BIOS updated by itself...?

[gitkeeper]

Hey all,

Trying to understand if there is any way the bios on my 703GS Scar laptop would update itself without prompt.

I ask because:

I left my house today for 3 hours, leaving the laptop in the lock screen
I came back to find my bios password prompt, indicating the machine had restarted
After putting the password in, the machine restarted, and re-asked for the password
After entering it a second time, I progress bar and bios updating message came up
After two more bios passwords (self reset in between), windows is back up and running.


I haven't installed the Asus bios flash windows utility on this fresh windows install. Nor did I ever download a bios update for this machine.

I'm like 90% sure my roommate's been messing with my lappy - this kind of confirms it...I was just hoping someone might point out that our laptops just reflash their bios by themselves sometimes so I can stop worrying here.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
k

[gitkeeper]

Ok, laptop back from RMA today to my office.

GL703GS

Fired it up (looks great, previous display artifacts completely gone after the panel was reportedly replaced. And this panel has no backlight bleed!!)

Went to shut down: says it wants to install updates. Guess it found some when it connected to the internet at my work.?

Looking at pending updates (verbatim):

ASUSTek COMPUTER INC. - Firmware - 10/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - 10.1.2.307
Status: Pending Install

2018-10 Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64 based Systems (KB4100347)
Status: Pending restart

[Restart now] _Schedule the restart_


I delayed updates and convinced it to shut down into UEFI without the firmware install.

My current firmware is :
Version 307
86.04.7C.00.24 N098GL703GS.001
FOCF0901.00B


Can anyone validate either the current version, or the fact that windows update has queued another firmware update?



---Im super concerned that windows is pushing firmware updates to my machine!!! No one I've spoken to with experience in IT says this is normal.

Can anyone shed some light, provide guidance, or point me to a place to get some piece of mind?
Asus support was unable to help, only commenting (this time) that Windows should not be able to push firmware updates.

Ultimately, I'd like to first wipe and reinstall all UEFI instances, and then install a clean M.2 drive to install clean windows on. Is this possible??

[mattpunx90]

i had my system updated to v305 and it caused me many trouble. After Asus not providing me any viable solution i found how to roll it back to v304. The problem is the same as yours. Once i did that i got auto updated to v305 at reboot forced by Windows Update automatically.
Already asked to tech support and they say it indeed was forced by Windows Update and there is no way to disable it so i'm stuck on v305, or have to dig into v306 to face the same situation with no solution at all if it also fails.

If anyone find the way to stop this auto bios update via WU, let me know

[_ANON_]

My chip (i7 8750H) got locked down after I updated the BIOS from 306 to 307 and Throttle Stop settings stopped being applied.

Attested it to the latest BIOS update but when I flashed it to 306 using EZ utility it reverted back to 307 on next reboot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I typically check ASUS website for BIOS update and then update through device manager. The BIOS is downloaded and applied when I next reboot the computer.

I decided to role back driver via device manager. It said it was 306 immediately after but when I rebooted and went to the BIOS screen it was still 307. I flashed the BIOS to 306 again and this time it retained.

I THINK what may be happening to people that got auto-updated with a Windows update is that the latest BIOS version is cached on the machine. I suspect this would be reflected in device manager but I can't confirm this since I use that method by default. Regardless, if you can role back via device manager do that first and then flash again.

In short:

Windows checks if cached BIOS is > current installed BIOS. If it is, it installs that. If not, it does nothing. Hope this helps you guys.

[Abaidor]

Why don't you flash your BIOS with a fresh copy OFF Asus site? Something sounds not normal here...

[gitkeeper]

Abaidor wrote:
Why don't you flash your BIOS with a fresh copy OFF Asus site? Something sounds not normal here...

Done and done.

I do wonder what persists through a reflash though....clearly it doesn't wipe the entire flash. UEFI has provisions for persistent anti malware modules for example. And apparently provisions for persistent drivers and for example the asus armory crate. Not to say these things are bad, but is this functionality being exploited by keyloggers or other malware? Could someone with access to the SPI flasher flash a module that survives the EZFlash program?

[cah4e3]

i agree with @Abaidor => HW just CAN'T update bios by itself (it's not windows or your basic A/V (OFC. if you have secure boot enabled - and as far as i understand => it's enabled)...
you said some things about uefi flash, that makes we vonder => are you serious or just troll?? ( want to belive 1-st, but really think - 2'nd)...

[Pir8pete]

windows updating the bios is fine, jezzz ppl your getting all worked up over nothing, let it go

[gitkeeper]

Nope Im serious.

Windows keeps updating firmware.

I installed the recent firmware manually from the site (version 307, release date 1/29/2019). I did this on Feb 1st using EZFlash

Now I have any entry in Window Update history:

ASUSTek COMPUTER INC. - Firmware - 10/17/2018 12:00:00 AM - 10.1.2307
Successfully installed on ‎2/‎3/‎2019


Im not trolling here. I have spoken with Asus about it multiple times via web chat and email support. Three of Four support agents have said Windows can push firmware updates.

[gitkeeper]

cah4e3 wrote:

you said some things about uefi flash, that makes we vonder => are you serious or just troll?? ( want to belive 1-st, but really think - 2'nd)...

What was said about the UEFI that makes you think Im trolling here? If Im missing something Ive be grateful to learn

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Only item MS pushes is Intel micro codes
Included in bios updates too but very different only written to disk not bios editing.
Restore a system image and the micro code goes bye bye too.