Problems after update BIOS in Asrock p67 Extreme 6 and Asrock h61iCafe. INTEL ME FIRMWARE

[rul3s]

Hi!


I've made the same mistake in both computers I've got in home, I've updated it's bios with latest one uploaded on website and those BIOS are for 3rd Generation and I've got 2nd Generation, my specs are this:

Asrock P67 Extreme 6 + i5 2500K
Asrock H61iCafe + i3 2120

Both, after update, i've experimented some extrange behaviour:
- P67 sometimes stucks on boot, have to powerdown and start again.
- H61 integrated GPU dissapear from UEFI settings and its not working anymore.

I've made some research on the internet and more people with 2nd Gen of intel CPU with newer bios that supports 3rd gen are having some problems, because intel ME firmware update does some extrange things with older CPU's.

I cannot flash older BIOS, well, yes I can, but Intel ME firmware will not downgrade and more bugs are expected, so... what can I do? I'm thinking about two posibilities:
- Requesting 2 new BIOS chips with older versions and change them. Will work?
- In another post from whis forum, a mate is talking about how to change Intel ME firmware, is this aplicable for my situation?

Thanks you all mates, I'm very angry with this.

[parsec]

Re: Problems after update BIOS in Asrock p67 Extreme 6 and Asrock h61iCafe. INTEL ME FIRMWARE

My sticky thread on this topic explains it all in exquisite detail:

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/5...er-boards.html

Yes, the instructions and warnings that should be posted with these special BIOS updates are not to be found. Such as (all examples use BIOS versions ONLY for the OP's board):

We CANNOT skip the special Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge BIOS update, it must be applied before ANY later BIOS updates can be used. For example, beta BIOS 2.19, dated 5/27/2013 is a later version than BIOS 2.10, dated 5/23/2012.

The Intel ME firmware update that is ONLY a part of the special Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge BIOS 2.10 update happens after the main BIOS update is completed, during the restart and boot into Windows. If the USB flash drive is removed before Windows completely boots, the Intel ME firmware update will fail.

The Intel ME firmware update is the critical part of this special update.

If this special BIOS update completes, the Intel ME software must be updated as described on the BIOS download page. If you use the Intel graphics, the graphics driver may need updating, but that may be only to accommodate the new/different graphics core used on Ivy Bridge processors.

The only true fix for this when the update is not done correctly is a replacement BIOS chip with a pre-SB to IVB BIOS version on it. The IME firmware update you mentioned most likely will not work on ASRock boards, since the IME firmware is locked in the ASRock BIOS/UEFI, most likely as Intel asks them to do. IME firmware updates can be done in BIOS updates when the firmware has a good reason to be updated.

[rul3s]

Re: Problems after update BIOS in Asrock p67 Extreme 6 and Asrock h61iCafe. INTEL ME FIRMWARE

So the problem its not updating to those BIOS, but yes not updating them correctly and let the system update ME firmware after a reboot. I understood it correctly?

By the way, the other thread is about if Intel ME firmware did not update correctly to do it by another way?

Thanks!

[parsec]

Re: Problems after update BIOS in Asrock p67 Extreme 6 and Asrock h61iCafe. INTEL ME FIRMWARE

So the problem its not updating to those BIOS, but yes not updating them correctly and let the system update ME firmware after a reboot. I understood it correctly?

Yes that is right. You can use the Ivy Bridge compatible BIOS with a Sandy Bridge CPU, as long as the ME firmware update is done correctly.

By the way, the other thread is about if Intel ME firmware did not update correctly to do it by another way?

Thanks!

I'm not sure what you mean by this. If you mean the thread that you posted the link to about ME firmware updates, that is just a thread about how it is possible on some boards to update the ME firmware. That process is very difficult to do, you must use a modified BIOS file, and I said ASRock boards do not let you update the ME firmware by that method.

Replacing the BIOS chips with the new firmware version already in the BIOS is the only way to fix your boards.