I updated my mobo firmware.. Now Windows 7 no longer works?

Just a thought, but if you're having issues getting through the W7 install process because the keyboard/mouse aren't working in the installer, have you tried installing W7 onto the SSD while in another system, then just swapping it into the Gigabyte system?
 
For the USB mouse/keyboard issue, try setting XHCI Hand-off to enabled in the BIOS.

I believe even though you are using USB 2.0, they are part of the USB 3.0 controller. USB 3.0 is not native to Windows 7, so you have to tell the BIOS to hand-off the USB control from the BIOS to the OS so it can use drivers for it. If it is enabled, try disabled.

Also, is your install CD Windows 7 SP1? I think you need SP1 for the USB drivers.
 
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ZodaEX said:
I'm think the latest F9 bios firmware fucked everything up because that's when all the problems started. My issue with trying this though is I used a Winflash to update the bios from inside Windows, but now I can't get into Windows to attempt the downgrade. Is is possible to downgrade the bios from outside of windows somehow? I'm also open to any other suggestions.
Click to expand...

I doubt it, to be honest. More than likely, the drive interface setting has changed, since updating the bios usually means all the settings are reset back to default. Try the IDE, AHCI or Raid until your Windows 7 install boots. Enjoy.
 
What USB ports is everything being plugged in to when you attempt to install Win7?

1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Flash Drive with Win7 installer

Oh, and what brand/model of Flash Drive are you using? If it's a USB3, try an older USB2 drive.
 
DejaWiz said:
What USB ports is everything being plugged in to when you attempt to install Win7?

1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Flash Drive with Win7 installer

Oh, and what brand/model of Flash Drive are you using? If it's a USB3, try an older USB2 drive.
Click to expand...

Bingo on that part. Chances are, the installation media does not have the required usb drivers.
 
ManofGod said:
Bingo on that part. Chances are, the installation media does not have the required usb drivers.
Click to expand...

He already stated that he was using the USB 2.0 ports. As I already stated, it doesn't matter what port because the USB 2.0 ports are part of the Intel USB 3.0 controller so he needs the USB 3.0 drivers on the installation CD, as I already mentioned. Either he needs the SP1 installation CD or needs to inject the USB drivers.
 
I have run into this problem with Windows 7 installer and USB myself. The easiest fix, of course, is to just Run Win10, but he doesn't want to. That leaves the harder fix.

Using a different (working) computer, you will need to download or create a Windows 7 custom ISO with the SP1 and roll-up pack integrated. You may also need to integrate your chipset drivers in the installer. There are numerous tuitorials on the web (a simple Google search) on how to do this. You then burn the custom ISO to a DVD-R or put it on a USB stick with RUFUS.
 
GeneO said:
He already stated that he was using the USB 2.0 ports. As I already stated, it doesn't matter what port because the USB 2.0 ports are part of the Intel USB 3.0 controller so he needs the USB 3.0 drivers on the installation CD, as I already mentioned. Either he needs the SP1 installation CD or needs to inject the USB drivers.
Click to expand...

There are two USB2 and one USB3 ports on his system.
The potential easy way out would be to plug the KB and older USB2 flash drive into the USB2 ports and run the install without a mouse.
 
GeneO said:
For the USB mouse/keyboard issue, try setting XHCI Hand-off to enabled in the BIOS.
Click to expand...

*learned something new* (thanks)

Can't he just salvage a sata dvd drive from somewhere and use it for like an hour? (at this point the whole exercise is becoming kinda retarded)
 
DejaWiz said:
There are two USB2 and one USB3 ports on his system.
The potential easy way out would be to plug the KB and older USB2 flash drive into the USB2 ports and run the install without a mouse.
Click to expand...

if you read what I said, the USB2 ports are part of the Intel USB3 controller. Doesn't matter whether you use USB2 or USB3 in this case, you need the driver for the Intel USB 3 controller.
And if you read the OP posts, he dis try the USB2 ports.
 
This is an easy one... Its either your RAID/SATA setting or your CSM/UEFI being enabled, disabled, or partially enabled.

Since its sees your boot drive, it should be your RAID/SATA setting. Just switch it form whatever it is now to the other one and it will work.
 
