I think you found the correct link because you knew what you were looking for. I on the other hand was trying to follow a "guide" which was supposed to link to a tool and instead linked to a page full of dozens of files, none with a name similar to that which was needed. Sorry for asking you to take the time to "guide" me, just wanted to get going without "using the search function" and reading another ten pages to fill in the gaps of the "guide." Your work here is appreciated, maybe just remember that not everyone can do it, the reason you are helping in the first place.
Since we have a lot of guides including a lot of links within this forum, it always can happen, that one of the links doesn’t work. An info about a broken or misleading link is always much appreciated.
So thank you for the info!
Hallo,
AS there is no emergency flash tool available in the
Asus Z170 Pro Gaming Mainboard i´m unable
to flash the UBU modded BIOS. Is there any trick
i am not aware of to flash the modded BIOS ?
I also tried flashing it with several other UEFI Flashers
but all failed.
Whats the take here please ?
@IngoPan :
Since there is already a “stickied” thread about the related topic, I have moved your request into this thread.
Now to your problem:
If your Z170 Chipset ASUS mainboard doesn’t offer the feature “USB BIOS Flashback” and CodeRush’s AFU method (look >here<) should not work, I actually don’t know a way how to get a modded AMI AptioV BIOS properly flashed into the BIOS chip of an ASUS mainboard.
My advice:
Address your request personally to our BIOS Guru CodeRush by using the @CodeRush option or post your question into >this< thread, which has been started by him.
Hey there,
I’ve read this guide and also this one, but I am still confused;
All I want is to restore the BIOS chip (not modding) to it’s factory state writing a bios version file. At this point I am not so sure, in these conditions, should I remove the AMI capsule or not? I have an Asus H170 Pro motherboard with 8-pin SPI chip Winbond 25Q128FVIQ, The bios file is indeed .CAP file.
I appreciate it,
@JJ1 :
If you want to flash an original (not modified) BIOS, it is not necessary to remove the BIOS capsule.
EDIT: This is only valid for users, who want just to update their ASUS mainboard BIOS, but not for users, who want to repair their BIOS chip content.
@Fernando Thank you, so If I transfer the MAC and UUID and so on from the original Bios chip, It will still works without removing the capsule, the AMI capsule should be removed ONLY on modded bios that’s the point? Should I make something more like (re)writting ME or something? thanks,
The flashing of an original BIOS file should work (provided you have not corrupted the content of the mainboard’s BIOS chip).
By the way: The removal of the BIOS capsule header of an ASUS BIOS usually doesn’t help to get a modded BIOS successfully flashed. This procedure only makes sense with ASRock mainboard BIOSes.
The content for sure it’s corrupted (I guess) that’s why I am about to write another bios file. Or are you reffering at other content except the bios section? not the hardware bios chip I guess…
?!
@JJ1 :As I already told you, there is neither a need to remove the capsule header of the original ASUS BIOS nor would it make any sense.
Everything else cannot be estimated from my side. I have never made such an operation.
EDIT: The first sentence was only valid for users, who want just to update their ASUS mainboard BIOS, but not for users, who want to repair their BIOS chip content.
I have modded an Asus Z87-Plus BIOS inserting NVMe modules, but I have a problem. AFUWINGUI only let met to save my own unmodified BIOS into a 8.192 KB file (.ROM or .CAP), when ASUS EZ Flash only let me to flash “.CAP” files (8.194 KB). If I rename my modified .ROM BIOS file with a .CAP extension, the file still being “8.192 KB” (not “8.194 KB”) and ASUS EZ Flash don’t let me flashin it arguing that is not a .CAP file. How can I convert .“ROM” format (8.192 KB) to TRUE “.CAP” format to get the extra 2 KB encapsulation?
Anyways I have tried to flash the new modified BIOS file from .ROM and (false) .CAP (8.192 KB) with AFUWINGUI but got an error “18 - Error: Secure Flash Rom Verify fail”, and I need to check Recovery option for skip this error and then apparently flashes succesfully, but I can not verify this and I can not be sure.
For last I have tried to download directly from ASUS web the latest BIOS file for my mobo (8.194 KB) and modify too. I have flashed the modified BIOS file with the NVMe modules with the AFUWINGUI aplication, checking the “Recovery” option for skip an “18 - Error: Secure Flash Rom Verify fail”. I rebooted the PC, and when I open AFUWINGUI again and click “Save” for verify if the new BIOS has the NVMe modules incorporated, I can not find them. How can I be sure that I have correctly flashed the new modified BIOS and it has the NVMe modules incorporated?
I have tried to flash the BIOS with the ASUS USB BIOS Flashback too, because the ASUS EZ Flash give me an error “Secutiry verification failed” and when I go to verify with AFUWINGUI I still can not find the NVMe modules in the BIOS file. I need to be sure that I have flashed correctly the BIOS.
@APoL0 :
You should not use the “AFUWINGUI” Utility, if you want to flash a modded BIOS into an ASUS mainboard, which has the USB Flashback feature.
These are the steps:
1. Modify the AMI Aptio IV UEFI BIOS by using the AMI Aptio4 MMTool.
2. Rename the BIOS according the ASUS USB Flashback rules.
3. Copy the modded and renamed BIOS into a FAT32 formatted USB 2.0 Flash Drive and attach it to the special USB Flashback port of your mainboard.
