[Problem] Bricked Bios ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WIFI D4

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS Modding Guides and Problems
1

Hi there,

I have a bios programmer ch341a black PCB and want to know if it’s possible to flash the bios of this board with it.

IMG_20250511_002215
IMG_20250511_002215868×1158 118 KB

I already flashed 2 bios the old type that are removable and was easy but can’t remember anything at all.

Can I just download latest Asus bios (“TUF-GAMING-Z690-PLUS-WIFI-D4-ASUS-4101.cap”) open it with AsProgrammer and flash to the chip “Winbond 25Q64JVSIQ”?

Anyway I will try taking it to a store on Monday and see if they can flash it for me, but if they can’t I will have to do something about it and the problem is I don’t have the clips neither hot air station so I would have to painly solder 6 small wires to attach to the ch341a…

ps: I also have a backup of my working bios in .rom with same size 24MB but I would prefer a clean flash with the downloaded bios instead.

2

Yes, the .CAP file can be used but must be prepared first.

  • Original mb data must be transfered from backup to downloaded .CAP (FD44editor)
  • Then cut 0x1000 from top of the .CAP
  • Next, select block 0x800000 (8192Kb) cut, as this is the Winbond IC with CSME v16.1
  • Remaing data 0x1000000 (16384Kb) is main bios Mxic IC.

Now…what did you mess with? Do you need to flash both IC’s… Is it ASProgrammer the best solution for programming this board… etc etc…
Do not do worst than it is… but after all, its you call since you didnt explaned nothing more than a simple “question” made, only.
That’s it, nothing more to add to the subject, good luck.

EDIT:

If you could… you’de i had lose my time writing??? Kind silly question isnt it???
CAPSULE is OEM security, MUST be removed for programmer and what part didn’t you understood as the whole firmware is across 2 IC’s

If only main bios was modified, flash only this IC, content starts 0x801000, but original data must be transfered as previous mentioned.

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Never heard FD44 bricking bios files.
Solder why…no clip?
Yes, a capable IT Tech will fix it and will charge… as it supposed to, this is a forum with a lot of “teaching” but can’t teach experience.

1 Like
4

Basically I had problems with OC on the ring and unstability and tried to flash using Afuwin64 (Aptio V latest version) and it erased just a few blocks and failed, I was very dumb to restart the PC. I should have used Asus flasher in windows to have 0 issues but oh well…

Anyway I had a Sabertooth Z77 used that all looked fine but also couldn’t OC for some reason, I updated to latest bios using Asus EZ flash and nothing, only after a full “program all” with Afuwin finally fixed that board that looked normal but wasn’t, I thought it could be the case here too…

Back to the ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WIFI D4, most of its bios is intact, only a few blocks were erased but doesn’t start anymore and bios crashfree is pointless and also doesn’t work, it just lights up CPU led error… Even flashback boards I had never worked, nothing like Gigabyte dual bios :rage:

It Was likely somewhere in this region that got erased like 8 or 9 blocks maybe, no idea:

Captura de ecrã 2025-05-11 024932
Captura de ecrã 2025-05-11 024932738×563 53 KB

(note, the pic was taken on a older version, but I used latest aptio V AfuWin 5.16…)

Damn, that sucks, also FD44editor seems crazy outdated, I have read many ppl that used it and ended up bricking the bios.

Also I’d be screwed having to solder not 6 but 12 cables, really hope the store can fix it or I’m pretty screwed.

Is there a chance someone could kindly prepare me the files ready to flash from my backup to the latest bios? (also my backup is in a older bios, the one on the motherboard is the latest and has updated ME FW and other FW stuff).

EDIT: I don’t have the clips, would have to re-buy everything again :frowning_face:

5

@guily6669

In the picture you posted, there looks to be a SPI header near the flash chips.

Maybe you could investigate that instead of soldering / de-soldering.

Also, Z690 ASUS boards often have a BIOS Flashback feature. Have you looked at that option?

EDIT: Found the flashback instructions in the manual

Asus_TGZ690W4_Flashback
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6

Sir… when we mention Asus USB FBF (Bios FlashBack Feature) on this forum, we mean the “real” solution present by Asus as a dedicated USB port and an hw button on the motherboard, that only requires PSU stand-by on, on selected models.
CrashFree has nothing to do with this feature and will not react to a non-functional bios-post system.

1 Like
7

Sadly nop, crashfree is different than bios flashback, it needs the bios to be working in first place and I already tried it with the renamer to the appropriate name and also tried ASUS.cap, the pen is not even read cause it have a green light when something is accessing it, it just lights a red CPU light on the board and nothing more…

And even Asus Flashback usually is garbage cause I had one with it, followed instructions, pressed the button and used the appropriate USB port it first start reading the file and then nothing even tried like 6 different USB pen drives…

Even tried removing all cables, memories, CPU, same result…

Gigabyte dual bios solution is miles better.

8

You had bad luck only… i’ve recovered dozens of “death”, bad mod, test mods etc… old Aptio IV or modern Aptio V. The thing is, it only recovers main SPI bios region, not modern multiple ICs with CSME Firmware when corrupted.

To finalyze, your board is recoverable, just needs programming. If had this feature you were already cheering cause you only need bios recovery and not ME FW (Note, that your ICs dumps were not shared to analyse if any other corruption)
All the best, good luck.

