[SOLVED] Can you completely reinstall BIOS on a bricked motherboard?

[DemiBlueman]

I was attempting to update UEFI BIOS on my ASRock 970A-G/3.1 from the download for my mobo on the ASRock website. I was doing this due to my computer randomly shutting down for the last couple of weeks. I had originally tried removing my new GPU that I got and putting my PC on top of the desk rather than in it's cubby(just in case it was overheating). When it continued to power down, I did every virus scan available from Windows defender. Nothing was found. I don't suspect my power supply, as it's a relatively new 750w. So I compared the BIOS version to the latest one in the website and it appeared to need updated. So I downloaded their BIOS updater and ran it once. It proceeded to fail and tell me not to restart my PC until it succeeded. So I closed all the windows on my PC and tried again. Shortly after beginning, my computer froze and I patiently waited for 1.5 hours, watching YouTube while sitting in a discord server (all on my phone). My friend proceeded to get online and when I told him I'd been waiting that long, he said it was bricked. At first I denied it, but he insisted to the point I doubted my opinion. So I powered down before any resolution happened. Now it is DEFINITELY bricked. I don't know if it had already been, but that's neither here nor there at this point. I'm just wondering if, with my mobo, I can use a USB flash drive to force BIOS to reinstall.

 

[getochkn]

What kind of PSU. 750w means nothing if it's garbage, and that's one thing people usually cheap out on. The manual for that MB will let you know if it supports USB installing or not of a BIOS.

EDIT

Quick search https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/asrock-970a-g-3-1-bios-update-failed.3166982/

 

[DemiBlueman]

What kind of PSU. 750w means nothing if it's garbage, and that's one thing people usually cheap out on. The manual for that MB will let you know if it supports USB installing or not of a BIOS.

EDIT

Quick search https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/asrock-970a-g-3-1-bios-update-failed.3166982/

I had seen that post. The problem is I have no money because my jobs laid me off until this coronavirus thing is done. Also, I bought my PC used, so no manual. And that post neither asks nor answers my question.

EDIT. I don't know the PSU. All I know is it's a Corsair cx750

 

[USAFRet]

I had seen that post. The problem is I have no money because my jobs laid me off until this coronavirus thing is done. Also, I bought my PC used, so no manual. And that post neither asks nor answers my question.

There is a manual online for everything.
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970A-G3.1/#Manual

Can you recover from a bricked BIOS?
Maybe.
Depends on the motherboard, and what info may be in the user manual.

 

[DemiBlueman]

There is a manual online for everything.
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970A-G3.1/#Manual

Can you recover from a bricked BIOS?
Maybe.
Depends on the motherboard, and what info may be in the user manual.

First and foremost, thank you for your military service. Secondly, I just read through the parts regarding BIOS and UEFI in the manual. I can't find anything related to this issue.

 

[USAFRet]

Secondly, I just read through the parts regarding BIOS and UEFI in the manual. I can't find anything related to this issue.

Some motherboards have a dual BIOS.
When/if the main one gets bricked, it will allow you to recover from the untouched secondary.

Since yours does not appear to have that function......this does not look good.

 

[Lag_behind]

If the bios is bricked, it seems as though it is a socketable bios chip so its as simple as buying a replacement on ebay, taking the old one out and putting a new one in. It does not seem to be possible to simply reflash it. If you had the tools to reprogram it and another computer to do so, you could but it seems like you'll need to buy something like this to fix it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-Chip-...694321?hash=item5d6f5362f1:g:AtcAAOSwL5BZy7Vh

 

[OllympianGamer]

I wouldn't waste your money on a bios chip as it's unlikely your bios was causing your original issues so even if you manage to solder the new chip correctly chances are you will still have the problems you had before.

 

[zx128k]

I wouldn't waste your money on a bios chip as it's unlikely your bios was causing your original issues so even if you manage to solder the new chip correctly chances are you will still have the problems you had before.

Hope for bios flashback to save the day or go with plan b or c.

Plan B
You may not have to remove the chip from the motherboard. You can clip the re-programmer straight onto the chip without removing it. This works if the chip itself is okay but the failure could be down to the chip itself being bad. You just have to make sure that the battery is removed and the PSU is not plugged into the outlet.

You also have to get the right equipment to reprogram your chip. Also replacement BIOS chips of the same type. You download the BIOS file from the manufacture and reprogram one of the new chips and check the data is correct. Flux the old chip and heat it to remove it. Remove all the old solder and then put new solder on the pads. Now solder the new reprogrammed chip onto the board and pray to the Omnissiah it works.

Don't try soldering without putting in the time to learn how to do it right.

Reprogramming the bios chip the hard way. You will need all the gear in the video. Including the right reprogramming device compatible with your bios chip.

The easier way without removing the chip. The jaw just clips onto the bios chip.

With the second method you don't have to do any soldering but if the chip is bad then it won't work. You just have to clip the jaw onto the bios chip and then you can re-flash it. Sometimes it can be very finicky to pull off. Some jaws won't make a good connection.

Note you can download the contents of the BIOS chip and save it before you erase the chip.

Plan C
Another method i to send the board back to the manufacture and they can re-flash the chip for you. They will charge P&P and normally a fee of $15.

Now like OllympianGamer stated above, this is unlikely to fix the issues you had before. Just the BIOS issue. Never re-flash a bios on an unstable system that reboots, shuts down or crashes.

It's a lot of work, just to find out the motherboard is a paper weight because of other issues.