[GUIDE] Forcing backup BIOS on Gigabyte motherboards.

[Johan45]

Thanks for letting us know and Welcome to OCF Polaris

 

[devdeep1]

I have the Gigabyte Z77-D3H board as well.

I need to restore from the backup bios - option to hold the start / power button and holding boot / power button does not help and need to "sort" the bios pins 1 and 6. On the board I cannot see the markings and need to figure out what pins 1 and 6 are. Can someone help please?

 

[wolfgang667]

Ran into some problems today so I've decided to make a guide on how to kick-start the backup BIOS.

Method #1:
1. Shut your PC down (if you're reading this guide, than your PC isn't working anyways)
2. Hold the power button until the PC starts and shuts down again
3. Press the power button again, your backup BIOS should kick in now and should re-flash the main BIOS if there's anything wrong with it.

Method #2:
1. Shut your PC down
2. Hold the power AND the reset button for about 10 sec, than release.
3. Backup BIOS should kick in anytime soon now.

Method #3:
Had to use this one in order to get my 990FXA-D3 working again. Backup BIOS kicked in using method #2, but I was back to the good ol' no signal state once the procedure finished..
1. Short out pins 1 and 6 on the main BIOS chip (pin #1 should be marked with a red dot or whatever)
2. Tell a friend (or a relative) of yours to press the power on button
3. Remove the ghetto-like jumper you're holding between pins 1 and 6 as soon as you hear a beep.
4. Backup BIOS should kick in again and everything will (hopefully) be fine.

Uhm yeah, that's about it, I guess.
P.S Please bare in mind that the 3rd method should only be used if you have the following options:
Option #1 Follow my dumb advices.
Option #2 RMA the board.

BIG THANKS to TS mario1 its 2019 but this thread helped my board to be fixed.. Thanks again GA Z97x Ud3h BK

 

[Trihy]

Hi.

There is a way to force second bios permanently?

Not sure what happens with this gigabyte boards, but all I have and my friends have, died the same way.

They just stop booting. If you try many times sometimes you get the blue screen telling something was bad on bios config and you can select enter bios, default, optimized, etc

PC will work perfect for days, until you turn it off. Then it won't boot anymore.

You can try swapping Rams, maybe it will boot, you can try to reflash bios, maybe it will boot. But all options will last a couple of boot, then it won't boot anymore again.

Maybe the first bios chip gets bad and corrupt bios everytime?

It happened with a z68, z77, z87, z97.

Omg gigabyte never more. What a nightmare. They last 3 years if you are lucky and all of them died in the same way.

 

[dacamatshu]

Hello folks!

As many other on this thread, I must admit that I have register only to reply and give big thanks to everyone on this thread!!! I'm not much of a forum guy, occasionally when I run into problems I do check forums but I also need to say that more than a few times it was Overclockers forum that saved the day!

Motherboard: Gigabyte H97N-WiFi rev. 1.0i7 - 4790K16GB 2400mhz Predator HyperXRX580 8Gb Gigabyte

For me, I cannot say what particular method was successful but I was reluctant to go for 3rd method just yet, after fiddling with method one and two, and constantly switching ram sticks from slot to slot and between igpu and dedicated gpu (with logic that BIOS will somehow get that HW configuration was changed and load defaults) I somehow got to the BIOS. Loading defaults for me did not do the trick, after loading defaults it went to looping again from which point I needed to fiddle with it again in order to get into BIOS. During one of many boot attempts after loading BIOS (did choose "Enter BIOS" not other two options of loading defaults) I manually switched all settings in BIOS to increase stability for RAM and CPU and shutting off turbo modes on my i7, keeping it full stock and all other settings to auto (voltages etc.) not using "Load defaults option" I manged to get out of boot loop, boot power cycles loop and no POST at all problem, and successfully boot into Win10. My BIOS version was F4, after checking Gigabyte official page I realized that there were several BIOS updates available, F8 is last non beta version so I went for that one. Prepared USB FAT32 drive, loaded F8 to it, after fingers crossed managed to enter Q-Flash utility, flashed both backup and primary BIOS chips, loaded defaults and so far so good after few successful restarts and shut-offs, been writing this from that MB and mentioned configuration. Now I will try to go back to turbo mode on, RAM CAS timings set etc. Wish me luck, if after this basic settings everything goes to s*it then it's definitely a HW malfunction I would say MB or CPU, closer to CPU because everything happened after CPU switch from i5 - 4460 to i7 - 4790k.

