HI everybody
I dont quite know where to put this post so please move it if it doesnt belong here.
as you can tell from the heading if got a Gigabyte ga-z68xp-ud4 rev 1.3 (cause it has usb 3.0) that is in a constant boot loop…ie; it starts up…shows the splash screen for 15 sec the restarts.
it was booting fine but had the the very first bios version on it so I downloaded @bios from gigabyte and flashed the bios over the internet.
it restarted fine about two times and then went into the boot loop.
ive tried ALLOT of ways to force it into a backup bios boot but no sucsess.
any advice or help will really be appreciated.
Thanks
Tonnage
So, you already tried the PSU and power switch tricks? Keep trying on that one, it will eventually work.
Other than that, there is shorting BIOS pins, but that’s very risky and I would advise ordering a flash programmer instead, especially since they are so cheap and work perfectly.
The only bad thing is waiting on shipping if ordering overseas, but you can usually find locally to you on ebay too, but often twice the price when buying locally.
Here’s what you need - CH341A flash programmer, they’re cheap usually only $2.50-$4
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263458010112 - Choose “Blue” model, and if you buy from another seller be sure to get blue or green type models, don’t get black/gold because that often needs a mod done to it.
Since your BIOS is soldered to the board, you need one of these too
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263708580560
@Tonnage :
After having successfully flashed another BIOS version, you have to restore the previous BIOS settings. That is why it is very important to know resp. to have layed down these specific (non-default) BIOS settings.
HI @Lost_N_BIOS
yes I did try the psu switch trick but not sure if I followed the steps correctly.
the site I visited was very vague.
Is there a step by step I can follow somewhere?
And thanks for the links if all else fails ill go that route.
cheers
It’s a little tricky sometimes, often you have to keep trying until you get it.
Method 1 + 2 here - https://www.overclockers.com/forums/show…te-motherboards
Read through the whole thread there, so you can see how everyone describes the process, it can be tough to get it just perfect but once you do it works good.
Also detailed here in post #2 - https://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=9462.0
Or here, same 1-2 - http://skyjuiceiswater.blogspot.com/2016…board-bios.html
@Tonnage :
Forget my last reply. When I posted, I hadn’t seen, that our BIOS Guru Lost_N_BIOS had already answered, and didn’t realize, that you are a user with advanced knowledge about how to manage a BIOS update.
HI @Fernando and @Lost_N_BIOS
Thanks so much for all the advice.
Ive again tried tried to force a backup bios boot as suggested.
it appears that both bios are totally corrupted.
Ive ordered the flash writer as shared but its going to take awhile to get here as Im in South Africa.
@Lost_N_BIOS ive never flashed a bios like this, what are the steps to follow once I get the equipment?
once Again Thanks for the help guys!!
Cheers
You’re welcome! Both BIOS wouldn’t be corrupted, because you can’t write to the second easily without hidden hotkey combo used at certain time or w/ flash programmer.
But sometimes the main is so corrupted you can’t enable the recovery options via above methods, outside of shorting BIOS pins
Were you able to make any progress with the PSU and power switch methods? While you wait on delivery, keep at this, maybe you’ll get it fixed before programmer arrives.
First thing you will see is black screen or that black screen with 1/5 blue gradient at top (this is the BIOS recovery screen) and then in middle you would see recovering backup BIOS to main or start writing backup to main etc.
Hopefully your order will arrive soon! Takes me 3-5 weeks usually too when I order something like that, being cheap and ordering from China instead of paying 2-3x more purchasing locally.
You did order the SOI8 jumper cable test clips correct? You need those.
I will help you more once the programmer arrives. It’s fairly simple, connect to the BIOS, in the software choose identify and pick exact match to your BIOS chip model, or close match you’ll setup the jumper cable connected to the main BIOS chip and then run the programmer to get a backup first.
Once you get a backup made you verify it while still connected to the BIOS via cable, so read and then verify step 1-2. Once it tells you verified by main chip or buffer match 100% = verified.
Then you are OK to program new BIOS, if you cannot get that, you have to try another version of the software until you find one that works properly for your setup, sometimes you might need to try 2-3 versions.
