Hello,
I am wondering if anyone has tried modifying Z490 bios to allow Rocket Lake CPUs to work? I don’t care about PCIe 4 just need the motherboard to support a 11600K. I bought an open box 11600K for $160 and would love to use it to replace a 10400 (the Z490-i was bought open box for $130 which is why it was paired with the 10400 for $140, in case you were wondering).
In my mind inserting the microcodes from another Z490 Asus board that has been updated would work but I am sure they added stuff for the PCIe 4 bits as well. So just wondering if anyone has tried updating a Z490 board that didn’t have support for Rocket Lake.
Edit by Fernando: Thread moved into the “BIOS Modding Requests” Sub-Forum and title customized
The Intel ME FW version is the main issue here besides adding the necessary mcodes, v14 vs v14.1.
Anyway as ur model has USB BFB u can give it a try, who knows… maybe its just mcodes missing, but the A0670/1 r already present in latest bios.
Note the TDP of the cpus…
EDIT: Updating to the latest v14 ME FW has no issues at all, try that with new added mcodes. The 14.1.51.1528 from the ROG STRIX Z490-A GAMING or newer.
Latest version CSME 14.1 Consumer H A v14.1.60.1790, here: Intel (Converged Security) Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware and Tools
Final note, the Z490-A and urs have exactly the same mcodes, so its Asus matter.
Even so u can update them in UBU
Maybe if I install 14.1.53 ME from z490-a page might do it?
https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-st…l/helpdesk_bios
Looks like newer MEs have a problem with current bios. If the microcode are the same as the A model then like you said it isn’t the microcode limiting rocket lake cpus.
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.ph…gaming-new-bios
I guess there is no path to rocket lake.
I tried updating the microcode with UBU. However, bios flashback would not flash it. It appears to be smaller than the original file. It is name correctly using biosrenamer and original bios flashes fine on same usb stick.
I have attached the modded file to this post. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
RSZ490IG.zip (10.5 MB)
Looking in the file, u didnt update anything on it.
Also UBU on exit operation gives u 2 options to rename/save bios file, and the Asus method correctly renames the file for USB BFB and recovers its capsule header.
But since the update of ur version requires manual edit of the mcodes, as they r too new to latest UBU, ill do it for u, hero u go: Z490i v2301 mcodes
*Again keep in mind, like i reported before, this is only an update of the mcodes, it doesnt add new ones regarding the model support for 11th Gen.
This file only works with ASUS USB BFB operation, NOT EZ update or OS environment. Keep an original bios file in another USB if recover is necessary.
Thanks for the steps I missed and the firmware. As expected the microcodes did not bring rocket lake compatiblity. Oh well. I guess I will be on the lookout for another Z590 ITX board in the future.