive contains pictures. We can also see the legacy and UEFI booting options of the OS drive (SanDisk) in this PC, which has a Win 8.1 UEFI booting installation. MS includes a MBR partition on UEFI/GPT OS installations, and the OS installation can be booted both ways. That is not the same configuration as your XP941 Win 7 installation. I set CSM to enabled for the picture, which I normally have disabled for UEFI booting.

NOTE: If you put a USB flash drive in a USB 2.0 port on the IO panel, when in the UEFI, pressing the F12 key will save a screen shot of the current page display on the USB flash drive. That's how I captured that image.

IMO, you have demonstrated that the 1.30 BIOS does not show the UEFI option in the boot order list. I use UEFI booting installations on all my PCs, so I am familiar with what you are talking about, although our situations in the end are not the same. That does not matter, it's the inclusion of the UEFI boot option in the boot order list that does.

Most people are not aware of the UEFI booting option or don't care about it, and add to that the rarity of XP941 use, plus this one BIOS/UEFI update on your new model board, means that you are likely the first one to notice this. I get the feeling that ASRock does not understand your point, which is true IMO unless you somehow have a corrupted installation of the 1.30 UEFI. I doubt that you do.

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Yeah, now we two are synced in opinion.

Im absolutely sure it's not because of a corrupt flash of 1.30 itself or the download of it, and if that would be a funny curroptioon.
Since i download it again and flashed it again to take the screenshots... means its reproducable and the root-problem is in the original-file..

My intention was basically to warn other users not to spend "days" with trying to install the XP941 with 1.30 too, since it wont work.

Arrogant, ignorant support-technicians that want you and your problem get lost, but not soluted, and/or have no idea of what they talking about is sadly the standard at any company... at least in first level. None is better. Last monthes i was fighting with MSI, Gigabyte and Nvidia. No matter which product you buy nowadays, if you closely have a look, or want to try out all the appraised stuff like M.2-Ultra, G-Sync, Surround... ALL SUCK CRAP!

All supports do too.

I sometimes feel like everything comes with no warranty of function at all.

Like:
Customer: "It's not working"
Service: "Pity for you, we cannot help you, because we dont have a clue either!

Regarding the matter: All have been said. Its up to ASRock to verify and to fix it. I think they should, because M.2-Ultra is a key-feature.
But chances are high at least my claim getting ignored for a couple of month until enough other users filed a report too.


Funny i wait for nvidia to fix the driver detect surround when one of them is G-Sync, also i wait for them to fix my dedicated PhysX in part with SLI and G-Sync... all broke together, or pain in the ar*e somewhat.
I wait for MSI to provide a BIOS for my old Z97 Gaming 7 to make it allow target fans (especially NOT the CPU-fans) to NOT target the CPU but the MB_Sensor... broke. No fixes over moonthes, pretty annoying, then got the ASRock.
Waiting for Gigabyte to provide a VBIOS for a total crappy unstable 780TI GHZ... but them support told me: "We dont provide such for customers"

Just the last sentence.. i know Gigabyte has a special VBIOS-tool :D :D so that technician either told me BS or gigabyte switched policy to somewhat BS... no matter if a 800 dollar card (or even two of them) doesnt function. Truth is only 2/10 of the card do the clocks they have been flashed with...

Im fed up... i wait until the warranty from my salesman going to run out.... then i send him both cards. Maybe turns out going to be an "upgrade" until then lower clocks. :D

Its just any thing new update suppused to fx a bug turns out to not fix anything but brake something else too driving me nuts... i cant take this crapt anymore. Paid hell of money and the hoole system of expensive actual hardware AT ALL is just not half the way warking as it supposed to be,, including not beeing able to install WIndows 7 on the supposed drive without even flashing an oold BIOS... i mean What THE Fraaaack!

