GA-990FX-UD5 Rev 3.0 BIOS Update Repeatedly Fails

[K3_Cubed]

Hey guys,

I've been having some problems for a while now with updating my BIOS. I recently bought a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD5 Rev 3.0 motherboard (according to the product sticker label and the motherboard markings) to replace a dead ASUS M4N82 Deluxe SLI Mobo. It was intended to go into my existing Windows 10 system with HDD/GFX/SFX. I mounted it up and connected everything, booted up no problems and I got into Windows.

I uninstalled the old drivers and installed the new motherboard drivers, also did some other miscillaneous driver updates for my GFX and SFX. Seeing as Black Friday deals are around, I was going to upgrade my chip to one of the latest FX series processors (I currently run a Phenom II X4 965BE). Looking at the website compatibility list (http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=4455), I noticed that I needed a newer FCh BIOS... so I downloaded the file manually from http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4455&dl=1&RWD=0#bios and then ran the at @BIOS update to update from a file and chose the file I downloaded.

It did it's thing and then rebooted, but then after reboot, the logo showed, then switched to a DUALBOOT UEFI header label at the top and then rebooted automatically.... It then sticks in this continuous reboot cycle with just temporary power to the fans, then auto reboot.... nothing shows on the screen... Needless to say my heart sank, but I managed to fix it using the post I found here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=15552.msg94266#msg94266

I tried again, this time using the QFLASH utility and a re-downloaded BIOS file from the same link put onto a freshly formatted 2GB flash drive.... the utility went through the motions, it seemed to flash properly and then reboot... but it started doing the same thing.... So I recovered the system AGAIN...

Rebooted and then tried using the @BIOS option again... this time I let it find whatever it wanted to on the server... It seemed to automatically choose the correct model and revision of my existing board, but when it does the update and reboots, I have the same FB BIOS!!!

I boot into Windows 10 again and I run the @BIOS program and it tells me now that I have the latest update installed for my BIOS..... I am confused.... is this a known issue? Am I doing something wrong?? I would really like some help.

[Tiger]

BIOS FCh Beta looks like it was replaced with a newer FC (dated 2015/06/24).

Gigabyte downloads use a self-extracting .exe file that needs to be run prior to attempting to flash the BIOS. So if the BIOS file your attempting to use ends with ".exe", then it is still in a compressed form.

[K3_Cubed]

Tiger,

Thanks for the input. I didn't realise that the FCh was a beta version and the FC was a finalised version. I was wondering for a while whether it was the wrong BIOS I was inadvertently downloading. And yes the files do come in a zip file when downloaded. When extracted the files are:

9FXAUD53.FC
autoexec.bat
Efiflash.exe

I have donwloaded these files countless times and tried to update the BIOS but with no success. Just before writing this post I decided to do it the old fashioned way and create a DOS Bootable USB Flash Drive with RUFUS. Copied the three files to it (but renamed Gigabyte's autoexec.bat to flash_bat.bat) and flashed the BIOS. Again it went throught the entire procedure of erasing, writing, verifying, rebooting. But on reboot it goes into the same cyclic reboot pattern. I reset using the same Method #2 from Autotech and here I am... writing to you...

I would REALLY like to find out what's going on here. I thought that maybe someone may have had a similar experience, but everyone seems to have been successful in their second or other attempts.

Am I missing a particular security setting for the BIOS? I have no passwords enabled for either USER or ADMINISTRATOR and Security is set to setup only (not that it should matter since there aren't any passwords).

Can anyone give me other things to consider with a "fresh set of eyes"?

[absic]

When you state that you tried @BIOS are you using the latest version or the one that came on the install DVD?

If you are using the one on the install DVD, you might want to try the latest version: B15.0630.1 which you can download from here - http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/Utility.aspx to see if that works properly.

[K3_Cubed]

Absic, you had me... Yooooouuuuu had me..... I was so hopeful even though in my heart of hearts I knew that if I tried it the DOS way and it didn't work, why would the @BIOS version work... but I thought hey... maybe it could work... maybe I just did something wrong..... How I wish I did....