GeneO said:
if you read what I said, the USB2 ports are part of the Intel USB3 controller. Doesn't matter whether you use USB2 or USB3 in this case, you need the driver for the Intel USB 3 controller.
And if you read the OP posts, he dis try the USB2 ports.
Click to expand...

Yo ease up...I wasn't challenging you, I was adding to your post.

Being that this is an older Bay Trail SoC, I was simply saying that a USB2 flash drive should be tried prior to the efforts needed in taking your suggestion of slipstreaming the USB3 drivers, since he's sticking with Win7.
 
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DejaWiz said:
Yo ease up...I wasn't challenging you, I was adding to your post.

Being that this is an older Bay Trail SoC, I was simply saying that a USB2 flash drive should be tried prior to the efforts needed in taking your suggestion of slipstreaming the USB3 drivers, since he's sticking with Win7.
Click to expand...

He has been using the USB 2.0 ports. What benefit is a USB flash drive if it is the same image. He needs the USB 3 drivers for the USB 2.0 because the Intl xHCI controller supplies the USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports and hence you need the xHCI driver for both.
 
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GeneO said:
He has been using the USB 2.0 ports. What benefit is a USB flash drive if it is the same image. He needs the USB 3 drivers for the USB 2.0.
Click to expand...

Here is the important part, try to keep up. :D : I was simply saying that a USB2 flash drive should be tried
 
ManofGod said:
Here is the important part, try to keep up. :D : I was simply saying that a USB2 flash drive should be tried
Click to expand...

Your the one that needs to keep up but it is obvious you do not understand the problem. Later.
 
GeneO said:
He has been using the USB 2.0 ports. What benefit is a USB flash drive if it is the same image. He needs the USB 3 drivers for the USB 2.0 because the Intl xHCI controller supplies the USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports and hence you need the xHCI driver for both.
Click to expand...

I've run into the problem numerous times, myself. More often than not, switching to an older USB2 flash drive to force EHCI mode is the cure.

Switching to EHCI is even stated in the spec update sheet...page 28.

https://edc.intel.com/Link.aspx?id=7123


As I stated before, I was merely adding to your post...try a USB2 flash drive first and, if that still doesn't work, then download the embedded driver package and slipstream it, as you recommend.
 
According to a google search this board's BIOS needs to be set to whatever OS you are using before installing it. Have you tried that? based on the thread it sounds exactly like a incorrectly configured bios.
 
ZodaEX said:
H
A- This is a barebones Mini PC that has one built-in sata cable. The sata cable cannot be removed or replaced. It's soldered in..
Click to expand...

Looking at google images it looks like a standard laptop style sata cable. I don't think it's soldered in, just taped in...
 
Isn't Windows 7 terribly old? I think I had windows 2000 (it was my last Windows), seven must be much older than that.
 
Azrak said:
BIOS versions F8 and F7 are available from the Gigabyte website by changing the download URL:
F8: http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/BIOS/gb-bxbt-2807_f8.zip
F7: http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/BIOS/gb-bxbt-2807_f7.zip
I tried looking for F6 and F5 as well but they do not appear to exist.
I do not know the BIOS numbering scheme for this motherboard, so previous versions could have been something that starts with a different letter.
If you cannot get into any version of Windows to flash, it appears, though I could be wrong, that you should run flash.bat from DOS in order to flash the BIOS. So you could try searching for and downloading a bootable DOS image and flashing that way.
Click to expand...

with those web address skills...you must have gotten a lot of BoC's from woot.... LOL
 
I actually had the same thing happen to me when trying a Vista disk on my new setup. (Had lost my better Windows disks and it was all i had atm) I did manage to download a Windows 10 ISO to a USB drive from my laptop and that finally let me install it to my main system.
Like was said, the OP hasn't answered, but couldn't he put in 10 to get it to the desktop THEN re-install Windows 7? Never tried it that way so not sure....
 
yee245 said:
Just a thought, but if you're having issues getting through the W7 install process because the keyboard/mouse aren't working in the installer, have you tried installing W7 onto the SSD while in another system, then just swapping it into the Gigabyte system?
Click to expand...

