Thanks for detailed response. Unfortunately I have no idea what I did with original dump. Will have to look but have no idea. The MB is the Asus Z270 Apex. Not sure if dual bios or worth the effort considering instability.
Also pretty sure FD is unlocked.
Thanks
And why the hell didn’t you specified this mb model in the first place, god dammit, you’re not new user to this forum, you know how it worls… (Title thread edited)
I dont know the Maximus IX Apex (Intel Z270), did you ever research advanced recover/copy of Asus bios images, between the 2 ICs?
SPI/Debug header could be an option, but again, as it have a dual-bios switch, the access could be an issue…but seems to have a selection jumper (empty).
Board data can be in current bios mod used (if was transfered/method done) or in backup bios 1 or 2
Getting rusty in my old age. No didnt do enough research or any but I plan to do so as soon as I find time. I only hope I didnt flash both images. Its no excuse but life happened I guess. In anycase excuses aside I need to get my hands on a cpu which I will have in a couple weeks. My other Z270 workstation I will be upgrading cpu soon so I can upgrade to Win 11. So I’ll have a spare cpu soon. The original 9700k i put into another rig using it at work. The Apex in a box right now. If I get my hands or find the original bios dump it be simpler just to use a programmer. Thsnks.
Regarding dual bios boards usually all I ever had to do was pull the switch from A to B before commiting to hot flash the bios chip. Maybe that will work but l am afraid I flashed both sides with modded rom.
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:
@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.
