Question MSI B460 MAG Tomahawk won't boot up after failed BIOS update ?

[k0cka]

Hello,

So recently I bought this motherboard from a guy who told me that the pc turned off mid bios update and he could't turn it on since then. It would just turn on for a second and turn off and this goes in a loop. I looked it up on google and found out there is a way to flash it with CH341a programmer so I bought it from him and I tried to flash it. I downloaded AsProgrammer, connected my programmer to the chip and read it. Then I erased it and programmed the new bios file to it which I downloaded from MSI website. Then I putted in the CPU, CPU cooler, 6+2pin for CPU and ofcourse the 24pin for the motherboard and it started to spin the cpu fan but the CPU LED glowed white.

After that I tried to put in 1 RAM stick with same result, and also with GPU. So I disassembled everything and tried to flash on it the newest bios in hope that this could fix my problem but it didn't I now I'm getting the same error as on the beginning. When I turn on the motherboard the CPU fan spins for 1 second and turns off. And this goes in loop forever. I found out that if I take out the 6+2 CPU pin, it runs. But I don't know what could be causing the problem.

I also found out that when I flash a new bios to the chip and verify it, it matches. But when I put in the CPU with the fan and turn it on and it turns off and goes to the loop, it somehow corrupts the bios because if I read the chip after that and try to verify the bios file with the bios chip, it gives me an error.

I can't find anything about this on the internet so I'm trying my luck here if somebody could help me. The MSI Support could't help me and I was very disappointed with their approach. Thank you and sorry for my not perfect English.

 

[Koekieezz]

Hello,

So recently I bought this motherboard from a guy who told me that the pc turned off mid bios update and he could't turn it on since then. It would just turn on for a second and turn off and this goes in a loop. I looked it up on google and found out there is a way to flash it with CH341a programmer so I bought it from him and I tried to flash it. I downloaded AsProgrammer, connected my programmer to the chip and read it. Then I erased it and programmed the new bios file to it which I downloaded from MSI website. Then I putted in the CPU, CPU cooler, 6+2pin for CPU and ofcourse the 24pin for the motherboard and it started to spin the cpu fan but the CPU LED glowed white.

After that I tried to put in 1 RAM stick with same result, and also with GPU. So I disassembled everything and tried to flash on it the newest bios in hope that this could fix my problem but it didn't I now I'm getting the same error as on the beginning. When I turn on the motherboard the CPU fan spins for 1 second and turns off. And this goes in loop forever. I found out that if I take out the 6+2 CPU pin, it runs. But I don't know what could be causing the problem.

I also found out that when I flash a new bios to the chip and verify it, it matches. But when I put in the CPU with the fan and turn it on and it turns off and goes to the loop, it somehow corrupts the bios because if I read the chip after that and try to verify the bios file with the bios chip, it gives me an error.

I can't find anything about this on the internet so I'm trying my luck here if somebody could help me. The MSI Support could't help me and I was very disappointed with their approach. Thank you and sorry for my not perfect English.

try this (read till end):

• Take off cmos battery
• Power on psu and press power button on the motherboard (usually it wont turn on) so that motherboard is receiving power
• Reinstall the CH341APAR.exe driver for the programmer
• Re-do the programmer, i suggest use ch341a v 1.18 or 1.29, make sure the bios chip is the correct one (or near correct, ex: i have Winbond 25Q64CVSIG but find none the same, only 25Q64BV so i chose that)
• Do the read-erase-blank check-program (flashing the bios)-verify on ch341a 1.18 or 1.29 app.
• Do not unplug the programmer yet, then do not power off psu yet, short the cmos jumper, power off the psu then press and hold the power button for 5 seconds, release after it, and put the cmos battery back while still shorting the cmos jumper, press and hold the power button for 11 seconds, lift the jumper so it is not shorted, power on psu, and try to boot the motherboard while the programmer still connected to the laptop/pc without closing the program.

If everything succeeds, you're good to go to unplug the soic clip and ch314a programmer

 

[k0cka]

Thank you for your reply.

Right now I'm waiting for a new bios chip because after the last flash it won't recognize my chip and it says IC not responding. I tried desoldering the chip from the board and soldering it directly to the programmer and it recognized my chip, but when a press Read IC the program crashes. I think there is some problem with the chip because it was working before and I think that could be the reason of not booting fully up, because the chip is somehow damaged and it's missing some data. But that's only my opinion.

I will update you when the new chip arrives but I ordered it from China so it can took a while.

 

[Koekieezz]

Thank you for your reply.

