[PROBLEM] A fail try to downgrade BIOS of Asrock X370 Taichi

Hey guys I need your help.

Motherboard: ASRock X370 Taichi

I tried downgrade from BIOS 5.60 to 5.10 from a bios provide here: https://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/forum.php?act=38364, I noticed that the downgrade took less time than usual, but i rebooted the system like a fool, thigs doesn’t went well. The result was the motherboard on boot loop with code 07. I just bought an EEPROM programer CH341A + SOIC8 Clip + 1.8V Adapter, that i think will be my solution given that [GUIDE] The Beginners Guide to Using a CH341A SPI Programmer/Flasher (With Pictures!). But I will need some help to discover what goes wrong and fix, given i don’t have much experince on programming BIOS.

Thanks in advance!

First, dump BIOS contents!! Actually, first open all software versions, on the “Auto” button, uncheck erase and blank, that way nothing gets erased by accident until you are ready
Then, make a backup and confirm it’s valid by opening in BIOS tools, it should look similar to stock BIOS at least, same settings visible, same microcodes shown, same/similar errors but not lots more errors. Check this with AMIBCP, UEFITool etc.
If you are unsure, upload the dumped BIOS for someone to check, and then wait, do not erase and try to write in stock BIOS. That often is missing an entire NVRAM volume and will loose you 85% of the other NVRAM volume, along with your serial, UUID (if those are used in Asrock BIOS) and LAN MAC ID will be lost too.

Go slow, wait, and then it will be a much easier recovery!

Once you have a good dumped BIOS, I can transfer any NVRAM and details etc over to the BIOS you want.

The reason this is happening is explained on the BIOS download page for this board, if you downloaded the BIOS from proper place first time you would have noticed - * User will not able to flash previous BIOS once upgrading to this BIOS version.
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X370%20Taichi/index.asp#BIOS

Thanks Lost_N_BIOS, I have seen you are very attentive to people here. I knew about the risk but i have flashed many others bios that JZeletronic provide without problem, so I felt safe to try a flash.

I’m just waiting the programmer arrive to start dump BIOS contents. I decide to do that try on vacation so i have some time to play with if something went wrong.

By the way what is the pattern on BIOS the file provided by the Asrock manufacture? The file is flashed on different regions of the BIOS or is flashed in a continuous pattern? there is something written where i can get more information about?

I also started to read about UBU and how to update microcode and BIOS drivers.

Thanks! Yes, BIOS from JZ is not an issue, I just meant you should always look at your main board BIOS download page first/also at least, so you would have seen this message.

I do not understand your question about BIOS patterns, sorry BIOS is updated by different regions if that helps answer some of what you mean.
I didn’t check, but usually if they block a downgrade it’s due to some security issue (ME FW update or CPU microcode), and or they are trying to prevent users from doing something the older BIOS allowed due to Intel demands etc.

Ok, programmer arrived. I can’t find the proper flash profile, mine is MX25U12873F, I only found MX25L12873F or MX25U12835F. I am trying both flash profile on both programmer Asprogramer 1.4 and CH341A programm v1.34. The read and verify is not matching, every time read comes something different.

Am I doing something wrong? Can I erase something using the wrong EEPROM profile to read?

Edit: With Asprogramer 1.4 and MX25L12873F, and MX25U12835F i could read and verify, matched. Also dumped 4 times and checked with hex editor and the files matched.

Edit2: @Lost_N_BIOS , I sent you the dumped BIOS in case you could take a look.

Edit3: I can see many entries on NVRAM of dumped BIOS, included MAC address, some are marked invalid, which ones are needed to transfer to stock bios?

I flashed a stock BIOS, specific 5.60, from asrock page and everything is working as intended no MAC, DTS, or UUID problem until now. Everything with licence is still activated.

Someone could clarify if this values are stored on BIOS or could be found? Given that i cant find UUID, SERIAL, SKU, on the file dumped from the board before stock version 5.60 was flashed through the programmer.

@numlock and @Lost_N_BIOS i have problem with X370 Taichi. I did a dump choice of flashing the latest bios for asrock with Ryzen 1700x still inside. I bought 3600x but should have installed CPU first. Anyway.

Can you help.

1. I think X370 raichi bios is not socket model chip right ?
2. With CH341A programmer, should i need 1.8 V converter

Lost_N_BIOS didn’t helped me in anything, search in the forum you will find a tutorial how to use ch341a programer with x370 taichi and yes you will need a voltage converter. Good work.