Question What are the exact steps please for upgrading the BIOS for a CPU upgrade ? EDIT: Posted my guide!

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Tomidie

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Sep 28, 2012
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I am DANG nervous about doing this bios upgrade. I want to make sure im doing EVERYTHING right so i dont brick my mobo as i do not think it's a recoverable one. I have a few specific questions, but I also need a complete and detailed guide to go from a Ryzen 7 1800X to a Ryzen 7 5900X. Here are the questions:

1. I found conflicting reports on this. after each bios update, do I boot up and login to windows? or do I restart and then do the next update ?

2. When do I clear CMOS. How, EXACT steps, do I clear CMOS successfully ?

3. Do I clear CMOS after EVERY update or just once ?

4. Do i use a flash drive to do the BIOS updates or is there some other method ?

5. When do I put the CPU in ?

Please be as specific as possible with your guide, including common pitfalls. while im a fairly advanced user (I am able to install DDWRT to my modem), I do not have any knowledge in this area. I have included all specs in case any concerns arise or additional information im not aware of is needed.

Here are the specs:
Mobo: ASRock Taichi X370 with BIOS Version: P3.0 (Bridge)
CPU: Ryzen 7 1800X
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2080
RAM: 32GB 2333Mhz Dual Channel DDR4


Thank you very much in advance
 
Your best option is to consult your motherboard manual, for the correct way to do bios updates, and for CMOS reset. Asrock will also have notes on their bios download page, if you need to install a certain revision prior to the latest revision. You do not need to login to windows at any point for bios updates. I do a CMOS reset only after a bios update.
 
Tomidie said:
I am upgrading from the 1800X to the 5900X which as far i was can tell requires P. 7.30 to be compat with Zen 3 cpus
Click to expand...


Pay very close attention with that Taichi in that it has a couple of "bridge BIOS" that have to be installed in order or will brick the board. The official guide will tell you that as you near the 3xxx to 5xxx jump in BIOS revisions that it drops support for 1xxx. This could be an issue if you don't happen to have a 2xxx or 3xxx available to you. This issue revolves around a BIOS chip that was too small to retain 1xxx support with the new firmware.
 
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punkncat said:
Pay very close attention with that Taichi in that it has a couple of "bridge BIOS" that have to be installed in order or will brick the board. The official guide will tell you that as you near the 3xxx to 5xxx jump in BIOS revisions that it drops support for 1xxx. This could be an issue if you don't happen to have a 2xxx or 3xxx available to you. This issue revolves around a BIOS chip that was too small to retain 1xxx support with the new firmware.
Click to expand...
i appreciate the concern on that, but i did already confirm it still works with limited function (just enough to still boot) from a few other accounts, so i dont need a 2 or 3 thankfully. I do know about bridging as well, those two are the very few things i actually know.
logainofhades said:
Your best option is to consult your motherboard manual, for the correct way to do bios updates, and for CMOS reset. Asrock will also have notes on their bios download page, if you need to install a certain revision prior to the latest revision. You do not need to login to windows at any point for bios updates. I do a CMOS reset only after a bios update.
Click to expand...
The full update? or each one? mine requires a specific path to follow that takes like 5 or 6 different updates.
Lafong said:
Have you downloaded and read whatever instructions may or may not be available on the Asrock website?

I'd expect any such instructions to be somewhat cryptic and vague, but I'd at least look.
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I have and they are extremely vague at best as you mention, there's a bunch of information in them that others have advised againest, such as the version path it recommends as one of the them is bad. (though i think that one has been removed from thier bios page)

I more need the process instructions itself. I dont know what to do and when. i've done a lot of googling already and there is just so much conflicting info. so i figured the best place to ask is here as usually it has people with more knowhow than just your average reddit or the mobo manual.
 
I've seen it recommended to clear cmos AFTER updating the BIOS. Right here on this forum, by a well known participant.

I have no idea how necessary that is. I can tell you that I have updated a BIOS only 2 or 3 times in my life and I cannot recall clearing cmos at any time.

Vague, non-specific, and entirely laughable "instructions" are part and parcel of the entire PC industry. It's always been the case and there are no flattering reasons for it. I don't expect that to change.
 
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Lafong said:
I've seen it recommended to clear cmos AFTER updating the BIOS. Right here on this forum, by a well known participant.

I have no idea how necessary that is. I can tell you that I have updated a BIOS only 2 or 3 times in my life and I cannot recall clearing cmos at any time.

Vague, non-specific, and entirely laughable "instructions" are part and parcel of the entire PC industry. It's always been the case and there are no flattering reasons for it. I don't expect that to change.
Click to expand...
You understand my conundrum then. I've seen people say do it before, and i've seen before say do it after, I've also seen people say do it after each one. So im entirely confused on which it is. I wouldn't be doing this if i didn't have to, bios updates scare me.
 
