Question BIOS update for AsRock B450m pro4 + Ryzen 5 2600 to enable SAM / Resize Bar ?

[mladja064]

I want to update bios on my AsRock b450m-pro4 mobo to enable AMD Smart Access Memory with my RX 6600 XT.
I dont have experience with bios updates so if you can help me how to do it because i dont want to break my pc.

Motherboard support says that my R5 2600 can work with all bios versions.

Here are bios versions that supports AMD AGESA ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.0 that is needed for adding options in bios to activate resize bar.

My curent bios version is 3.60
Link to AsRock mobo spec: https://www.asrock.com/MB/AMD/B450M Pro4/index.asp#Support

 

[Lutfij]

If I were you, I'd gradually update the BIOS till you reached the latest BIOS version. You can go through this video or this video as a guide to aid you with BIOS updates on that motherboard.

 

[mladja064]

If I were you, I'd gradually update the BIOS till you reached the latest BIOS version. You can go through this video or this video as a guide to aid you with BIOS updates on that motherboard.

In the video it says that AsRock do not recomand for 2000 series cpu-s to go higher than 3.50 bios.

And i have 3.60 bios version out of the box (not recomanded)

 

[drea.drechsler]

In the video it says that AsRock do not recomand for 2000 series cpu-s to go higher than 3.50 bios.

And i have 3.60 bios version out of the box (not recomanded)

So Asrock is giving you conflicting information on this. It might be the newer BIOS works but they just don't recommend it. But it's risky since you could also be left with a bricked board. Strongly suggest you give their tech support a call or drop them some emails to get advice on this directly from them before proceeding with updates.

 

[bniknafs9]

your safest bet is to reach the servers from the bios settings , and update "Online" from within the bios itself . there's no confusion there , and they would download and install the latest bios for you. if your asrock mobo is high to middle end , i'm sure they would support it just like msi asus or gigabyte.

 

[mladja064]

So Asrock is giving you conflicting information on this. It might be the newer BIOS works but they just don't recommend it. But it's risky since you could also be left with a bricked board. Strongly suggest you give their tech support a call or drop them some emails to get advice on this directly from them before proceeding with updates.

I contacted them and they were very helpful 🙁

Dear Customer,

For technical issue and emergency case, we suggest you to contact your dealer first.

If your dealer can’t solve your problem, ASRock web site also offers FAQ and other information (https://www.asrock.com/support/).
Some similar questions or solutions could be found there and our technical support engineers update the information every month.

If it is regarding repair/RMA service, please kindly check with your dealer for related service.
Please remember to record the model name & product serial number for future tracking.

Thanks for your email,
ASRock Technical Support Division

I have only found dealers (importers/sellers) in my country and i will contact them to see how they can help me

your safest bet is to reach the servers from the bios settings , and update "Online" from within the bios itself . there's no confusion there , and they would download and install the latest bios for you. if your asrock mobo is high to middle end , i'm sure they would support it just like msi asus or gigabyte.

Do you mean to enter the bios and then to try online update of the bios?
Maybe is safest way to try flash/USB method.

I just got RX 6600 XT and i dont have money for new motherboard and if i had i would go for R5 5600x cpu!

The reason i am tryin these is because R5 2600 is weak cpu for my graph. card.
So i had in mind to
OC gpu
OC cpu
S.A.M/resize bar ON
And try to squeez max out of my components!

 

[drea.drechsler]

...

I just got RX 6600 XT and i dont have money for new motherboard and if i had i would go for R5 5600x cpu!

...

You should have no problem running a 5600X on your B450M Pro 4 with the latest BIOS so you don't really need to also change motherboard. A good approach to this is to go ahead and update BIOS to the latest, if it works with your 2600 then great. Only if it doesn't work do you have to spend the money for the 5600X.

Or just go ahead and buy the 5600X anyway.

Do be sure to reset CMOS after updating BIOS whichever CPU you're going to use.

 

[mladja064]

You should have no problem running a 5600X on your B450M Pro 4 with the latest BIOS so you don't really need to also change motherboard. A good approach to this is to go ahead and update BIOS to the latest, if it works with your 2600 then great. Only if it doesn't work do you have to spend the money for the 5600X.

Or just go ahead and buy the 5600X anyway.

Do be sure to reset CMOS after updating BIOS whichever CPU you're going to use.

Should i try maybe 5.10 bios version says it only updates AMD AGESA ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.2
while 5.00 updates Support Ryzen 5000 G-series processors

And if doesnt work can i downgrade safely back to 3.60 vers that i am using now? I dont wanna break mobo i have only 50$ till the end of the month 🙁

ASRock > B450M Pro4

Supports AMD AM4 Socket Ryzen™ 2000, 3000, 4000 G-Series, 5000 and 5000 G-Series Desktop Processors; Supports DDR4 3200+ (OC); 1 PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x1; AMD Quad CrossFireX™; Graphics Output: HDMI, DVI-D, D-Sub; 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec), ELNA Audio Caps...

www.asrock.com

 

[drea.drechsler]

Should i try maybe 5.10 bios version says it only updates AMD AGESA ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.2
while 5.00 updates Support Ryzen 5000 G-series processors

And if doesnt work can i downgrade safely back to 3.60 vers that i am using now? I dont wanna break mobo i have only 50$ till the end of the month 🙁

ASRock > B450M Pro4

Supports AMD AM4 Socket Ryzen™ 2000, 3000, 4000 G-Series, 5000 and 5000 G-Series Desktop Processors; Supports DDR4 3200+ (OC); 1 PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 PCIe 2.0 x1; AMD Quad CrossFireX™; Graphics Output: HDMI, DVI-D, D-Sub; 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec), ELNA Audio Caps...

www.asrock.com

Unforutanetly, Ver 5.1 notes read the same about not recommended with Pinnacle Ridge processors...which a 2600 is. It very well might work but that note makes it hard to say it's a sure thing. Although unlikely the worst case possible outcome if it doesn't work is the board won't even boot into BIOS to let you flash back to another one until you put in a Matisse or Vermeer processor (3000 or 5000 series).

If you're doing this with the idea SAM is going to maximize performance just consider that it really only gets a few extra FPS in a narrow selection of titles that benefit from what it does. Just overclock that CPU with the BIOS you're on and tweak up memory as best you can until you have enough to cover the purchase of a 5600X (prices are falling too) as a fall-back in case it doesn't work as well as you like. Or just buy it then because that's truly the best way to get the most performance out of the rest of your hardware.