BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

[alex_noza]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

hi !
i trying to flash GA-P67A-UD7 with new BIOS, in q-flash - there is always error with reading bios image and final - invalid image error ... I have clear CMOS,but no resulst - same error, or reading image process stop for a long time ... I try to use flashspi - but when I run - I have message - "bios flash interface not supported"

can you help me ?
thank you ,,
I don't want to use @BIOS ... currently I have F3 BIOS

[folklore]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Neither did I. (Apparently no update for Q-Flash is in the works for older boards.)
But it works really well by doing the following: DL latest @BIOS and load it. Reboot go to BIOS and disable HT and restart. Next disable AV program once in Windows. DL the BIOS you want and save to folder. Start up @BIOS and select "update BIOS from a file." Sit back and pray
(just kidding!!!) Works like a charm. When new BIOS is loaded choose load fail safe defaults and enjoy!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

@BIOS will be fine to use for the initial update on P67, if you still do not trust it you can use FlashSPI from DOS.

I know you already got this sorted out, just posting that info in case anyone is concerned later on.

[lnesomdove]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide" (GA-K8NF-9 Version 1)

I have a GA-K8NF-9 Version 1 board was at F2 Bios Version. Needed to update the Bios after adding a SATA hard drive. Didn't think I wasn't supposed to use @BIOS, of course, I won't do it again.

It failed at 50 percent and when rebooted, the initial screen indicated CMOS Checksum error. It would recognize any hard drive plugged into any port, IDE or SATA or CD. I can also plug a USB jump drive into it and it will light it up. However, I can't seem to get it to recognize a floppy drive.

I have removed the battery for over an hour and I have also shunted the 2 pins for clearing the CMOS. Initially, the MOBO had 3 gig of memory, (400mhz Corsair) but that has been removed. I tried just 1 stick (512) but that didn't seem to do it. I also tried some 256 DDR just to see if that would do it....nothing.

The screen comes up after counting memory with the following (there are no hard drives or CD's currently installed):

IDE Channel 0 Master: None
IDE Channel 1 Slave: None
IDE Channel 2 Master: None
IDE Channel 3 Slave: None

Detecting IDE Drives........
Detecting IDE Drives........

CMOS checksum error, defaults loaded.
If your operation system has install on SATA HDD already.
Please CHeck SATA access mode and Hard Disk Boot Priority!

F1 to continue DEL BIOS Setup


pressing either above key the screen goes blank and nothing happens.

I do have a formatted floppy with the flash program on it from Gigabyte but it never seems to access the drive.

Any suggestions?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

You need a BIOS on that floppy, that may or may not help, but the program isn't needed unless you are trying to manually do a blind flash (Which you should try, it's outlined on page one, if you can boot to USB by entering the boot menu F12)

I see it says checksum error, defaults loaded, that looks like the BIOS is ok and you should be able to continue to the BIOS or OS. Are you using a PS/2 keyboard, if not please try now and see if you can enter the BIOS.

Since this is a single BIOS board, you don't have many options other than blind flash or getting it to auto recover from the original driver CD. Auto recover wont kick in because the error you are getting appears to say the BIOS is fine and defaults are in use, so it wouldn't be needing to recover.

[lnesomdove]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

I've got a BIOS on the floppy but it never seems to access it.

I have tried both a PS2 keyboard and a USB keyboard, it recognizes both.

I have tried a blind flash many times but once again, the floppy never seems to ever get accessed, doesn't spin, nothing.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Ahh, sorry to hear the floppy is never accessed as that is not a good sign.

I just meant try PS/2 keyboard to see if you could get anywhere with it, in case a USB one was holding you back from pressing buttons or something.

The only thing you can try before RMA is seeing if it will auto recover from the original motherboard driver CD. Connect ONLY the CD/DVD drive with the original driver CD in it to the first SATA port and or as Master IDE and start the system and let it sit for a bit, try both ways. If that does not help you'll need to RMA the board

[peterlonz]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Hello,
I am new here & new to the concept of flashing my BIOS, although my wife believes I can Flash just fine.
This guide certainly puts fear in your heart with the constant reminders for double checks etc - thanks this is clearly very sound advice.
However the guide is about 3.5 years old now & the mention of Floppy discs makes me feel as though the relevance may now be questioned.
I wonder also if better flash utilities might now be available also.
I suspect this guide needs an update & hope the author will consider this.
Thanks.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Yes, the warnings are there to make sure you read everything carefully, as it can go badly if you are not careful.

