Major prob with my Gigabyte H470I AORUS Pro AX after F22 BIOS update

[road hazard]

My system was running Windows 10 perfectly and every time I booted my PC, I always saw the POST screen. I was getting ready to upgrade to Windows 11 so I thought....let me apply any BIOS updates first. BIG MISTAKE!

 

I downloaded the F22 BIOS to a thumb drive and restarted. I entered the BIOS and selected Q-Flash and browsed to my F22 BIOS file and updated and the PC did a countdown and restarted.

 

When it was booting up, my monitor kept saying 'no signal, check cable'. I sat there and was thinking...."weird, I didn't see the POST screen like I always use to...." ...... I was getting ready to pull the plug on the power supply thinking my PC was hung and up popped the Windows 10 desktop. I restarted and same thing......no POST screen and no video output and then my desktop pops up.

 

I didn't think anything of it and plugged in my Windows 11 thumb drive and went to reboot my PC so I could select it as my boot device to install Win 11 but no matter what I did, I don't get a POST screen. Just 'no signal, check cable' and up pops my Windows 10 desktop.

 

I restarted again and held down the DEL key, no change. I thought to clear the CMOS and followed the instructions to short the 2 pins and powered my system back up and same problem.

 

Then, I took the board out of my system and removed the plastic shroud that covered the CMOS battery (awesome engineering choice Gigabyte! /s) and disconnected the cable and let it sit like that for about 5-10 minutes and put everything back together and no change. My monitor still displays 'no signal, check cable' for about 15-20 seconds then up pops the Windows 10 desktop.

 

And it looks like Gigabyte made it impossible to revert BIOS versions after upgrading to F22 so now I'm completely locked out of the BIOS.

 

HOW IN THE WORLD do I fix this?

 

I tried booting Windows 10 into that troubleshooting mode that will let me change the UEFI BIOS settings but when I do that and click 'Restart', my PC reboots but I get 'no signal, check cable' on my monitor. Even if I -could- access the BIOS settings from within Windows and select my thumb drive as the boot device, I don't think this will help me since I can't seem to get any video output until the Windows desktop has loaded.

 

BTW, I'm not using any video card, just the integrated graphics.

 

I made sure that 'fastboot' stuff was turned off in Windows and it was. I also installed the Fastboot Gigabyte utility and when I launch it, it says it's disabled. I clicked on the 'Enter BIOS now' button from within that Gigabyte Fastboot utility and after a reboot.....black screen forever until I physically reboot.

 

Gigabyte's atBIOS utility is garbage. I installed the latest version from their site and when it runs, I get an error about how I need to apply the latest version. I only have the option to click 'OK' and then it exits. If Gigabyte ever fixes their complete screw up and releases an F23 BIOS update, I'll have to use the push button Q-Flash update method which I have zero hope in it working properly.

 

Rolling back to an older BIOS version is not an option since this F22 version fixes some super duper critical vulnerability and implements some new 'capsule' mode that prevents reverting......... and also prevents you from ever accessing the BIOS settings.

 

I've never been so angry with a board manufacturer in my life. If I can't get this fixed soon, I'm going to buy a new board from anyone other than GB and will avoid them like the plague going forward.

 

I tried installing Windows 11 to a different SSD and then installed that into the Gigabyte system but I'm guessing it was sitting at some BIOS error screen and I needed to select the new SSD as the primary boot device but since I can't see it, I put the old drive back in and Windows 10 loads fine.

 

I have a ticket opened with GB support but not holding out much hope there.

 

[SpookyCitrus]

The font color you chose is the same as the background color for dark mode of this forum. So anyone using darkmode cannot read your post without highlighting the text. I would suggest switching it back to the default font color.

 

As for your problem if your board has a Q-flash button and USB port on the rear I/O just reinstall F22 using the manual flash back button and see if that fixes it.

When you did the CMOS reset did you just remove the battery cover? Or did you remove the battery as well? If you didn't remove the actual battery it doesn't actually do the reset.

[HanZie82]

25 minutes ago, road hazard said:

My system was running Windows 10 perfectly and every time I booted my PC, I always saw the POST screen. I was getting ready to upgrade to Windows 11 so I thought....let me apply any BIOS updates first. BIG MISTAKE!

 

I downloaded the F22 BIOS to a thumb drive and restarted. I entered the BIOS and selected Q-Flash and browsed to my F22 BIOS file and updated and the PC did a countdown and restarted.