My main issue is that updating my motherboard's bios broke my perfectly working Windows 7 install. Installing to a different PC and moving the drive over wouldn't fix it, otherwise my functioning Win7 install never would have stopped working in the first place.



GeneO said:
For the USB mouse/keyboard issue, try setting XHCI Hand-off to enabled in the BIOS.

I believe even though you are using USB 2.0, they are part of the USB 3.0 controller. USB 3.0 is not native to Windows 7, so you have to tell the BIOS to hand-off the USB control from the BIOS to the OS so it can use drivers for it. If it is enabled, try disabled.
Also, is your install CD Windows 7 SP1? I think you need SP1 for the USB drivers.
Click to expand...

Yes as i've already explained in great detail in post #14, I have tried both the SP1 integrated install disc, as well as the original day-one Win7 release. Keep in mind I have installed both of them in the past to this machine with zero issues until after I updated the bios.




ManofGod said:
I doubt it, to be honest. More than likely, the drive interface setting has changed, since updating the bios usually means all the settings are reset back to default. Try the IDE, AHCI or Raid until your Windows 7 install boots. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

As this computer only has one single sata port, raid is not supported by the motherboard. Raid needs a minimum of two drives to function. As for AHCI and IDE mode, i've tried both and neither keeps my mouse and keyboard working during Win7 setup.




DejaWiz said:
What USB ports is everything being plugged in to when you attempt to install Win7?

1. Keyboard
2. Mouse
3. Flash Drive with Win7 installer

Oh, and what brand/model of Flash Drive are you using? If it's a USB3, try an older USB2 drive.
Click to expand...

Flash drive? I'm not using a flash drive. The way that I originally installed Windows to this machine was via a USB DVD drive. If it worked with a DVD drive the first time I installed Windows then shouldn't it work for the second time? Keep in mine I just bought a second external DVD drive and tested both on another PC to rule out the possibility of hardware failure of the optical drive.
The keyboard has been primarily plugged into one of my two USB 2.0 ports and the mouse i've tried plugging into the USB 3.0 port, or not at all because, you don't need a mouse to install Windows. The bios update is keeping Windows 7 from booting or installing so at the moment that's my issue.




ManofGod said:
Bingo on that part. Chances are, the installation media does not have the required usb drivers.
Click to expand...

It couldn't be that, because Windows 7 naively supports standard USB keyboards and Mice. In fact..... So does Vista, XP-X64, XP and even Windows 2000. I'm surprised that you would have thought that..





GeneO said:
He already stated that he was using the USB 2.0 ports. As I already stated, it doesn't matter what port because the USB 2.0 ports are part of the Intel USB 3.0 controller so he needs the USB 3.0 drivers on the installation CD, as I already mentioned. Either he needs the SP1 installation CD or needs to inject the USB drivers.
Click to expand...


If this is true, then how could I possibly have installed Windows 7 to this machine in the first place? What you're saying makes no sense given this. And the USB 3.0 port used to work for installing Windows before eveything went to hell so what you said is double not true.





mvmiller12 said:
I have run into this problem with Windows 7 installer and USB myself. The easiest fix, of course, is to just Run Win10, but he doesn't want to. That leaves the harder fix.

Using a different (working) computer, you will need to download or create a Windows 7 custom ISO with the SP1 and roll-up pack integrated. You may also need to integrate your chipset drivers in the installer. There are numerous tuitorials on the web (a simple Google search) on how to do this. You then burn the custom ISO to a DVD-R or put it on a USB stick with RUFUS.
Click to expand...


Do you have a source/citation that the Windows 7 rollup pack is required for the Intel Baytrail chipset drivers? My installation of Windows 7 was 100% fully updated when this firmware update caused it to no longer be able to boot. Since the machine already had the rollup pack on it prior to it breaking, your advice couldn't possibly fix it if it was an issue of chipset drivers.




DejaWiz said:
There are two USB2 and one USB3 ports on his system.
The potential easy way out would be to plug the KB and older USB2 flash drive into the USB2 ports and run the install without a mouse.
Click to expand...

