[Problem] H410M-K PRO V20 With 2 Ram slot, Bios Detect 4 slots

[ViceSeeker]

Hello, after several days of just reading the forum posts, I decided to create my account, and I would like to ask for help with a problem.

After an unsolicited BIOS update with the hope of support for Windows 11, the worst happened, since with the updated BIOS, there was no support for Windows 11 due to the lack of TPM. However, that’s when the nightmare began. Starting with the GPU, which didn’t even give any type of video signal with the new BIOS. When I contacted the motherboard support, they told me that I could go back to the old BIOS, which the GPU worked on.

In fact, I followed the entire tutorial, and I managed to go back, I received video again with the video card.

However, in this simple modification, there were modifications that I wasn’t even aware of and that were even harmful.

I started to notice that I lost support for some functions that the motherboard had, there is a type of memory mapping now, the button that I used to restart the PC does not work, the Intel ME updated to version 15.

Of all the changes, the one that is driving me crazy is that the BIOS says that I have a network adapter connected to my PCI-Express x1 port, when I only have the video card connected to the PCI-Express x16 port.

The most unusual thing is that the BIOS and the system say that my motherboard has 4 RAM slots, when at this exact moment I only have 2 memory sticks connected.

Something that caught my attention was this sentence about using a software that accurately tells me the PC’s specifications.

Warning Accuracy of DMI data cannot be guaranteed

My request for help here would be, could someone confirm for me if the current BIOS on the motherboard is the same as the BIOS that the supplier has on the website?
Is it possible to reverse modify it?

I can provide an HTML of a software that sends all the PC specifications.
If someone to guide me, I can provide any information requested, use tools, follow step by step, and I can even flash the BIOS. As long as someone kindly has the patience to mention a little of the procedure, and I assume any risk related to the procedure.

The configuration is super bad but at the moment it is what I have.

Motherboard, Colorful - H410M-K PRO V20
Processor, Intel I5 10400t
Ram, 16Gb 3200mhz
SSD SATA 240gb, Connected to sata3 port
EVGA Nvidia Geforce 1060 6gbs, hdmi 2.0

BIOS Properties
Vendor American Megatrends Inc.
Version 5.17
Release Date 06/18/2020
Size 16 MB
System BIOS Version 5.17
Boot Devices Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD-ROM
Capabilities Flash BIOS, Shadow BIOS, Selectable Boot, EDD, BBS
Supported Standards DMI, ACPI, UEFI
Expansion Capabilities PCI, USB
Company Name American Megatrends Inc.

Suggestion System BIOS is more than 2 years old. Update it if necessary.

This is a direct link for downloading the motherboard bios in the vendor website
Colorful 1005

And this is what i manage to get using the AFUWIN Software
Bios Dump

[MeatWar]

Something is not correct here… the H140 uses CSME v14.5, the motherboard bios from link has indeed the v14.5.11.1105… CSME v15.x is used on Intel 500 series.

This seems a incorrect/bad/failed bios downgrade… that its been a little problematic in modern bioses, specially after Intel 300 series, we see sometimes a lot of OEMs not recommending this…and for sure, theres plenty of reports on attemps/failed results around the web.
Modern bioses have too much code sub-routines/managment modules etc…

My suggestion is to fully programm the IC(s) of the motherboard with an SPI programmer, like a cheap CH341A, the provided Intel image from the vendor is a full image ready to program.
Nothing more to add as the system has a wrong CSME so we cant expect a “normal” behaviour, good luck.

[ViceSeeker]

Sir @MeatWar, this may seem like a really silly thing, but I was really waiting for a message from you. Other than the solution you mentioned, is there anything you can help me with online? If I understand correctly, I would need someone who could do the procedure you mentioned, but in my city there are no qualified people to do this, and I also don’t know or probably don’t have the necessary equipment. I would like to know if you could help me make some kind of BIOS modification, or even a tutorial on something that can return everything to normal? As I said, I take full responsibility and I have full confidence in your help. In the BIOS options there is something called BIOS write protect, which can be disabled so that the Intel ME can be modified, do you think we can take advantage of this? I really wish that what you told me was not my last solution. If you could guide me, I can pass on any information you need. Please help me. I just want everything to go back to the way it was before.

Thank you very much for your reply.

*Edit1

Another thing I would like to comment on, it may be something really stupid, but since I don’t have much knowledge in the area, I’m trying to pass on information that may help.

I would like to mention some things I found on a forum in my local community regarding the same manufacturer.

This is related to the bios
Note that when booting in UEFI mode, the command line used update.nsh which invoked FTP.EFI. When reading posts from other users, they all mentioned a command used in the UEFI shell environment as AfuEfi.efi and also the use of these additional parameters to the Afuefi.efi command for /b /n /x /k /l

This procedure described above is for another motherboard from the same manufacturer, I’m sure it works for mine too.

Again, I apologize, but apart from what you mentioned, is there any other solution for me?

**Edit 2

If you’re not too busy and think it’s worth taking a look, here’s a complete report with all the specifications for the PC I’m using right now.

A response from @Fernando would also be very helpful, as I’ve noticed he has a vast knowledge of the hardware IDs that Windows assigns.

One question: Windows assigns my video card as PCI bus 1, device 0, function 0, but I notice that when I play games it’s not being used.

Complete PC specs

[MeatWar]

-AFUWIN backup is only bios region, no useful at all and no ME_region.
-Any files from CN 1005/6/7 have CSME 14.5, you reported your system has v15, wrong.

“This procedure described above is for another motherboard from the same manufacturer, I’m sure it works for mine too.”
-AMD boards don’t have CSME Firmware regions, your Intel platform motherboard has one and you reported as v15, wrong.

The cmd’s below are Options from AFU utility and not Intel FPT related (-F flash/write cmd).
/P Program main bios image
/B Program Boot Block
/N Program NVRAM
/X Do not check ROM ID
/K Program all non-critical blocks
/L Program all ROM Holes

Translate the text file from any CN bios archive and you’ll see basically the same arguments.

-Flashing same or newer bios files usually does not “fix” any “wrong” or incorrect/corrupted ME FW regions.

With no tools and no qualified people around to help, i’m not going to suggest any kind of attempts that can lead to a “death” system.
Get a programmer, read and learn about it in forums and this is the best option you have to fix your own issue.

Do expect that anyone will have a dedicated “Repair” session on a forum… i do not “live” or work here in this forum my friend, i just have a spare screen where it displays the forum and i can keep track of new content.
And as forum…, you can start reading/learn from threads, users shared details/tips to help you a bit, that’s it.
All the best and good luck.