Is this correct?

[trents]

Motherboard is Asus Z170 Pro. Bios updated to latest version which supports Kaby Lake CPUs.

However, the current CPU installed is Sky Lake.

Look at the System Agent Bridge name.

 

[DaveB]

You installed the "Kaby Lake" BIOS update so that's not surprising. Are you getting a Kaby Lake CPU? If not, why did you update the BIOS for Kaby Lake?

 

[EarthDog]

You installed the "Kaby Lake" BIOS update so that's not surprising. Are you getting a Kaby Lake CPU? If not, why did you update the BIOS for Kaby Lake?

Agreed. Makes sense if you have KL bios/microcode. I found when using KL bios with Skylake it wasn't as stable for whatever reason. But that was one board and bios. Obviously YMMV.

 

[trents]

I was kind of planning on getting the 7350k but decided against it. I suppose I can do a backward flash.

 

[trents]

Well shucks! It won't let me back flash. Bios sees the file on the thumb drive but says, "This is not a valid bios file." Do Asus boards not allow a back flash? What a moron thing to do!

Found this: http://overclocking.guide/flash-back-older-bios-asus-z170/

Anybody tried it?

 

[EarthDog]

No but, I would trust those who wrote that article, however... report back and let us know.

 

[Woomack]

for sure it works on any ROG board and I'm not buying regular ASUS boards

 

[trents]

Bummer! Can't use the method in the link cited because I get this: Error 368: Failed to disable write protection for the BIOS space.
FPT Operation Failed.

Anybody know of how to disable bios protection on a Asus Z170 pro?

 

[EarthDog]

The command above your post there (with others asking the same thing) didn't do it?

fptw64.exe -bios -f file name

Hmmm.... seems to be the normal way to do it?

 

[trents]

No. Got that "bios write protected" message. Tried the DOS version of fptw.exe as well and got the same message. Looking around on the net others ran into this as well. Some of the links explaining how to use tools in the link I referred to above also mention that this was for "older z170" boards so apparently Asus did not have the bios writed protected early on in this chipset series.

 

[EarthDog]

Can you list the commands in the utility and see if there is an option which can do that?

 

[trents]

-H|? Displays help screen.
-VER Displays version information.
-EXP Displays example usage of this tool.
-VERBOSE<file> Display the debug information of the tool.
-Y Do NOT prompt when a warning occurs.
-P<file> Specifies a flash part definition file to use.
-LIST List all SPI devices supported.
-I Displays information about the flash image.
-F<f>[NoVerify] Load binary file into flash. "NoVerify" skips verify.
-ERASE Erase the contents of flash.
-VERIFY<file> Compare binary file to flash.
-D<file> Dump flash contents to file or "STDOUT".
-DESC Load/verify/dump Descriptor region.
-BIOS Load/verify/dump BIOS region.
-ME Load/verify/dump ME region.
-GBE Load/verify/dump GbE region.
-PDR Load/verify/dump PDR region.
-EC Load/verify/dump EC region.
-SAVEMAC Saves the GbE MAC when GbE is being reflashed.
-SAVESXID Saves the GbE SSID and SVID when GbE is being reflashed.
-B Check to see if the flash part is erased.
- Press any key to continue -

The only switch I have used in the command line is the "F" switch was part of the syntax given in the linked turtorial. I don't see any others that might be applicable, do you?

- - - Updated - - -

This was information contained in a .txt file as well. #7 looks interesting.


