Updated BIOS, WIndows Stalls

[Vicious]

So, after building computers for 15 years I've finally been forced to flash my BIOS. Usually I never even consider it because of all the horror stories I've heard. But my sound card was driving me crazy, I'd constantly get distortion and static from my Titanium HD, and it was suggested I flash my BIOS for a possible fix.

I own a ASUS Maximus IV Extreme REV 3.0. I've never flashed a BIOS before and my motherboard was on BIOS 1101, so I figured I might as well. First mistake was trying to update to BIOS 3603 through ASUS Update in Suite II. I followed the instructions to the letter and flashed my BIOS twice. Unforunately, after I reset my CMOS by both moving the jumper and lifting the battery. I plugged my computer back in and it hit POST fine. I went back into BIOS and changed all my settings back to what they were prior, I made sure my SSD was AHCI and my OCs were setup properly. After I saved and restarted it would start loading windows. I'd get the message "Starting Windows..." but to my dismay the Window's animated logo no longer appeared. It would just stall until it automatically restarted my computer. The strangest thing is it would actually go through 1/10 times, but 9/10 times it would stall until it either resets on it's own, or I hard reset.

Now I've tried everything to fix it. When I tried to flash back to a BIOS 1101, it would say Image Outdated. When I tried to use the Motherboard CD and flash through EZFlash, it would said Image Outdated. I even tried using ROG Connect and Flashback. But when I put in the USB with the proper BIOS named M4E.ROM the orange light would just endlessly blink. It wouldn't stop until I pulled the plug, and I waited 20 minutes at one point.

I honestly don't know what else I can do... For now I've switched to the second BIOS chipped built into the Maximus IV and I'm running it at the factory BIOS. Is there anyway I can fix the first chip or is that lost to me forever? I'm too scared to try to update this chip as well and have the same thing happen. Any suggestions?


P.S. Does a corrupt BIOS have the potential of damaging hardware or has what already happened the worst of it? I'm not in a position right now to be able to buy another motherboard. College sucks.

[Myk_SilentShado]

Welcome to the RoG Forums Vicious!! 🙂

Lesson number 1: Please do not ever flash your BIOS through Windows ever again, you're very lucky you survived it once. Please always flash your BIOS through EZ Flash in BIOS 🙂

Now, to get you sorted out. Put your ROM file onto your FAT formatted USB stick, plug it into any USB port. Shut down your PC, switch back to BIOS 1 and boot your System
Get into BIOS and flash your BIOS to the same one you flashed it to last time(the one through Windows), it should work this time.

Enjoy your updated BIOS and hopefully a fully functioning sound card 🙂

[Vicious]

Myk SilentShadow wrote:
Welcome to the RoG Forums Vicious!! 🙂

Lesson number 1: Please do not ever flash your BIOS through Windows ever again, you're very lucky you survived it once. Please always flash your BIOS through EZ Flash in BIOS 🙂

Now, to get you sorted out. Put your ROM file onto your FAT formatted USB stick, plug it into any USB port. Shut down your PC, switch back to BIOS 1 and boot your System
Get into BIOS and flash your BIOS to the same one you flashed it to last time(the one through Windows), it should work this time.

Enjoy your updated BIOS and hopefully a fully functioning sound card 🙂

Lesson Learned. I've never flashed a BIOS before and though software by ASUS wouldn't send me down the wrong path. "Update BIOS through OS? Sure! Why not?". Either way, I've already tried to flash the BIOS again but this time with the ROM on a FAT32 USB through EZFlash in the BIOS. Even though it told me it was successful, it would still stall in WIndows 7 splash screen. I even reset the CMOS again and no go.

[Myk_SilentShado]

Hmmm strange, quick question, what CPU do you have installed?

[Vicious]

I have an i7-2600K overclocked to 4.6 GHz at 1.35v. The stall would happen whether I had the CPU OC'd or not. I have 16 GB of DDR3 1600 MHz Memory set at 9-9-24-1. I also have one SSD and 1 HDD.

[Myk_SilentShado]

Ok, it may seem like the cause of this grief is actually the last BIOS that was released for the MIVE(your board) as the last BIOS released was designed to include support for the Ivy Bridge CPU's that came out after your 2600K.

You have 2 options, use BIOS flashback with BIOS 3502 on BIOS 1 from here https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_IV_EXTREME/#support_Download_30
Click your OS, then BIOS and download it to your flash drive(while it's in the white ROG Connect Port), extract and of course name it M4E.rom and then have another go at flashing it back. If in the event that it does not flash the BIOS back to the 2nd last one, switch back to BIOS 2 and somewhere in the BIOS, probably the EZ Flash utility, there should be a feature there to do a BIOS copy, to put BIOS 2 onto BIOS 1...then when that works, flash to 3502 again and you should have it...a PITA, I know...but be glad your Motherboard has a 2nd BIOS chip as backup(hint hint ASUS, get to it with AMD).

[Vicious]

Thanks for all the help, I definitely appreciate it. I know I can't copy BIOS 2 to 1. I think it's because that feature was released after BIOS 1101. Because on the new BIOS I actually have the option to copy 1 to 2 (which I wouldn't want to do), but no the other way around. So I can only assume it was added in the later BIOS updates. I'll try to flash it back to 3502. I had tried to flash it to 2302 and it didn't work, but maybe this might. I'll let you know soon.

[Myk_SilentShado]

Damn that sucks about the copy over lol and good luck 🙂

[Vicious]

Yep... Sending this from my laptop. I just tried to flashback to 3510. The orange light on my motherboard just keeps blinking, it won't stop unless I pull the plug. It's been going on for 3 minutes now.

[Vicious]

So, I just tried to flashback to 4 different BIOS through the ROG Connector. 3603, 3510, 2302, and 1101. Everytime I tried, the orange light would just continuously blink for 5+ minutes. It would never stop until I pulled the plug. Not even pulling out the USB from the ROG Connector would stop the light.