 

When it was booting up, my monitor kept saying 'no signal, check cable'. I sat there and was thinking...."weird, I didn't see the POST screen like I always use to...." ...... I was getting ready to pull the plug on the power supply thinking my PC was hung and up popped the Windows 10 desktop. I restarted and same thing......no POST screen and no video output and then my desktop pops up.

 

I didn't think anything of it and plugged in my Windows 11 thumb drive and went to reboot my PC so I could select it as my boot device to install Win 11 but no matter what I did, I don't get a POST screen. Just 'no signal, check cable' and up pops my Windows 10 desktop.

 

I restarted again and held down the DEL key, no change. I thought to clear the CMOS and followed the instructions to short the 2 pins and powered my system back up and same problem.

 

Then, I took the board out of my system and removed the plastic shroud that covered the CMOS battery (awesome engineering choice Gigabyte! /s) and disconnected the cable and let it sit like that for about 5-10 minutes and put everything back together and no change. My monitor still displays 'no signal, check cable' for about 15-20 seconds then up pops the Windows 10 desktop.

 

And it looks like Gigabyte made it impossible to revert BIOS versions after upgrading to F22 so now I'm completely locked out of the BIOS.

 

HOW IN THE WORLD do I fix this?

 

I tried booting Windows 10 into that troubleshooting mode that will let me change the UEFI BIOS settings but when I do that and click 'Restart', my PC reboots but I get 'no signal, check cable' on my monitor. Even if I -could- access the BIOS settings from within Windows and select my thumb drive as the boot device, I don't think this will help me since I can't seem to get any video output until the Windows desktop has loaded.

 

BTW, I'm not using any video card, just the integrated graphics.

 

I made sure that 'fastboot' stuff was turned off in Windows and it was. I also installed the Fastboot Gigabyte utility and when I launch it, it says it's disabled. I clicked on the 'Enter BIOS now' button from within that Gigabyte Fastboot utility and after a reboot.....black screen forever until I physically reboot.

 

Gigabyte's atBIOS utility is garbage. I installed the latest version from their site and when it runs, I get an error about how I need to apply the latest version. I only have the option to click 'OK' and then it exits. If Gigabyte ever fixes their complete screw up and releases an F23 BIOS update, I'll have to use the push button Q-Flash update method which I have zero hope in it working properly.

 

Rolling back to an older BIOS version is not an option since this F22 version fixes some super duper critical vulnerability and implements some new 'capsule' mode that prevents reverting......... and also prevents you from ever accessing the BIOS settings.

 

I've never been so angry with a board manufacturer in my life. If I can't get this fixed soon, I'm going to buy a new board from anyone other than GB and will avoid them like the plague going forward.

 

I tried installing Windows 11 to a different SSD and then installed that into the Gigabyte system but I'm guessing it was sitting at some BIOS error screen and I needed to select the new SSD as the primary boot device but since I can't see it, I put the old drive back in and Windows 10 loads fine.

 

I have a ticket opened with GB support but not holding out much hope there.

 

Select all the text and then click the little button. on top with the red square around it.
 

 

 

If you dont, this is what the dark theme users see:

 

And since you're (probably) asking for help its best to make it as easy as possible.

[road hazard]

6 minutes ago, SpookyCitrus said:

The font color you chose is the same as the background color for dark mode of this forum. So anyone using darkmode cannot read your post without highlighting the text. I would suggest switching it back to the default font color.

 

As for your problem if your board has a Q-flash button and USB port on the rear I/O just reinstall F22 using the manual flash back button and see if that fixes it.

When you did the CMOS reset did you just remove the battery cover? Or did you remove the battery as well? If you didn't remove the actual battery it doesn't actually do the reset.

Totally sorry about the text formatting .... I think I fixed it.

 

Ok, I'll try reinstalling F22.

 

As for clearing the CMOS, I disconnected the red/black cable that goes from the battery to the motherboard. I found a new mini-ITX board on Amazon and I have 9 hours to place my order for next day delivery. lol ..... so if I can't get this working between now and then, I'm going to fix it by replacing the board.

[road hazard]

6 minutes ago, HanZie82 said:

Select all the text and then click the little button. on top with the red square around it.
 

 

 

If you dont, this is what the dark theme users see:

 

And since you're (probably) asking for help its best to make it as easy as possible.

 

hahahaha.... very true. It's fixed now.

 

[SpookyCitrus]

5 minutes ago, road hazard said:

Totally sorry about the text formatting .... I think I fixed it.

