BIOS update woes
Discussion
Youngest son decided he wants to spend his Xmas cash on a new CPU for the PC we built a while back.
It is based on a MSI B450 Tomahawk Max motherboard. Out of the box it supports Ryzen 3000 series. The internet led us to believe it would accept the 5000 series with an update to the BIOS.
We followed the instructions and flashed the bios.
Now, it won’t start up. It seems to go through post, throws up a message from windows (10) about automatic repair then goes to the blue startup screen.
We’ve tried a few things from there, but it just seems to loop back round and won’t start.
Anyone got any suggestions as to why we’re having these issues? Because of how far it gets through start up, I’m sure we haven’t bricked it, feels like it might be a driver issue or similar.
Any advice gratefully received.
It is based on a MSI B450 Tomahawk Max motherboard. Out of the box it supports Ryzen 3000 series. The internet led us to believe it would accept the 5000 series with an update to the BIOS.
We followed the instructions and flashed the bios.
Now, it won’t start up. It seems to go through post, throws up a message from windows (10) about automatic repair then goes to the blue startup screen.
We’ve tried a few things from there, but it just seems to loop back round and won’t start.
Anyone got any suggestions as to why we’re having these issues? Because of how far it gets through start up, I’m sure we haven’t bricked it, feels like it might be a driver issue or similar.
Any advice gratefully received.
I had this once before and the cause was the update to the BIOS had knackered the order of devices on startup, so it was trying to boot from the recovery partition. If this is your issue, what you need to do is re-order the boot devices in the same order that they were before you flashed the BIOS (appreciate you may not have this information so may be a bit trial and error.) But if you can recreate the order of boot devices, you should be able to get back into Windows.
In the past you used to get issues like this after enabling AHCI, because the version of Windows at the time (7?) didn't have AHCI drivers unless you had AHCI enabled when you installed it.
When you flashed the BIOS, you (or the process) may have reset the settings and invoked this or something like it. I don't think AHCI specifically is a problem on contemporary Windows any more but not sure.
Try out disabling any features you don't need, usually under "onboard" in the BlOS settings. Failing that, reinstall Windows.
Update: AHCI as described is still a problem on Win 10, it seems. Look for such an option and try setting it to IDE.
When you flashed the BIOS, you (or the process) may have reset the settings and invoked this or something like it. I don't think AHCI specifically is a problem on contemporary Windows any more but not sure.
Try out disabling any features you don't need, usually under "onboard" in the BlOS settings. Failing that, reinstall Windows.
Update: AHCI as described is still a problem on Win 10, it seems. Look for such an option and try setting it to IDE.
Edited by trashbat on Tuesday 28th December 21:56
trebnamo said:
I had this once before and the cause was the update to the BIOS had knackered the order of devices on startup, so it was trying to boot from the recovery partition. If this is your issue, what you need to do is re-order the boot devices in the same order that they were before you flashed the BIOS (appreciate you may not have this information so may be a bit trial and error.) But if you can recreate the order of boot devices, you should be able to get back into Windows.
This is also good advice on the same basis.trebnamo said:
I had this once before and the cause was the update to the BIOS had knackered the order of devices on startup, so it was trying to boot from the recovery partition. If this is your issue, what you need to do is re-order the boot devices in the same order that they were before you flashed the BIOS (appreciate you may not have this information so may be a bit trial and error.) But if you can recreate the order of boot devices, you should be able to get back into Windows.
This ^fourstardan said:
Can you not downgrade the BIOS? They started to bring back that when I fiddled with MOBOs and self builds.
CPU options always used to be limited by socket type, would a BIOS update really work?
AMD have used the same socket, just altered the way the cache memory works in the newer CPU’s so it apparently does work.CPU options always used to be limited by socket type, would a BIOS update really work?
Will have a go at altering the boot order tomorrow if we get chance and report back with our findings.
trebnamo said:
I had this once before and the cause was the update to the BIOS had knackered the order of devices on startup, so it was trying to boot from the recovery partition. If this is your issue, what you need to do is re-order the boot devices in the same order that they were before you flashed the BIOS (appreciate you may not have this information so may be a bit trial and error.) But if you can recreate the order of boot devices, you should be able to get back into Windows.
From the description above, this does sound the most likely thing to look at.BIOS updates do tend to reset various things. For example, on mine, I have to modify the RAM profile, otherwise the RAM runs really slowly. A recent BIOS update set it all back to the wrong profile for example.
vladcjelli said:
Okay, so we’ve had a quick look.
Our boot drive is a 500gb m.2 ssd. The boot order has no option for this drive to be the choice of boot drive. It only has the option of the storage drive plugged into the first sata port.
Where is the m.2 option? Any further ideas?
Disregard, we found the setting hidden away. Everything seems to be fine, cheers for the invaluable advice.Our boot drive is a 500gb m.2 ssd. The boot order has no option for this drive to be the choice of boot drive. It only has the option of the storage drive plugged into the first sata port.
Where is the m.2 option? Any further ideas?
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff