ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming LGA 1700 - BIOS 1801 - Update problems ?

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

I just put a ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming LGA 1700 MB into my new build (with a 14th Gen i7) I guess I need to update the bios to make this work. I have the 1801 bios on my USB stick with FAT32 and renamed properly. This is what happens....

Plug in PSU / ( DON'T turn on PC )
Plug in USB stick
Press Flash button / Light turns FLASHING GREEN
Release Flash button / Light goes SOLID GREEN after 3 seconds
Nothing else happens. Just stays solid green ..... but BIOS does not seem updated.

It happens so fast, from the time I push the button until the light goes solid green is like 3 seconds. What could be wrong ? Or just any thoughts ???

Thank you

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

Hello @THiBOR69 and welcome to ElevenForum.

Do you have an exact link to your new motherboard.
There seems to be more than one version of the... ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming motherboard.

You need to use the correct USB port AND the correct button....

BamaInArk · Feb 2, 2024

Are you using the correct BIOS FlashBack port? According to manual it says "Press the BIOS FlashBack button for three(3) seconds until the BIOS FlashBack LED blinks 3 times, indicating that the BIOS FlashBack function is enabled."

And noticed this: "If the light flashes for five seconds and turns into a solid light, this mean the BIOS FlashBack is not operating properly. This may be caused by improper installation of the USB storage device and filename/file format error. If this scenario happens, please restart the system to turn off the light"

BamaInArk · Feb 2, 2024

Ghot said:
Hello @THiBOR69 and welcome to ElevenForum.

Do you have an exact link to your new motherboard.
There seems to be more than one version of the... ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming motherboard.

ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI | Motherboards | ROG United States
There's a DDR5 version and DDR4.

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

BamaInArk said:
ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI | Motherboards | ROG United States
There's a DDR5 version and DDR4.

And a WIFI and WIFI II version as well.
They're "probably" all the same concerning the BIOS Flashback... but it's best to have the "exact" motherboard manual.

BamaInArk · Feb 2, 2024

Curious when you purchased the motherboard? I ask because it appears bios 1402, 2023/10/06, supports 14th gen. Of course sometimes these bioses even on newly purchased boards may be older.

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

Ghot said:
Hello @THiBOR69 and welcome to ElevenForum.

Do you have an exact link to your new motherboard.
There seems to be more than one version of the... ASUS ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming motherboard.

You need to use the correct USB port AND the correct button....

View attachment 85928

Hi -
Yes my version is the PCI-e5.0 /DDR5

My MB ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI | Motherboards | ROG United States

I have read those instructions on their site now many times. There is only 1 port for the stick. It is right next to the Flash button and called BIOS/USB port. I put the stick in that port and press the button next to it. The light flashes very quickly then stays solid green. I am sure I am doing it exactly the way they are telling me to.... I am just at a loss to what could be the issue.

Thank you for reading me and any more thoughts you might have :)

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

THiBOR69 said:
I have read those instructions on their site now many times.

Do you have the link to those instructions? It helps if we know exactly what instructions you're following.
Once we're all on the same page... we can look for... possible issues.

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

BamaInArk said:
Are you using the correct BIOS FlashBack port? According to manual it says "Press the BIOS FlashBack button for three(3) seconds until the BIOS FlashBack LED blinks 3 times, indicating that the BIOS FlashBack function is enabled."

And noticed this: "If the light flashes for five seconds and turns into a solid light, this mean the BIOS FlashBack is not operating properly. This may be caused by improper installation of the USB storage device and filename/file format error. If this scenario happens, please restart the system to turn off the light"

Yes I am sure I am using the correct port. Yes the light flashes then turns solid green like you read. The file name is correct SZ790A.CAP
As for the installation of the storage device, that port is already installed on MB in the back.

Thanks for your time :)

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

Ghot said:
Do you have the link to those instructions? It helps if we know exactly what instructions you're following.
Once we're all on the same page... we can look for... possible issues.

Ok here is the exact location of my MB and how to rename and flash ..

ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI | Motherboards | ROG United States

The ROG Strix Z790-A sets a pristine white backdrop to builds and unlocks the full potential of Intel 13th Gen processors and DDR5 memory.

rog.asus.com

TRY HERE

Thank you so much :)

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

Steps 3, 4 and 5... are you skipping over anything?
It takes about 3-4 "minutes" to update these modern BIOSes, and that's from within the BIOS.

I would leave the power OFF when you do this.

About 8-10 years ago I flashed a BIOS like this (using BIOS Flashback).
The only thing I really remember was that...

