Begin to update backup bios to latest version... rinse & repeat

[Verchiel]

Hi all
So I just got a new computer, and I'm having some major issues with it.  Normally I'm fine when it comes to troubleshooting and building new computers, but this one has thrown me for a loop (pun intended... read on) that I have yet to figure out.  Here are the specs:

AMD FX-8120 8-core 3100MHZ AM3+ processor (unlocked, not yet O/C'ed)
Gigabyte GA-990XA-UD3 Mobo (onboard lan & sound)
16Gb 1333MHz Corsair Vengeance (4x4Gb) (Yet to overclock any higher)
nVidia (MSI) N560 GTX-Ti w/1Gb onboard RAM
675W Diablotek UL series power supply
2 hard drives
160Gb PATA drive w/SATA adapter
1Tb SATA

The computer posts just fine, you can go into bios and change whatever you want.  I tried to update the bios from F9 to F10g (look up Gigabyte's website if you need details) using Q Flash, a built-in BIOS updater (doesn't require DOS mode or Windows) and it tells me that essentially the bios type is not valid, for any of the different bios updates (F6 - F10g).  I've double and triple checked the bios file I'm downloading, and it is the correct mobo and file.
If you let it post, right before it boots the operating system it will instead display the message "Begin to update backup bios to latest version...." followed shortly thereafter by "Writing bios image............." After a couple lines of "......" the system restarts and loops (displays message and reboots).  The message (I assume) is referring to the backup bios held within the mobo in case the bios gets corrupted or needs to be replaced (this board has a dual-bios) but I cannot figure out for the life of me why it is stuck in this loop.
I don't know what I did, but yesterday it loaded windows (installed on the Hard drive from my previous computer), installed all the new drivers, restarted it a couple times with no issues, then played games at a highly increased framerate for the past 2 days.  I was playing RIFT today when I got BSOD, memory dump, and now it's doing the "Begin to update backup bios image blah blah blah" loop again.  I've let it cycle for about an hour before shutting it off. 
Does anyone have any ideas I can try?  I'm looking for anything simple that I may have overlooked (at one point I realized I had both the 4-pin and SATA power connectors on the SATA drive...) or things that I just don't understand with computers, seeing as my entire knowledge base is from trial & error, and what I have read online.  Many thanks, and I hope someone can help me out!

Edit - I made sure the Video card was in the x16 slot, I read about that one earlier, but since I was using it before I didn't think I would have any luck with that...

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

You seem to have a couple of different issues there which make it all the more difficult to fathom. I think that your PSU isn't up to scratch and that could be the cause of some of your troubles. It never pays to buy these cheap PSUs as they can fall over and take a lot of your expensive hardware with them.

It also sounds like you have a problem with the BIOS file. Try to get it to boot from the Backup BIOS instead and then you can load the new updated BIOS that you have tried before.

Follow these instructions to load the Backup BIOS it might take several attempts though :

You can kick in the backup BIOS by shutting down the PSU from the wall, then hold down your case power button in and then turn on the power supply button, a few seconds later the board will start, shut off the power supply then.   Then you can turn on the power supply again and power up the board normally and DualBIOS will kick in.

[Rallick]

I am having the same issue as the gentleman who posted this originally,
I recently purchased a CYBERPOWER PC, and it has been running very well for about 2 months.
I recently turned windows update on, which revealed about 60 updates that I had missed in the 2 months prior.

After restarting my PC, the motherboard screen flashed and then the system specs screen, followed by a screen stating:
Begin to update backup BIOS to latest version, writing BIOS image...........
It gets through about 4 lines of elipses and then the input from the computer stops( "DVI, No signal" is displayed) and then it loops right back through the order again.
Whenever I try and start the PC now I get
1. MOBO screen
2. Very quick flash of the sytem specs and options(too quick to act on any of the options in fact)
3. Bios image writing screen
4. Blank screen
Rinse and Repeat.




P.S. I have gotten lucky a few times and it's booted into windows, but it's been sitting here all day doing this with no reprieve.
I have my alternate PC up next to me, and have updated the BIOS to the newest version from GIGABYTE's website manually via USB and the flash menu from the motherboard.
I also had a power outage the other day(didn't start the issue) that interrupted one of the update loops and now it will absolutely not boot to windows.
I also tried the remedy for activating dual BIOS, and it hasn't worked yet.
It's still Looping and I am about to call customer support and RMA>

Any input would be appreciated.

Motherboard is a GA-970A-D3 with dual BIOS. 

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

I think your best idea would be to synchronise the BIOS versions manually and then hopefully that wiull stop the system from trying to do it each time you startup.

From a cold start with the power to the machine switched off press the power button and then enter the BIOS by pressing Del. Then when you get to the main screen press F9. This will bring up an extra screen which will display more information about the two BIOS versions. Assuming they are different exit the BIOS and shutdown. Again press the power button and this time press Alt + F12 where you would normally use the Del key to enter the BIOS. You will fiond that then your monitor will turn black and you will see:

Press [Enter] to start copying main BIOS to backup BIOS...

When you press Enter more text will appear saying:

Writing BIOS image.... xxxKb OK

Once completed  more text will show:

BIOS successfully recovered! Power off or reset system!

Do as it says. Both Main and Backup BIOS chips now store the same BIOS version. You can now reboot as normal.

[Rallick]

Hey, thanks for the prompt response.
I gave Alt + F12 a shot, and it just takes me to the menu where I select what my first boot device is.
It doesn't seem that alt +F12 is even an option for my MOBO, it just recognizes that I am pressing F12 and takes me to the first boot device menu.
I am assuming that it doesn't allow me to manipulate the backup BIOS at all manually....
The screen displayed after hitting F9 in the BIOS menu only gives me the main BIOS version, date and part number.
It fails to mention anything about a backup or secondary BIOS, which I know that I have.

[llcooljay]

I have the same problem with my 970A-D3 motherboard. I have tried the maual update and still have the same problem. I found I had to hold down the alt and f12 keys to get it to enter the update.

[llcooljay]

I contacted Gigabyte and this was the response I got. Looks like I need a new motherboard, this one is only 6 weeks old, so I will contact he retailer first to see if they will do something for me.

Hello,

Please only test with just basic components installed on your system when receiving this message
- cpu along with heatsinkfan
- single stick of memory
- single videocard ( or onboard video )

If the same error message still persist please remove the CMOS battery from the board for several minutes and push down on the metal clip which holds the CMOS battery for several seconds, from there reinsert the CMOS battery and power on your system to see if it'll still give the same error message. If so there appears to be corruption in the BIOS and you will need to send in your board for warranty service to reprogram the bios. Refer to the below URL to submit your rma request

http://rma.gigabyte.us

Thank you