If done properly you will be fine, I flash sometimes 20+ times in a month. Floppy is still one of the best ways, due to being able to use DOS via floppy easily for many, but yes it is kind of old now.

Nothing much to update here, the updated flashing programs (Flash895) have been updated with the downloads (Now flashSPI). All methods still remain valid and DOS flashing via Floppy, USB, or CD is still best, followed by Qflash which is very simply and safe to use. Qflash can flash files from FAT32 hard drive partitions, floppy, or USB (FAT32,ect)

I can also make by request CD ISO files for users who need to flash via CD but do not know how to create their own.

Do you need help flashing, or were you just offering your general thoughts? If you need help feel free to ask!

[peterlonz]

Re: BIOS Flashing - updateing A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Thanks for the prompt response & offer of help.
Putting myself in the position of someone who may not have spent all day researching this business as I have, I think most likely I would look elsewhere believing the guide to be outdated.
I have downloaded various recommended utilities to assist, can't be sure how many I got from here, but most were 10 years plus old, & when I realised this I just dumped them.
So with references to floppies (My PC does not even have a floppy drive & I don't know anyone who has), DOS (check with GenX or Y, who uses DOS) Fat32 (all my partitions are NTFS (I thought Fat 32 was only seen on old OS's).
Then consider that Win7-64 is said to be rapidly approaching XP in installed OS's & you can see that while the methods may not have changed fundamentally, the details of presentation/implementation with todays tools must have.
Now please this is all IMHO, & I genuinely do not wish to tell you how to present material or execute BIOS updates when clearly you are an expert. I thought my view if explained a little might have some merit.
This whole subject to me seems to have been badly neglected particularly by the MoBo manufacturers who have not even bothered to make a decent Mobo & BIOS ID tool, they appear even less concerned about under-tested releases & continue to allow the flash process to be high risk when with a bit of decent engineering, it could be made robust & simple.
You have to ask why this is, & I suspect they have no interest in prolonging the productive life of their MoBos, let them not fail - just become slow & outdated as processors advance rapidly.
In my case my PC is slow to start, slow to launch programs, slow to wake, up & slow to shut down. My CPU is genrally at less than 20% & my 4 GB of RAM is generally 40%+.
When completely idle at 2 or 3% CPU my RAM is 40%. This seems whacky to me. I have never seen my CPU go over 50%.
AFAIK I don't have an identifiable problem except my PC now seems about as fast as my Pentium II was all those years ago. It aint broken so why update BIOS especially when I can't evem determine what the upgrade will achieve (what's improved stepping)?
Hope this does not sound like a mindless rant from a crazy newcomer.

My details FYI:
Purchase Date: 28/10/2009 - Custom build
CPU: Intel Core i7-860 (Quad core) 2.8 GHz
Mobo: Gigabyte: GA-P55-UD3P, Intel P55/Rev1.0, Socket 1156/PCI-E2Ox16/ATX,
4 DDR3 Dual CH/8-CH HD Audio GbE LAN/10 SATA 3Gb/s/14 USB2.0
(Serial No: 0934 4009 4265)
BIOS Version for P55 UD3P: F4i (latest available is F5 to improve stepping)
RAM: Patriot Signature 4GB 2 Channel Kit DDR3 1333 (for Intel 775 pin, Intel p55,
HD: Two x Seagate SATA 1TB - HDDSG010-ST16. (Plus 1 x 360GB ext WD HD)
Video Card: Gigabyte PCI-E 1GB 9600GT
Case: Coolmaster Centurion 05 with PSU, 2 fans, (1 x firewire connection)
OS: MS Win7-64bit, Home Premium, OEM SWMS98W7HP64
Media Player WD TV Live, P/N WDBAAPOOOONBK-01, Model WDBAAPOOOONBK-AESN
S No: WNV102706489,

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Haha, well we could fix those fears if you want? I could edit the post, then users could see it was updated in 2011 :)

DOS is suggested only because it's safe to use when BIOS flashing, and FAT/FAT32 only suggested as a backup plan when using Qflash or DOS. FAT32 hard drive simply means you use a spare because all other options are not working for you, or you create a 1GB or smaller FAT32 partition at the end of your drive simply for ease of use with Qflash (IE Don't have to get out a USB Each time to flash). So they are only options, and not dated ones, just how things work is all.

