[SOLVED] AMD 3000 Update confusion

[Secof]

I am trying to ask this question general enough so it not only applies to my own system but also to other's with similar situations.

I have a B450 Aorus Elite and Gigabyte is issuing many updates at the moment to support the new AMD 3000 series CPUs. In the process however they are also adding support for newer versions of Windows (like the 1903 version).

I have a 2600x and don't know whether I should update my system with the latest drivers and bioses, if I am not getting a 3000 series CPU.

So this is my ultimate question, will my system benefit from newer drivers that appears to be aimed at series 3000 support?
(Bios update F41, in my case, also adds "improved M.2 SSD compatibility")

Please don't give the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" answer.

Thanks so much for any support!

UPDATE:

What would you do in this case however?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-AORUS-ELITE-rev-10/support#support-dl-driver-chipset

As you will see there is a new chipset driver, and although it is again focused on support for the 3000 series, it also adds support for a newer version of windows...?

 

[Darkbreeze]

That "Improve M.2 SSD compatibility" was focused around the use of PCIe 4.0 if I'm not mistaken. The fact that support for PCI 4.0 has been removed on the latest version due to a lack of support from AMD and some inherent issues with trying to make the standard work on a system that was not actually designed to use it, if I'm not off my mark, make that update largely moot.

To the best of my knowledge I see no benefit, at this time, of updating beyond F32 if you are not using a Ryzen 3000 CPU. That could change going forward because there may be performance and compatibility improvements that affect ALL systems regardless of which CPU is being used in the future. If you DO update past F32, you MUST follow the instructions for the update to F40, even if you do not install that update.

Note:

1. If you are using Q-Flash Utility to update BIOS, make sure you have updated BIOS to F32 before F40
2. Before update BIOS to F40, you have to install EC FW Update Tool (B19.0517.1 or later version) to avoid 4DIMM DDR compatibility on 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ CPU.

Personally, I'd wait a week or two to see if there is any fallout from the latest revision before bothering with something that might have to be superseded or reversed.

 

[boju]

Im wondering whether Gigabyte's

1. 1 x 128 Mbit flash

16MB worth of bios memory could pose a problem disabling some features giving way to make Ry3 compatible?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, could be to support M.2 drives or other devices that use newer, larger, denser flash memory architectures. I didn't see anything about that yet but I haven't done a lot of reading on the latest news this week either.

As far as I know, and I could be wrong, but so far the only references I've seen to the reduction in features due to updating to Ryzen 3000 compatible BIOS versions are related to some MSI boards that used too small of BIOS ROMs to add support for Ryzen while retaining the full featured BIOS and had to reduce it to a "lite" version, and the removal of support for lower end Athlon etc. on some boards.

If you update for reasons other than Ryzen 3000 compatibility, ever, you're going to lose that anyway so if you don't ever plan to run one of those lower end skus I don't know that I'd worry too much about it unless you find something specific that outlines it as a problem for THAT specific board.

 

[boju]

Probably leave it then and maybe reassess again in future if consider a cpu upgrade. Bios updates can only improve and won't go anywhere.

If your system is running fine Secof i wouldn't worry about it, and as said, take the opportunity to wait and see where all of this mumbo-jumbo settles.

 

[DMAN999]

I personally am still using BIOS 1201 (with AGESA 1.0.0.6) on my Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming MB because it has proven to be the best BIOS for use with my Ryzen 5 2600.
Newer BIOS versions (with newer AGESA versions) are not as stable and are less tolerant of RAM overclocking.
The newer BIOS versions are designed specifically for Ryzen 3000 support and cause issues with my Ryzen 5 2600 that my current BIOS does not have.
So unless a BIOS version gets released that actually works better with my CPU and RAM, I will not be updating it.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Agreed. That's why I said to wait. There might be a reason that comes along later, especially if you add a piece of hardware or upgrade something that is not well supported but IS with a future update, but for now, there is no known benefit for 2nd Gen users.

 

[Secof]

I personally am still using BIOS 1201 (with AGESA 1.0.0.6) on my Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming MB because it has proven to be the best BIOS for use with my Ryzen 5 2600.
Newer BIOS versions (with newer AGESA versions) are not as stable and are less tolerant of RAM overclocking.
The newer BIOS versions are designed specifically for Ryzen 3000 support and cause issues with my Ryzen 5 2600 that my current BIOS does not have.
So unless a BIOS version gets released that actually works better with my CPU and RAM, I will not be updating it.

Thanks for your and everyone else's reply and have validated what I was thinking or leaning towards and as we have similar systems, I am probably going to do the same.

What would you do in this case however?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-AORUS-ELITE-rev-10/support#support-dl-driver-chipset

As you will see there is a new chipset driver, and although it is again focused on support for the 3000 series, it also adds support for a newer version of windows...?

 

[hftvhftv]

Thanks for your and everyone else's reply and have validated what I was thinking or leaning towards and as we have similar systems, I am probably going to do the same.

What would you do in this case however?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-AORUS-ELITE-rev-10/support#support-dl-driver-chipset

As you will see there is a new chipset driver, and although it is again focused on support for the 3000 series, it also adds support for a newer version of windows...?

If you have or want to update to Windows 10 1903 then do the chipset driver update

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Hi guys
From my recent experience with issues which i still have not determined why yet, i wound up updating my bios on my asus rog strix x470 f gaming to 5204.

This update in my opion is buggy and has performance losses for my 2600x and i cant get my g.kill flare x past 3200 fast using ryzen dram calculator now where it was @3400 fast.

So if you have good performance now and are not going to a gen 2 anytime soon then keep what you have until there is good stable bios releases.

 

[Secof]

If you have or want to update to Windows 10 1903 then do the chipset driver update

Thanks I'll do that, mind if I ask why tho? Would my current processor benefit from it?

 

[DMAN999]

Thanks for your and everyone else's reply and have validated what I was thinking or leaning towards and as we have similar systems, I am probably going to do the same.

What would you do in this case however?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450-AORUS-ELITE-rev-10/support#support-dl-driver-chipset

As you will see there is a new chipset driver, and although it is again focused on support for the 3000 series, it also adds support for a newer version of windows...?

I personally did update my chipset drivers to that version and it hasn't caused any issues for me so far.
Since AMD doesn't actually list every change made to the drivers it is a tough choice on whether you need them or not.
But the drivers are very easy to uninstall and revert to the older drivers so I don't have any issue testing them.

 

[drea.drechsler]

I personally did update my chipset drivers to that version and it hasn't caused any issues for me so far.
Since AMD doesn't actually list every change made to the drivers it is a tough choice on whether you need them or not.
But the drivers are very easy to uninstall and revert to the older drivers so I don't have any issue testing them.

I do agree a changelog would be nice. But I believe Robert Halleck (the AMD technical marketing rep (or is it engineering customer liason) who's been handling much of the PR for the launch) did say that the chipset installation was conditional. That is, it will only install the chipset components needed for the particular CPU and chipset present on the motherboard. So if you don't have a Zen2 CPU, you won't get any of the bits that are needed to make that particular CPU shine and that includes the new Ryzen Power Plans. And if you don't have an X570 chipset you won't get components needed to power Gen 4 PCIe lanes either. So if you install them on a B450 mobo with a Ryzen 2000 processor you could very well get all the same stuff you had before only with new release numbering.