These settings are not part recommendations, nor are they an
; indication these parts are supported on Intel platforms.
; All parts on this list have NOT been validated, and it is the
; responsibility of the customer to validate the flash parts used
; on their platform.
;
; Flash parts may change opcodes and architectures so please refer
; to the respective flash datasheet and errata/application note and
; flash vendor to confirm.
;
;Description of fields:
; 1) Display name
; 2) Device ID (2 or 3 bytes)
; 3) Device Size (in bits)
; 4) Block Erase Size (in bytes - 256, 4K, 64K)
; 5) Block Erase Command
; 6) Write Granularity (1 or 64)
; 7) Enable Write Status Register Command (1- True, 0- False)
;winbond
W25X80V, 0xEF3014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25X16BV, 0xEF3015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25X32BV, 0xEF3016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25X64BV, 0xEF3017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25X40V, 0xEF3013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q80BV, 0xEF4014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q40BV, 0xEF4013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q16BV, 0xEF4015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q32BV, 0xEF4016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64BV, 0xEF4017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128BV, 0xEF4018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q16CV, 0xEF4015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64CV, 0xEF4017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64FV, 0xEF4017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64FV, 0xEF6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FV, 0xEF4018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FV, 0xEF6018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q256FVFIQ, 0xEF4019, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FVFIQ, 0xEF4018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FVFIQ, 0xEF6018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FVSIQ, 0xEF4018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q128FVSIQ, 0xEF6018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64FVSSIQ, 0xEF4017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q64FVSSIQ, 0xEF6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q32FVSSIQ, 0xEF4016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q32FVSSIQ, 0xEF6016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q16CVSSIQ, 0xEF4015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25Q16DVSSIQ, 0xEF4015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25R64FVSSIQ, 0xEF4017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
W25R128FVSIQ, 0xEF4018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
;macronix
MX25L4006E, 0xC22013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L8005, 0xC22014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L8006E, 0xC22014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L8036E, 0xC22014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L8073E, 0xC22014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L8075E, 0xC22014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1605A, 0xC22015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1605D, 0xC22015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1635D, 0xC22015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1606E, 0xC22015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1636E, 0xC22515, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1673E, 0xC22415, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L1675E, 0xC22415, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3205A, 0xC22016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3205D, 0xC22016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3225D, 0xC25E16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3235D, 0xC25E16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3236D, 0xC25E16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3206E, 0xC22016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3273E, 0xC22016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L3275E, 0xC22016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6405D, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6406E, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6436E, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6445E, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6455E, 0xC22617, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6473E, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6475E, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6450F, 0xC22017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12805D, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12835E, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12836E, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12845E, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12855E, 0xC22618, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12865E, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12835F, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12873F, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L12875F, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L25635E, 0xC22019, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L25735E, 0xC22019, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L25635F, 0xC22019, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0

MX25L12850F, 0xC22018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MX25L6495F, 0xC29517, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0

;micron
M25PE10, 0x208011, 0x100000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PE20, 0x208012, 0x200000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PE40, 0x208013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PE80, 0x208014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PE16, 0x208015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PX80, 0x207114, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PX16, 0x207115, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PX32, 0x207116, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
M25PX64, 0x207117, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q016, 0x20BA15, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q032, 0x20BA16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q064, 0x20BA17, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q128, 0x20BA18, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q064A13ESE4MF, 0x20BA17, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MT25QL128ABA1ESEMS, 0x20BA18, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q032, 0x20BA16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q128, 0x20BA18, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q256, 0x20BB19, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q512, 0x20BB20, 0x20000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q064, 0x20BA17, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q064, 0x20BA17, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q032, 0x20BB16, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q064, 0x20BB17, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q128, 0x20BB18, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q256, 0x20BA19, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
N25Q512, 0x20BA20, 0x20000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MT25QL256, 0x20BA19, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MT25QL512, 0x20BA20, 0x20000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
MT25QU512, 0x20BB20, 0x20000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0




