Question Help Updating Gigabyte g1.sniper z170 bios? Confused?

Aug 1, 2020
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I am confused about how to update the bios, when I download the bios update from Gigabyte there is a efiflash.exe file in the download along with a autoexec.bat and G1SZ170.22f file in the download. I tried looking up how to do this myself and I can't find anything specific to my particular motherboard but people talking about having to use a usb drive to do theirs with the Qflash.

I found this document https://www.gigabyte.com/webpage/20/images/utiltiy_qflash_uefi.pdf that says you can install the update to a hard drive (I don't have a usb and would have to go buy one) "Q-Flash only supports USB flash drive or hard drives using FAT32/16/12 file system". I have a m2 ssd and a 7200 rpm hard drive, how do I tell if they are valid sources to install the update from?

I am confused by the .exe and the autoexec.bat files in the download also, could someone help me, I've been in my case for 4-5 hours trying to get new ram to work, resetting cmos via jumpers and battery (Things I have never done and had to research), taking parts out and reinstalling and Im really at the end of my rope. I don't want to install something wrong or mess this up. Any help is appreciated.
 
Aug 1, 2020
20
3
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So I ended up just going out and getting a small usb thumb drive at the store down the road, and did it the old fashioned way from the information I read and watched regarding other motherboards. I was able to update the bios successfully and its a newer fancier interface with more info (The previous bios was from 2016).

I noticed when I was back in the BIOS that it is UEFI capable, from what little I have read as I scoured the net it seems like that is some way to update the bios from windows and maybe what the efiflash.exe and autoexec.bat files were for. The way I did it was just putting the g1sz170.22f file on the usb stick and choosing that from the qflash.

I hope the system will now detect my new ram.
 

popatim

Titan
Moderator
Bestbuy has a 16gb flash drive for $5. if you cant borrow a blank one from a friend or associate.

Before you update your bios, do you really need to? Do you have a recent full backup of your hdd/ssd's?
Made note of any bios changes you've made? Raid, overclocking, ram settings...
Often you can export your current bios setting to one of your drives.
note - This may cause NVME drives to no longer boot up.



Basically your format the flashdrive in your pc as Fat32
next you extract all those files to the flashdrive.
Reboot and go into the bios.
Press F8 to enter the Qflash utility.
Select the "Update Bios from File" option,
navigate to the Flash drive if it doesn't find it automatically,
select the new firmware, (this is the G1SZ170.22f )
Wait until it is done.
Reboot and enter the bios again.
Load the built in Bios Defaults settings.
Save and exit.
If everything went well, you'll be in Windows and running on your updated bios.

Again, this is not for inexperienced people. If you don't know how to reinstall Windows or your backups then please take it to a reputable shop to do.
 
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Aug 1, 2020
20
3
15
Bestbuy has a 16gb flash drive for $5. if you cant borrow a blank one from a friend or associate.

Before you update your bios, do you really need to? Do you have a recent full backup of your hdd/ssd's?
Made note of any bios changes you've made? Raid, overclocking, ram settings...
Often you can export your current bios setting to one of your drives.
note - This may cause NVME drives to no longer boot up.



Basically your format the flashdrive in your pc as Fat32
next you extract all those files to the flashdrive.
Reboot and go into the bios.
Press F8 to enter the Qflash utility.
Select the "Update Bios from File" option,
navigate to the Flash drive if it doesn't find it automatically,
select the new firmware, (this is the G1SZ170.22f )
Wait until it is done.
Reboot and enter the bios again.
Load the built in Bios Defaults settings.
Save and exit.
If everything went well, you'll be in Windows and running on your updated bios.

Again, this is not for inexperienced people. If you don't know how to reinstall Windows or your backups then please take it to a reputable shop to do.

The usb stick I bought just worked out of the box without having to reformat etc. It will come in useful in the future because I will need it to move my windows install.

Thanks appreciate your in-depth answer, all of this was in vain as it still doesn't recognize the ram I bought after the flash and cmos reset, I will be sending it back. I learned a lot though today. I may make a new post in the ram section but I feel like there's not much more I can do on my end.
 
Aug 1, 2020
20
3
15
Make a post inthe Ram section, we have some really knowlegable users here.

As for the Exe file and the Bat file, you would need those if you have made the flash drive bootable. Not all boards have the flash utility built in. Thats the older-school way.

I did so earlier after we last exchanged. Crucial is open till monday so maybe I'll get lucky and someone can chime in with something. I have a post going on the tech subreddit also.