BIOS update has made setup inaccessible, Windows unbootable

[DuwangGang]

Hi,

In order to upgrade my GPU, I had to update the BIOS on my Gigabyte Z77-D3H from F11. I opted to install F23b (yes, the beta one. Yes, I am kicking myself right now). This seemed to go swimmingly at first, but after pressing Save Optimised Defaults, I can no longer access the setup screen - I just get an endless flashing cursor.

I also can't boot into Windows - I just get a disk read error. I do have a UEFI W10 installer USB stick that boots, but I can't do much with that (the drive I wanted to install a new one onto has its own issues). I've tried doing Repair Installation from that USB drive, but that's done nothing.

I thought that the optimised settings must have messed up somehow, so I cleared the CMOS by re-setting the battery. This brought up a menu saying the BIOS was reset and giving me a list of options. I chose to head into the setup (the other two were to do with loading the optimised defaults again, which was the last thing I needed), but it refuses to load.

In addition, when I press F8 on boot to try to get into the QFlash utility, the speaker puts out an endless sequence of beeps. I can't work out a pattern.

So I've been left without access to Windows or the BIOS and I have no way to reset the BIOS version either. Any help gladly appreciated.

 

[junkeymonkey]

well do you mean you cant now boot to desktop ?? if so when you flash the bios is at default so if windows was loaded on ahci setting in the sata ports and the bios defaulted to ide it will not boot and you may see a blackscreen and curser


''Step 1: Turn on your computer and press <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup during the POST (Power-On Self-Test). To create RAID, set SATA Mode Selection under the Peripherals menu to RAID (Figure 1) (IDE by default). If you do not want to create RAID, set this item to IDE or AHCI''

[page 78]
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/437975/Gigabyte-Ga-Z77-D3h.html?page=78#manual

 

[DuwangGang]

I can't get into Windows *or* the BIOS settings. Even after clearing CMOS.

 

[junkeymonkey]

don't know ? I would say try to flash back but '' In addition, when I press F8 on boot to try to get into the QFlash utility, the speaker puts out an endless sequence of beeps. I can't work out a pattern''

that don't sound good and not being there for like hands on I hate to give advice and make things worse

were you sure you use the support for that boards correct revision ?? rev. 1.0 rev. 1.2 rev. 1.1 .. using the wrong bios for the wrong revision could cause major issues like your getting ??


''Permanent damage from power surge or failure during BIOS update, can be avoided with GIGABYTE DualBIOS, which automatically enables a secondary, back up BIOS.''

you would think that would kick in and save the day ??

 

[DuwangGang]

Okay, I was able to invoke the DualBIOS feature manually (thanks for telling me about that, by the way!).

I reverted it and everything worked okay again. I'm now on the latest stable version, F22 (I double-checked the revision of the mobo and it's correct - 1.0) but although the BIOS itself seems to be functioning perfectly well, it doesn't want to boot into my Windows install.

Is this usual behaviour when upgrading your BIOS? I've never had to do it before...

 

[junkeymonkey]

did you set the sata ports ?? if windows was loaded on a hard drive and the sata was set to AHCI mode it will not work / boot under IDE what is the default setting [ide-ahci-raid] you must choose the correct one , you have to go in to the bios and change / set that manually your self .. then save and exit the bios

 

[DuwangGang]

Thank you very much, that seems to have sorted it!