9

It was a old motherboard with single big removable bios and flashback still didn’t work, but after I bought the programmer I fixed it (I believe it was on the old Asus Sabertooth Z77)…

Now this modern bios is a huge confusion to me having it shared within 2 bios chips :rage:

I can’t share the IC dumps cause I don’t have the clips, I really wanted was to already be one step ahead by having all files cooked and ready to flash in case the store can’t help so I would re-buy the CH341A programmer with the clips or would you recommend other programmer that is also cheap???

Also I wanted as much as possible from latest Asus bios and as less as possible from my backup bios to see if it fixes the OC on the ring (I really wanted basically a flash kinda like Afuwin64 does that fixed the Sabertooth OC problem while Asus EZ updater did nothing while the board was fully working and looked normal).

ps: Also seems lately Afuwin64 aptio V doesn’t seem to work, already tried 3 boards and didn’t end up bricking them with luck cause the others would erase quite a bit and write and then failed at some point just before erasing while this one erased like 8 or 9 blocks and failed (should have used Asus windows bios updater and not restart :rage:)

EDIT: can you at least check for any signs of anything wrong on my older version of the bios backup???

10

At first glance, this 3602 backup seems ok and original mb data present with SN, UUID and MAC.

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1 Like
11

Thank you so much, on FDD4Editor 0.9.2 it says ME and GBE not present, don’t know if it’s normal.

Anyway is it possible to completely erase both memory chips and do a full clean install just from the official Asus 24MB .cap latest bios and inject only minimal data from my backup like serrial number, mac address… (like will it have everything inside back again like intel ME latest version and all of that?)

If possible I’d tell in the store I’d want a full complete clean install if they can even do it…

12

No damm it… and stay put on cleaning both IC’s, the 2nd IC (CSME) is mostlikely intact as this was only mod on main image.
I told you already the correct way to recover the motherboard and this is the method that an IT Tech wiil do it, as myself, understood now? NOT in the current status of the bios with poster what so ever.
There’s no “catch” here or shorcuts, “clean install” what %#&$%& are you talking here.
I’m OVER_N_OUT of here.

13

Sorry if I pissed you, I’m a noob on this, I just saw on youtube people completely erasing the entire bios chip and fully writing it again like new, I’m always scared something else might be slightly corrupt somewhere like the Z77 which was fully working but wasnt and only Afuwin64 all block flash made OC back while Asus flashing didn’t…

Also like I said I’m not an expert in hex editing :frowning_face:

Anyway on FD44Editor 0.9.2 is it normal to have no GBE and ME present?

Captura de Ecrã (384)
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I’m doing the first steps, used FDD44editor, saved to cap it changed to .bin, now I’m cutting 1000 hex block…

14

Well i’m starting too…cause that’s EXACTLY what i described in my first post, getting the 2 images ready to program, but AGAIN…in your case it may only need Main IC programmed.
I’m not going to repeat myself over and over, instructions/tips were given, do it at your risk or take it to a tech shop.

1 Like
15

I followed your instructions but something is wrong, I ended up with 16380KB instead of 16384 :face_with_spiral_eyes:

I live in a small island and there aren’t many high tech stores, I don’t even know if this store will be able to fix it and don’t know anyone else :frowning:

Captura de ecrã 2025-05-11 174724

I’m sure I followed your instructions well :unamused:

EDIT: I see the problem, If I don’t use FD44Editor and start cutting the original Asus .cap bios the math get’s right, cause FD44Editor changes it to .bin and seems to already cut the 1000 block.

So should I first cut 1000 hex block from the .cap and save it and use the FD44editor after?

EDIT2: Yeah, cutting 1000 hex from the .cap and saving it first then using FD44editor everything gets exactly like your math in terms of file KB.

Also sadly I just compared both ways with the hex editor and there’s always small changes in both files (I mean from using FD44editor first and not cut 1000 blocks to cut 1000 blocks from the .cap first and use FD44editor after though they end up with same KB size) :face_with_spiral_eyes:

Captura de ecrã 2025-05-11 184923
Captura de ecrã 2025-05-11 1849231865×932 83.2 KB

ps: I don’t know which is correct if any :frowning_face: :frowning_face:

Is there any chance you can check both methods and see which is right?PLEASE!!, I have them numbered as 1 and 2 inside the rar.

16

Apologies,

I hadn’t realised it was a poor version of Flashback.

Looking at the rear ports, I can see there is no dedicated Flashback port.

Boooo

17

I have the board running again and a backup of the corrupted bios of both IC’s… (they were desoldered to flash).

Now I have a question is there any app like Afuwin64 that can do a “Program all Blocks” that would work on this motherboard??

Lately Afuwin64 Aptio V latest version doesn’t work on any board I have, already tested on 3 and always fails at some point.

AfuDOS is likely going to give same result don’t even want to risk it bricking my board again.

Also special thanks to you, however following that order it gets wrong, but I managed to get the proper file thanks to your info.

18

Not really, and AFUWIN/AFUDOS is primarily a Bios region updater, besides additional existent switches added to CMD/GUI, were pass the 2Mb/4Mb bioses, long way by now…i suspect you would like something like a programmer app…withou the programmer itself, but they dont work like that, they use VSCC and IC specs and not module/blocks.
The closest one is the Intel FPT tool from CSME Engine tools, this tools writes as IT IS and doesnt care what is told to, rigth or wrong, if the block/range/image is corrupted/modified in anyway, it writes exactly like so.
This tool needs FD unlocked to access the whole spi(s) regions, most are not, some can only be read others neither.
Anyway, wait for some other users suggestions.

1 Like