BIOS Flashing - A "How To ~ Qflash Guide"

[seeker783]

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

Hi, I used Easytune to overclock my system using its preset settings, recently I turned them back to default and when I rebooted i got the error "Scanning hard drive for BIOS".
Ive treid clearing my CMOS and also tried multiple times to flash using a flash drive, firt I downloaded a BIOS from Gigabyte then I used the one on my CD. The problem Im getting is that my system doesnt even seem to recognise the Flash drive even with all other drives unplugged. Im not sure but I think I have these options...

1.format and partition a hard drive and manually install the BIOS somehow.
2.I read that someone else had this problem and plugged in a SATA cd drive, his system then detected the flash drive.
3.new BIOS chip or even MB.

Do you have any thoughts on whether these may work or have any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Ive read through this thread and think big thanks are in order for the time and effort you've put in here.

ps. nearly forgot. my MB is a EX58-UDR3 revision 1.6 and the BIOS file on my CD is f6.

[Lsdmeasap]

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

Yes, flashSPI is the new DOS flashing program.

F7c is the old UD7 Beta. If you want the latest it is located here (F7e)

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/gigabyte-latest-bios-28441/

If you are flashing with Qflash, which I suggest, nothing else is needed only the BIOS file itself.

Use Qflash instead of DOS, it is much easier to use

[crazybear]

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

4. Then browse for the extracted boot files (now in the folder on your desktop from above extraction) and press start to begin formating it.

5. Once the device is done, download the BIOS file from the Gigabyte website for your board model and revision as well as the DOS based BIOS flashing tool which is included inside downloaded BIOS .exe files from Gigabyte.

6. You will need Winrar to extract these files from the downloaded .exe file. Download Winrar Trial from the below link (Scroll down to Winrar 3.71 and download)
WinRAR archiver, a powerful tool to process RAR and ZIP files

7. Install Winrar and right click the BIOS.exe file and choose extract "here". Three files will be extracted, Autoexec.bat, Flash895.exe, and a .Fxx Bios File. You will need the Flash895.exe and the BIOS.Fxx File only

8. Place Flash895.exe and the BIOS .Fxx file onto the USB stick

9. Plug in your USB drive and reboot to enter bios.



Sorry, first time ever flashing a bios and both a bit afraid and confused by some of the above. The downloaded Dos files contain MANY files and none of the ones you mention. Second, I'm not sure when they and the bios should be put into the USB flash device, nor in what order. Third, why would the bios for the UD7 v F6 adn F7c both be the same size? Is F7c OK and stable? Four, please clarify these two points, which given the above, I don't understand:

Three files will be extracted, Autoexec.bat, Flash895.exe, and a .Fxx Bios File. You will need the Flash895.exe and the BIOS.Fxx File only
8. Place Flash895.exe and the BIOS .Fxx file onto the USB stick

As I understand it any minor mistake can cost me a months wages here. So, 1] correct me if wrong, but Flash895.exe has been replaced by Flashspi.exe. yes or no? 2] where do I find the F7c?! 3]what other files should be on the usb flash device? 4] should autoexec.bat be? Should IO.sys and MSDOS.sys? Should Command.com? 5] Despite setting the boot device to a usb flash device, it was not recognized and [?] what was, was called a 'disk' with two files - none of them relevant...I felt afraid, and happy to be able to 'get out' and re-boot into my old system!

[Lsdmeasap]

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

OK, sorry for any confusion.

The file you downloaded, extract the files to a folder or your desktop. To flash with Qflash all you need on your USB Stick is the actual BIOS file, the .F10 file for example (Replace .F10 with your actual BIOS file name .Fxx) That is all you need, the one BIOS file.

BIOS files are always the same size, 1MB or 2MB. F7c is fine to use, but it is not the latest anymore, the latest is F7e.

If you want to flash from DOS you will need to create a bootable USB Stick, which is more involved, so you may just want to do as mentioned above and use Qflash.

[crazybear]

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

4. Then browse for the extracted boot files (now in the folder on your desktop from above extraction) and press start to begin formating it.

5. Once the device is done, download the BIOS file from the Gigabyte website for your board model and revision as well as the DOS based BIOS flashing tool which is included inside downloaded BIOS .exe files from Gigabyte.