I have been plugging the KB into the USB2 ports.. The problem is that they stop working the moment the Windows 7 installer comes up.




horrorshow said:
*learned something new* (thanks)

Can't he just salvage a sata dvd drive from somewhere and use it for like an hour? (at this point the whole exercise is becoming kinda retarded)
Click to expand...

Sure! I can, that's no problem. However.. My board has one single SATA port. When I unplug the hard drive to connect the DVD drive, where do I then connect the hard drive so the bits of data can get in?





H2R2P2 said:
This is an easy one... Its either your RAID/SATA setting or your CSM/UEFI being enabled, disabled, or partially enabled.

Since its sees your boot drive, it should be your RAID/SATA setting. Just switch it form whatever it is now to the other one and it will work.
Click to expand...

Well this PC doesn't have raid settings since it only has a single sata ports. You need at least two drives to support raid. I have tried both SATA and AHCI mode and nether one will fix my keyboard from dying during the Win7 setup. Just to through this out there because I get the feeling you didn't read the thread: Ubuntu Linux also won't work unless I roll back to a super old bios version. As far as i'm aware the latest build of Ubuntu supports IDE and AHCI mode on mainstream Intel chipsets like mine.





DejaWiz said:
I've run into the problem numerous times, myself. More often than not, switching to an older USB2 flash drive to force EHCI mode is the cure.
Switching to EHCI is even stated in the spec update sheet...page 28.
https://edc.intel.com/Link.aspx?id=7123
As I stated before, I was merely adding to your post...try a USB2 flash drive first and, if that still doesn't work, then download the embedded driver package and slipstream it, as you recommend.
Click to expand...


What makes you think that a flash drive would be necessary, seeing as how i've installed Windows 7 via DVD drive to this machine in the past before? Also if it was in issue is just lacking a driver, don't you think Ubuntu Linux would have worked, since this hardware is from 2013-2014? Surely Ubuntu has has enough time to build the driver's into it's image. (it has, i've ran it on this machine in the past before the firmware of doom)




maxius said:
secureboot/tpm?
Click to expand...

I've tried it with secure boot on and off. No difference either way. I'm not sure what tpm is, but i'll look for it the next time I take a stab at this problem. (considering selling this and buying an old Zotac z-box at this point. I don't trust gigabyte anymore)




elite.mafia said:
According to a google search this board's BIOS needs to be set to whatever OS you are using before installing it. Have you tried that? based on the thread it sounds exactly like a incorrectly configured bios.
Click to expand...

It sounded like that to me too, but it ended up being quite the doozy. (It usually is though if I can't figure it out on my own)
And yes, the bios was set to Windows 7 mode. It was also already set to Windows 7 mode before the firmware hosed the PC. Didn't seem to prevent the problems, or fix them after clearing to safre defaults and re-choosing Windows 7 again.




ryan_975 said:
And none of you seem to realize it's been nearly a month since the OP last replied? I'm sure he's either fixed it already or given up.
Click to expand...

I haven't totally given up, but after spending an over 14 combined hours intensely trying to restore this computer to working condition I needed a breather. I feel that Windows 10 is being forced up my ass and it's gotten me stressed out as usual.




Segfault said:
Isn't Windows 7 terribly old? I think I had windows 2000 (it was my last Windows), seven must be much older than that.
Click to expand...

This thread is long enough as it is. If you have nothing to contribute please don't threadcrap, making it harder on everybody to see the 10 posts where I mention that my motherboard has one sata port and that i'm only using native USB 2.0 ports.




kamxam said:
I actually had the same thing happen to me when trying a Vista disk on my new setup. (Had lost my better Windows disks and it was all i had atm) I did manage to download a Windows 10 ISO to a USB drive from my laptop and that finally let me install it to my main system.
Like was said, the OP hasn't answered, but couldn't he put in 10 to get it to the desktop THEN re-install Windows 7? Never tried it that way so not sure....
Click to expand...


As i've already explained in post #6 with great detail, Yes, I can put in a Windows 10 disk to get it to the desktop. How in the world is this supposed to help me get Windows 7 re-installed though? The even bigger issue is this: Even if Windows 7 was installed, or Ubuntu for that matter, it won't boot.
I had a perfectly functioning WIn7 install when everything went to hell. The problem is the motherboard now won't load it, or let me re-install it. (if I downgrade the firmware I can install Linux, but that's nether here nor there.
 
