Windows 10: Asus EZ flash 2 doesn't see usb I can't continue the BIOS update

I don't think it is the stick size either as I can use 16mb (SD card) to 16gb sticks with no problem

Most Providers allow 2 Mac No#s , but if you have a Router , they only see the Router's mac# , so you don't need to tell them whether it is the laptop or desktop , you could have 10 computers all hooked to the router , the ISP still only sees the Router Mac#....

 

Yes I know ... unfortunately I don't have a router just the cable plugged directly.

 

Ok I thought you said you had Wifi only earlier , so I assumed you had a router

 

I doubt that the size of the USB stick is relevant, as long as it can be formatted as FAT. (FAT32 should be fine.)

I assume that you followed the CrashFree instructions for your motherboard and renamed the .cap file as appropriate (like h170p.cap, for the H170 Pro.).

I'm not sure how to force the CrashFree feature to run, if you're stuck in some sort of limbo in the BIOS update process. I would have suggested clearing the CMOS. Removing the battery should have done it, although you could try again, this time using the CMOS clearing pins. (The ClearRTC pins are near the edge of the board , adjacent to the header for the front panel header.) In the past, clearing the CMOS was done with a jumper. (On more expensive boards, they give you a pushbutton. Maybe even one in the IO panel, so you don't have to open the case.)

If all else fails, you can swap out the BIOS EEPROM chip. It's an 8 pin dual inline package, which makes it about as easy as possible. You ought to be able to get one directly from Asus. There are also third-party services:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-Recover...cAAMXQdGJRzlbC

I even see a cheap device which appears to be a DIY BIOS chips programmer:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...7343-_-Product

Might be fun if you wish to make a hobby of de-bricking your MB.

You have my sympathies. I made a habit of updating BIOSes whenever available, just to make sure I wasn't missing out on anything. Never had a problem, until my first UEFI board. With a soldered-in EEPROM chip. Fortunately, the board had an extended return period.

 

Sara, Watch both of these videos. They are both different boards than you have. But they show different aspects of how to recover the Bios from the Crash Free Bios. See if anything will help. As @bobkn said you may have to rename the bios to h170p.cap.

[youtube]LirQ-oM9XBI[/youtube]

[youtube]Vw4jQ-Oih7I[/youtube]

 

I have a bad feeling that the mainboard is out of warranty doing this bios update and the guys will take care of this playing a little bit with me.

The above infos including the last one thanks @bobkn are so good.
Regarding the chipset replacement I'll have a look to first identify if the chip is soldered or just plugged into the socket. I appreciate it!
The procedure it's simple as that? buy, replace, hit the power button and is good to go or involve any other additional steps?
@essenbe in all the attempts, I've put both files on the stick, one renamed with the tool called BRenamerl.exe and one as is; As we can see in these screenshots with both files we have the same error. Please let me watch the videos to see if there is something different. Thank you once again.

 

That is one brave guy in that 1st video *Smile crashing his bios to make a video is not something I'd do ....

yes the name of the file is important for CrashFree and USBFlashback

But not in EZFlash2/3... it will flash as extracted from the zip file

 

Ok, there is a difference. In the first and the second video there is a sequence that in my case is pure black screen. (the system looking for the BIOS file) It's the first time that I see what's going on there and I've read that it could be related to the impossibility to use the DVI output to the screen and screen resolution. I'll try to find a DVI to VGA converter and to see if the commands appear in my case too. Good to know Thanks @essenbe.

 

For FAT32 ... thumbdrive must be <= 32 GB

Asus has a few different flash methods :

*Wink

A few things caught my attention

• The name and the extension are important as kbird stated. The video crashing BIOS for demonstration has an important piece of infromation -> the recovery without the USB inserted showed the expected file name
  
  
• one manual I read stated that the USB must be a single partition. I think you mentioned that you tried shrinking a larger drive by creating partition .... I think you also said that you have tried a few different thumb drives.
  
  The point is : format the the entire thumb drive as one partition
  FAT32 is ok up to 32 GB

 

I'll do some more tests. CrashFree BIOS 3 should rescue me. I don't see it and I just tried using the TV as output. I am able to see F1 sequence and with USB stick plugged in, when I follow the screen instructions there will come just a black screen. (I guess that it's something more in the background because the keyboard it's locked)

 

Do a google search on using Crashfree blind , I think I have seen that reported before

 

I found an online photo of the H170 Pro. The EEPROM is indeed an 8 pin DIP, and it's socketed. Should be easy to swap. Just remove the CMOS battery and replace the chip, making sure that it's right way 'round.

I mention this only as a last resort. (It's not a really drastic last resort, but most people tend to be wary of messing with hardware.)

CrashFree is the way to go if it can be persuaded to work.

Some boards have a special USB port for recovering from a failed BIOS flash. The H170 Pro seems to not have that. If you've stuck with the USB 2 ports, I don't know what else to suggest. Could you verify that you've renamed the .cap file correctly?

 

I am wondering if because you seem to have a partial bios screen for 1803 , the bios "thinks" it is ok and therefore does not automatically launch CrashFree3 at boot ?

Maybe there is a key combo to force Crashfree3 to kick in ?

There is an Intel Flash Programming tool that will apparently Flash Bricked Bios's in Force Mode ie /f on most motherboards.

It is called FPT_v9.1.2.1000 ***** I have it but have not needed to use it , so I can not tell you the Risks .

 

This is just a guess, but in both of the videos, when they booted to a black screen it looks like they did nothing, just let it sit there while the BIOS searched for the file. according to one of them, it also showed you the name the bios file needs to have.

 

Yes , that's why I wondered if the bios doesn't think it is corrupt so CrashFree does not activate ....

But I just read that on some boards ALT+F2 will force Crashfree to work ,but may only work with Floppy drives....

https://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...Language=en-us