 

Ok, I'll try reinstalling F22.

 

As for clearing the CMOS, I disconnected the red/black cable that goes from the battery to the motherboard. I found a new mini-ITX board on Amazon and I have 9 hours to place my order for next day delivery. lol ..... so if I can't get this working between now and then, I'm going to fix it by replacing the board.

Ok haha, yeah the text is fixed now. Thanks. 

 

Yeah, I would try reinstalling F22, make sure you follow the flashback buttons steps(should have a section dedicated to it in your motherboards manual) to the letter otherwise it may not work. Usually they have you rename the bios file(depending on board or manufacturer it's a very specific name) and I would also recommend doing it on a completely freshly formatted or completely empty USB drive where the only thing on the drive is the bios file. 

 

If the CMOS battery cables were disconnected and the battery had no connection whatsoever to the board for more than 30 seconds it should have reset so I think it's safe to say that was done successfully. 

[road hazard]

1 hour ago, SpookyCitrus said:

Ok haha, yeah the text is fixed now. Thanks. 

 

Yeah, I would try reinstalling F22, make sure you follow the flashback buttons steps(should have a section dedicated to it in your motherboards manual) to the letter otherwise it may not work. Usually they have you rename the bios file(depending on board or manufacturer it's a very specific name) and I would also recommend doing it on a completely freshly formatted or completely empty USB drive where the only thing on the drive is the bios file. 

 

If the CMOS battery cables were disconnected and the battery had no connection whatsoever to the board for more than 30 seconds it should have reset so I think it's safe to say that was done successfully. 

I copied the F22 BIOS to a FAT16 thumb drive and followed the manual on which port to plug it into and when to hit the Q-Flash Plus button but my board isn't doing what the manual says it should be doing when I attempt to flash it that way. No USB activity and no little LED light when I press the Q-Flash Plus button.

 

Going to try some post I found about booting a backup BIOS (not even sure if my board has a dual BIOS option). If this fails, I'm probably just going to order a new system board.

 

UPDATE: Struck out with trying to get the system to boot from a backup BIOS chip. I think I'm going to throw in the towel and order an ASUS board and never buy another Gigabyte product ever again.

 

Not getting any video from either HDMI port, the Display port or even a friends RTX 2070 until after the Windows desktop loads. I'm permanently locked out of the BIOS apparently.

 

 

[SpookyCitrus]

31 minutes ago, road hazard said:

I copied the F22 BIOS to a FAT16 thumb drive and followed the manual on which port to plug it into and when to hit the Q-Flash Plus button but my board isn't doing what the manual says it should be doing when I attempt to flash it that way. No USB activity and no little LED light when I press the Q-Flash Plus button.

 

Going to try some post I found about booting a backup BIOS (not even sure if my board has a dual BIOS option). If this fails, I'm probably just going to order a new system board.

 

As far as I know you have to hold the button for 5 seconds at least then let go and the light should come on, like I said previously you have to rename the bios update file to whatever the manual says it can't just be the raw bios file name. If you did not rename the update file or set it up(just the file itself no folders or subfolders) in the root directory of a Fat32 formatted USB you are doing it wrong.

[IkeaGnome]

54 minutes ago, road hazard said:

No USB activity and no little LED light when I press the Q-Flash Plus button.

Are you using the proper port? What exactly did you name the BIOS file to?

[road hazard]

52 minutes ago, SpookyCitrus said:

As far as I know you have to hold the button for 5 seconds at least then let go and the light should come on, like I said previously you have to rename the bios update file to whatever the manual says it can't just be the raw bios file name. If you did not rename the update file or set it up(just the file itself no folders or subfolders) in the root directory of a Fat32 formatted USB you are doing it wrong.

I was using a USB 3.0 thumb drive and no go. I switched to a USB 2.0 one and it worked. Well..... it re-flashed and upon reboot.... still no POST screen. Just blackness and then, up pops the Windows desktop.

[road hazard]

44 minutes ago, Caroline said:

sounds like the video output is set to onboard. 

I tried using all the video ports on the motherboard (both HDMI ports and the Display port) and still no POST screen. The board refuses to output video until Windows loads the desktop.

[road hazard]

33 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

Are you using the proper port? What exactly did you name the BIOS file to?

 

I got it working. Tried flashing 22a (beta) and 22 final version and no change. Still locked out of the BIOS settings. No video until Windows loads.