Anyway, maybe my experience will help somebody, again, big thanks to everyone here and yeah, it is still relevant in 2020 but maybe is CORONA to blame !

P.S. Will update if after setting everything configuration stayed stable.

 

[Trihy]

This boards are all flawed with the same problem.

On a z97m dh3 bootloop (always using stock bios settings, no bad bios flashing) I changed the ram from every slot until you get boot. Ram is pefect, it´s just the same with all this boards, play a little with the ram sticks on different slots, and will magically boot. After a full power off, it will not come back, just bootloop. If you change slots again, maybe will boot again.

I found a user that said flashing a previous bios solved the problem, tried the older bios, system booted fine. And was fine for 2 months. Now the same problem. Still dont have the pc with me to try stuff. Probably reflashing will make it last a few more months.

It´s clearly a HW problem. I have other friends that solved taking out the cmos battery and using the board without the battery (battery was fine, even swapped with new ones). You will get the bios settings warning at boot, but will boot.

"Ultra Durable" seems like a good joke from gigabyte.

 

[dacamatshu]

So far so good here!

i7 left in stock settings, turbo enabled, auto multiplayer, voltages etc. Ram left on 1600mhz with really tight timings: 7-8-8-24, everything else stock. This is like 5ft Gigabyte MB I had, no problems whatsoever with any. This one corrupted BIOS after my CPU Voltage setup mistake frankly on chipset that is not made for fiddling with it on ITX H series chipset. Any way, will keep you posted if somethings change, GPU is in configuration, everything is set and working for now.

Regards!

 

[Trihy]

I received the pc from a friend. Another z97m bootlooping.

Only boot when you exchange ram sticks. No matter which brand, no matter which slot, no matter how many sticks. You just swap one or take out one, and will boot. You can run every benchmark with no problem.

Once you turn it off, it will bootloop again.

I finally fixed it by installing a better brand motherboard. A 6 year old msi motherboard. It just works.

 

[CBudiono]

Dear Mario1, I dedicate myself to create an overclocker forum ID just to thank you.

my (planned) setup:

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-H61M-D2V
CPU: Intel i7 3770
RAM: 2x 8 GB Kingston HyperX
GPU: EVGA 1070 SC
PSU: 500W Be Quiet System Power U9
HDD: 1TB WD Blue

Tried Mobo + CPU + HDD + RAM only no probs (POST, BIOS, BOOT just fine).
But when I insert GPU, computer wont POST. Have tried reseating RAM, removing HDD and removing GPU still wont POST.

Tried method #1 and method #2 multiple times. Neither worked, only method #3 worked for me. I did jumper the pin 1 and 6 (pin 1 is the one marked with arrow and 6 is the sixth pin counting clockwise from the first) and wait couple seconds but no beep sound (I put speaker into Mobo header). But when I released the jumper, fans continue to turn on and couple seconds later beep sound. I was so relieved.

Anyway, I have been troubleshooting this MoBo for 3 days only to find your unique solution #3 works. Again, thank you for the awesome post and thread.

 

[Trihy]

Anyone found a solution when mb only boot when exchange ram slots?

There are lot of threads about this

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/my-pc-wont-start-until-i-remove-and-reinsert-my-ram.2670311/

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/gigabyte-motherboard-cold-boot-problems.411018/

Seems gigabyte cold boot problems are widespread, but no word from GB or a known solution.

Even the x570 are plagged with this problems

https://hardforum.com/threads/gigab...nt-power-on-temporary-solution.1993194/page-9


Thanks.

 

[awediohead]

Another member here who made an account just to say thank you to the OP - that said while the guide did trigger the "your BIOS is corrupt" screen and a reflash, the basic symptom hasn't changed.
The board is a z97x-Gaming 5 from Gigabyte

Starts with a normal POST beep but stops at a dark screen with a white cursor upper left. This was the first symptom that the BIOS was corrupt, so I must have now flashed it four or five times by using the 1 and 6 pin method. It's maybe interesting that if I remove the short immediately after the screen appears, the flash happens very quickly, in less than 10 seconds. If however I keep the chip shorted at those pins while I hit enter this results in a much longer flashing process - probably a couple of minutes though I haven't timed it. This came from early posts on this thread btw.
Either way when it then restarts automatically, I'm back to single beep and flashing cursor - maybe one or two flashes of the cursor before it switches off and restarts.

