BIOS Flashback issue

[minlian]

I updated my Asus Prime X299-A to Bios 1102 only to learn that Spectre and Meltdown patch degrade performance. Now I tried using USB Flashback to revert to Bios 0402. I inserted an usb containing Bios 0402 which is renamed as X299A.CAP into the Flashback port. I pressed the button for 3 seconds and the light started blinking. It wont stop even after half an hour. So I unplug the power button and restarted my pc. The Bios version remains the same and whenever I turn off my pc the flashback light keeps blinking. Help

 

[Darkbreeze]

Is the system still functional? Are you able to go into the bios still, boot windows, etc?

 

[minlian]

Yes the system is still functional. I can go into bios and boot windows as well. but whenever I turn off my sytem, that flashback light keeps blinking

 

[Darkbreeze]

Ok, so I'd try downloading a fresh copy of the bios firmware, version 0402, load it onto a flash drive and try flashing from within the bios itself, rather than using the flashback mechanism.

It's also possible that the update via flashback failed, or succeeded but was seen as a fail since it's an older version, and the backup bios which was also updated when you first updated to the newer bios, kicked in, which is why you are seeing the same version still.

You might also try disconnecting power to the system, removing the motherboard cmos battery for two minutes, pressing the power button for ten seconds during that two minutes, then putting the cmos battery back in, reconnect power and boot.

 

[minlian]

Ok, I'll try, but why is it so hard to flash back to an older version? is there any other way to revert to the default bios version?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Some bios will NOT allow you to flash to older versions, at all. You MAY be stuck with what you have until another version is released. Numerically, they are sometimes limited that way. My board for example, you could flash to any version you wanted, all the way up until the update for the Intel management engine bug, and after that, you can't go back to a version from before that.