The safe and quickest way to update the BIOS is with Qflash from a FAT32 USB Stick

I do see what you mean though, and yes BIOS flashing methods could be updated a bit more, but the old tried and true methods are still valid and safe/working. Qflash is however new and safe, so this should be used above and beyond other methods, those are just there in case for various reasons Qflash is not working for you at the time. Sometimes it does not work with certain USB Sticks, sometimes Qflash is updated in a BIOS update, so a DOS flash is required, ect.

As for your system being slow to start and shut down, that sounds like it could possibly be in the actual OS/programs itself since you are using a fairly new BIOS. P55 starts BLAZING Fast here for me, 10x faster than X58, so I see no reason why your P55 should be slow to start at all, unless you are talking about the speeds once the OS starts loading.

No worries man, I don't see your thoughts as a rant at all! Post back anytime and we can chat all you like.

[PeteT1]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Thanks for all the great advice. I think I have followed everything as described but cannot find the error message as described here.

I am installing FF10 BIOS to solve problem with Kingston SSD. I have created a boot flash drive and have loaded files. When boot starts and the command "FLASHSPI /Z AUD3RFF.10" runs in autoexec.bat, I get a message which states "No BIOS File Specified" then a list of options (/C,/D,/E,/R,/S). I have also booted with canned autoexec file removed and manually typed in the command above with the same result.

Thoughts?

Thanks again.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Give me your batch file (IE upload and then post URL here, or attach if you can?), then show me an image of your bootable USB Folder so I can see the exact BIOS file name.

Sounds like maybe the batch file needs edited to the correct BIOS file name?

What board do you have, and please link the BIOS download you used as well so I can check it out if needed. Did you try Qflash instead via USB, or is this one of the BIOSes that you need to flash via DOS or @BIOS?

[PeteT1]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

Give me your batch file (IE upload and then post URL here, or attach if you can?),

>>> Simply said, the Autoexec.bat is one line: "flashspi /Z AUD3RFF.10"


then show me an image of your bootable USB Folder so I can see the exact BIOS file name.

>>>Directory contents:
04/06/2011 09:26 AM DIR .
04/06/2011 09:26 AM DIR ..
03/07/2011 03:27 AM 2,097,152 AUD3RFF.10
03/25/2011 12:44 AM 22 autoexec.bat
02/23/2011 04:18 AM 35,650 FLASHSPI.EXE
3 File(s) 2,132,824 bytes


Sounds like maybe the batch file needs edited to the correct BIOS file name?


>>I would agree, but as you can see they seem to be in sync. Just in case, I manually executed the command but had the same result.


What board do you have, and please link the BIOS download you used as well so I can check it out if needed.
>>>I have the GA-X58A-UD3R (rev. 2.0), which I updated from here:

GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1366 - GA-X58A-UD3R (rev. 2.0)


Did you try Qflash instead via USB, or is this one of the BIOSes that you need to flash via DOS or @BIOS?

>>> I tried Qflash first but got a file size error. Further research showed that I would need to do via DOS and FLASHSPI, or @BIOS as recommended by Gigabyte, but I am avoiding the latter given all the warnings everywhere. Don't know if @BIOS has settled down to be a workable solution or not, but am all ears at this point.

Am on my second SSD trying to get this working, though my original OCZ 64g worked. Kingston said send back their drive after even a simple install of W7 would not work (vs. using their cloning tool). In that long iterative process with Kingston I followed their instructions to have SSD connected to first SATA port, set boot order for it to be first, etc. Now it seems the MOBO is the suspect, and these later BIOS versions are supposed to improve compatibility.

Again I thank you for both your timely reply and the thoroughness you exhibit here, for all and for many years!

Pete

[stasio]

Re: BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

PeteT1,
use latest @BIOS and latest beta BIOS FG1,flash in the Windows.