6. You will need Winrar to extract these files from the downloaded .exe file. Download Winrar Trial from the below link (Scroll down to Winrar 3.71 and download)
WinRAR archiver, a powerful tool to process RAR and ZIP files

7. Install Winrar and right click the BIOS.exe file and choose extract "here". Three files will be extracted, Autoexec.bat, Flash895.exe, and a .Fxx Bios File. You will need the Flash895.exe and the BIOS.Fxx File only

8. Place Flash895.exe and the BIOS .Fxx file onto the USB stick

9. Plug in your USB drive and reboot to enter bios.



Sorry, first time ever flashing a bios and both a bit afraid and confused by some of the above. The downloaded Dos files contain MANY files and none of the ones you mention. Second, I'm not sure when they and the bios should be put into the USB flash device, nor in what order. Third, why would the bios for the UD7 v F6 adn F7c both be the same size? Is F7c OK and stable? Four, please clarify these two points, which given the above, I don't understand:

Three files will be extracted, Autoexec.bat, Flash895.exe, and a .Fxx Bios File. You will need the Flash895.exe and the BIOS.Fxx File only
8. Place Flash895.exe and the BIOS .Fxx file onto the USB stick

[Lsdmeasap]

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

Yes, I advise the same. Clear your CMOS for a longer period of time, method suggested is in post #2 of this thread.

Hope that helps, if not let us know.

[Chike]

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

I had take the battery out, 15 mins ago. I will wait 2 hours for re-try.

A jumper in CLR_CMOS if you have one may help too. You can use a jumper from an old IDE CDROM or hard drive. See the manual for the location of CLR_CMOS pins for your board.

Just a long 6-8 hours clear, you can leave it for the night.

[OmarD]

[Chike]

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

You need to get in BIOS 1st in order to flash.
Try clearing the CMOS with a jumper on CLR_CMOS and the battery out for 30 minutes, after you unpluged the power of course.
If this does not solve the problem try an overnight clear.

[OmarD]

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

Hi, great work in this thread.
I think I'm in big trouble now.
I have a Board GA-EP35-DS3L, Intel E8400, 8GB DDR, Rosewill 600W. Yesterday night I returned to my house, I found the computer without internet connection (Windows 7 Ultimate). When I gave him repair the nets, in the middle of the process a error window appeared blue and computer turns off.
It Just turn on automatic and it started with a Rescue of the bios mess (black background).
Then simply turn off .
Since that moment the computer do not post, just try for start 10 seconds and shuts off, wait 10 seconds and try again and so it goes. He does it every time until you turn off the Power.
Could be Qflash resolve it ? it dont post now
I replace the battery

thanks x help

[Lsdmeasap]

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

Glad to hear you got it flashed!

So are you sure you have all settings correct? USB Storage enabled, USB 1/2 enabled and you leave the USB drive installed when you reboot to Qflash?

I have a few that are ok to boot from, but wont work with Qflash. Some just wont, smaller ones tend to work much easier like 256MB or 512MB, larger ones such as 2GB + seem to be hit or miss.

[minsik]

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

Some USB wont work, how large is the one you are trying to use? Did you try to format it again to FAT32? If not try that, or try a smaller one.

If you don't have any luck, you could make a small 512MB partition FAT32 on your external that you used before, since you know it works.

If you need help doing that let us know

Very much appreciated the help you give. thanks from me personally.
I did try using a verbatim traveledge stick that has booted freenas and other o/s quite ok on many machines. also another usb stick thats used likewise but no joy in this ga-p55-ud3 MB at all. So yes i did a format of another sata spare drive lying around and did it that way. Just a little frustrating that modern features like MB recognising the usb stick for files is a dud (for me anyway)
again thank you for the hard working team and the cooperative people like yourself will ng to help. pehaps with versin 7a i will retry the reading and see if it works on that version.

[Lsdmeasap]

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

Some USB wont work, how large is the one you are trying to use? Did you try to format it again to FAT32? If not try that, or try a smaller one.

If you don't have any luck, you could make a small 512MB partition FAT32 on your external that you used before, since you know it works.

If you need help doing that let us know

[Chike]

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

I format my usb flash thumbdrive as fat, then load the bin file onto it. but after reboot cannot recognize the drive? any clues?

Is USB Storage Function in Integrated Peripherals enabled?

[minsik]

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

I format my usb flash thumbdrive as fat, then load the bin file onto it. but after reboot cannot recognize the drive? any clues?

The only way last time was to update in bios qflash is with an external flsah drive that i formatted to fat but since then it is formatted back to ntfs and is nearly full.

thanks