;other
AT26DF081, 0x1F4500, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 1, 0
AT26DF081A, 0x1F4501, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DF081, 0x1F4502, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT26DF161, 0x1F4600, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT26DF161A, 0x1F4601, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0X20, 64, 0
AT25DF161, 0x1F4602, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DQ161, 0x1F8600, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DF321, 0x1F4700, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT26DF321, 0x1F4700, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DF321A, 0x1F4701, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DF641, 0x1F4800, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DF641A, 0x1F4800, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
AT25DQ641, 0x1F8800, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
SST25VF016B, 0xBF2541, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 1, 0
SST25VF032B, 0XBF254A, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 1, 0
SST25VF040B, 0xBF258D, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 1, 0
SST25VF080B, 0xBF258E, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 1, 0
SST25VF064C, 0xBF254B, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q40, 0x1C3013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25F80, 0x1C3114, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q80A, 0x1C3014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25F16, 0x1C3115, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25F32, 0x1C3116, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q32B, 0x1C3016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q64, 0x1C3017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q128, 0x1C3018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q16(A), 0x1C3015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH16, 0x1C7015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH32, 0x1C7016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH256, 0x1C7019, 0x10000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH128, 0x1C7018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH64, 0x1C7017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH80, 0x1C7014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25F64, 0x1C3117, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH64A, 0x1C7017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH128A, 0x1C7018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q40A, 0x1C3013, 0x400000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25Q80B, 0x1C3014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH16A, 0x1C7015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
EN25QH32A, 0x1C7016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
;gigadevice
GD25Q80, 0xC84014, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25Q16, 0xC84015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25Q32, 0xC84016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25Q64, 0xC84017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25Q128, 0xC84018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25B16B, 0xC84015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25B32B, 0xC84016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25B64B, 0xC84017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25B128C, 0xC84018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25LQ64C, 0xC86017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25R64B, 0xC84017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25B64C, 0xC84017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25R64C, 0xC84017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25R128C, 0xC84018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25LB64, 0xC86017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
GD25LB128, 0xC86018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
;other
FM25Q16, 0xF83215, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
FM25Q32, 0xF83216, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
FM25Q64, 0xF83217, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
FM25Q128, 0xF83218, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
;spansion
S25FL132K, 0x014016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
S25FL164K, 0x014017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
S25FL116K, 0x014015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
;other
A25L016, 0x373015, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
A25L032, 0x373016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
A25LQ32A, 0x374016, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
Pm25LQ080C, 0x7F9D44, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
Pm25LQ016C, 0x7F9D45, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
Pm25LQ032C, 0x7F9D46, 0x2000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
Pm25LV080B, 0x7F9D13, 0x800000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
Pm25LV016B, 0x7F9D13, 0x1000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IS25LP128, 0x9D6018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IC25LP128, 0x9D6018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IS25LP064, 0x9D6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IC25LP064, 0x9D6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IS25WP128, 0x9D7018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IC25WP128, 0x9D7018, 0x8000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IS25WP064, 0x9D6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0
IC25WP064, 0x9D6017, 0x4000000, 0x1000, 0x20, 64, 0

 

[trents]

Sent an email to Asus technical support asking them if there was a way for the endpoint user to do this. I don't expect anything helpful to come of it but if not rest assured I'll put my two cents in to the effect that customers resent control of this being taken out of their hands.

 

[EarthDog]

It's probably a good thing the average user can't flash back... but you do what you think you need to. Report back in the resolution.

 

[DaveB]

Should the back flash not be possible, you could make the best of this by deciding to upgrade and get in some Kaby Lake OC'ing!

Your Skylake will still bring good money on eBay.

The same kind of thing happened to some X99 boards, flashing for Broadwell-E caused issues with Haswell-E CPUs and back flashing was prohibited. I remember Gigabyte specifically stated that for my old X99 mobo.

 

[trents]

It's probably a good thing the average user can't flash back... but you do what you think you need to. Report back in the resolution.

Why do you say that is not a good thing? It would seem to be no more risk than flashing forward. Unless of course the customer had installed a new CPU that was not compatible with the older bios version.

 

[EarthDog]

The average user shouldn't be touching their BIOS in the first place. To have the ability to play that kind of flashing game is playing with fire IMO.

 

[trents]

Referring back to my first post, wouldn't the newer bios versions for Kaby also still contain the microcode for Sky Lake? So shouldn't the bios be reporting the System Agent Bridge Name as Sky Lake when you are using a Sky Lake CPU?

 

[Robert17]

Would AMI have any tools to work with?

 

[||Console||]

Does the system not work with your SL ?