4. Shut down the computer, but don’t turn off the power.
5. Hit the “Flashback” button, which is on your mainboard, for several seconds.
6. Wait, until the Flashback light gots completel off.
7. Power off completely your computer for a minute.
8. Remove the USB Flash Drive.
9. Restart the computer and enter the BIOS.
10. Set everything to “Optimized DEFAULT” and then redo your previous BIOS settings.
I did, but how can I verify that I can plug NVMe SSDs as bootable device now? I have not NVMe SSD here, I was planing buy the upcoming Samsung 960 EVO… I was checking in CSM option in the BIOS boot menu, and I can select boot from storage devices and boot from PCI-E/PCI Expansion Devices in UEFI mode. Legacy OPROM and UEFI controller to choose in boot from PCI-E/PCI Expansion Devices. I have flashed correctly?
The only thing you can check is the presence of the NVMe module within your modded BIOS by opening it with an AMI Aptio UEFI MMTool.
The reality show begins, when you have inserted the NVMe SSD and try to get Win10 installed in UEFI mode.
Hello!
I read the topics about the BIOS modding and I registered to ask a few questions, since some of the things are not quite clear to me. I hope you can help me out a bit.
I have a Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5 motherboard and I recently purchased a samsung NVMe stick (SM951) along with an pcie adapter, Ill come to that later. <br /><br />My question is. The latest official BIOS available for this motherboard is F13w, I have flashed it because I had some issues with stability with v. F12.<br />Now, I read the topic about the UBU tool and I "played" with it a bit and Im wondering if there are any consequences to having the latest versions of the BIOS components -ROMs? (raid, lan, cpu microcodes…) or is the latest always greatest?
Another question I have is about the NVMe component insertion. Before I came across this forum I found a website which said to extract the NVMe parts from x99 or z9x motherboard BIOS (in my case I found all the parts in a Z97X-UD3H motherboard BIOS) with MMtool and then insert them into my own BIOS.
Then I come here and I see there is only ONE file you use to insert into the BIOS to acquire NVMe support (so instead of nvme.ffs, nvmeint13.ffs and nvmesmm.ffs just one file named NVMeExpressDxE.ffs). Do both of this procedures work or is it better to use yours. I am also wondering if the uncompressed version of the NVMeExpressDxE.ffs is the correct one for me since there are 3 available, BIOS size is around 8MB (8192KB).
And one final question. What is the safest way to flash BIOS of a Gigabyte motherboard?
ps. This is what I created with UBU tool. Link to Pic1
I hope I`m not too confusing, but I want to make sure before I go and make a mess.
Greetings and thank you for your time!
@pawx :
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
There are people, who just want the latest of everything, but I do not belong to that group. I only update BIOS modules, when I think, that I resp. my computer may benefit from it.
Many BIOS modules, which can be updated by using the UBU tool, will never be used by the big majority of the users. Do you use the "Wake-On-LAN" option of your computer? Do you have a RAID array within your storage configuration? If not, an update of the related Option ROM and EFI modules doesn’t make any sense.
I have tested both methods and both worked fine with my Z68 system. So it is up to you which method you want to use. I personally prefer to insert just the NvmeExpressDxE module according to the start post of this thread, because it is easier, needs less space within the BIOS and the module itself may be better compatible with other systems.
The total size of the BIOS has nothing to do with the available space for additionally inserted BIOS modules. I recommend to take the uncompressed module (unless you will get the message, that there is not enough space) and insert it "compressed".
I don’t know it for sure, because I never had a Gigabyte mainboard with an UEFI BIOS. All I know is, that it is not recommended to flash a modded BIOS from within Windows. If you should get an "Invalid BIOS Image" message while trying to flash the modded BIOS, please look into the start post of >this< thread.
Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)
Hello Fernando!
I managed to insert the module and I flashed the BIOS with success from within BIOS using QFlash. I left some modules alone until there is need - no raid atm.
I`m now preparing for windows installation and I hope it will work.
Greetings!
Edit: Everything is working, all the drivers installed with no problems so far 
Don’t forget to prepare a bootable Win10 USB Flash drive, which is able to boot in UEFI mode creating the GUIMode partition table (my advice: use the tool Rufus), and don’t forget the BIOS settings, which are required to use the EFI modules of the BIOS (instead of the Option ROM ones).
Hello Fernando!
I read this topic and I do not know what I ma doing wrong.
I have got Asus V Gene motherboard (Z77) chipset, I modded my previous bios using your manual and saved file bios with CAP extension. (My current bios is 1903)
I formatted my USB 2.0 pendrive, put in the USB Flashback port and pressed the button.
A LED light was blinking for a few seconds. That is all. I checked the version of the bios and it is still 1903. Should be 1802 with Nvme option.
Thank you.
@MajkelP :
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
Which name has the BIOS file, which is on your USB Flash Drive?
The ASUS USB Flashback method will only work, if you have given the BIOS file the required special Flashback name.
Please look into your mainboard manual or at the matching ASUS Support page for the correct BIOS file name.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)