ZodaEX said:
My main issue is that updating my motherboard's bios broke my perfectly working Windows 7 install. Installing to a different PC and moving the drive over wouldn't fix it, otherwise my functioning Win7 install never would have stopped working in the first place.





Yes as i've already explained in great detail in post #14, I have tried both the SP1 integrated install disc, as well as the original day-one Win7 release. Keep in mind I have installed both of them in the past to this machine with zero issues until after I updated the bios.






As this computer only has one single sata port, raid is not supported by the motherboard. Raid needs a minimum of two drives to function. As for AHCI and IDE mode, i've tried both and neither keeps my mouse and keyboard working during Win7 setup.






Flash drive? I'm not using a flash drive. The way that I originally installed Windows to this machine was via a USB DVD drive. If it worked with a DVD drive the first time I installed Windows then shouldn't it work for the second time? Keep in mine I just bought a second external DVD drive and tested both on another PC to rule out the possibility of hardware failure of the optical drive.
The keyboard has been primarily plugged into one of my two USB 2.0 ports and the mouse i've tried plugging into the USB 3.0 port, or not at all because, you don't need a mouse to install Windows. The bios update is keeping Windows 7 from booting or installing so at the moment that's my issue.






It couldn't be that, because Windows 7 naively supports standard USB keyboards and Mice. In fact..... So does Vista, XP-X64, XP and even Windows 2000. I'm surprised that you would have thought that..








If this is true, then how could I possibly have installed Windows 7 to this machine in the first place? What you're saying makes no sense given this. And the USB 3.0 port used to work for installing Windows before eveything went to hell so what you said is double not true.








Do you have a source/citation that the Windows 7 rollup pack is required for the Intel Baytrail chipset drivers? My installation of Windows 7 was 100% fully updated when this firmware update caused it to no longer be able to boot. Since the machine already had the rollup pack on it prior to it breaking, your advice couldn't possibly fix it if it was an issue of chipset drivers.






I have been plugging the KB into the USB2 ports.. The problem is that they stop working the moment the Windows 7 installer comes up.






Sure! I can, that's no problem. However.. My board has one single SATA port. When I unplug the hard drive to connect the DVD drive, where do I then connect the hard drive so the bits of data can get in?







Well this PC doesn't have raid settings since it only has a single sata ports. You need at least two drives to support raid. I have tried both SATA and AHCI mode and nether one will fix my keyboard from dying during the Win7 setup. Just to through this out there because I get the feeling you didn't read the thread: Ubuntu Linux also won't work unless I roll back to a super old bios version. As far as i'm aware the latest build of Ubuntu supports IDE and AHCI mode on mainstream Intel chipsets like mine.








What makes you think that a flash drive would be necessary, seeing as how i've installed Windows 7 via DVD drive to this machine in the past before? Also if it was in issue is just lacking a driver, don't you think Ubuntu Linux would have worked, since this hardware is from 2013-2014? Surely Ubuntu has has enough time to build the driver's into it's image. (it has, i've ran it on this machine in the past before the firmware of doom)






I've tried it with secure boot on and off. No difference either way. I'm not sure what tpm is, but i'll look for it the next time I take a stab at this problem. (considering selling this and buying an old Zotac z-box at this point. I don't trust gigabyte anymore)






It sounded like that to me too, but it ended up being quite the doozy. (It usually is though if I can't figure it out on my own)
And yes, the bios was set to Windows 7 mode. It was also already set to Windows 7 mode before the firmware hosed the PC. Didn't seem to prevent the problems, or fix them after clearing to safre defaults and re-choosing Windows 7 again.






I haven't totally given up, but after spending an over 14 combined hours intensely trying to restore this computer to working condition I needed a breather. I feel that Windows 10 is being forced up my ass and it's gotten me stressed out as usual.






This thread is long enough as it is. If you have nothing to contribute please don't threadcrap, making it harder on everybody to see the 10 posts where I mention that my motherboard has one sata port and that i'm only using native USB 2.0 ports.







