BIOS Problem with Z370 AORUS GAMING 7

[thetiesthatbind]

Hello Gigabyte community! New to the forum, i'm looking for some help cause esupport.gigabyte.com isn't the fastest way to get help as it seems.

Well here's my issue.

I had the BIOS Version F7 since early-mid August. On 2 September 2018, AORUS APP Center popped up a Firmware Update recommendation. I didn't read too much into it, I simply pressed okay and that's where it all started. After the completle installation/update of the Firmware, my PC rebooted and when I tried to enter BIOS, the BIOS version displayed was F4! I tried to flash the BIOS with @BIOS through Windows enviroment but "Fail read BIOS" kept coming up when I tried to do that through the server and when I tried through File it went up to 100% reading and the app (@BIOS) kept shutting down. I tried through a NTFS USB drive but Q-Flash wouldn't see it, so I turned it to FAT32 and I managed to update to F7. I entered the BIOS, fixed XMP Profiles, added my settings etc, everything worked nice.

The next day, when I tried to start my PC for the first time for the day, it did 2 consecutive reboots and when I entered BIOS I got a message about my settings being reset (but not the BIOS version this time, it remained F7), again I put my settings and the PC fuctioned well, debugger always on A0 etc. Gigabyte finally replied to my first e-mail, they recommended a CMOS Clear so BIOS would reset, I did everything as instructed, nothing changed apart the time which was by 10 minutes off the actual time (so I'm not sure if it's a success or not, and if a different BIOS version than F7 should appear).

Later, when I tried to change my POST LOGO through Face Wizard, I noticed that the issue remained. READING 100% and then the APP closes. I downgraded to F6, I tried it again and it worked, the POST LOGO was updated. Then, I tried to do a BIOS update to F7 through @BIOS. Through the File option it just kept saying "Fail read BIOS" while when I tried to do it through server the app kept crushing. I reboot my PC and did it through the Q-Flash with a FAT32 USB Drive and it worked once again.

So my issues and questions are the follow:
Is my BIOS okay? Is my MOBO fine? Did BIOS Backup put F4 (Factory Version) back on the main BIOS instead of F7 cause of a failure? Or am I running on the backup BIOS and I also updated it by accident to F7? (I don't know if its possible to do that to be honest)

Hopefully someone can help me so if there's anything wrong with the mobo, I shall proceed to RMA.

Kind regards & thanks in advance!

[shadowsports]

Greetings,
Welcome to the forums.  The number 1 take away from this experience is this.  Only use QFlash to update your BIOS directly from a USB stick formatted FAT32 with the BIOS file in the root of the USB stick.  Any other method can work, might work until one time it doesn't.  Then, you often end up with a corrupt and/or incomplete flash.  The result, erratic unexplainable behavior, instability and more. 

I would suggest the following.  Prepare for a reflash.  Get your BIOS file, USB stick, etc prepped.  Shut the PC down.

Now reset your BIOS using the CLR-CMOS jumper.  Disconnect the 24pin PSU connector from your MB.  Leave the CMOS battery installed and reset.

Reconnect the PSU connector, plug in your USB stick directly to a USB port.  Start the system, enter BIOS and proceed to QFlash.  Install the desired BIOS.  When the system restarts, enter BIOS again.  Remove your USB stick.  This time, load set up default from the menus.  F10 to save, exit and reboot.  Enter BIOS again and set the system up from scratch.  Boot to your OS and observe system behavior. 

[thetiesthatbind]

Greetings,
Welcome to the forums.  The number 1 take away from this experience is this.  Only use QFlash to update your BIOS directly from a USB stick formatted FAT32 with the BIOS file in the root of the USB stick.  Any other method can work, might work until one time it doesn't.  Then, you often end up with a corrupt and/or incomplete flash.  The result, erratic unexplainable behavior, instability and more. 

I would suggest the following.  Prepare for a reflash.  Get your BIOS file, USB stick, etc prepped.  Shut the PC down.

Now reset your BIOS using the CLR-CMOS jumper.  Disconnect the 24pin PSU connector from your MB.  Leave the CMOS battery installed and reset.

Reconnect the PSU connector, plug in your USB stick directly to a USB port.  Start the system, enter BIOS and proceed to QFlash.  Install the desired BIOS.  When the system restarts, enter BIOS again.  Remove your USB stick.  This time, load set up default from the menus.  F10 to save, exit and reboot.  Enter BIOS again and set the system up from scratch.  Boot to your OS and observe system behavior.

Hello there, thank you for taking the time to reply. But why would be a BIOS update through the APP in first place since I was already running the latest BIOS version of F7? I always flash a new BIOS through a USB as well but thanks for the kind advice. Other than that I've already cleared CMOS etc, but how can I tell if I run the MAIN BIOS or the BACKUP BIOS? Also I've re-flashed the BIOS with intact way.