Didn't even see that page before. Based on past eperience with a previous MSI motherboard and Live Update for the BIOS, the latest version always gave trouble (Live Update 6), and the one that came with the motherboard worked (Live Update 5). The most I did for this Gigabyte board was use the motherboard download page to download the @BIOS version there and install and run. But after your recommendation I uninstalled the old @BIOS, installed the App Center, then installed the new @BIOS. Ran it, I was like in shock at just the change in UI... lolol... I thought yes.... this HAS to work lolol... but it did the same thing... it detects the board as 990FXA-UD5 Rev 3.0, but when it checks the server for the BIOS file and I have to choose the correct "Model" I only see the FB version BIOS.... It does the same thing as the last version... writes it, reboots and I still have the same BIOS version........ If I didn't know better, it moves like a Rev 3.1 where the latest BIOS IS the FB version which has the FX 9590 support....

I checked the comparison between the different revisions on Gigabyte's website, but I can't really see any difference between the Rev 3.0 and the 3.1, so I'm not sure if MAYBE it's an error during manufacture/labelling etc..... but I just so HIGHLY doubt that... I dunno what else to do... I sent in a support ticket yesterday to Gigabyte USA, but since it was Thanksgiving, I probably won't get a response 'till Monday or Tuesday... sucks... This is like THE weirdest problem I have ever had when trying to update a BIOS..... really....

Thanks for all the help and suggestions you guys have been giving me by the way, I've talked to one of my friends who has a Gigabyte board but experienced the normal HDD detection issue on a successful flash; I also talked to a local computer builder who hasn't had any such problem before.... I'm really clueless here right now.....

[absic]

Sorry to see that it didn't work. I am puzzled by what is happening as, in over 12 years of using Gigabyte motherboards I have never come across this problem. Hopefully Tech Support will be able to provide an answer for you.

I am wondering, like you, if the Rev3.0 and Rev3.1 actually are using the same BIOS, which is why you are getting the message that the FB bios is the latest version. I would be very tempted to put in one of the newer FX CPU's that is listed on the Rev 3.1 as compatible,  just to see if it worked OK.

[K3_Cubed]

No worries mate, I appreciate the suggestions none the less. I too would be tempted to try an FX lololol... Trouble is I don't know that many PC gamers out there who might have an FX chip to let me try lol. Plus I was thinking too to hold off. Looking at the AMD roadmap, they are supposed to come out with the new "Zen" chips this 2016 with the Socket AM4 that supports DDR4 RAM.... which would make my recently purchased AM3/AM3+ board with DDR3.... a dead end.... ....... but I needed something right away as my wife uses my computer temporarily to do work, as well as I do my own work and gaming here....

I previously had the same chip with 8GB DDR2 memory, but when I bought the board I had to buy DDR3 memory... but I was greedy, so I got 16GB lololol... sigghhhh... I'm such a tecnho-whore.... should have stuck with the 8GB and saved some money. Anyway, maybe it will allow me to ride out 2016 far enough such that the AM4 platform undergoes enough iterations to be mature enough with any possible northbridge/southbridge chipset optimisations (if it isn't the 990FX/950 series).

My main concern right now is whether the board is bad and has potential issues.... so eveno though I may not try again to flash the BIOS, I'm glad I did cause now I wondering if the board they sold me has any other potential issues.... which I definitely don't want after spending that kind of money..... I'll give feedback on what tech support says when they get back to me.

[K3_Cubed]

Ooooookay..... Yes I know that it's been a while, but a lot of things have been going on. I got in contact with the Gigabyte Technical Support forums and they told me to do some of the things (that I had already done). I informed them of my results etc. and they stated the board most probably could be bad as they cannot explain why the board isn't taking the BIOS update.

Well as mentioned in the previous post I was prepared to ride it out with this board since it seemed to be working well with the Phenom II X4 until I was ready to upgrade, but then after hearing reviews on how the current 6th gen chips were being poorly implemented by the OEM's together with some pricing issues (I'm kinda fearful of the release date for the AM4's), and given that I had already spent this kind of money, I decided to go for the FX 8370 BE with a Gigabyte R9380X GFX card. Also decided to upgrade after seeing the not so good performance in playing stuff like the Beta for The Division and one or two other games coming out soon that I would like to play.

Anyhoo, I installed the new GFX and CPU in the system and it booted up properly without any issues with the same FB bios version. So I dunno what's up.... but it works so I'm happy! Gonna do some tests to see the performance difference in certain games that were giving trouble before.

As before thanks for all the help that was offered.

[Matt5289]

I'm having this problem. Did you ever solve it?