As i've already explained in post #6 with great detail, Yes, I can put in a Windows 10 disk to get it to the desktop. How in the world is this supposed to help me get Windows 7 re-installed though? The even bigger issue is this: Even if Windows 7 was installed, or Ubuntu for that matter, it won't boot.
I had a perfectly functioning WIn7 install when everything went to hell. The problem is the motherboard now won't load it, or let me re-install it. (if I downgrade the firmware I can install Linux, but that's nether here nor there.
Click to expand...

I don't believe the rollup being integrated is required to make this work, but it will sure make your life a ton easier to get updates after installation. Windows Update changed at some point, and without the rollup, it can take literal days to update all the way back up, largely because it will sit on the "searching for updates" screen for hours and then sit on the installing updates screen for more hours (with little indication of progress). It's terrible slow.

That said, I do believe the integrated chipset drivers will be required to make it work. It seems fairly obvious that the BIOS update changed the USB IDs and thus Windows 7 can no longer recognize the ports without help. If the ports were actually borked, the Windows 10 installer wouldn't see them either. And if you're already going through the effort to integrate the chipset drivers, you might as well integrate the rollup into SP1 as well.

Another possibility would be to purchase a USB 2.0 add-in card, if you have a slot open to accommodate it. Those tend to be really cheap if you don't already have one available to you, and should do the trick without futzing with creating a new custom Windows 7 installer.
 
ZodaEX said:
When I boot the PC from the Windows disk, the moment the Windows 7 installer comes up, the keyboard and mouse both just shut off. They both work in bios, but not within the Win7 installer.



Anyone have any ideas for me to try?
Click to expand...
I didn't read the entire thread, but I have seen this and it was common. Basically what happens is the driver for the USB port you have your KB and Mouse plugged into are not being loaded. So what I normally do is unplug them and try to plug them into the back of the MB, preferably the USB 2 ports. Windows 7 doesn't natively understand USB 3 without a secondary driver. I also know some BIOS's offer a "Legacy" USB mode for compatibility. Could be this was now set to off as a default.
 
Last edited:
cybrnook said:
I didn't read the entire thread, but I have seen this and it was common. Basically what happens is the driver for the USB port you have your KB and Mouse plugged into are not being loaded. So what I normally do is unplug them and try to plug them into the back of the MB, preferably the USB 2 ports. Windows 7 doesn't natively understand USB 3 without a secondary driver. I also know some BIOS's offer a "Legacy" USB mode for compatibility. Could be this was now set to off as a default.
Click to expand...

I know that you seem to think that WIndows 7 can't naively understand USB 3.0 , however mine can. I'd put my life on it as i've done it over and over and over again on this computer. Not that it matters, because i'm using a native USB 2.0 port anyways.
 
Can we talk about Ubunu Linux for a moment please? Perhaps it will help us step back and understand the bigger picture of why this PC is Windows 10-only now.

If I try to install Linux, or just use the live-DVD environment, Linux will not load successfully, but I am greeted by hundreds of thousands of error messages. This does not happen on Windows 10. Do you guys have the same theories as before on this? Do you think Linux is also being stopped by a USB hardware ID change? Any other ideas?

And how about the biggest mindfuck of them all? lol. If I roll my firmware back to version F8, then Linux works. But why if Windows 7 still won't work?

It seems obvious, given these facts that the potential USB hardware id change isn't breaking Linux AND Windows from working so which one is it? Is it breaking Linux or Windows? I know it's not both because if it was, then my mouse and keyboard wouldn't work in Ubunu Linux either when I roll the driver back.
 
ZodaEX said:
Can we talk about Ubunu Linux for a moment please? Perhaps it will help us step back and understand the bigger picture of why this PC is Windows 10-only now.

If I try to install Linux, or just use the live-DVD environment, Linux will not load successfully, but I am greeted by hundreds of thousands of error messages. This does not happen on Windows 10. Do you guys have the same theories as before on this? Do you think Linux is also being stopped by a USB hardware ID change? Any other ideas?

And how about the biggest mindfuck of them all? lol. If I roll my firmware back to version F8, then Linux works. But why if Windows 7 still won't work?