[ASRock TSD-Eddy]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Dear Incriminated,

We have tried to do the test through update BIOS from P1.14 to P1.30 then use below system configuration and BIOS settings.
CPU:i5-4460s
USB:Trandscend 8G,
Memory:G.Skill DDR3-1600 4GB
BIOS:P1.30
M.2:Samsung XP941

Install Samsung XP941 with GPT mode and set BIOS option of CSM storage OpROM UEFI only as you mentioned.
With BIOS P1.30, system still can show "UEFI: USB devices" in boot menu, please refer below picture.


For this issue, our BIOS RD also tried to modify some setting and then release a testing BIOS P1.30A for you.
Please download the BIOS from below link:

http://download.asrock.com/tsd/Z97%20Extreme9(1.30A).7z

If symptom still remains please do below verification and provide some information to us:
(1)Remove all SATA device and M.2 card from this board then check the boot menu to verify if this issue maybe related to SATA device.
(2)Only plug one USB to check boot menu again.
(3)Provide us your whole system configuration and BIOS settings for further check.


Thanks.

Best wishes,
ASRock TSD
Eddy.

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Dear Incriminated,

We have tried to do the test through update BIOS from P1.14 to P1.30 then use below system configuration and BIOS settings.
CPU:i5-4460s
USB:Trandscend 8G,
Memory:G.Skill DDR3-1600 4GB
BIOS:P1.30
M.2:Samsung XP941

Install Samsung XP941 with GPT mode and set BIOS option of CSM storage OpROM UEFI only as you mentioned.
With BIOS P1.30, system still can show "UEFI: USB devices" in boot menu, please refer below picture.
[ATTACH]7476[/ATTACH]

For this issue, our BIOS RD also tried to modify some setting and then release a testing BIOS P1.30A for you.
Please download the BIOS from below link:

http://download.asrock.com/tsd/Z97%20Extreme9(1.30A).7z

If symptom still remains please do below verification and provide some information to us:
(1)Remove all SATA device and M.2 card from this board then check the boot menu to verify if this issue maybe related to SATA device.
(2)Only plug one USB to check boot menu again.
(3)Provide us your whole system configuration and BIOS settings for further check.


Thanks.

Best wishes,
ASRock TSD
Eddy.

So Im diggin my thread out because after one year reaching 1.90 it still is not fixed.

I need to clean install my system... so here I go. I tried all kinds of UEFI-only/Legacy-combinations that USB and CSM offer... does not work.

Just to note:

1. I created clean ISO from my orig Win7Ultimate SP1 and created a twice UEFI-ready USB-Sticks with Rufus that has been verified to work on a secondary computer with an MSI board flawlelly in UEFI-mode.

2. Rebooted into BIOS set Boot>CSM: Disabled and Advanced>USB>UEFI Only.

3. I powered off, unplugged ALL unneccesary SATA and USB-devices except the one UEFI-USB-Stick in an USB port on the rear + my old PS2-keyboard.

4. Powered on pressing F11. Dadum... only "Windows Boot Manager" shows up.

5. Into setup, press F9 to load the defaults..... checked options: CSM Enabled all legacy only, USB set legacy enabled too <---- why you suggest me that?



Just a little not: Doesn't mean having enabled CSM and/or USB in legacy enabled mode will NOT allow boot into UEFI-mode? Im totally curious about your screenshot.


I prepare myself now to downgrade from 1.90 to 1.14...... luckily theres safety BIOS switch.

PLEASE HELP.

Whats wrong?

[Incriminated]

Re: Attention: Z97 Extreme 9 Update 1.30 broke UEFI-boot

Im back... and the problem seems to be on the fault of the limitations UEFI USB-madness.

When I rebooted with the WIndows CD.... at least that one showed me available for UEFI... ya, what indeed baffled me because i thought it was impossible to use the CD for UEFI-mode at all.

Seems there is problem with +32GB USB-Sticks.

Anyways.... I create a new USB-stick-partition-table by hand with diskparted and stick to the fine manual... See you later.