Anyone have any clue? I thought I was home and dry after the first time it successfully went through the reflashing process . . . I have also tried different RAM in different RAM slots - no difference whatsoever sadly. Is there anyway to make it reflash from a USB stick - obviously a feature on more modern boards but not one that's obvious on this one?

EDIT: To answer my own question - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SNTL5V6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is a kit that is connected to the BIOS chip and then to another working PC which via software then flashes the chip with a hopefully working BIOS.

Of course this is all totally theoretical ATM as I've just ordered one and have no idea of the success rate or, possibly whether the hardware is defective. Since this isn't the first and won't be the last motherboard that's become unresponive it struck me as being well worth £14.00 to have the means of reflashing. I'll post back if all goes well, but it won't be here for a few days.

 

[dacamatshu]

So far so good here!

i7 left in stock settings, turbo enabled, auto multiplayer, voltages etc. Ram left on 1600mhz with really tight timings: 7-8-8-24, everything else stock. This is like 5ft Gigabyte MB I had, no problems whatsoever with any. This one corrupted BIOS after my CPU Voltage setup mistake frankly on chipset that is not made for fiddling with it on ITX H series chipset. Any way, will keep you posted if somethings change, GPU is in configuration, everything is set and working for now.

Regards!

Still going strong! So basically BIOS flash after all the troubles did worked for me!

Best regards!

 

[awediohead]

*SNIP*
EDIT: To answer my own question - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SNTL5V6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is a kit that is connected to the BIOS chip and then to another working PC which via software then flashes the chip with a hopefully working BIOS.

Of course this is all totally theoretical ATM as I've just ordered one and have no idea of the success rate or, possibly whether the hardware is defective. Since this isn't the first and won't be the last motherboard that's become unresponive it struck me as being well worth £14.00 to have the means of reflashing. I'll post back if all goes well, but it won't be here for a few days.

No longer theoretical - worked like a charm - well worth having a ch341 eeprom flasher in your PC first aid kit. Check you tube for a bunch of videos about how to use it. I went the Windows route because there was more noob friendly support on YT, but having done it once I would probably boot into Linux with Flashrom in future. see HERE.

I have a couple of dead mobos I've always assumed had defective hardware, but it's definitely worth trying a BIOS reflash before giving up.

 

[Arashbg]

Hey bro 2 fixed my problem thanks alot

 

[skiprecall]

Hold Pins a Little Longer (Method 3)

Method 3, which explains to short/jump/bridge pins 1 and 6 on the M_BIOS chip to kick off a routine installed in firmware which reflashes a corrupt M_BIOS with the contents of B_BIOS, worked wonders for me, for which I'd like to thank the OP.

I had eliminated all possibilities other than the motherboard, and was about to RMA the board (which entails hefty shipping charges not to mention losing the board for a few weeks) when I discovered this thread and got Method 3 to work when nothing else would.

HOWEVER … at first I couldn't get it to work, despite trying a handful of times. What finally did it for me was when I stopped paying attention to the specific instruction of letting go of the pins when the power ON single beep is heard : on my board (a GA-H97-D3H) I had to KEEP HOLDING THE TWO PINS FOR 5–10 SECONDS after the initial beep before being rewarded with this pop-up message on my display :

❝
====== DUALBIOS ======
The main BIOS is corrupted.
Press [ENTER] to recover the
main BIOS from the backup
BIOS.
            ❞

It may depend on the board, or maybe if the OP sees this he might know why … but if you have a dual BIOS board and method 3 didn't work for you and you're out of options, try it again but keep holding pins 1 and 6 with a steady hand for at least ten seconds after the initial beep, see if that doesn't do it for you. Did for me.

I also have the GA-H97-D3H and shorting pins 1 and 6 of the M_BIOS chip was the only way to get it working again. Thank you very much.