1. It didn't go exactly like the directions.
2. I tried it three times before it worked.

P.S. Yes, I know how to find things on the ASUS motherboard website. I think I'm now on my 6th or 7th ASUS motherboard over the last 20+ years. When you said: "I read those instructions on their site", I thought that maybe you were referring to the ASUS forums.

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

THiBOR69 said:
Ok here is the exact location of my MB and how to rename and flash ..

ROG STRIX Z790-A GAMING WIFI | Motherboards | ROG United States

The ROG Strix Z790-A sets a pristine white backdrop to builds and unlocks the full potential of Intel 13th Gen processors and DDR5 memory.

rog.asus.com

TRY HERE

Thank you so much :)

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

THiBOR69 said:
Plug in PSU / ( DON'T turn on PC )
Plug in USB stick
Press Flash button / Light turns FLASHING GREEN
Release Flash button / Light goes SOLID GREEN after 3 seconds
Nothing else happens. Just stays solid green ..... but BIOS does not seem updated.

Form the manual... "when the light goes OUT, the BIOS update is completed".

As I mentioned... it takes a while to flash the BIOS these days.

Back in the day, the BIOS would flash in under a minute.
Those days are gone. What with the UEFI BIOSes and all the security crap that they've been shoveling into the BIOS... it does take quite a while to complete the flash.

Even watching the BIOS Flash progress bar, when flashing from within the BIOS... I keep thinking... "Oh no. Something must have gone wrong". But then, after a few EONS... it finishes and all is well.

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

Ghot said:
Steps 3, 4 and 5... are you skipping over anything?
It takes about 3-4 "minutes" to update these modern BIOSes, and that's from within the BIOS.

I would leave the power OFF when you do this.

View attachment 85935

About 8-10 years ago I flashed a BIOS like this (using BIOS Flashback).
The only thing I really remember was that...

1. It didn't go exactly like the directions.
2. I tried it three times before it worked.

P.S. Yes, I know how to find things on the ASUS motherboard website. I think I'm now on my 6th or 7th ASUS motherboard over the last 20+ years. When you said: "I read those instructions on their site", I thought that maybe you were referring to the ASUS forums.

Hi -
No I am not skipping any steps. I am doing it EXACTLY as it is stated. The power is OFF. Just pluged in. I left it going for 20 minutes and the solid green light never changed. sigh.....

Thanks again though .

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

THiBOR69 said:
Hi -
No I am not skipping any steps. I am doing it EXACTLY as it is stated. The power is OFF. Just pluged in. I left it going for 20 minutes and the solid green light never changed. sigh.....

Thanks again though .

Try it again. You seem to be doing things properly.

It could be a bad USB stick? That would definitely put a hitch in your get-along.
If you have another computer... use a diff USB stick and reformat, rename the BIOS file and don't put anything else ON the USB stick.

Here, this may help...

I DO know how stressful, flashing the BIOS can be.
Might be time to take a break and try again later?

As I said... it looks like you're doing things correctly.

THiBOR69 · Feb 2, 2024

Ghot said:
Try it again. You seem to be doing things properly.

It could be a bad USB stick? That would definitely put a hitch in your get-along.
If you have another computer... use a diff USB stick and reformat, rename the BIOS file and don't put anything else ON the USB stick.

Here, this may help...

View attachment 85937

I DO know how stressful, flashing the BIOS can be.
Might be time to take a break and try again later?

As I said... it looks like you're doing things correctly.

You have been very kind, Thank you for your time here. I will try again tomorrow.

Cheers

Ghot · Feb 2, 2024

THiBOR69 said:
You have been very kind, Thank you for your time here. I will try again tomorrow.

Cheers

Make note of the 2nd paragraph in post #3.

It could be...

Bad USB stick.
Bad format.
Bad download.
Glitch in the rename.

You seem to know what you're doing. just start from the beginning again.
This time, have some pizza rolls handy.

Try a new download, format and rename first.
If you're still having problems... try a new USB stick, altogether.

PerpetualCycle · Feb 3, 2024

Try a different usb stick. Seems like only thing left unless I missed something.

PerpetualCycle · Feb 3, 2024

Do you have the CPU installed. I don't think you need it infor flashback. Try removing the CPU and do the flashback. It is an unusual situation where the current bios does not support the processor. I do this as a last try.

PerpetualCycle · Feb 3, 2024

Try updating to the 1402 bios first. That is the earliest one supporting 14th gen.

The ME firmware must be updated to recognize the 14th gen processors. According to your MB bios update page, 1402 contains this ME as part of the Bios upgrade. 1801 does not update the ME firmware so expects ME firmware that supports 14th gen to be present, which it is not.

If this isn't your current hurdle, expect it will be we next.