Realtek Digital Output (Optical) disappeared - Asus Z170 Pro Gaming

[DeNoRainbow]

After a clean install of Windows 7 and flashing my Bios from v1105 (I think it was) to v1805 the Realtek Digital Output (Optical) is no longer in my Sound Control Panel.

This is what I am refering to how there is both Realtek Digital Output and Realtek Digital Output (Optical)

But I no longer have the (Optical) variant and that is the only that I use in order to achieve 5.1 surround.
I can't workout what has happened. I have tried reverting the Bios to any old version, using EZ Flash 3 on the Bios, and I'm getting the error saying "This file is not a proper bios." (Or something similar)
Does this Mobo not support that Sound Device like I'm used to?
Would the Bios flash have broken that device?


Thanks for any advice!


Specs:
Mobo - Asus Z170 Pro Gaming
CPU - Intel i5 6600K
RAM - Kingston 8GB
GPU - Nvidia GTX 670
Audio - Astro A40 w/ MixAmp Pro


**UPDATE**
This is what my Sound actually looks like as opposed to the above image.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello...ok... I'm old school... try the EZ again with it...why not? B /

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello...ok... I'm old school... try the EZ again with it...why not? B /

Yeah that didn't change anything.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello...HMMM... did you connect a short bad cable too it?....when did it "fail"? B / dduhh optical? but? when?
OK you made me say it... Did ya try a different cable...OR re-connect it...clean it with "rubbing alcohol" since it's a optical connection... Don't scratch it...cheese cloth... pizza stains? B D

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello...HMMM... did you connect a short bad cable too it?....when did it "fail"? B / dduhh optical? but? when?

I dont think so? But the device disappeared after I did a Clean install of windows and I also upgraded the BIOS from v1105 (I think) to v1805.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Why? when it was working... SOoooo Many People do this... B ( "if it Ain't Broken... Don't TRY and Fix it!!! B D. come on what did ya expect would happen?
so you Had success full BIO's file read?
well try the OLDER version then? B /
You just lost all the people pay for a ?..On the Line B O

Typically you "reverse' engineer it" a problem

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello... Why? when it was working... SOoooo Many People do this... B ( "if it Ain't Broken... Don't TRY and Fix it!!! B D. come on what did ya expect would happen?
so you Had success full BIO's file read?
well try the OLDER version then? B /
You just lost all the people pay for a ?..On the Line B O

Typically you "reverse' engineer it" a problem

Well the reason I updated the BIOS was because it would crash while playing games as a result of overclocking.
I did a clean install of Windows because I still had drives left over from when I had my previous MB before I upgraded to the Pro Gaming MB.

And again when I try to use EZ Flash 3 to downgrade the BIOS i get a error saying "This file is not a proper BIOS!"

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... now is DOS MODE magic,,,, B D

We need the Dos flash utility Dl'd for your MB... there are 3? people WHo make the BIO's... need their utility... and the ?.BIN

see a name in the BIO's? phoenix? American? remember? B /

1) Make a BOOTable Fat32 usb.
2) copy MB flash utility
3) copy ?.BIN
4) Boot USB
5) Run command line
6) type ?.BIN
7) start Flash

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello... now is DOS MODE magic,,,, B D

We need the Dos flash utility Dl'd for your MB... there are 3? people WHo make the BIO's... need their utility... and the ?.BIN

see a name in the BIO's? phoenix? American? remember? B /

1) Make a BOOTable Fat32 usb.
2) copy MB flash utility
3) copy ?.BIN
4) Boot USB
5) Run command line
6) type ?.BIN
7) start Flash

I just downloaded the utility from the Asus site. But the Brand is American Megatrends Inc.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... yup sounds right... we are doing good here... B ) write the ?.BIn down... you will have to type it B ) LOOk for DOS mode file too B / we will be in DOS Fat32 for this operation... so we need those files B /

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello... yup sounds right... we are doing good here... B ) write the ?.BIn down... you will have to type it B )

Does it need to be a DOS bootable USB?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... easy to make one... USB2 only ok? B )
Any windows OS can make a USB stick "Bootable"... B )
1) plug USB stick in a working windows OS computer.
2) Computer, right click the USB drive, Format
3) file system, FAT32
4) format options, Create an MS-DOS startup disk
5) Start

You now have a Bootable Disk!!!

It has BOOTable information your BIO's reads and run the files from it... it is a "Bootable disk" B )

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Hello... easy to make one... USB2 only ok? B )
Any windows OS can make a USB stick "Bootable"... B )
1) plug USB stick in a working windows OS computer.
2) Computer, right click the USB drive, Format
3) file system, FAT32
4) format options, Create an MS-DOS startup disk
5) Start

You now have a Bootable Disk!!!

It has BOOTable information your BIO's reads and run the files from it... it is a "Bootable disk" B )

Okay I re-flashed the BIOS to the v1805 which is the latest one and that didn't the problem.
I then tried to flash to an old BIOS version and it would just say "This is an older version of the BIOS!"

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello.... well " old school" we could Do this... they are putting larger mem into the CMOS and using higher level lang...? B / can you RMA? $11 1-way typical? B /

 

[DeNoRainbow]

Okay after a lot more testing and trying to flash the bios I don't think I am able to downgrade the BIOS. Asus products tell me that I can't downgrade and the BIOS seems to be write protected from third party flasher.

Thanks for you help Ironsounds. If there is anything else I could try I'm up for it. Otherwise I guess I'll have to wait for newer BIOS updates to see if they fix the issue. I don't think it is a big enough deal to send it in for RMA.

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... YA I would be afraid to force it... from my "Lack" of experience with the UEFI BIO's\CMOS flashing yet. B /
Close this OP and me best answer B D... I will still see questions from you here too...

Try a NEW OP with "Flash Back MB BIOs/UEFI InstructionsAsus Z170 Pro Gaming " if ...that is what thee quests? ok?

Thanks for your time and efforts with me on this "wonderful" problem... talk again

 

[Boris_3]

I have the 170 Game Pro with the latest bios and In the windows sound menu , right click and select show disabled devices.
Then enable the Realtek Digital Output