The thing is, I was running already F7 since early August and when that update happened through APP Center (which I have no idea what it should update after all), my BIOS appeared as F4 version, @BIOS won't work since then, I can't even use Face Wizard unless I use F6 version, that's the only time that I got it working between F6 and F7, I mean the Face Wizard and of course it crashes after reaching 100% Readign as mentioned above. Also how does backup BIOS work? If there's a BIOS failure it automatically replaces the current version to the factory F4 or it just kicks in and the main BIOS is competely useless?

So what's up?

[shadowsports]

The App reads from a FTP server or share.  I've seen instances where the version offered through the App is not the latest version actually available.  Asus was notorious for this.  You should not blindly trust an App or Windows based program like @BIOS when it comes to your BIOS.  Each introduces a potential point of failure.  Another example is automatic update for wireless routers.  Using the Auto check and update feature from a App on your mobile device or from the GUI connected wirelessly can be risky.  It is advisable to flash from a computer connected directly to the router via ethernet.  The former introduces the same possibility of failure.     

Stick with QFlash.

Previously you could ensure your BIOS chips were synchronized using ALT+F10 or ALT+F12 (BIOS, model dependent) at boot, but I am not sure you want to do this as your current BIOS is functional but portions appear to be broken. I would not try this unless I was absolutely sure the BIOS I started my system from was 100% functioning and stable.   

[thetiesthatbind]

The App reads from a FTP server or share.  I've seen instances where the version offered through the App is not the latest version actually available.  Asus was notorious for this.  You should not blindly trust an App or Windows based program like @BIOS when it comes to your BIOS.  Each introduces a potential point of failure.  Another example is automatic update for wireless routers.  Using the Auto check and update feature from a App on your mobile device or from the GUI connected wirelessly can be risky.  It is advisable to flash from a computer connected directly to the router via ethernet.  The former introduces the same possibility of failure.     

Stick with QFlash.

Previously you could ensure your BIOS chips were synchronized using ALT+F10 or ALT+F12 (BIOS, model dependent) at boot, but I am not sure you want to do this as your current BIOS is functional but portions appear to be broken. I would not try this unless I was absolutely sure the BIOS I started my system from was 100% functioning and stable.   

I thought it was something different than a BIOS update since I was already on the latest BIOS version. Anyway thanks for your time and your responses, according to GIGABYTE whatever happened during the proccess, it corrupted the MAIN BIOS and the PC boots from the backup BIOS only so I RMA the board.

Kind regards and yeah, I might even skip installing @BIOS ever again, I just want the different POST LOGO from Face Wizard

[shadowsports]

Hi,
While current BIOS revs F2~F7 for this board don't block flashbacks to an earlier Rev, its not always a good idea to go back unless absolutely necessary.

If your BIOS reported it went back to F4, then both chips were flashed as newer boards without BIOS switches automatically synchronize.

I can't speculate what happened in your case or why, but based on your report, it appears to were downgraded to F4.

The only other updates I've seen that could affect the BIOS would be the Intel Management Engine FW updates, but these don't downgrade your BIOS.   

Since you have RMA'ed it doesn't matter now.  You'll get another board or yours back repaired.         

[thetiesthatbind]

Hi,
While current BIOS revs F2~F7 for this board don't block flashbacks to an earlier Rev, its not always a good idea to go back unless absolutely necessary.

If your BIOS reported it went back to F4, then both chips were flashed as newer boards without BIOS switches automatically synchronize.

I can't speculate what happened in your case or why, but based on your report, it appears to were downgraded to F4.

The only other updates I've seen that could affect the BIOS would be the Intel Management Engine FW updates, but these don't downgrade your BIOS.   

Since you have RMA'ed it doesn't matter now.  You'll get another board or yours back repaired.       

Well, I had the update to F7 done in early August. I had my PC off for like 2 weeks cause I was waiting for a new GPU to arrive. I installed the GPU, I powered on my PC and the AORUS APP Center popped up a notification for a Firmware Update being available and clicked okay, I wouldn't even imagine that update the was a BIOS update since I've already had the latest BIOS.

Then the PC reset and opened with a F4 version which is the backup BIOS. I then update the backup BIOS to F7 without knowning that the F4 wasn't a rollback but just the backup BIOS that kicked in. AORUS App Center @BIOS wouldn't work, Q-Flash wouldn't read anything unless the flash drive was FAT32. I did full CMOS reset and the backup BIOS kept kicking in since it reset 2 times before opening every single time after CMOS clear.

So there was no way to re-flash BIOS as the main BIOS was corrupted. So no, my BIOS didn't downgrade, it simply turned into BACKUP BIOS

The only downgrade I tried was from F7 to F6 version to check out if @BIOS APP would work but it only worked with Face Wizard.