I start always with latest version, then try older. Here’s a package with several versions, install the driver exe first, then once programmer arrives try latest version in there first
https://www.sendspace.com/file/gtcmvd
Once you get back up and running, you’ll send me your first verified backup, so I can use it to modify new BIOS for you to reflash again that contains all your board specific details (Serial, UUID, LAN MAC ID etc)
Then you will be done, and you’ll then have programmer for any time you need in the future now, such as messed up Intel ME, need to flash back to older ME, broken BIOS update on other board etc)
hi
yes played with the psu and power switch method no joy
just shows the splash screen
no black screen or recovery
thanks allot
cheers
Have you let it sit at the splash screen, sometimes if you leave it and let it sit or reboot and keep trying by itself it will fix it.
Sorry you’re not next door, I’d come right on over and fix it for you in two minutes. Well, it wont be too long before your programmer arrives, just don’t check the mail every day waiting or it will take forever.
@Lost_N_BIOS
Hi guys
finally got my programmer with the extention clip as suggested.
now…
now i need help 
what are the steps???
clean mother board with nothing attached?
or can i program the board in the pc?
You can leave board in case if you want, just get all the cables out of your way.
Attach jumper cable to MAIN BIOS chip, make sure it’s MAIN and not Backup BIOS, red wire on cable goes to pin 1 on board (White triangle on PCB near pin one usually, or find circle/dot on BIOS chip itself)
That same red wire needs to go back into the USB programmer on middle slot, with red wire (pin 1) in the middle on the lever side of the programmer
Then open software and test different versions until you can get a read / verified. If you do not get verify (memory/buffer and chip match), then close app and try again with another version.
Once you get a read and verify from the chip, upload BIOS here for us to check to be sure it’s OK. Do not write anything to this chip until we’ve said OK verified dump is good, this way you don’t loose your board specific details (Serial, windows activation LAN etc)
If you are antsy and can’t wait to make board work again, and are sure your dump is verified and not empty/corrupted (Open with hex tool, if all FF’s it’s no good, open with UEFITool, if it doesn’t look similar to a stock BIOS layout then it’s no good)
You can write new BIOS to chip, using erase, then blank check, then write followed by verify. You can use auto to do that, open BIOS file and press auto. I prefer changing auto to write/verify only (uncheck other two) and do the erase/blank check one by one manually, then open new BIOS file and hit auto
If you do that, then we will need to later put back your board specifics, so probably no LAN until you fix that, so wait if this is important to you.
HI
sorry for taking so long to reply …been super busy
not sure I understand the pin location…
"with red wire (pin 1) in the middle on the lever side of the programmer" …HUH???
there are 8 slots on the side with the lever…do i understand you right…3rd slot from the lever, on the lever side, must be the red wire???
how do I add a pic??
oops found it
Is that right???
@Tonnage - sorry for not explaining better, we need a good image guided guide here about using these.
No, that is not correct, you are halfway into each block/set of slots. But you do have the red wire on correct side. now move entire block over two places, so you are using only the middle chip block. On your image, move everything over two more places to the right.
There is outer block (Toward end of card/by rear etc) that has 8 slots, and then there is the middle block that has 8 slots. By middle block, I mean the middle block of 4+4 slots.
One side (rear) is for 24xx type BIOS and one side (middle) is for 25xx type BIOS, what you have. The middle block is the 25xxx BIOS type. There should be a little image of two BIOS chips shown on your PCB on other side of the block, or on back, look at that and then you’ll understand more what I mean.
got a read and verify on ver 1.29
how do I upload the files?
@Tonnage - Upload in a zip file to any free file host you like. If you don’t know any, one of these is what I often used, upload and then post link here once it’s done uploading
sendspace.com
filedropper.com
nofile.io
And here they are finally!!
once again…
Thanks for all the patience, advice and help
https://nofile.io/f/jGkoxZr13zc/ga-z68xp-ud4-dump.bin
https://nofile.io/f/oO4pmvdnA5A/backup-chip.bin