It seems obvious, given these facts that the potential USB hardware id change isn't breaking Linux AND Windows from working so which one is it? Is it breaking Linux or Windows? I know it's not both because if it was, then my mouse and keyboard wouldn't work in Ubunu Linux either when I roll the driver back.
Click to expand...

I can't speak to Linux as I am not a Linux guy, but the firmware for the USB controllers is separate from the mainboard firmware. This does not mean the the gigabyte firmware could not have updated it, but would perfectly explain why downgrading the firmware would not roll it back. It's entirely possible that the USB controller firmware was only EVER updated by that latest mainboard firmware update, with the USB firmware having been static since initial manufacture of that series of mainboard. Thus, rolling back the mainboard firmware would have no effect on the USB firmware - there's nothing there to roll back TO.

Not directly relevant, but shows I feel your pain: I had to manually update the Asmedia USB 3.0 firmware on my old Asus M5A97 EVO mainboard to get it to work correctly with my Corsair K70 RGB keyboard. Asus never bothered to update the USB firmware with the mainboard BIOS, so I was looking at doing it this way or buying an add-in card at the time. The process for getting this done was both obscure and a pain in the ass. I had to find the actual Asmedia controller firmware stuff on Asmedia's Chinese website (and it was buried, man. Buried), and then run the update from FreeDOS. The firmware files were meant for add-in cards, not mainboard integrated controllers. I actually ended up flashing the wrong USB firmware by accident and killing ALL of my USB ports until I managed to flash in the correct one courtesy of another computer in the house for downloads and to burn a FreeDOS ISO to CD, a PS/2 style keyboard, and a bootable SATA CD Drive on the effected system. The problem was that there were 2 or 3 different "revisions" of the controller chip, all with the same model info. It was a nightmare, but in the end, I got the controller updated and my K70 worked fine on that system until I retired it in favor of my new Ryzen goodness. If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, I'd have just bought the fucking add-in card! :)
 
mvmiller12 said:
I can't speak to Linux as I am not a Linux guy, but the firmware for the USB controllers is separate from the mainboard firmware. This does not mean the the gigabyte firmware could not have updated it, but would perfectly explain why downgrading the firmware would not roll it back. It's entirely possible that the USB controller firmware was only EVER updated by that latest mainboard firmware update, with the USB firmware having been static since initial manufacture of that series of mainboard. Thus, rolling back the mainboard firmware would have no effect on the USB firmware - there's nothing there to roll back TO.

Not directly relevant, but shows I feel your pain: I had to manually update the Asmedia USB 3.0 firmware on my old Asus M5A97 EVO mainboard to get it to work correctly with my Corsair K70 RGB keyboard. Asus never bothered to update the USB firmware with the mainboard BIOS, so I was looking at doing it this way or buying an add-in card at the time. The process for getting this done was both obscure and a pain in the ass. I had to find the actual Asmedia controller firmware stuff on Asmedia's Chinese website (and it was buried, man. Buried), and then run the update from FreeDOS. The firmware files were meant for add-in cards, not mainboard integrated controllers. I actually ended up flashing the wrong USB firmware by accident and killing ALL of my USB ports until I managed to flash in the correct one courtesy of another computer in the house for downloads and to burn a FreeDOS ISO to CD, a PS/2 style keyboard, and a bootable SATA CD Drive on the effected system. The problem was that there were 2 or 3 different "revisions" of the controller chip, all with the same model info. It was a nightmare, but in the end, I got the controller updated and my K70 worked fine on that system until I retired it in favor of my new Ryzen goodness. If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, I'd have just bought the fucking add-in card! :)
Click to expand...


Wow that both gives me a bit of hope and also opens my eyes to all sorts of potential problems I never knew existed. I sure wish I had the option to use an add-in card but this PC doesn't have expansion slots. I'll take one more stab at this problem later when I can get around to it. In the meanwhile I've made myself another HTPC our of spare parts I had lying around. If I can't fix this Gigabyte computer within the next 4 hours of me working on it I should probably just cut my losses, sell it and buy a cheap used Zotac mini pc to replace it I think.
 