Right now I'm waiting for a new bios chip because after the last flash it won't recognize my chip and it says IC not responding. I tried desoldering the chip from the board and soldering it directly to the programmer and it recognized my chip, but when a press Read IC the program crashes. I think there is some problem with the chip because it was working before and I think that could be the reason of not booting fully up, because the chip is somehow damaged and it's missing some data. But that's only my opinion.

I will update you when the new chip arrives but I ordered it from China so it can took a while.

good luck on it, cause the last time i flaashed using programmer, all i have to do is just take off cmos, power on the psu so mobo will get power, then use the program, everything went fluent.

 

[k0cka]

Thank you. In my case it was a little more complicated. At the very beginning I did the 3.3V mod but the programmer wasn't recongizing the chip at all, neither with turned on or turned off PSU. Then once like 2 weeks ago I randomly pulled out the programmer and set it back to it's original state so it was giving 5V and when I hooked it up with my mobo with PSU turned on, it suddenly worked and recognized my bios chip. So I flashed it and it changed from turning on for a second and turning off state to turning on and staying on the CPU led. But I didn't take out the CMOS battery when programming. Do you think that could disrupt the process and flash the chip incorretly?

 

[Koekieezz]

Thank you. In my case it was a little more complicated. At the very beginning I did the 3.3V mod but the programmer wasn't recongizing the chip at all, neither with turned on or turned off PSU. Then once like 2 weeks ago I randomly pulled out the programmer and set it back to it's original state so it was giving 5V and when I hooked it up with my mobo with PSU turned on, it suddenly worked and recognized my bios chip. So I flashed it and it changed from turning on for a second and turning off state to turning on and staying on the CPU led. But I didn't take out the CMOS battery when programming. Do you think that could disrupt the process and flash the chip incorretly?

Probably yes, Probably no. my experience on some not normal flash is by taking off the cmos battery first, power on the motherboard, and then flash it. what is your bios chip anyways? also could you take a picture of your mobo and your bios chip with its part number shown (also show the JSPI port)?

 

[k0cka]

It's MX25L12872F. I already desoldered it from the board because I was trying to solder it directly to the programmer and flash it that way. But the program always crashed and I left it there and I ordered new one from AliExpress so I need to wait till it arrives. But I don't know if I can trust in it, because there were 0 sells on this chip and I cannot find it anywhere else for that money. Also the MSI tech support said that the Winbond W25Q128JVSIQ should also work with my board and it's more accessible so I ordered one of that too in case that the first one won't work or something. And I didn't find the JSPI port, I think there isn't one on this board.

 

[Koekieezz]

It's MX25L12872F. I already desoldered it from the board because I was trying to solder it directly to the programmer and flash it that way. But the program always crashed and I left it there and I ordered new one from AliExpress so I need to wait till it arrives. But I don't know if I can trust in it, because there were 0 sells on this chip and I cannot find it anywhere else for that money. Also the MSI tech support said that the Winbond W25Q128JVSIQ should also work with my board and it's more accessible so I ordered one of that too in case that the first one won't work or something. And I didn't find the JSPI port, I think there isn't one on this board.

probably i could help you through teamview (just make sure the bios chip is detectable at all), also which program did you use?

also i think you dont have to do the 3.3v mod since ch341a have the ability to do 3.3v, just set the jumper like this:

 

[k0cka]

I tried a couple of them and these 3 worked for me and recognized my chip - AsProgrammer_2.1.0.13, NeoProgrammer and CH341 2.1.0.13 but I think the last one is the same as the first one. Just different names.

And I forgot to mention(I'm starting to get a little lost in this but I will try to summarize it one last time so you know the whole story sorry if I'm confusing you) - As I said the first time it wasn't working with the 3.3V mod, then I tried to put it back to it's default 5V and it worked, I flashed the chip, the motherboard turned on with the CPU led. Then I tried to flash it to the newest bios and I was back in the beginning - booting up for 1 second and turning off. And then I read that maybe the 5V could be the problem so I did the mod again and for some reason it started recognizing the chip so I flashed it. And it was again back it the state when it turned on with CPU led on. But from this point I could't get it recognized by the program ever again. Only after I soldered it directly to the programmer. But now the program crashes when I try to Read IC.

And also one leg is ripped off of the chip because when I was soldering it to the programmer and tried to set the legs so that it fits on the place, it broke and I soldered just a wire to it so it has connection but I can't use it on the board anymore so I have to wait for the new one anyways.

So I will update you when it arrives and then we could maybe figure out something.