Also should note that last I checked the bios was in a locking up state and boot devices were not present or recognized. Anyhow as soon as I get a spare cpu to test I will test if the other rom side B will post.
Damm shame you flashed both ICs… good luck.
EDIT: Search every old dumps of it and the current IC ones, with FPT/FD44
Not sure if I did but its something I would do. I hope I did not.
Search every ic with fpt/fd44? Not sure it will post long enough to get windows going to run those tools. Unless the other rom is untouched. Need a test cpu.
I see… one those freakin muntants chinese cpus… not even as a gift i would takem them.
Ordered a factory renewed i3-6100 from Amazon for $25 for testing purposes. I also was able to find a couple of dumps from the Apex on my old laptop I used back when to flash the Apex. No mutant cpus hopefully.
@MeatWar I found a direct dump file for the Apex IX I must have taken when last using the usb programmer. The UUID and serial numbers are intact according to FDEditior and MEanlyzer runs without errors. If the FD is locked would usb asus flashback work? Unfortunately I don’t remember if its unlocked or not. The file name is Winbond_W25Q128_00-FFFFFF-ApexIX.bin. Would I have to re-cap it or being a direct dump from the chip just changing name to m9a.cap work?
Probably not… i suspect it will act like when several users complain about their seeing in bios their ME FW as 0.0.0.0… corrupted.
And this is the main issue on your downgrade mod, getting back the ME FW partition to the orignal Asus state.
Usually, the regular flash procedures/usb bfb, only recover bios region and do not recover or fix the ME FW partititon, thats why we advise uers to follow Pluto guide to clean initialize the Management Engine.
The dumps are mainly useful in manualy programming ICs or full/regions FPT flash, being this one the first option to try (but you dont have a stable system running…correct), per region or full spi image, as its an original one, but not with FD locked…
For USB BFB the dump needs (as u may know already) to be encapsulated (some, mainly older models Aptio IV, earlier V…not all can do) or wont be recognised by the Asus feature.
Resuming…try FPT if unlocked FD, the CAP or last resource SPI IC programming.
So your saying that after the usb flashback I will have a corrupted ME? Even if I unlocked the FD hopefully?
Regarding the capsule I thought it was possible to re-encapsulate a rom file.
The problem is that before it was unstable and bios could not detect connected m.2 drives. So no running operating system. I also have another bios dump file but ME Analyzer chokes with errors trying to read it.
Therefore I should just use a usb flasher and save myself the trouble?
BTW the i3 6100 coming tomorrow or next week from Amazon. Think the mod should recognize the i3-6100 hopefully.
Thanks
Usually yes, its stays as it is, corrupted or not, mod or not, this has been the regular procedure used in Asus methods, unless the flasher has further switches/or upgrading base ME FW version.
With one at hand…for sure, saves the data transfer/edit, the unlock…time attempts, my pov only…
And if you’re not sure of having flashed the mod in the 2 ICS, i would recommend backups with the programmer…just in case…
PS: Those ICs have the PCIe lock on top of them… in a really bad position for a IC Clip…
This, i never researched
Its been a few years and don’t remember how exactly I was able to use the usb flasher in the first place.
Whats the RSVD switch?
Also from the top let me get the steps correct:
- Hopefully install windows (with the i3-6100)
- If FD unlocked → dump rom and check in uefitool if unlocked
- Clean ME FW and flash it with FPT tool
- Reboot and initiate flashback with my dumped rom once cap’d. ( verify if both roms have their structure correct first - I have two one an fptw64 dump and the other from a usb flash device).
- If not work or can’t get Windows going in first place flash winbond image with flasher.
@MeatWar Correct?
If you get a running OS system then…
If fd unlocked you can fpt the whole original backup directly, if its a full dump 16Mb, no need BFB, the cleaning/initialize ME FW is not necessary.
If not working, then program IC.
You can even transfer data to the Asus 1301 bios file (Intel image) and program it, as its a full expanded image, with ME 11.8.50.3399
PS: In both cases, let the system take a bit to post/reboot.
When I cross that bridge thanks. Understand what I got to.
@MeatWar Wasnt there another way to unlock the bios by shorting a pin? I remember doing somethig like that in the begging.
Yes…on Pluto’s guide, E1. HDA_SDO/GPIO33 (a.k.a. “Pinmod”) you need to identify the correct Audio Codec IC package and pin assigment.
So I took the board out today and put in my old 6700k cpu in the Apex. Used a stock cooler. Anyhow it wouldn’t boot or post. So I wasn’t sure if board was dead or damaged or something wrong with the bios. Maybe I needed to use both 8 pin power connectors but my spare psu only had one. Read all you really need is one.
After reving heatsink I noticed the cpu wasn’t correctly oriented and I thought thats it I must have fried it. So I fix the orientation and press power and it goes on and boots into a copy of windows from another Z270 board I had and I load up CSME and do a bios dump and low and behold all my descriptors are unlocked!
Considering was able to load windows and it felt stable not sure if worth the roll back. Haven’t checked other bios on other side though.
Thanks
Edit: After pressing the dual bios button switch it seems like both sides are Apex X bios and not Apex 9. At least descriptors are unlocked. Maybe should use jumper instead.
Thanks again
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Well found an update bios version on HwBot forum. Probably same place where I found the original mod. This one version 2603 included manufacturer support for Resizeable bar support. Considering my system is already modded if I was to upgrade the mod I could just fptw64 -bios -f upgrade.bin?
Going to try tomorrow. If @MeatWar can you please comment if you think will work. Also not sure how dual bios will affect the process.
Thanks.
Then FPT tool should write allowed.
I think it will only write to the current select bios IC.
You can always use USB BFB feature for flashing mods.
I decided in the end not to roll it back and instead used fptw64 to flash bios region to version 2603 provided by dsanke on HwBot forum. The reasoning was due to fact this newer version brought Resizeable Bar menu option on the bios level. Next I’m thinking of finding an i3 9350K B0 stepping as it will not need pin modifications according to others and I don’t want to go through what happened with the instability from the 9700K. Windows 11 support also a bonus. However in my case if I was to roll back and to satisfy the title of the thread all I would really need is to use fptw64 as luckily I thought ahead by unlocking all those descriptors. Thanks.
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