Lafong said:
I've seen it recommended to clear cmos AFTER updating the BIOS. Right here on this forum, by a well known participant.

I have no idea how necessary that is. I can tell you that I have updated a BIOS only 2 or 3 times in my life and I cannot recall clearing cmos at any time.

Vague, non-specific, and entirely laughable "instructions" are part and parcel of the entire PC industry. It's always been the case and there are no flattering reasons for it. I don't expect that to change.
Click to expand...
More and more BIOS versions do not require CMOS reset before or after flashing it. Resetting CMOS when required means that power must be right off the MB either by turning off switch at PSU or pulling the plug. First stage is by shorting CMOS clearing contacts on the MB or depressing button if it has one. Second stage is to take CMOS battery out for few minutes but that also resets the clock and may not be necessary.
After new BIOS version is flashed it's at defaults and copied to CMOS so not always needed to reset but wouldn't hurt anyway.
When looking for new BIOS file, must make sure it's compatible for EXACT MB including it's version. Downloaded BIOS files are usually in .ZIP format and have to be unzipped and some even renamed, placed on a USB formatted to Fat32. Some MBs may have one special usually USB 2 port. BIOS usually rejects any file that is not exact one for that MB so main danger is in losing power during flashing which may take several minutes without any indication. Always give it time and do not restart or cut power even if screen is black for some time.
 
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I must have done way over 1000 BIOS flashes since 1980's and even saved some some bricked ones all by being methodical, patient and following instructions to a T because some have own nuances and methods changed with times. This new BIOS-es are piece of cake comparing to early ones that have dedicated SW for doing it. Many new-ish MBs even have a button and option to re-flash BIOS even without CPU and RAM.
BIOS EEPROMs also have more space so all kinds of safeties can be programmed in it including UEFI which is actually a program.
 
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Lafong said:
I've seen it recommended to clear cmos AFTER updating the BIOS. Right here on this forum, by a well known participant.

I have no idea how necessary that is. I can tell you that I have updated a BIOS only 2 or 3 times in my life and I cannot recall clearing cmos at any time.

Vague, non-specific, and entirely laughable "instructions" are part and parcel of the entire PC industry. It's always been the case and there are no flattering reasons for it. I don't expect that to change.
Click to expand...

I have had boards that refused to POST, if I didn't reset CMOS, after update. I just do it now, just to save a step.

Tomidie said:
The full update? or each one? mine requires a specific path to follow that takes like 5 or 6 different updates.
Click to expand...

I would probably do it after the first and last update only, unless it doesn't post in between the other updates.
 
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CountMike said:
More and more BIOS versions do not require CMOS reset before or after flashing it. Resetting CMOS when required means that power must be right off the MB either by turning off switch at PSU or pulling the plug. First stage is by shorting CMOS clearing contacts on the MB or depressing button if it has one. Second stage is to take CMOS battery out for few minutes but that also resets the clock and may not be necessary.
After new BIOS version is flashed it's at defaults and copied to CMOS so not always needed to reset but wouldn't hurt anyway.
When looking for new BIOS file, must make sure it's compatible for EXACT MB including it's version. Downloaded BIOS files are usually in .ZIP format and have to be unzipped and some even renamed, placed on a USB formatted to Fat32. Some MBs may have one special usually USB 2 port. BIOS usually rejects any file that is not exact one for that MB so main danger is in losing power during flashing which may take several minutes without any indication. Always give it time and do not restart or cut power even if screen is black for some time.
Click to expand...
Gotcha, this is useful info. thank you.
CountMike said:
I must have done way over 1000 BIOS flashes since 1980's and even saved some some bricked ones all by being methodical, patient and following instructions to a T because some have own nuances and methods changed with times. This new BIOS-es are piece of cake comparing to early ones that have dedicated SW for doing it. Many new-ish MBs even have a button and option to re-flash BIOS even without CPU and RAM.
BIOS EEPROMs also have more space so all kinds of safeties can be programmed in it including UEFI which is actually a program.
Click to expand...
Yah, im glad im doing this at a decade where instant flash is a thing. Though i did confirm the asrock taichi x370 has no such failsafes. it's a fairly older board at this point. I am frankly surprised it even is compat with a vermeer.
logainofhades said:
I have had boards that refused to POST, if I didn't reset CMOS, after update. I just do it now, just to save a step.



I would probably do it after the first and last update only, unless it doesn't post in between the other updates.
Click to expand...
I will do just that then, thank you

I guess the only major question I still want answered is whether or not to boot into the computer between updates, or should I go into bios, update, restart, go into bios after update, then do the next one each time until it's at P7.30, then boot full into windows.
 
Tomidie said:
Gotcha, this is useful info. thank you.