ZodaEX said:
Wow that both gives me a bit of hope and also opens my eyes to all sorts of potential problems I never knew existed. I sure wish I had the option to use an add-in card but this PC doesn't have expansion slots. I'll take one more stab at this problem later when I can get around to it. In the meanwhile I've made myself another HTPC our of spare parts I had lying around. If I can't fix this Gigabyte computer within the next 4 hours of me working on it I should probably just cut my losses, sell it and buy a cheap used Zotac mini pc to replace it I think.
Click to expand...

Your best bet, then is to keep your BIOS on F8 and make a new Windows 7 installer with SP1, the chipset drivers (specifically the ones involving the USB controllers), and the roll-up all integrated. It is more irritating to do than actually difficult, and you'll appreciate having a full updated installer if you plan to stick with Win7 for a while, so worth a stab at it in any case. Good luck!

Here's a good place to start, I think: https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-integrate-drivers-into-windows-7-installation-disc/

Edit: Oh! And keep us posted as to whether or not you get it working, and what ultimately got it going! I hate cliffhangers :)
 
mvmiller12 said:
I can't speak to Linux as I am not a Linux guy, but the firmware for the USB controllers is separate from the mainboard firmware. This does not mean the the gigabyte firmware could not have updated it, but would perfectly explain why downgrading the firmware would not roll it back. It's entirely possible that the USB controller firmware was only EVER updated by that latest mainboard firmware update, with the USB firmware having been static since initial manufacture of that series of mainboard. Thus, rolling back the mainboard firmware would have no effect on the USB firmware - there's nothing there to roll back TO.

Not directly relevant, but shows I feel your pain: I had to manually update the Asmedia USB 3.0 firmware on my old Asus M5A97 EVO mainboard to get it to work correctly with my Corsair K70 RGB keyboard. Asus never bothered to update the USB firmware with the mainboard BIOS, so I was looking at doing it this way or buying an add-in card at the time. The process for getting this done was both obscure and a pain in the ass. I had to find the actual Asmedia controller firmware stuff on Asmedia's Chinese website (and it was buried, man. Buried), and then run the update from FreeDOS. The firmware files were meant for add-in cards, not mainboard integrated controllers. I actually ended up flashing the wrong USB firmware by accident and killing ALL of my USB ports until I managed to flash in the correct one courtesy of another computer in the house for downloads and to burn a FreeDOS ISO to CD, a PS/2 style keyboard, and a bootable SATA CD Drive on the effected system. The problem was that there were 2 or 3 different "revisions" of the controller chip, all with the same model info. It was a nightmare, but in the end, I got the controller updated and my K70 worked fine on that system until I retired it in favor of my new Ryzen goodness. If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, I'd have just bought the fucking add-in card! :)
Click to expand...


This is good point. I believe in this case the USB stuff may be handled by Intel Management Engine* firmware (which is separate from the main firmware). It's usually updated with the main system firmware, but if memory serves I don't believe it can be rolled back (I could be wrong on that though).

*ME firmware runs on an embedded processor inside the PCH (i.e. chipset) and handles the very low level initialization of the PCH and CPU before the main firmware starts. Without it the system does absolutely nothing, not even look for what to do.
 
mvmiller12 said:
Your best bet, then is to keep your BIOS on F8 and make a new Windows 7 installer with SP1, the chipset drivers (specifically the ones involving the USB controllers), and the roll-up all integrated. It is more irritating to do than actually difficult, and you'll appreciate having a full updated installer if you plan to stick with Win7 for a while, so worth a stab at it in any case. Good luck!

Here's a good place to start, I think: https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-integrate-drivers-into-windows-7-installation-disc/

Edit: Oh! And keep us posted as to whether or not you get it working, and what ultimately got it going! I hate cliffhangers :)
Click to expand...

I've got a good feeling about this possible fix. I'll definitely try it and report back how it goes.
 
And keep in mind you can always use something like NTLite : https://www.ntlite.com/ to just slipstream your driver into your installer and hopefully light up your USB ports during initial initialization of install, replacing the older likely outdated driver that comes in the default windows installer back from 7 SP1 days which may be incompatible with the updated firmware of the controller.
 
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