Determining BIOS version used during boot

[grn]

In the process of trying to resolve my problem with my GTX 670, I flashed my BIOS to version FH (latest version). The flash seemed to be OK but my backup BIOS is at version FB (version that my main BIOS was at). Now Gigabyte are asking me to get both main and backup BIOS at the same level to see if this resolves the problem. I can't see how this can make any difference at all. Either my main BIOS is OK and the system is booting through this or my main BIOS is faulty (because the flash didn't work properly although it appeared to be good) and boot is using the backup BIOS so flashing this to my main BIOS will leave me with a dead motherboard if I understand the update process involves copying main BIOS to backup BIOS. If the main BIOS is OK, then having the backup BIOS at the same version will make no difference.

So the question is, is there some way I can identify whether the system is booting using the main BIOS or the backup BIOS?

Thanks,

George

[wazza300]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

its supposed to help with stability ect

idk how you tell whether your running on main or back up bios

but to flash both chips with the same bios version you need to press repeatedly and fast alt and f12 at the splash screen

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

its supposed to help with stability ect

yeah a dead motherboard would be perfectly stable ... just joking and no offence intended. I appreciate all the help I get from people - the dead motherboard scenario would be very expensive for me. Not many socket 1336 motherboards out there, so a new mobo and CPU possibly memory as well.

I can appreciate that it may help with stability although I'm not sure how the backup BIOS can have any impact on stability. The BIOS version is just code and if its not executing it can't affect stability. That said, I'm happy to flash the backup to the same version as the main BIOS if I can convince myself that the main BIOS is good I just don't want to do it though if the main BIOS is faulty.

I was hoping there may be a way to determine what BIOS was used during boot or a tool that can verify my main BIOS is good. To be honest, I doubt if it will make any difference.

Of course it may be that if the system is booting from the backup BIOS then Alt-F12 may not work - would be a cute trick if it did, having itself overwrite the code it was executing but I'm not prepared to take that chance.

George

[profJim]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

If your system is posting, the bios version should be displayed in the upper left corner of the first post screen.
If the GB logo is displayed, quickly press the TAB key to see the post screen.
If you enter the QFlash screen, it might tell you which bios it is booting from.
My N650SLI-DS4 allows me to choose which bios to boot from and tells me which bios, main or backup, is being used.

The attached picture is an example from a P67A-UD5 using the F3 bios:

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

Just shows what happens to your brain when you get too close to a problem. Never even thought about looking at the post screen, nor did Gigabyte technical support!!

Thanks,

George

[profJim]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

You're welcome.
I forgot to add that for some strange reason, some mobo models are more stable when the main and backup bios versions are the same.

There's are trick where you can force your motherboard to boot one time from the backup bios.
There is some risk involved because if you connect the wrong connector pins on the main bios chip, you can destroy the chip.
Lsdme (forum guru) did this one time and he ruined the motherboard.

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

I forgot to add that for some strange reason, some mobo models are more stable when the main and backup bios versions are the same.

Very strange indeed. I've checked the POST screen and it does indeed say version FH so that suggests that the main BIOS is fine.

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

You're welcome.
I forgot to add that for some strange reason, some mobo models are more stable when the main and backup bios versions are the same.

There's are trick where you can force your motherboard to boot one time from the backup bios.
There is some risk involved because if you connect the wrong connector pins on the main bios chip, you can destroy the chip.
Lsdme (forum guru) did this one time and he ruined the motherboard.

I don't think I'll try that then. However, I am getting closer to why I'm getting the strange behaviour. When I connected another monitor I didn't get a signal but it had the side effect of setting my monitor (after I reconnected it) to a 1280x1024 resolution and then I started to get GB flash screen and get into BIOS settings.

Try as I might, I could not get it back into its native resolution until it dawned on me that I hadn't tried the only other thing that I had omitted. I have 2 systems connected through a KVM and it seems this holds the monitor resolution. A power cycle of that reset my monitor to work in its native resolution but now I've lost video during boot until windows loads the device driver but I do get Windows in full screen 1980x1200 resolution. So it seems the problem is related to the native resolution of my monitor although I didn't have this with my previous card (a GTX 580).

I haven't been able to set backup BIOS to the main BIOS - everytime I hit ALT-F12 all I get is the boot menu. It's like it is not recognising the ALT key and just seeing an F12. At least I've identified what causes the problem, all I have to do is find the solution

[profJim]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

Do you have the keyboard and mouse connected via the KVM switch.
If yes, bypass the KVM until you get everything sorted out.
You might even try using a PS/2 keyboard for now.

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

Do you have the keyboard and mouse connected via the KVM switch.
If yes, bypass the KVM until you get everything sorted out.
You might even try using a PS/2 keyboard for now.

Yeah, everything goes through the switch - you think that may be why the ALT-F12 didn't work. I had "eliminated" the switch at the beginning of the problem but then I was only connecting the monitor directly. I'll give a direct connection a try tomorrow - this problem has taken up too much of my time already

[grn]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

Well, I have now successfully copied my main BIOS to the backup and I still have the problem, with or without the KVM in the loop. So now I know that,

1. A Gigabyte GTX 670 stock GPU works with my motherboard model (although I don't know what resolution monitor they used).
2. The problem is related to the native resolution of the monitor as it worked when my monitor got forced by the KVM into a 1200x1024 resolution but gets the problem when it works at its native resolution (1980x1200)
3. Another card works fine with my monitor running at its native resolution.
4. Having both BIOS's at the same revision level makes no difference (as I expected).

The conclusion is that the Gigabyte over-clocked version of the GTX 670 has some compatibility problem with my motherboard that Gigabyte technical support won't seem to address other than me sending back both the motherboard and the card. I have one last thing to try and that is clear CMOS once again just in case the BIOS copy has changed things.

[Vinster]

Re: Determining BIOS version used during boot

Go look in your other thread, I have a suggestion for you

Vin