Yah, im glad im doing this at a decade where instant flash is a thing. Though i did confirm the asrock taichi x370 has no such failsafes. it's a fairly older board at this point. I am frankly surprised it even is compat with a vermeer.

I will do just that then, thank you

I guess the only major question I still want answered is whether or not to boot into the computer between updates, or should I go into bios, update, restart, go into bios after update, then do the next one each time until it's at P7.30, then boot full into windows.
Click to expand...
After update is finished it will be at factory defaults so it will ask you to press a button most of the time F1 to enter BIOS before it can proceed to BOOT to windows. Make sure that right disk with windows is set as first boot device and it's set to UEFI boot, or CSM/Legacy as well as TPM is enabled in case of W11.
 
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CountMike said:
After update is finished it will be at factory defaults so it will ask you to press a button most of the time F1 to enter BIOS before it can proceed to BOOT to windows. Make sure that right disk with windows is set as first boot device and it's set to UEFI boot, or CSM/Legacy as well as TPM is enabled in case of W11.
Click to expand...
Ah. so it boots into windows by itself each time? I saw in another place that you have to turn off something called fTPM before you boot into windows fully, which is why i thought you had to do all the updates back to back before booting full in for the first time.
 
Tomidie said:
Ah. so it boots into windows by itself each time? I saw in another place that you have to turn off something called fTPM before you boot into windows fully, which is why i thought you had to do all the updates back to back before booting full in for the first time.
Click to expand...
If it's Windows 11, it needs UEFI and TPM (which some call fTPM), not so for W10.
 
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IDK if this was covered above. The reason to reset CMOS BEFORE BIOS updates is to remove XMP and or overclock to the CPU and set everything back to box standard. After going through all the revisions, THEN you should go back in and set XMP, overclock, fan curves, and such goodness. I have personally experienced a RAM error for updating the BIOS while still using an XMP profile. I got lucky that it was an easy fix.
 
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punkncat said:
IDK if this was covered above. The reason to reset CMOS BEFORE BIOS updates is to remove XMP and or overclock to the CPU and set everything back to box standard. After going through all the revisions, THEN you should go back in and set XMP, overclock, fan curves, and such goodness. I have personally experienced a RAM error for updating the BIOS while still using an XMP profile. I got lucky that it was an easy fix.
Click to expand...
this makes total sense to me, I do use the XMP. Never tried manual voltage yet. Dont plan on doing so with RAM. (am going to look into undervolting the 5900X, but that's a problem for another day.)
 
Tomidie said:
this makes total sense to me, I do use the XMP. Never tried manual voltage yet. Dont plan on doing so with RAM. (am going to look into undervolting the 5900X, but that's a problem for another day.)
Click to expand...
I know this is a double post, but i wanted to inform that the Bios update was 100% successful and to give people exact steps that i did in case they want to do this was well.
1. Went to ASrock support page for the X370 Taichi, downloaded and unzipped these necessary bios to my FAT32 Formatted 16GB Flash Drive: 3.30, 5.10, 7.00, 7.30.

2. Restored Bios to Default (Load UEFI Defaults in Boot section of the Asrock Bios)

3. Installed All In One Driver for 5.10 Located on the Asrock Support page under bios updates.

4. Shutdown. Unplugged Power cable and shut off PSU, unplugged all external usb cables and network cable. removed graphics card and all sticks of ram other than A2. (important as the CMOS on this board does not reset properly if 8 pin connecter on GPU or more Ram is inserted, idk why, just several people had this issue.

5. Removed CMOS Battery, followed instructions in manual to move CMOS Jumper, held power button for 15 seconds to drain capacitors, then let the computer sit for 15 minutes. Reinstalled battery, move CMOS jumper back to it's original spot (dont forget to do this, I nearly did.)

6. Reinstall GPU, (dont touch ram yet, it has been reported there is a possible issue with 5.10 and having more than 1 RAM stick.) Plug in power cable and turn on PSU. hardwire your keyboard as your CMOS has been reset so bluetooth won't work yet. Plug in the flash drive, and boot to bios.

7. Go to Instant Flash under tools, Select 3.30, press update, press Yes. wait for update to finish, hit enter to restart. go into bios. do the same thing only select 5.10 then rinse and repeat. update in this order: 3.30->5.10->7.00->7.30. right before 7.30, it will tell you to make sure fTPM is turned off. check that it is under advanced-> cpu settings.

8. When you get into bios after 7.30, as Mike stated, if you are on windows 10, make sure fTPM is turned off. 7.30 turns this on by default. Then make sure your boot device is your UEFI device with your operating system under BBS Boot settings. Save and exit, wait for full boot, turn off your computer, reinstall RAM, and tada! now you can choose your XMP and whatever else. Second CMOS reset did not turn out to be needed.

I hope this guide helps anybody who stumbles into this thread! : )
 
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