USB BIOS Flashback Not Working

D

djfunz

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
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I have an ASUS P9X79 Deluxe. I cannot get the ASUS USB BIOS Flashback to work. I push the USB Flashback button and release when the light starts to flash. Light flashes 3 times and then the LED on the button stays solid. No activity on the USB drive.

I have tried the following:
  • Format a 16G and 8GB USB stick to NTFS and FAT32 respectively
  • BIOS file is named to P9X79D.CAP
  • Put P9X79D.CAP file on USB stick
  • No other files present on USB stick
  • BIOS file on USB stick is a different version than on the board
  • Insert USB into white USB Flashback port
  • Push button and release when light begins to flash
My reason for doing this method versus using UEFI to upgrade the BIOS is to install a modded version of the latest BIOS to allow a NVMe SSD to boot when using a PCIe 3.0 x4 Adapter.

Please tell me what I'm missing. I remember in the past being able to upgrade my BIOS in this way, so I know it's possible.
 
While EZ Flash won't work, try it to see the error message it gives. Does EZ Flash say that it isn't a UEFI BIOS or does it say it isn't a proper BIOS?
 
Unfortunately USB BIOS Flashback exhibits the same behavior. Button flashes three times, then solid and no flash drive activity.

EZ Flash gives the following error this time: "security verification failed"
 
Pretty sure I remember reading quite a while ago, when I was having issues with it, that the BIOS Flashback feature was very finicky about what USB sticks it would work with.

I think I ended up trying 3-4 different ones before I found one that would work.
 
djfunz said:
Unfortunately USB BIOS Flashback exhibits the same behavior. Button flashes three times, then solid and no flash drive activity.

EZ Flash gives the following error this time: "security verification failed"
Click to expand...

One would think BIOS Flashback works around that type of check. Page 2-49 of the manual states that the file should be renamed to P9X79D.ROM not P9X79D.CAP. Also, make sure you're using a FAT16/32 formatted USB stick.
 
Last edited:
It's entirely possible. I have two smaller ones at my disposal, one Kingston 8GB and one 16GB. The 8GB is formatted to FAT32 and is recognized when in the BIOS. The 16GB is formatted to NTFS and isn't recognized. So if it's recognized in UEFI one would assume it would function using the white port and the BIOS Flashback feature.

I can try the renaming the file to .ROM when I get home to test.
 
Eldata said:
One would think BIOS Flashback works around that type of check. Page 2-49 of the manual states that the file should be renamed to P9X79D.ROM not P9X79D.CAP. Also, make sure you're using a FAT16/32 formatted USB stick.
Click to expand...

ASUS changed the format of the BIOS along the way from ROM to CAP. The manual would not have been updated to reflect this.
https://www.asus.com/support/faq/114645/

As long as the BIOS has already been updated to the CAP format, the flashback name should end in .CAP
 
djfunz said:
It's entirely possible. I have two smaller ones at my disposal, one Kingston 8GB and one 16GB. The 8GB is formatted to FAT32 and is recognized when in the BIOS. The 16GB is formatted to NTFS and isn't recognized. So if it's recognized in UEFI one would assume it would function using the white port and the BIOS Flashback feature.

I can try the renaming the file to .ROM when I get home to test.
Click to expand...

DO NOT rename .CAP to .ROM. If you do that and it flashes, it will brick the BIOS completely. Ask me how I know this.
 
Asus X79s were really finicky about what stick it would recognize. I remember having to use an old 4GB USB2 stick to use Bios Flashback! (format FAT 32)
AGAIN!!!! DO NOT rename .CAP to .ROM! You will brick the board.
I don't know what Bios version you have, but it might be possible that you have a .ROM Bios and would need to install the first .CAP Bios version before you can upgrade to your modded Bios.
 
Certainly don't want to brick my board. I've performed both BIOS flashback and EZ Flash once. When I did it, I recall renaming my file .CAP though. Maybe a 4GB stick is needed?
 
Tried another brand new 2GB flash drive formatted to FAT32. This one didn't work either. Even tried to download the official latest BIOS from the ASUS site and that one also didn't work. Maybe M.2 isn't in the cards for this build.
 
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