Updating BIOS and revision questions

[white4lfe]

Hi everyone you guys have been spot on since ive joined last week and my next query is about my motherboard. (GA-P55-UD3L rev. 1.0) Alright so my main goal here to get maxium performance from my system. I want to overclock my cpu but first i would like to update my bios to help avoid failure. I have never updated a bios and i have never overlclocked before. Overclocking isnt my question. I would like to know if someone would help me with a step by step to updating my specific board. I know im asking for a lot but i really dont want to screw up my new rig. And i also had a question about the revisions...are these just newer updates or is it a re-release of my board that is physicaly different or a different model all together with the same name? http://www.gigabyte.com.pr/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=3169 Product Page. I read around for a bit and im not really sure if i have to use a floppy or cd or if i can just install from OS.

System contents:
Windows 7 64-bit (7600 Build Activated)
i5 750 (all stock settings including turbo mode on)
4gb 1333 ddr3 ram (changed speeds from 9-9-9-24 to 8-8-8-21)
BFG gtx 260 oc 55
700w psu
Artic freezer pro 7? i believe heatsink.

Thanks for reading any tips trick or hints would be very much appreciated!!!

 

[saaiello]

Its very easy on your board you use Q Flash in the bios just put the new bios on a floppy, flash drive, or a CD. It should all be well explained in the manual for your motherboard.

 

[bilbat]

First main point is never use @BIOS - it's a board-killer!

Second, give a look at this guide to flashing:
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide-27576/
If it still leaves questions, post back and I'll be glad to assist...

Third, I don't believe that 1156/1366 boards can be flashed from a floppy - the BIOS itself is two meg - won't fit on a floppy - pretty much has to be done from a USB key!

Fourth, that appears to be the correct link; GB has a kind of 'mixed-up' access for some boards due to different web-sites for markets on different continents - the current BIOS for your board is F5 here:
http://america.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/BIOS/motherboard_bios_ga-p55-ud3l_f5.exe

 

[bilbat]

I don't think (...but don't actually know for a fact!) that you can 'navigate' to a CD from inside the flasher; I have recently seen a post cited that claims a CD can be used to 'blind flash', but the cited article contained some other errors of fact that made me suspicious, and I just have not gotten 'round to 'fiddling' with the idea. I'm thinking there is, likely, somewhere a procedure for making a bootable-to-DOS CD, and the autoexec should then be capable of running the flasher - but I'm still working on a write-up for making a bootable USB stick for flashing, due to the fact that GB's are 'sensitive' to some USB devices, and booting with them even in the USB port 'breaks' the board - appears to corrupt the CMOS! As for the other - easy enough to test. For a flash drive to be 'seen' from the BIOS, it must be formatted in FAT-32; to test:
go into your BIOS, and use the <F11> to save your CMOS setup (in case something gets ditzed up!)
place your BIOS file on the device
boot and start the BIOS' flashing software
see if you can 'navigate' to where your BIOS file is - if you can 'see' it, you can likely flash with no problem,,,

Flash drives have become ridiculously [strike]cheap[/strike] inexpensive!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010170522%204024&name=%240%20-%20%2410

 

[white4lfe]

Ok this is a complete post edit lol I glanced over the guide and started reading but i will be stepping out for a few hours or maybe less. Bilbat do you think ill be able to reach you in that kind of time-frame? I have access to my email and this site from my phone so i can reply and or recieve messages "on the go" i would just kind of prefer a plan B (you) if i cant wrap my head around the guide you posted lol you seem like you would almost come to my house and do it for me if i asked you nice enough lol i respect your wisdom!

 

[white4lfe]

yea ive had tons of flash drives but they all got replaced by my ipod 30gb and i was wondering if i could use that but i wouldnt want to destroy the ipod with formatting it lol

 

[bilbat]

My guess, it being Apple, is that it's formatted in some linux FS that windoze can read - but whether the BIOS can read it is another issue...

Barring my having to run out for anything, I'm usually available here from roughly 7:30AM to 9 or 10PM, CDST...

I've recently been chided re. putting my e-mail address in plain view, so I'll PM it to you! I don't really get it - something about identity theft... I can't really see how having my e-mail gives anybody anything, and if they're gonna 'spoof' or 'phish' me - they'll have to get up 'purtty early in the morning' - I'm still waiting :lol: for those Nigerian millions to appear in my bank account [:bilbat:6]

 

[white4lfe]

Alright so ive found a USB stick to use and im formatting it now. Do i have to change anything before starting? I read on gigabyte's site that i should turn off turbo mode before flashing?

 

[bilbat]

Haven't seen that, but sounds reasonable to me - probably also want to disable:
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
C3/C6/C7 State Support
CPU EIST Function
C.I.A.2

and set "Performance Enhance" to "Standard"

Need to go to the "Integrated Peripherals" page, and verify that "USB Storage Function" is enabled - it should be, by default - there are some problems with this function, and I usually recommend that it only be enabled when, on your next boot, you intend to access USB devices from the BIOS...

 

[white4lfe]

alright im flashed and back on my OS. Should this remove all doubt that i failed lol? Now to overclock cpu and gpu and get ram where it needs to be!

 

[bilbat]

Don't forget the "Load Optimized" - required after every BIOS flash...

 

[bilbat]

Might want to read this Intel P55 tuning guide - it's 'aimed' at Intel MOBOs, and I'm sure the s'ware 'tool' won't work elsewhere, but the concepts and techniques are well-explained...
http://www.mbreview.com/images/reviews/dp55kg/dp55kg_perf_guide.pdf